The best 10+ historical places in Italy for travelers!

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Italy is probably a great destination for all history lovers. If you are planning or want to learn about experiences traveling to historical places in Italy, don’t miss these 10+ historical places in Italy.

As you embark on a traveler’s pilgrimage through this enchanting country, let me unveil the mosaic of historical wonders awaiting your discovery. From the iconic Colosseum standing proud in Rome to the preserved ruins frozen in time, let’s unravel the top 10+ historical marvels that define Italy’s enduring allure. Below is a summary of what I learned after my recent trip to Italy.

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Table of Contents

The 10+ historical places in Italy for travelers

1. Holy See (Vatican City)

I arrived at Rome’s central station after a rather deserted train early in the morning. What caught my eye were homeless people lying along the street side shops. It turns out that Europe is not only rosy, there are still poor and pitiful people. In return for that bit of sadness, the sky in Rome today is incredibly beautiful and blue. I quickly moved to the Holy See (Vatican City). Omg, I don’t need a fancy camera, I can still get beautiful photos of the sky like that.

historical places in Italy — The Holy See is considered a symbolic building of the city

The Holy See (Vatican City) is the first historical place in Italy that we recommend you must go to when coming to Rome, Italy because this is considered a symbolic building of the city. For the most comfortable and convenient visit, you should book tickets online before starting your journey, then you will just need to present your ticket and experience without having to wait in line. Because this place, as far as I know, has about 15,000 visitors every day.

The destination of the Holy See that should not be missed is the Vatican museum. This place is designed with long corridors, with galleries of extremely beautiful and skillful sculptures, with value and a rich history of up to 2000 years old. Looking up at the ceiling, you can also admire excellent and splendid paintings with very sophisticated drawing and weaving or sculpture art.

Next, you should visit St. Peter’s Basilica. It took the builders more than 150 years to complete the cathedral. Therefore, this is a work of great significance and historical value for the people of Rome. In addition, this is also a place for Popes to rest, and ceremonies are held every afternoon. Then, I chose to visit the Sistine Chapel. This is called the treasure of the Vatican because all the most valuable works of art in the world are kept here. When tourists visit, they must adhere to the “No camera” principle.

St. Peter’s Square is the next historical place in Italy you can visit. A large, extremely vast campus, and when viewed from here, the overall architecture of the Vatican will be most comprehensive. And don’t worry about language issues, when you buy a tour ticket, there will be headset devices and very good language translation support.

2. Florence Cathedral

Until now, after a while since visiting Florence Cathedral, I still have a very familiar feeling. Also known as the Duomo, Florence’s cathedral is one of the top historical places in Italy to visit. It is also one of the largest churches in Italy and the most important landmark in Florence – the heart of Tuscany. I really don’t know what to say because visiting this place gives me an extremely difficult feeling to describe.

The cathedral is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and initial construction began in 1296 but it was completed some 200 years later, in 1436, after the addition of a dome. The Duomo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and stands tall in the city of Florence, reminiscent of Italy’s golden age.

3. Colosseum, Rome

Omg, even a light breeze made me feel a bit chilly when I came here! Only when I saw it with our own eyes did I believe that the Roman Colosseum had been destroyed and repaired many times. Although it is only a ruin, it is still a symbol and heroic testament to the great Roman Empire, one of the most beautiful and unique ancient Roman architectural works left in the world.

Regarding the history of the Roman arena, it was not only a place for gladiators to compete but also a place to torture gladiators – prisoners after wars – with other beasts. When visiting, surely the first feeling when you step in is a boiling, somewhat barbaric atmosphere of the past. Although it is a bloody arena, this historical place in Italy is still very magnificent and is a place for tourists to visit and witness this impressive historical site with their own eyes. And every year the Popes still take time to commemorate and pray for those who died here.

In addition, I also learned a lot of interesting things about the Roman Colosseum in Italy. Perhaps most impressively, it is the largest Roman amphitheater in the world, accommodating up to 65,000 spectators at peak times. This is where all walks of life can gather and watch the matches. And of course there will be a solemn area for the Emperor and his courtiers.

4. Venice

Romantic, beautiful and peaceful – are the words I want to say when visiting Venice.If you go to historical places in Italy and don’t visit Venice, it will be a big mistake in your life. Although Venice is not the capital of Italy, it is an extremely famous city. Venice is known as the city of love.

I heard locals say that Venice is made up of 118 islands and 175 canals, the islands connected by 444 bridges. With more than 400 bridges, no two trees are the same and no two corners are the same. Just going and getting lost in Venice is what we like the most.

The Grand Canal in Venice, Italy is a famous S-shaped traffic road. This canal also has a boat racing festival on the Grand Canal every September. If you come to Italy, this canal will give you the opportunity to admire the most wonderful beauty. From the bus station, you will immediately see the Grand Canal. I see this as a national highway.

In addition, sitting on the Gondola, I can admire tube houses with many windows, small bridges with romantic love stories. In my opinion, Venice requires at least 1 day to fully visit. If you have 1 more day, you can go to Burano island and Murano island very nearby by waterbus with an affordable price.

5. Pantheon

You can use the metro, taxi or bus to get to the Pantheon. I chose the subway because it is the most used means of transportation here because of its convenience, cheap price, and continuous travel. There is a trip every 10 minutes so visitors will not have to spend too much time waiting.

The Pantheon is the best-preserved ancient Roman structure in the world, originally built between 27 BC and 14 AD. At that time, it was built as a Roman temple dedicated to the Pantheon but was converted into a Catholic Church in the 7th century and renamed the Basilica of Saint Mary and the Martyrs to honor Mary and the martyrs.

Today, the building is one of the most famous historical monuments in Italy, one of the most recognizable landmarks in Rome and one of the historical places in Italy not to be missed when in the city. If I travel to Italy again, I will probably still visit this place, because the atmosphere here is very different from the outside world.

6. Michelangelo Square

I arrived in Florence with zero knowledge and I was completely captivated by Florence. I visited a lot of spots here, but Piazza Michelangelo is my favorite historical place in Italy. Michelangelo Square was designed and built in 1869 by architect Giuseppe Poggi and is the most beautiful place to watch the sunset.

From Vecchio bridge, I walked along the banks of the Arno river and then climbed Michelangelo hill for a total of about 30 minutes. I walked slowly, looking at the traffic, people, river, and shops along the way. When climbing to the middle of the hill, I was quite tired. I had to stop and rest a bit before continuing to climb. I couldn’t climb up in one breath.

Surrounded by other church towers, brown-tiled houses with yellow walls, the winding Arno River flowing under small bridges, the faint green hill in the distance and the nearby forests still mark the rest of the painting. The city walls have almost disappeared during the expansion of the city.

Most of the images of Florence that appear on postcards are taken from a viewpoint in Michelangelo Square. In the middle of the square there is also a blue replica of David statue. A large crowd of people gathered towards the sun waiting for the moment of sunset. This space is suitable not only for watching the sunset but also for watching the entire city covered in sunset light. Uhm…coming here with your lover is not a bad idea!

7. Cinque Terre Land

Cinque terre is a rugged coastal area located on the Riviera. In Italian, Cinque Terre means five lands: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The highlight of the villages in Cinque Terre are the colorful houses lined up close together, overlapping each other along narrow alleys and cliff sides. In the small alleys, you will encounter images of local Italian life with flower-filled balconies, fluttering clotheslines and cats playing on the doorstep.

You should buy a Cinque Terre card for unlimited train travel within these 5 lands and some adjacent locations. I personally spent 2 full days exploring and experiencing all 5 villages above because for me, each village has its own beauty and scenery to explore and feel. Truly one of the unforgettable historical places in Italy for me!

8. Vesuvius volcano

Vesuvius volcano is located in the Bay of Naples, Italy

This is a stratovolcano with a height of 1,232m, the crater is about 305m deep as of the time after the last eruption in 1944. Vesuvius volcano is located in the Bay of Naples, Italy. This volcano is still active today. For me, the tour to this volcano was the most dangerous trip of my trip. I was even able to get to the top and look into the crater.

The distance from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain is quite long, about more than 30 minutes of walking. Therefore, you should avoid going in the hot, sultry seasons, which is very tiring. Especially in the summer when the temperature increases, there are many potential dangers at Vesuvius volcano, you need to pay attention to this. Surely this will be an interesting experience and an impressive historical place in Italy for you to explore.

9. Pianosa Island

The island served as the base for a special security prison until 1998, when the prison closed. Some residents eventually left and Pianosa was abandoned for many years. Tourists were not allowed on the island until recently and those who did visit could only arrive as part of an organized boat tour, which had to be booked in advance through specific tour operators.

Once nicknamed “Devil’s Island”, Pianosa has now become a popular happy retreat thanks to its beautiful beaches and lush vegetation. But that is not the most special thing on the island.

What impresses me the most is that there is only Manca here who is a woman and the service staff are men, even prisoners. Despite living with male prisoners, Manca always felt comfortable on the island and considered it a “safe haven”. Well, I tried coming here and it feels like..well…you should experience historical places in Italy yourself!

10. The Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa got its name because it began leaning to one side a few years after construction began in 1173 due to weak foundations. Built in the 12th century, the original shape is no different from other towers in the world. But built on sinking ground, over time, the tower took on its current characteristic tilted shape.

Currently, after many efforts to save it after the risk of collapse, the leaning tower of Pisa has a stable tilt of 3.9 degrees, this is a big improvement compared to the 5.5 degree tilt it achieved previously. 1990. Construction of the tower is still underway to keep it standing as long as possible.

In my experence, compared to other historical places in Italy, the Leaning Tower of Pisa complex is not so unique and attractive. However, if you still want to see this famous strange structure with your own eyes, it’s okay because it only takes half a day to go to and from Florence.

Wrap up

These 10+ historical sites are not mere relics; they are living chronicles of a nation’s grandeur, resilience, and artistic brilliance. As you bid farewell to these storied landscapes, may the echoes of gladiatorial battles in the Colosseum, or the artistic resonance of Florence linger as cherished memories, etching Italy’s rich history indelibly in your heart and mind.

In addition, planning a trip to Italy is not simply about choosing a destination and time, but also about careful preparation for every aspect of the journey. For a complete trip and maximum exploration, networking is extremely important. Let Esimwise help make your trip to Italy more meaningful than ever!

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