Italy
Country · Europe, Southern Europe
Italy is a country in Southern Europe with a land area of about 302,000 square kilometers and a population of approximately 59 million. With its capital in Rome, it shares borders with countries including France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia, offering travelers a variety of historic cities and geographical features.
Highlights
The site covers 120 sights across the country. Many are concentrated in Rome, such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Circus Maximus, the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, Santa Maria Maggiore, and Castel Sant'Angelo. Other notable locations include the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Milan Cathedral, the Florence Cathedral, the Verona Arena, the ruins of Herculaneum, and the Appian Way. For nature, visitors can explore the Amalfi Coast and Mount Etna, or visit Monte Cassino. Major cities to explore include Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples, Padua, Palermo, Pisa, Pozzuoli, and Tivoli.
Food and drink
Italian cuisine includes staples such as pizza, spaghetti, lasagna, macaroni, and risotto. Dairy products like mozzarella, parmesan, gorgonzola, and ricotta are commonly used, often paired with salami or polenta. For dessert, tiramisu is a traditional option.
When to go
Based on the weather in Rome, the summer months of June, July, and August are hot, with daily highs reaching 30 °C and minimal rain. These months are suitable for those who prefer dry, warm conditions. Spring, particularly May, offers milder temperatures around 22 °C. The winter months from December to February are cooler, with highs around 12 °C to 13 °C and higher rainfall, particularly in November and December.
Practical notes
The official currency is the euro. The official language is Italian. The country uses 230 V electricity with plug types C, F, and L. Traffic moves on the right side of the road. The time zone is UTC+01:00.
Cities
Food and drink to try in Italy
- Pizza
- Spaghetti
- Tiramisu
- Lasagna
- Mozzarella
- Macaroni
- Parmesan
- Salami
- Risotto
- Polenta
- Gorgonzola
- Ricotta
Top sights in Italy
ColosseumRome
Pantheon, RomeRome
UNESCOLeaning Tower of PisaPisa
Mount Etna
Trevi FountainRome
Milan CathedralMilan
Florence CathedralFlorence
UNESCOAmalfi Coast
UNESCOArchbasilica of Saint John LateranRome
Verona ArenaVerona
UNESCOHerculaneumHerculaneum
Castel Sant'AngeloRome
- Circus Maximus · Rome
- Monte Cassino · Cassino
- Roman Forum · Rome
- Appian Way · RomeUNESCO
- Santa Maria Maggiore · RomeUNESCO
- Stadio Olimpico · Rome
- Spanish Steps · Rome
- Palatine Hill · Rome
- Victor Emmanuel II Monument · Rome
- St Mark's Basilica · Venice
- Lake Garda
- Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls · RomeUNESCO
- Arch of Titus · Rome
- Uffizi · Florence
- Ponte Vecchio · Florence
- Trajan's Column · Rome
- Mausoleum of Augustus · Rome
- Palazzo Vecchio · Florence
- Arch of Constantine · Rome
- Lake Maggiore
- Doge's Palace · Venice
- Ostia Antica
- Royal Palace of Caserta · Caserta
- Baths of Caracalla · Rome
- Quirinal Palace · Rome
- Basilica of San VitaleUNESCO
- PaestumUNESCO
- Palazzo Pitti · Florence
- Scala Sancta · RomeUNESCO
- Piazza Navona · Rome
- Santa Croce, Florence · Florence
- Sforza Castle · Milan
- Rialto Bridge · Venice
- Bridge of Sighs · Venice
- Galleria Borghese · Rome
- Hadrian's Villa · TivoliUNESCO
- Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi · Rome
- Santa Maria Novella · Florence
- Villa Romana del CasaleUNESCO
- Scrovegni Chapel · Padua
- Ara Pacis · Rome
- Mole Antonelliana · Turin
- Salento
- Pyramid of Cestius · Rome
- Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan · MilanUNESCO
- Siena Cathedral · Siena
- Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi · Assisi
- Blue Grotto · Capri
- Capitoline Museums · Rome
- Tre Cime di Lavaredo
- Church of the Gesù · Rome
- Valle dei Templi · AgrigentoUNESCO
- Piazza della Signoria · Florence
- Venetian Arsenal · Venice
- Florence Baptistery · Florence
- Villa d'Este · TivoliUNESCO
- Curia Julia · Rome
- Baiae · Pozzuoli
- Villa of the Mysteries · PompeiiUNESCO
- Column of Marcus Aurelius · Rome
- Pisa Cathedral · Pisa
- St Mark's Campanile · Venice
- Villa of the Papyri · HerculaneumUNESCO
- Piazza del Popolo · Rome
- Galleria dell'Accademia · Florence
- Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence · Florence
- Santa Maria sopra Minerva · Rome
- Santa Maria della Salute · Venice
- Santa Maria in Trastevere · Rome
- Temple of Caesar · Rome
- MarmoladaUNESCO
- Baths of Diocletian · Rome
- Orvieto Cathedral · Orvieto
- Cumae · Pozzuoli
- Monreale Cathedral · PalermoUNESCO
- Castel del Monte, Apulia · Minervino MurgeUNESCO
- Servian Wall · Rome
- San Pietro in Vincoli · Rome
- Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo · Monte Sant'AngeloUNESCO
- Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri · Rome
- Palermo Cathedral · PalermoUNESCO
- Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua · Padua
- Castel Nuovo · Naples
- Pragser Wildsee · Bruneck
- Santa Croce in Gerusalemme · Rome
- Val d'OrciaUNESCO
- Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome · Rome
- Campo de' Fiori · Rome
- Ponte Sant'Angelo · Rome
- Mausoleum of TheodoricUNESCO
- Temple of Saturn · Rome
- Segesta
- Lapis Niger · Rome
- Piazza Venezia · Rome
- Arch of Septimius Severus · Rome
- Chigi Palace · Rome
- Santa Maria del Popolo · Rome
- Santa Sabina · Rome
- Lake Iseo
- Gallerie dell'Accademia · Venice
- Theatre of Marcellus · Rome
- San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane · Rome
- Bargello · Florence
- San Luigi dei Francesi · Rome
- Boboli Gardens · FlorenceUNESCO
- Giotto's Campanile · Florence
- National Archaeological Museum, Naples · Naples
- Palazzo Barberini · Rome
- Royal Palace of Naples · Naples
- Museo Egizio · Turin
- Turin Cathedral · Turin
- Orto botanico di Padova · PaduaUNESCO
- San Giovanni degli Eremiti · PalermoUNESCO
Weather by month
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 30 °C. The wettest is November, with about 110 mm of rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 12 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 26 | 30 | 30 | 26 | 21 | 16 | 13 |
| Average low, °C | 4 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 6 |
| Rainfall, mm | 65 | 65 | 56 | 73 | 51 | 30 | 22 | 29 | 70 | 102 | 110 | 97 |
| Rainy days | 11 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 11 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Rome (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
Also worth a look
- Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park
- Accademia Carrara
- Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale
- Archbishop's Chapel
- Arian Baptistery
- Baptistery of Neon
- Basilica Aemilia
- Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
- Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe
- Biblioteca Ambrosiana
- Biblioteca Marciana
- Brenta group
- Caelian Hill
- Cannaregio
- Cefalù Cathedral
- Church of San Cataldo
- Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio
- City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto
- Crespi d'Adda
- Domus de Janas
- Dorsoduro
- Historic Centre of Florence
- Historic district of Rome
- Il Redentore
- Janiculum
- Lake Albano
- Langhe
- Lateran
- Longobards in Italy: Places of Power
- Maremma
- Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
- Medici villas
- Monterozzi necropolis
- Montferrat
- Mosque of Rome
- Motya
- Naples Cathedral
- Necropolis of Pantalica
- Palace of Venaria
- Palazzina di caccia of Stupinigi