Top 100 Places To Visit In Italy - Ultimate Travel Guide

what's up guys my name is ryan and i've spent the last several years exploring the incredible country of italy and i want to show you my favorite places so here's my italy top 100. [Music] i have to say there is no other country on earth that has as much history and natural beauty than italy from the seaside views of the amalfi coast to the jagged mountains of the dolomites italy has it all this video is going to be a long one so i made timestamps of all the places in the description so you can jump

around to your favorite destinations let's start this video off on the island of sardinia with some italy's best coastline pristine beaches and the clearest water you've ever seen sardinia is the place to be it's the second largest island in the mediterranean and there's just so much going on there one of the most impressive places on sardinia is the bounty coast it's 40 kilometers of coastline that's made up of massive lifetime cliffs and secluded beaches the baunite coast isn't the easiest place to reach most places require a hike or a boat ride when i was there

we rented a boat and jetted off to explore the coast the main reason i wanted to go to sardinia was to visit kala goloritse i think it's easily one of the most beautiful beaches in all of italy it has these massive pointy rock formations coupled with green cliffs and gatorade blue water we anchored and immediately went for a swim i mean the visibility was absolutely incredible it's some of the best i've ever swam in another reason i wanted to go to colorado is because there's a sea arch where you can cliff jump i sent a

few jumps off and it was just so much fun i mean there's no better feeling than sending a gainer into the ocean after sardinia we're gonna head up to northern italy to visit lake como now looking at the base of the alps lake cuomo is a sight to see one of my favorite places on lake como is verena it's easily one of the most idyllic places i've ever been to the rain it was found all the way back in the 8th century by local fishermen i stayed several nights here and it was such an enjoyable

and relaxing time i love walking around the village through all its cobblestone alleyways there's a great plaza and an impressive church now one of my favorite places i went to in varena was its northern shore there's restaurants and a little stone beach where you can watch the small waves roll in accompanied by some of lake como's majestic swans another beautiful place on lake como is bellagio now located at the white junction on the lake bellagio is often referred to as the pearl of lake como my wife and i took a ferry to get there from

the town of arena it was a beautiful place to stroll around and enjoy the picturesque town and waterfront afterwards we're gonna head down to the italian riviera now also known as the region of liguria the italian riviera is a small crescent-shaped region that extends to france the very end of the italian riviera on the italian side is cinque terre now tinker terry is made up of five seaside villages that date back to medieval times now you can't drive to the towns of cinque terre but you can take a train from the town of specia now

the most northern and largest village in the cinque terre is monte rosso amare now i say it's probably one of the less popular places in the cinque terre but it's definitely worth a visit it has a wonderful beach and incredible views of the riviera now the next village south is vernata it's probably my favorite village on the cinque terre and it has the only natural port of the five towns it remains one of the truest fishing villages on the italian riviera i was here in august and i'll have to say it was freaking packed so

maybe come here not during the summer months now another one of my favorite towns on the cinque terre is monterola i really enjoyed walking around the town you can get some great vantage points now one thing i really liked about matarola is that it had a great area to swim in it was sheltered from the waves there are also rocks you can clip down from now right next door to monterola is rio magiore now it's the most southern town on cinque terre and it's one of the more ideal locations to stay offering a lot of

options for housing eating and activities which is hard to be the colors and vibes of these towns now another one of my favorite towns on the italian riviera is portofino now this may be one of the most idyllic towns on the italian coast it's renowned worldwide for its picturesque harbor and has been a retreat for royalty and artists as far back as the 12th century i tried to go here during the peak of the summer but i got turned back because there was no parking so once again i definitely recommend coming during the less popular

months or early in the morning regardless it's a beautiful place that deserves a visit now an amazing beach near portofino is san fruoso now there's no roads leading here it can only be accessed by boat or an hour and a half hike from portofino the cove features a 10th century abbey and a statue of christ that is submerged 50 meters under the sea after let's head over to the iconic city of venice now venice is one of the world's most unique cities there are no roads and just canals to get around it's made up of

118 islands and they're linked by over 400 bridges venice was a major financial and maritime power during the medieval ages and today it's one of europe's most popular tourist destinations when you're there you can take a ride down the canals on a gondola or you can check out st mark's square it's a one-of-a-kind location i hope you all can see afterwards we're gonna head over to valdo via dende now loki about powers drive from venice valdobia denny is a wine grown region famous for making prosecco white wine the area is full of lush vineyards and

rolling hills dotted with tranquil villages one of my favorites is the village of gia located just a few minutes outside of valdo via dende i mean this region is just absolutely magical now afterwards we're going to visit lake garda now located right between venice and milan lake garda is the biggest lake in all italy i drove around it and i contest that it's absolutely huge it's sandwiched between two mountains and home to numerous towns along its coast the southern end is home to the castello scagliero now built in the 14th century it stands as one

of italy's best preserved castles my favorite feature is its fortified dock which offered shelter to venetian fleets to the east of lake garda is monte baldo it's a mountain range that overlooks the lake you can take gondola up from the lakeside town of massey cine and once you reach the top you can hike around and enjoy the incredible views another fascinating nearby place is the madonna de la corona santiwario now it's this church that's built out of a cider cliff the church was built all the way back in 1530 and served as a place to

pay pilgrimage and enjoy the nature of god in peace now to get to the chapel you can park in the town espiazze above and make this short hike down italy is just full of the world's most scenic churches now right next to lake garda is the beautiful city of verona famous for being the setting of shakespeare's romeo and juliet verona is a beautiful medieval town i just love how the river cuts through the town it's home to the verona arena which is an ancient roman amphitheater it's where the closing ceremony of the 2026 winter olympics

will be held after we're gonna visit bologna now looking about two hours drive from verona lona is one of the wealthiest cities in italy and the seventh most populous with a population around four hundred thousand what i love about bologna is its medieval towers they were constructed back in the 12th and 13th centuries with the highest being over 300 feet tall back in medieval times there were an estimated 180 towers which dominated the city over the centuries many towers were demolished or simply collapsed and today fewer than 20 towers remain the most famous are the

two towers the tallest tower reaches over 97 meters with an overhang of 2.2 meters i mean they're both laying a little bit they look like they're going to collapse i just can't imagine all the history these towers must have experienced throughout the ages after we're going to visit the magnificent city of milan located in the lombardi region milan is a powerhouse of a city it has the second largest economy in the eu after paris it's one of the world's four fashion capitals the city is full of a mixture of modern skyscrapers and apartment buildings one

of the most notable features of the city is the duomo di milano the construction began in 1386 and it took over six centuries to complete it stands as the second largest church in europe and the fourth largest in the world i mean that just blows my mind if you want to go shopping you can visit the oldest active shopping mall in the world that was built back in 1877 i just can't believe the dome glass roof there after we're gonna head to lake maggiore now located about an hour and a half drive from milan this

is the second largest lake in italy with its northern section in switzerland lake maggiore definitely reminds me of lake como one thing i love about the lake is all its castles and unique architecture now right next door is another beautiful lake called lake lugano now just like lake maggiore lake lugana was located in both italy and switzerland the italian swiss border around the lake is super interesting with even a complete italian city called campione de italia being surrounded by switzerland another cool italian city on the lake is avena ponte teresa which sits right across the

water from switzerland if you want to get a great view of the lake you can visit the siganola peak which offers incredible 360 views of the area after we're gonna head over to the region of the ayosta valley nestled in the italian alps aosta valley is the smallest and least populated region in all of italy what i love about iosta is that it's surrounded by europe's highest mountains such as montblanc now one of my favorite places in the region is trevina it's an alpine ski resort and is overlooked by the italian side of the iconic

matterhorn mountain which is also called monte cervino now special thanks to my friend dronescapes for sharing his footage he has some of the best aerial films of italy and i'll link his channel in the description below now what i love about trevina is that the ski resort connects to switzerland so you could ski in two countries in one day that's pretty awesome if you ask me now while we're still in the area we're gonna visit the great saint bernard pass it connects iosa to the canton of valet in switzerland now it's one of the most

ancient passes in the alps with a fascinating history the past was used as far back as the bronze age and in 1800 napoleon bonaparte traversed it with over 40 000 soldiers the pass is where saint bernard dogs were trained by monks to find lost travelers and it's fascinating to think of all the history that has taken place on this mountain pass another great mountain drive is the stelvio pass located in the ordler alps the stelvio bass is the second highest paved road in the alps with an elevation of 2757 meters during world war one fierce

battles were fought here between the austria-hungarian empire in the italian kingdom today the stelvio pass is a popular place for drivers to test their skills with over 75 hairpin turns after we're going to head over to the city of t reynolds located about an hour away from the stelvio pass t renault is a tranquil town the city is well known for being the departure point for the bernina express this may be considered the most scenic train route in all of europe the train starts in tiruno and travels across alpine passes into switzerland it's like the

real life polar express i'd love to ride this train one day now after we're going to visit the falaria glacier i have to say this is one of the most beautiful glaciers in all of italy it's just absolutely massive and has a picturesque waterfall cascading down to the glacier below after we're going to head over to the region of piedmont now located at the foot of the italian alps piedmont borders france and switzerland and is famous for its scenery wines and cuisine now the capital of piedmont is touring it's known for its baroque architecture a

major landmark called mole antoliana which towers the city skyline to arena is also known as italy's first capital city before the national headquarters were moved to rome now another really cool nearby place is sakura de san miguel it's located about 45 minutes from touring it's known as the symbolic monument of the piedmont region and the foundation that abby was set in the year 966 and completed in the 13th century now if you want to escape into nature you could visit the cascata del pis it's located about an hour and a half from touring and about

a three kilometer round trip hike the waterfall is massive as it descends down the italian alps now if you're into wines you can visit the hilly area elongate it's full of rolling vineyards and hilltop towns the region is famous for its wines cheeses and truffles particularly the white truffles of alba no i also love the castles that dot the hills one of my favorites is the 14th century castle of saralunga the alba afterwards we're gonna head over to visit the island of ponza now before the summer i had no idea this island existed but after

seeing some videos of this place i had to go see it in person it's located off the west coast of italy and it took about a two hour ferry ride to get there now ponza is full of history it was a popular island during roman times with many ruins and tunnels that still exist today one of the best ways to see ponza is by boat we rented one and cruised around the whole island i was just baffled by the volcanic cliffs and endless coves and grottos one of my favorite memories of the island was anchoring

in this little cove and spending hours there swimming and enjoying the mediterranean sun it's just hard to beat that lifestyle one of the most famous places on the island is chaya the luna beach it's known for its massive white cliffs and a beach shaped like the crescent moon you can get there by boat or there is an ancient roman tunnel you can walk through i just can't believe how big the cliffs are ponza is such a special island after we're gonna head back to sardinia to visit porto flavia it's located about an hour's drive from

cagliari now puerto flavia is an incredibly beautiful harbor with a unique mine that has a tunnel coming out of a cliff to transport minerals into a boat it was completed in 1924 and was quite the engineering feat and just such a unique location and it doesn't even look real to me now another cool place in sardinia is the area around the tavalara island it's just about a 30 minute drive from albia and this is where i stayed during my time in sardinia the island is pretty big and is a perfect place to boat around and

snorkel there's also great beaches such as puerto taverna that offers great views of the tavalar island now another cool spot on sardinia's northern coast is calaspinosa it's located about an hour's drive from olbia and you'll be able to see corsica from there the beach is really beautiful with its boulders contrasted with crystal blue waters i mean it's hard to beat sardinia's countless mediterranean coves after sardinia we're going to northern italy to visit the dolomites i spent several weeks exploring the dolomites and i consider it to be some of the greatest days of my life one

of my favorite places in the dolomites is ceceda the green grass slopes contrasted with the jagged mountain ridge makes for one of the most unbelievable landscape combos in the world now to get to ceceta i took two gondolas up the mountain and made it to the top when i got there the clouds covered half the mountain make it from one of the best views i've ever gotten and places like this just really spark your imagination and make you feel like a kid again i hope everyone can witness the power of sachita at least once in

a life now another magical place nearby is alte susi it's home to the largest high alpine meadow in europe the backdrop of the sasso lungo mountain with the farm huts creeped a scene straight out of a dream now the mountains that you see in alta susie are called the sasso lungo group it's one of the most impressive massives i've ever seen when i was there i decided to take a one-man chairlift off to the top and i was blown away by the views i like to call this place the black gate somewhere because that's reminded

me of anyways there's a little refuge on top and it's a great place to go climbing and exploring when i got down to the bottom i drove around the area to see if i could catch the sunset and i was able to get some of the most dramatic shots that i've ever taken now while you're there you can take a drive on the gardena pass it connects valgardena to valbadia and it's definitely one of italy's most beautiful drives as you're surrounded by mountains on both sides i mean road trips don't get much better than cruising

through the dolomites one of the most beautiful valleys in the dolomites is about the funes i remember seeing picture this place before i ever went to the dolmites and i just couldn't believe it was real the valley is home to some of italy's most beautiful churches surrounded by scenery straight out of a fairy tale when i was there the mountains were covered by the clouds but i still was able to witness one of the valley's most picturesque churches i mean truly an incredible spot now after we're gonna head over to lago di bre now this

is probably the most popular lake in all the dolomites it's a milky blue color with a backdrop of towering mountains when i was here i hadn't showered in days so i decided to take a plunge in the lake nothing makes you feel more alive than jumping into some glacier water if you come you can walk around the rim of the lake or even take a boat out i mean it's really a special place another great mountain pass is the paso zhao the top of the pass is located about 30 minutes outside of cortina del pezo

one of my favorite features of the past is the view of the ra gusto peak it marks the highest point of the pass and towers over a hotel and restaurant now another really cool spot in the area is called cinque torre now it's a set of five rock towers that poke out of the mountain you can hike there from the gao pass but a more easier route would be to take the chairlift from baiti ba dadones the cinque torre is also where a world war one conflict took place between italians and austro-hungarian troops another spectacular

spot in the area is lago federa it's about a 10 kilometer hikesville lake and you'll be rewarded with unbelievable views if you go in october the larches around the lake may have turned a stunning gold color now another incredible rock formations in the dolomites is the vajolet towers it's a set of rock spires in the catenaccio mountain group the hike to the towers is somewhat challenging but well worth the effort it makes for a great day hike and you can also spend the night at the refuge right at the base of the towers now one

of my favorite lakes in the dolomites is lago de sorapis now i guess you could call it the little brother a lagerty bray it's this little alpine lake with striking milky blue colors the hike to get there is around 11 kilometers round trip and even though it's a little challenging getting there the alpine lake is well worth the track now one of the most iconic places in the dolomites is trichimi the lava radam it's a set of three massive rock pillars that tower over the landscape i love this area so much that i spent four

days exploring here i did one of the most epic sunrise missions of my life as i reach the top of the mountain to watch the sun slowly light up the treichimi the lava radar rocks there's also this incredible area i like to call it mordor because it looks like something straight out of lower the rings i stumbled upon this place by accident i found some random tunnels that were used during world war one and had one of the most memorable sunsets of my life running around here that means truly a magical place after hiking in

the dolomites we're going to visit italy's capital rome now rome may be the one of the most famous and iconic capitals in the world its history spans over 20 centuries with its founding taking place in 753 bc ancient rome's architecture stands today and draws millions of tours each year one of the most well-known structures of the capital is the coliseum it's this oval-shaped amphitheater that was completed in 80 80. it was the largest amphitheater built and could hold anywhere from 50 to 80 000 spectators you can just marvel at structure from the outside or take

a guided tour to witness the interior one of my favorite attractions is the trevi fountain it's a baroque styled fountain that was built in 1762 i mean there's just so much to see in rome i hope you can all visit it one day while we're still in rome we're gonna head over to the smallest country in the world to visit vatican city now this country is completely surrounded by rome the vatican is the headquarters of the roman catholic church and home to the pope the population is made up of only 800 people it was founded

over 90 years ago on february 11 1929 the saint peter's basilica is possibly the most magnificent building in the world it's the world's largest church and when you go inside the detail is mind-blowing architects such as michelangelo helped design it and construction began in 1506 and was consecrated 120 years later in 1626. an interesting nearby town is calcata vecchia now it's located about an hour outside of rome this small commune is built on a volcanic tuff and in the 1930s the town was condemned by the government due to the risk of the cliffs collapsing but

in the 1960s the city began to be repopulated by artists and hippies who began to restore this medieval town after we're going to visit javita de bagno reggio when it comes to hilltop towns this may be one of my favorites situated in the valley of the badlands this medieval town was founded over two thousand five hundred years ago due to erosion and earthquakes cevita has been named the dying town today only 12 people live here but it has received a recent revival in tourism i mean such a fascinating little town afterwards we're gonna head down

south to visit naples now shattered over by mount vesuvius naples is a historical town dating back to roman times naples is the third largest city in italy after rome and milan and is called after its greek name neopolis meaning new city now what's so great about naples is that it's close to so many beautiful sights and cities from naples you can make the 20-minute drive to witness the ruins of pompeii now pompeii was founded in the 6th century bc but in 7980 the city was buried under 6 meters of volcanic ash after mount vesuvius erupted

the ash almost perfectly preserved the town allowing us to get a glimpse at roman life and it's definitely one of the greatest archaeological sites in italy and the world now there are several islands often naples such as iskia now isca is known as one of the most picturesque islands within the bay of naples it's also the most developed and largest island within the bay i love the argonese castle on the island there now right next to iskia is the colorful island of prochita it's the smallest island in the bay unless touristy compared to the other

islands it was featured in the movie the talented mr ripley and also won the italian capital of culture i mean such a charming little island now afterwards we're gonna visit the nearby amalfi coast i have to say this is one of the most beautiful places not just in italy but all of europe the amalfi coast is located in southern italy about a three hours drive from rome which is hard to believe this place exists one of my favorite places on the mafi coast is fiordo di furore this is one of the coolest beaches i've ever

been to it's located in this little fjord complemented with an incredible arch bridge it's a true paradise for cliff jumping there's tons of spots you can jump from different heights i had such a fun time setting some flips into the sea the water felt so good to be in honestly such incredible spot you gotta visit while you're on the mafi coast after ferrari we're going to take a walk on the path of the gods this is a super famous hike and with reason you'll get some of the best views of the amalfi coast when you

do this hike now you start in this town called bomborano and end in the village called nochelle all in all the hike is about eight kilometers long takes you about three hours to do on the hike you'll have incredible views basically the whole way there's tons of ancient houses and hillside farms contrasted with the views of the coast it's basically all downhill which is super nice if you do the hike i definitely recommend doing it early to avoid the heat and the crowds it can get freaking hot up there now afterwards we're going to visit

positano now this may be the most popular place on the mafi coast and when you go there you'll understand why it's full of beautiful colored buildings shops and a scenic beach one of my favorite things i did in positano was rent a boat it's the perfect way to escape the crowds you'll get the best views of the monthly coast it cost about 180 euros to rent a boat for three hours and while it was a little pricey it was a hundred percent worth it we were able to cruise all over the coast and make stops

along the way just to soak in the sun and jump to the sea to do some snorkeling so i definitely recommend visiting positano and if you can rent a boat after cruising around positano we're going to visit the city of amalfi it's a beautiful town located in a ravine surrounded by daunting cliffs during medieval times amalfi was the capital of the maritime republic known as the duchy of amalfi and was an important trading power from the 9th to 12th centuries while we were there we explored the town i really enjoyed the public square with all

its restaurants shops and beautiful church and which is such an incredible city afterwards we're going to visit the small town of atrani now it's located right next to amalfi and i have to say that atrani is one of my favorite looking towns in all the coasts the road that goes through is just so unique especially the part that winds around with its beautiful arches a fun fact is that atrani is the small city in all of italy with a population around 800 i went inside the town and honestly there wasn't too much to see but

it said that atrani is the only town along the coast that preserved its antique traditional characteristics another feature i really liked about the city was its beach and just a perfect place to soak up some mediterranean sun afterwards we're going to drive up the mountains to visit ravello now this is one of the highest hit towns on the mafia coast as it's located 365 meters above sea level ravelo was founded all the way back in the 5th century and it was where the king of italy lived for a while during world war ii i was

pleasantly surprised by revello which is such a charming town now while you're in revello you can walk in alleyways or spend some time eating gelato in the public square definitely one of my favorite towns on the maldi coast now afterwards we're going to visit praiano now situated right between positano and amalfi we stayed several days here in the airbnb and i really enjoyed it it's not nearly as touristy as positano so i think it's a great place to stay if you come to the malphie coast now while we were in praiano one fun thing we

did is we walked down to the spiaggia de praya you go through some narrow pathways and we made it down to the beach it's a great place to chill and swim i also rented a boat here for sunset and i just can't say enough you're on the multicoast you gotta rent a boat i mean it may be a little expensive but trust me you're not gonna regret it you'll get the best views and you're secluded on your bow away from all the clouds and you really get to soak in the beauty of the coastline while

we were out there boating i mean it didn't even feel real the scenery is just some of the most beautiful on earth it's truly mind-blowing now just off the malfi coast there's an incredible island called capri i think it's easily one of the most beautiful islands in the world it's a classic mediterranean island surrounded by crystal clear water and sheer cliffs one of my favorite features of capri is the farc leone there are these incredible sea stacks that jut right out of the sea and i just had such a good time jumping off the boat

there and marveling at the fargo leone another incredible spot on the island is monte solaro it's the highest point on capri you can take a chairlift to the top you can do some little hikes up there you get some incredible panoramic views of the whole island and i couldn't recommend it enough now after we're going to visit the region of umbria now located right in the center of italy i think umbria is definitely overlooked as it's next to more popular regions such as tuscany but don't get me wrong umbria is full of hidden treasures now

the capital of umbria is perugia now located about two hours from rome perugia was founded all the way back during the etruscan times which is around 300 bc today it's a beautifully preserved medieval town with a lively student population thanks to the university of perugia which was founded in 1308 i really like the central plaza with its 13th century fountain and medieval architecture now afterwards we're going to visit spaletto now located about an hour outside of perugia valletto is a quiet medieval town full of charm is considered by some as the purest italian city one

of my favorite features of spoletto is the medieval aqueduct that was built in the 14th century and it's over 80 meters high the alberno's castle is also an incredible fortress that overlooks olive speledo now one of my favorite cities in umbria is assisi now looking about 30 minutes from perugia assisi is a fascinating medieval town and the birthplace of saint francis my favorite feature of the town is basilica of saint francis it's one of the most unique churches i've seen it was built back in 1253 and i love its countless arches that line the basilica

now another beautiful umbreon town is spello it's located just 15 minutes from assisi and spellow is an incredible wild city it began as a roman colony in the first century bc and grew to become an impressive medieval town which is incredibly preserved today and it's definitely worth a visit if you're in umbria after we're going to visit san marino the republic of san marino is a microstate completely enclosed by italy the history of the small country is fascinating it was founded by a stonemason from croatia named saint marinus after he faced persecution for his christian

beliefs he fled to the mountain of monte titano where he built the church and founded this small country in the year 301 a.d san marino claims to be the oldest surviving sovereign state and the oldest constitutional republic the capital of the country is the city of san marino and it's situated on the slopes of monte titano it's hard to beat the location of the city one of the most iconic spots in san marino is the fortress of guayita it was built in the 11th century and served as a prison after san marino we're going to

head over to vieste now located on the gargano peninsula yesterday is a calm coastal town and definitely less known especially people who aren't from italy now while you're in vieste you can enjoy the beauty of the gargano national park you can make the 15 minute drive down the coast to experience incredible lines from cliffs one of my favorites is the arch of san felice and vieste and the gargano peninsula are hidden gems that deserve a visit now afterwards we're going to visit the nearby tremeti islands or isole tremete now located in the adriatic sea the

archipelago is made up of five islands that are also part of the gargano national park during roman times augustus had his granddaughter sent here for over 20 years and during mussolini's regime it acted as a prison now today the archipelago is a popular tourist destination the islands are full of endless coves perfect for boating and snorkeling you can get there by taking a ferry from cities such as yesterday or tremoli and it's definitely a place to add to your italian bucket list after we're going to visit the region of puglia now located on the boot

hill of italy julia is a region famous for its whitewashed towns and magnificent coastline the capital of the region is bari now while i don't think it's the most beautiful town in puglia it's a great base to start and explore the cities of the region one of my favorite places in puglia is amare it's a stunning town right on the adriatic coast what i love about it is how the city is built right on the sea cliffs and they're just on there so perfectly that it looks like they're gonna fall off there's some restaurants built

into the caves on the sea cliffs and it's just such a cool spot one of the most famous places in the city is cala porto it's probably the most recognized place in alapulia it's a stunning beach that's surrounded by cliffs coupled with crystal clear mediterranean water i mean just pure paradise there another famous town in the region is alberobello now believed to be founded around the 14th century alberobello has grown in popularity thanks to its uniquely shaped houses called truly the truly are these white wash houses with cone-shaped roofs it's the largest collection of them

in the world with over 1400 now they are made of limestone from nearby rock beds without any mortar or cement there are some theories of why they built the truly in such a unique way some speculate it was an elaborate form of tax division since you had to pay taxes to the king you had a permanent dwelling and they found a loophole since the truly didn't have cement and could be dismantled quickly if you needed to i mean you gotta love some medieval tax division afterwards we're gonna visit matera now you may recognize this town

in the most recent james bond film batera is known all around the world for its unique cave dwellings and striking architecture it's believed that matera was founded over 9 000 years ago making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on the planet to date matera is one of italy's best kept secrets and definitely a town we're visiting another beautiful town in puglia is lokoro tondo it's located just nine minutes from alberto bello this quaint village has been listed as one of italy's most beautiful it sits on a hill and overlooks the itria valley now

right next to the corotondo is the town of martina franca similar to a lot of other towns in puglia bartina franca rests on top of the hill and is full of historic whitewashed buildings the town's jewel is its historic center full of winding alleys baroque architecture and stunning churches now afterwards we're going to visit toronto now locate about 40 minutes from martina franca toronto was founded by the spartans in the 8th century bc and by the 5th century bc it was one of the largest cities in the world with a population of over 300 000

which was a ton for back then now today it's one of the biggest cities in southern italy one of my favorite features is the castello aragonese it was built in 1496 and was used as a fortress and prison now one of my favorite places in puglia is ostuni now located about an hour's drive from bari ostuni is famous for its whitewashed old towns with a maze of alleyways staircases and arches and when you drive here you'll be able to see a stunning from a distance as it's strategically built upon a hill now from the city

you can see the adriatic sea and groves of green olive trees now afterwards we're going to visit the region of calabria now located right on italy's toe calabria is home to some of italy's best beaches and coastal towns one of the most beautiful beaches in calabria is capo vaticano now it's these incredible coastal cliffs with rock-like fingers that dip into the sea it's full of beaches and difficult to access coves perfect for snorkeling or boating and i definitely want to swim here next summer now another amazing beach in calabria is arco magno it's this hidden

beach with arch that leads to the sea now after we're going to visit tropea now i think it's definitely one of the most underrated towns in italy tropea is perched upon a cliff overlooking the tiranian sea legends say that the city was founded by hercules today it has been named one of italy's most beautiful villages and i can totally understand why while you're there you can relax on the marausa beach and marvel at the contrast between the mediterranean sea and the buildings on the cliff's edge another beautiful coastal town in calabria is shilla the town's

name comes from the mythological young nymph named shilla who was turned into a six-headed dog monster who would attack ships crossing the street of messina now today it's a beautiful seaside town home to a beautiful beach and colorful italian homes that line the coast now after we're going to visit the hilltop town of jarache now located about 15 minutes above the coastal town of lokri jirachi is a perfectly preserved medieval commune full of history and charm it's believed that a sparrowhawk led a group of fling inhabitants to the mountains who ended up building korachi it

once had 128 churches and many still stand today now another beautiful hilltop town in the region is bova now located 900 meters above sea level bova is an intriguing town set back in time it's one of the few greek speaking villages in all italy throughout the centuries it experienced many attacks and trials such as plagues in the 16th century and bombings during world war ii today it's a scenic mountain town that is sure to take you back in time afterwards we're gonna head over to the nearby island of sicily now sicily is the largest island

in the mediterranean which is full of culture and fascinating history the capital of cecilia is palermo now located on the northwest coast of the island it was founded all the way back in 734 bc by the phoenicians it's an incredible city full of beautiful churches and scenery now about an hour's drive from palermo is cefalu now this may be one of my favorite cities in sicily i just love how it's built right between a cliff and the sea now one of the most prominent features of cefalu is its cathedral which is constructed around 11 31

a.d while we're still in cecily we're gonna head over to the city of catania what's crazy about catania is that it lies at the base of the massive mount aetna volcano which is 3 326 meters tall it's one of the world's most active volcanoes i'm just wild to see the ash shooting out the top and what a crazy yet beautiful city another beautiful nearby town is termina now like catania tarmina offers astounding views of mount aetna i just love how the city is perfectly placed on a hill but also offers incremental beaches and seaside coves

below i really like the island called isola bella afterwards we're going to visit the city of sarakou now this may be one of the most historic cities in alaska sata crusade was founded by ancient greek corinthians about 2 700 years ago and was described by cesaro as the greatest greek city and the most beautiful of them all it became part of the roman republic and also was the capital of the byzantine empire for a few years the apostle paul also spent some time here today you can see many ancient ruins such as the greek theater

an interesting feature inside of crusade is the castello mariase it was completed in the year 1240 and such unique shape as it extends into the sea one of the most impressive places on the island is the valley of the temples located in the town of aguigento it's one of the world's most stunning examples of greek architecture there were seven temples built here by the greeks in the 5th century bc unfortunately they were burnt down by the carthaginians but rebuilt by the romans four centuries later one of the most well preserved is the temple of concordia

it features the classic greek pillars and it just makes you wonder what this must have looked like when it was first built another fascinating attraction is sicily is the stairs of the turks it's these white limestone cliffs with an impressive beach i'd love to spend a hot afternoon there basking in the sun afterwards we're going to visit the nearby aliolan islands now made up of seven islands this volcanic archipelago is located off the north coast of sicily the best way to reach the islands is by taking a ferry from the town of milazzo i mean

i'd love to spend next summer sailing around and hiking the spectacular volcanic islands now another stunning island off of cecily is lampedusa now located right in between malta and tunisia it is the southernmost place in all of italy this italian island is full of mediterranean views and crystal clear waters and to get there you can take a ferry from sea sleep or by plane the island's rabbit beach has been voted one of the best in the world so definitely add that to your bucket list afterwards we're going to visit the incredible region of tuscany now

located in central italy tuscany is known for its landscapes history and artistic legacy i mean i've been obsessed with tuscany ever since i've seen the gladiator it's a land full of rolling golden hills dotted with countless little hilltop towns i may just be so cool to retire here and live on a tuscan farm one of my favorite cities in tuscany is san gimignano now located about an hour to drive from florence san gimignano is a stunning medieval city perched upon a hill one of the most iconic features of the city is its medieval watchtowers currently

there are 14 watchtowers still standing but during its prime there were over 72 towers the highest being over 70 meters tall the towers were built as a result of competing families who wanted to build the tallest and most grand tower can't imagine how it must have looked like back then it was the manhattan of the middle ages it was so fun to walk through the city i mean you literally feel like you're going back in time san gimignano flourished as a city until 1348 when the plague of black death struck the town which resulted in

killing over half the population san gimignano's medieval vibe has been untouched throughout time and has become one of the most popular medieval locations in all italy afterwards we're going to visit the nearby city of siena located about a 40 minutes drive from san diego it's built upon three hills with its central feature being the piazza del campo now twice a year the square hosts the wild palio di siena horse race around the edge of the piazza and i would love to see that one day now another one of my favorite features of the city is

the duomo di siena it's a visually stunning church that was completed all the way back in 1246 the interior blew my mind with its black and white pillars and endless artwork and i couldn't recommend seeing it enough you're going to fall in love with this medieval city now right between siena and san gimignano is another really cool medieval town called monterey joni it's one of the best medieval wild fortresses i've seen it was built all the way back in 1219 by the people of siena to act as a front line in the wars against florence

afterwards we're going to explore the region of valdortja now when you think of tuscany this is what you'll probably imagine lush rolling hills perfectly aligned cypress trees in those picturesque hilltop towns this is easily one of the most scenic parts of tuscany now valdercia starts in the hills of south siena and extends to monte amiata now one of my favorite towns in valdorta is pienza now looking about an hour's drive from siena pienza is a pitcher-perfect town built upon a hill i just love how the city overlooks all the surrounding landscapes one really cool place

right below the city is where the iconic shot a gladiator was filmed i just remember watching that movie and thinking how cool it would be to explore tuscany now just 20 minutes from pienza is the town of monte pociano built high atop a limestone ridge this medieval renaissance town is sure to take you back in time from 1390 to the mid 16th century monte polciano enjoyed a prosperous period as architects built luxury homes in renaissance buildings today it's one of the most popular towns in the region if you're into drinking multiple channel is home to

some of italy's best red wines i mean the town is just so impressed with me definitely one of my favorites in tuscany now afterwards we're going to visit the saturnia hot springs i located about a three hours drive from florence these are some of the coolest looking hot springs i've ever seen the water is this milky blue color and it drains down mineral terraces the water is a warm 37 degrees celsius all year round thanks to thermal activity of a nearby volcano when i was here it was really packed granted it was during the middle

of day during the peak of summer i'd say if you want to avoid the crowds i recommend coming to the hot spring super early in the morning or during the off season in spring or autumn nonetheless it's still fun to be there the water felt so good and i couldn't believe the turquoise blue color such an incredible spot you gotta visit if you're in tuscany afterwards we're gonna visit the nearby down a pitayano now look at about a 30 minute drive from saturnia pitayano is a historic city perched upon a volcanic rock it's believed that

the area around pitayano was inhabited during a true skin times and in the 1600s the town started to grow a large jewish presence as some jews fled from persecution in rome today pidellano is a quaint town i just love how it's built upon those cliffs such a sight to see one fascinating place in tuscany is the carrada marble quarries located in the apuan alps more marble has been produced here than anywhere on the planet and it's where the marble used for michelangelo's david came from now afterwards we're gonna go visit the famous town of pisa

now located about an hour's drive from florence pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower the tower is over 55 meters tall and has a lean of nearly 4 degrees the tower was completed all the way back in 1372. the lien is caused by an unstable foundation that has been a problem ever since it's been constructed i'm just impressed that they've been able to keep it from falling over all these years it's definitely a wonder of the world and you gotta witness it at least once in your life for our final destination we're gonna visit

the iconic city of florence i have to say that florence is my favorite city in all of italy it's considered to be the birthplace of the renaissance and it was the most important political cultural and economical city in europe and the world during that time the history of this city is endless and without its influence our world would probably be very different today now one thing that makes florence magical is that almost the entire city is made up of medieval buildings which really transports you back in time one of the most impressive sites in florence

is the duomo and when you look at it you just can't believe how big it is it was completed in 1436 and just amazes me that they were able to engineer such a big dome so long ago the people of florence sure dreamt big the ponte vecchio bridge is another historic site it's where the famous poet dante encountered his love beatrice and also was the only bridge on the arno river that wasn't destroyed in world war ii the palazzo vecchio is another site you gotta see now to get the best view of all florence i

recommend you go to the piazzale michelangelo i mean i just can't say enough good things about florence you're gonna fall in love with this enchanting city well that is it for my italy top 100 let me know in the comments below where your favorite place in italy is if you want to feel relaxed i have a relaxation channel where i post hour-long films to bring some peace and nature in your life i did a video on italy that i think you'll enjoy you can find me on tick tock and instagram shirley.films it's ryan and we

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