UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy
map viewItaly is packed with UNESCO World Heritage, and this page gathers 23 sites we have visited, from ancient Rome to the cave city of Matera. Rome alone gives you the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon and the Baths of Caracalla; Florence adds its Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Vecchio. Further afield are Pisa's Piazza dei Miracoli, St Mark's Basilica in Venice, the towers of San Gimignano, Leonardo's Last Supper in Milan and Castel del Monte in Apulia. Many churches and squares are free to enter, and tickets for the main monuments cost €5 to €20. Visit in April, May or October: July and August are very hot.
Pisa Leaning Tower and Cathedral, Piazza dei Miracoli, Italy
Pisa’s Piazza dei Miracoli has the Leaning Tower, the Romanesque Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Camposanto; climbing the 251 steps costs €20.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy
Florence’s cathedral, with Brunelleschi’s record brick dome and a facade of white, green and pink marble. Free entry; dome climb with the Brunelleschi Pass.
St Mark’s Basilica and Square, Venice, Italy
St Mark’s Basilica, the golden-mosaic cathedral of Venice, stands on St Mark’s Square; basilica entry costs €10 and the full ticket €30.
Cave city of Matera, Italy
Cave city in Basilicata whose Sassi districts, carved into a limestone ravine, are a UNESCO site full of rock churches, cave houses and canyon views.
San Gimignano historic centre, Tuscany, Italy
A hilltop Tuscan town on the Via Francigena whose 14 surviving medieval towers form a skyline unique in Europe; UNESCO World Heritage since 1990.
Rialto Bridge and Grand Canal, Venice, Italy
The Rialto Bridge, built in 1588–1591, is the oldest bridge over the Grand Canal in Venice; crossing it is free, and a gondola ride costs €90.
Villa d’Este, Tivoli, Italy
Villa d’Este in Tivoli is a UNESCO-listed Renaissance villa with terraced gardens and around 50 fountains; a ticket costs about €15.
Roman Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Rome’s Flavian Amphitheatre, the largest amphitheatre ever built, inaugurated by Emperor Titus in AD 80.
St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican
The Renaissance basilica over the tomb of St Peter, with Michelangelo’s dome, his Pietà and Bernini’s bronze baldachin.
Santa Maria delle Grazie and mural of The Last Supper, Milan, Italy
Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan holds Leonardo’s Last Supper; the church is free, the Last Supper costs €15 and must be booked well in advance.
Ducal Palace, Urbino, Italy
The Ducal Palace of Urbino, a Renaissance masterpiece built for Federico da Montefeltro, houses the National Gallery of the Marche; tickets cost €12.
Ponte Vecchio bridge, Florence, Italy
Florence’s oldest bridge, rebuilt in 1345, lined with goldsmiths’ shops and crossed by the Vasari Corridor.
Palazzo Vecchio, Florence
Historic palace in Florence, Italy, originally built as the city’s seat of government.
Piazza della Signoria, Florence
The main square of Florence with its sculptures is a kind of open-air museum
Palazzo Pitti Palace, Florence, Italy
The Palazzo Pitti is the largest palace in Florence and was historically the residence of the Dukes of Tuscany and later Italian kings.
Church of Santa Croce, Florence, Italy
The famous basilica in Florence, largest Franciscan church in the world.
Roman Forum, Rome
Former center of Ancient Rome, now an open-air museum. The Forum is situated in the historical center of Rome.
Castel del Monte, Apulia, Italy
Castel del Monte, Frederick II’s octagonal castle on a hill near Andria, is a UNESCO site; tickets cost €10 and a shuttle runs up from the car park.
The Pantheon in Rome, Italy
Hadrian’s temple of all the gods, Rome’s best-preserved ancient building, with a 43-metre dome open to the sky through its oculus.
Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome, Italy
Hadrian’s 2nd-century mausoleum, later a papal fortress and now a museum, with one of the best terraces over Rome.
Arch of Constantine, Rome
The largest surviving Roman triumphal arch, dedicated by the Senate to Emperor Constantine in 315 AD. It stands next to the Colosseum and can be seen for free at any time.
Baths of Caracalla, Rome, Italy
The vast ruins of the Roman baths built under Emperor Caracalla in 212–216 AD for 1,600 bathers at a time, now a summer opera stage.
Caroline Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, Campania, Italy
The Caroline Aqueduct carries water 38 km to the Royal Palace of Caserta; its three-tier Ponti della Valle at Maddaloni can be seen free from the road.
Spaccanapoli & the Old Streets of Naples, Italy
The long straight street that cuts through the historic centre of Naples, Italy, full of churches, shops and street life.
Galleria Umberto I, Naples, Italy
A grand 19th-century shopping arcade in Naples, Italy, covered by a huge dome of glass and iron.
Pompeii Ancient City, Campania, Italy
The ancient Roman city near Naples, Italy, that was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.
UNESCO sites in Italy on the map
Numbers match the ranking above. Click a pin to open the place.
Best time to visit UNESCO sites in Italy
When sightseeing is most pleasant: comfortable 18–26 °C daytime temperatures and more dry days. Averaged over the places on this page.
ERA5 climate data 2015–2024 (Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), averaged for the places on this page.
Tickets: what it costs to visit UNESCO sites in Italy
Adult entrance prices, cheapest first. What the ticket includes and what you can see for free.
| Place | Region | Adult ticket | Ticket includes | Free without a ticket | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Pantheon in Rome | Rome | €7 | Pantheon | — | |
| Baths of Caracalla | Rome | €8 | Baths | — | |
| St Mark’s Basilica and Square | Venice | €10 | Basilica ticket | St Mark's Square | Full ticket with Pala d’Oro, museum and loggia €30; under 11 free |
| St. Peter’s Basilica | Vatican | €10–15 | Dome climb: stairs or lift | Basilica | |
| Palazzo Vecchio | Florence | €10 | Museum | — | |
| Castel del Monte | Apulia | €10 | Castle | — | Ages 18–24 €2; under 18 free; shuttle from car park €2 return |
| Church of Santa Croce | Florence | €11 | Basilica | — | |
| Ducal Palace | Marche | €12 | Ducal Palace | — | EU citizens 18–25 €2; under 18 free; free on the first Sunday of the month |
| Villa d’Este | Rome | €15–17 | Villa and gardens | — | EU citizens 18–25 €2; under 18 free; free on the first Sunday of the month |
| Santa Maria delle Grazie and mural of The Last Supper | Milan | €15 | The Last Supper | Church | Ages 18–25 €2; under 18 free; booking required for everyone |
| Palazzo Pitti Palace | Florence | from €16 | Palace museums | — | |
| Roman Colosseum | Rome | €18 | Colosseum | — | |
| Roman Forum | Rome | €18 | Roman Forum | — | |
| Castel Sant’Angelo | Rome | €18 | Castle museum | — | |
| Pisa Leaning Tower and Cathedral | Tuscany | €20 | Leaning Tower climb | Cathedral and square | No reduced tickets; children under 8 cannot climb; all monuments with the Tower €27 |
| Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore | Florence | Free | — | Cathedral | |
| Cave city of Matera | Basilicata | Free | — | Old town (Sassi) | |
| San Gimignano historic centre | Tuscany | Free | — | Historic centre | |
| Rialto Bridge and Grand Canal | Venice | Free | — | Bridge | Gondola ride €90 for 30 minutes per boat; vaporetto ticket €9.50 |
| Ponte Vecchio bridge | Florence | Free | — | Bridge | |
| Piazza della Signoria | Florence | Free | — | Square | |
| Arch of Constantine | Rome | Free | — | Monument | |
| Caroline Aqueduct of Vanvitelli | Naples | Free | — | Aqueduct | Royal Palace of Caserta €18 |
Prices checked: 10.2026. Always check the official website before you go.
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