Mantua
The Renaissance court on the water, where the Gonzaga turned a marshland city into an artistic universe Mantua is one of Italy’s great surprises because it looks, at first, too quiet to have been so important. The city sits in…
Categoria Travel & Places
Discover Italian cities, villages, islands, landscapes, hidden places and unforgettable destinations.
Aosta
Rome at the Foot of the Alps Aosta is one of those Italian cities that makes first impressions quietly and then refuses to leave your mind. It does not arrive with the theatrical self-confidence of Rome or Venice. It stands…
Modena
Cathedrals, Engines, and the Art of Taking Flavor Seriously Modena is one of the most Italian cities in Italy, which may sound like a suspiciously circular compliment until you spend a little time there. Then it begins to make perfect…
Urbino
The Small Hill City That Helped Teach Europe How to Dream Urbino does not overwhelm the visitor by size. It does something more subtle and, in the long run, more impressive. It persuades you that scale can be deceiving. Seen…
Parma
A refined Emilian city where duchesses, opera, painting and extraordinary food learned to coexist Parma has an unusual talent for elegance without arrogance. The city is cultured, prosperous and beautifully proportioned, yet it rarely behaves as though it expects the…
Syracuse
Where Greece, Sicily, and the Sea Still Speak Together Syracuse is one of those cities where history does not lie politely beneath the surface. It rises up everywhere. It glitters in the harbor light, echoes in ancient stone, hides inside…
Lampedusa
At the Southern Edge of Italy, Where Europe Looks Toward Africa Lampedusa is Italy, but it is an Italy that seems to have drifted south until the familiar map almost stops making sense. On clear days the island feels less…
Padua
Padua is a city that has spent much of its history thinking. This may sound like a dangerous habit, but in Padua it produced rather good results: one of Europe’s oldest universities, revolutionary frescoes, scientific discoveries, a botanical garden that…