Top 10 Places in Italy

We are now going to try to shortlist the 10 most visited places in Italy. The country has the highest number of historical monuments in the world and this makes it one of the most famous tourist destinations

10 San Gimignano is a town in Tuscany famous for its many towers and preserved medieval architecture. The town was an important economic center in the past, however its development declined after 15^th century when Florence came to prominence. 

9 Cinque Terre is an area including five towns on the Italian Riviera that have kept their patriarchal spirit. They are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list and have become a favorite holiday destination. 

8 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is part of the Cathedral Square in the city of Pisa. It started tilting during its construction in 12^th century because of the soft sandy soil and its shallow foundation. 

7 Lago di Como is the most famous Italian lake. It is located in the north of Italy in the region of Lombardy. The town of Como located on the lake is popular destination for its well preserved historical center.

6 Amalfi Coast and its main town, also called Amalfi, attract countless number of tourist every year for its clear waters and amazing sites like the Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Cave), Chiostro del Paradiso (a famous cloister) and many others.

5 The modern city of Pompei is the home of the ancient town of Pompeii which was buried under volcanic ashes after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It was in fact the ash that preserved it for thousands of years and it is now the most authentic ancient town in the world.

4 Siena was the capital city of the powerful Republic of Siena in 12^th century, however it stayed in the shadow of the nearby Florence. It is famous for the traditional horse race held at the central square every year called Palio di Siena. Besides this exciting event the city offers many historic landmarks worth visiting.

3 Florence is known as the Renaissance capital of Europe. Four great artists lived and worked in Florence: Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci. At least a few days are needed to see all major sites in the city. Its most significant landmark however is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

2 Rome also known as The Eternal City was the capital of the Roman Empire and now capital of Italy. Its heart keeps landmarks from several different eras. The most visited place in Rome is the Coliseum. There are plenty of marvelous fountains, old churches and numerous museums to be seen. Another important part of Rome is the Vatican City which is also the smallest independent country in the world.

1 Venice is famous for its canals and used to be the capital city of the powerful Republic of Venice. The old city was built on numerous small islands linked via a network of canals served by the traditional gondola boats.  The entire city is like a big open-air museum which unfortunately gets regularly flooded as it slowly sinks year after year. Saint Mark's Basilica is a must-see and the view from its bell tower (St Mark's Campanile) is outstanding.