10 Amazingly Beautiful Places In Italy!

Join us as we look at some of the best places you can visit in Italy!

10. Colosseum
Also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, this structure, located in Rome, Italy, was used for battles between gladiators, and it could hold up to 80,000 spectators. The usual audiences for these so-called "contests" were around 65,000 people. But, the Colosseum was used for executions, animal hunts, dramas on Classical mythology, and reenactments of sea battles as well. Once the medieval period began, the building was no longer used for entertaining audiences. A chapel was added, and fittingly, the arena was turned into a cemetery. The spaces beneath the seating areas were transformed into workshops and housing units. Throughout the centuries, the Colosseum underwent more and more changes - from a holy place blessed by Pope Benedict XIV to serving as an anti-capital punishment symbol nowadays.

9. Lake Como
Imagine for a moment the most picturesque place you could go on holiday - vast mountains, deep blue water, and blankets of greenery. Luckily for you, making this dream a reality is as simple as taking a trip to Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy. Lake Como was once made of glaciers, which melted centuries ago, and it looks like an upside-down letter "Y" that spans to the towns Lecco , Como, and Colico . Smaller towns are also scattered around the edges of the lake. Considering its beauty and subtropical climate, it's no surprise that Lake Como is a popular tourist destination. Windsurfing, sailing, and kitesurfing are just a few of the activities available there, and scenic villas offer fascinating history lessons. One of the more popular is Villa Carlotta, which was built in 1690 is now home to a museum containing important sculptures by the Neoclassical artist, Antonio Canova . If Lake Como's sheer beauty and historical significance aren't enough to entice you, perhaps its place in movies like Ocean's Twelve and 2002's Star Wars: Episode II will draw you in.

8. Florence
As the Tuscany region's capital city, Florence is one of the most popular destinations for tourists visiting Italy. Once a Roman metropolis, Florence acted as the motherland of the Italian Renaissance. As such, the city is home to amazing architecture, history, and culture. Some of the most well-known structures in Florence are the Palazzo Pitti, Florence Cathedral, and the Basilica of San Lorenzo, which holds all of the Medici family's remains. In addition to all of its historically important destinations and beauty, Florence is known for its food and wine culture. Local wine is made from Sangiovese grapes found in the Chianti region south of the city, and their flavor shines through in Chianti Classico and "Super Tuscan" wines. That's only the beginning of what this stunning metropolis has to offer as its art scene is something you don't want to miss. Classic works such as Sandro Botticelli's The Birth of Venus painting and Michelangelo's David are within Florence's numerous museums and galleries.

7. Blue Grotto
If the world's natural wonders are more your thing, then you'll want to spend some time in the Blue Grotto off the coast of Capri. This dreamlike sea cave stretches about 164 feet into the cliff at the water's surface and is about 490 feet deep. The only time visitors can enter the cavern is when the tide is low and the sea is calm, allowing safe access. It was named for its brilliant blue hue - the result of light shining through the grotto's entrance, as well as through a larger opening beneath the surface, illuminating the water. Since much of the light entering the cavern is filtered through the water, red reflections don't make it inside, leaving Blue Grotto - well - strikingly blue. Due to safety concerns, visitors can only explore the cave via rowboats, and swimming is strictly forbidden. This wasn't always the case, however. Once upon a time, Emperor Tiberius, who moved to Capri in 27 AD, used Blue Grotto as his personal swimming hole. He even had it decorated with statues, including two Roman gods of the sea, Triton and Neptune, which were found at the bottom of the cavern in 1964.

6. Trevi Fountain
This magnificent fountain is in Rome's Trevi district and was designed by Nicola Salvi, an Italian architect that lived from 1697 to 1751. Trevi Fountain is about 86 feet high and 161.3 feet wide and is Rome's largest Baroque-style fountain - and it's known throughout the entire world! Construction began in 1732 and was finished eleven years after Salvi's passing by four different sculptors and the architect Giuseppe Pannini. It wasn't until 1988 that the fountain was revamped due to discoloration from smog, and ten years later, cracks and other areas were touched up by talented artisans as well. The scene of Trevi Fountain is of Poseidon's sons, also called Tritons, guiding the titan Oceanus on his shell chariot while he tames the hippocampi, or sea-horses, below him. Its sheer presence, ancient mythological story-telling, and extravagant detail earn Trevi Fountain a spot on our list of best places to visit in Italy.

5. Tuscany
Another location you should stay for several days is Tuscany. Located in central Italy, this region spans about 8,900 square miles and hosts nearly four million residents. It also encompasses many of the tourist destinations that interest thousands of people each year, including Florence, which already made it on our list. But, Tuscany is also home to Pisa, Siena, and Chianti , as well as the Castiglione Della Pescaia , a breathtaking seaside town that developed around a medieval fortress. In fact, Tuscany as a whole is well-known for its medieval period since it was the beginning of many great cities like the three we listed above plus Lucca and Arezzo. Because of its rich history, Tuscany offers incredible art, music, and cultural scenes and several art schools. The residents of the region even speak the unique Tuscan dialect of Italian.

4. The Dolomites
If you're an avid hiker or you enjoy scenic natural views, then another place you shouldn't forgo is the Dolomites. This dramatic mountain range is in northeastern Italy, stretching from the River Adige to the Piave Valley and forming a portion of the Southern Limestone Alps. Sometimes called the "Pale Mountains," the Dolomites are made from - well, dolomite - a carbonate sedimentary rock made of the mineral dolomite, which is very light in color. This mountain range draws tourists from all over the world every year for all types of outdoor activities. Besides hiking, the Dolomites offer perfect areas to BASE jump, mountain climb, ski, and cycle. Free climbing has also been a popular sport here since 1887, when Georg Winkler, a 17-year-old boy, free soloed the first ascent of the Vajolet Towers.

3. Venice
As one of the most romantic cities in the world, Venice hosts about 60,000 tourists every day. Originally, Venice was believed to be a refuge for people from cities nearby plus those fleeing from invasions by the Huns and Germans. Eventually, Venice began expanding and turned into a city-state with immense commercial and naval power due to its location on the Adriatic Sea. By the 12th century, the metropolis was a major trade center whose routes were protected from pirates by its strong navy. From the 15th century onward, Venice began a steep decline, losing many of its possessions to several Ottoman-Venetian conflicts.

The Black Plague furthered the city's deterioration, ending the lives of around 50,000 people, and the Italian plague took out another 50,000 residents half a century later. Despite its morbid historical downfall, this port city's fairytale essence and sheer beauty keep its tourist industry alive today. Canals run through Venice, connecting its 118 small islands and allowing people to ride gondolas while they explore the city's many offerings. Floating on top of deep blue water, Venice's surrealism ties in well with its stunning architecture and art and rich culture. Some of the city's main attractions are Doge's Palace, the Grand Canal, St. Mark's Basilica, and the Piazza San Marco.

2. Pompeii
Speaking of a morbid past, Pompeii was a thriving metropolis that met a terrible fate in AD 79. At the time, about 15,000 people were living in Pompeii due to its thriving agriculture - probably the result of Mount Vesuvius' previous eruptions. Little did they know the mountain that provided them with food and protection would also be their demise. Vesuvius' immense eruption quickly covered Pompeii with ash, rocks, and cinders, which poured over the city for six hours, forming piles up to 82 feet high. The residents immediately perished from the extreme heat the lava blasts produced at temperatures exceeding 480 degrees Fahrenheit.

A man named Pliny the Younger watched the events unfold firsthand across the Bay of Naples from Pompeii and wrote down the details 25 years later. The city and its deceased inhabitants remained buried for centuries until excavations truly began in the mid-1700s. For about 2,000 years, various objects buried within Pompeii were well-preserved because the volcanic dirt and ash let in little to no air and moisture. Nowadays, the site is deteriorating due to light exposure, water, weathering, and things like tourism. Nevertheless, it makes our list because Pompeii offers a glance into the past like no other. Numerous frescoes depicting images of what life was like in the city, as well as living figures forever cast in ash make Pompeii an incomparable destination.

1. Verona
"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo!" A famous line from a famous play, known for its romance, drama, and intrigue, much like the city it's set in: Verona. Although the city's true origin remains a mystery, Verona became important because it marked the intersection of many roads. The Roman general Stilicho conquered the first Visigoth king, Alaric, at this spot in 403. Nearly 90 years later when the Ostrogoths took over Verona, their king, Theoderic the Great, constructed a palace in the same location. Eventually, the Goths were defeated, and after the Lombards took ownership of Verona for about 200 years, it was reclaimed by Italy and became a royal residence for the country's rulers. Although that's far from the totality of it, Verona's impressive history has left behind numerous attractions that draw visitors each year. Some such attractions include the Piazza Delle Erbe , Verona Arena that was completed in 30 AD and seated about 25,000 spectators, and the ancient Roman Theater of Verona.