Kickstart your imagination and explore the wonders of all the cities of Italy with armchair travels. If youâ??ve always wanted to know more about Italy and its cities, both big small, now is your chance at visiting Italy city by city!

Agrigento

Located on the southern coast of the island of Sicily, Agrigento is a great place to visit if you are into Greek mythology and history. They celebrate the Almond Blossom Festival, which signals the beginning of spring. View the many temples and ruins that have been around since 5th and 6th Century B.C. Visit the gothic-style cathedrals and Mediterranean style monasteries. Valle dei Templi means valley of temples and is called so for its 7 notable temples to explore. La Scala dei Turchi offers a natural wonder not to be missed, the Turks Staircase. The blinding white color of these natural stairs is due to the white marl, which is a calcium carbonate stone integrated into the soft limestone of the cliffs. The regional Archaeological Museum of Agrigento is for the history lover. This museum shows how the city rose from obscurity into one of the biggest cities in ancient times.

Amalfi Coast

A coastline that stretches for 50 kilometers and runs from the Gulf of Salerno to the Gulf of Naples make up the Amalfi Coast. This seaside vacation spot has a unique combination of steep cliffs and mountainsides descending straight into the dark blue waters of the sea. The town of Amalfi is located at the foot of a deep ravine. Its coastal positioning and the cliffs behind leave visitors in awe. Attractions include the Amalfi Cathedral, the Cloister of Paradise, the Museum of Handmade paper, and the arsenal of the Maritime Republic. Sorrento, called the gateway to the Amalfi Coast, faces the Bay of Naples. Positano was once a poor fishing village. It transformed into a tourist destination in the 1950s. Visit the Church of Santa Maria Assunta and view the colorful house dotting the hillside.

Assisi

This city sits atop a rolling hill in the region of Umbria. Visit the Basilica of San Francesco, built in memory of Italyâ??s favorite saint, St. Francis. Assisi was also home to St. Clare, a contemporary of St. Francis. St. Clare is honored as founder of the Order of the Poor Clares, the all-female counterpart to the Franciscan order established by St. Francis. After viewing the Basilica, take a walk around town to the Piazza del Comune and view the impressive façade of the Tempio di Minerva from the first century. San Damiano houses the crucifix that bowed to St. Francis and is just a short walk from Porta Nuova.

Bologna

The city of Bologna can be found along the ancient Via Emilia. This agricultural region supplies Italy and the rest of the world with cured meats and cheeses. A must try is the prosciutto di Parma and the savory Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese. Bologna is a beautiful city with winding medieval streets, towers, and porticos. The University of Bologna is the oldest university in Europe and brings both international and Italian students to study there. The main attraction of this town is the Neptune Fountain that was created by Giambologna, a Flemish sculptor in the late 1500s. On the other side of the Piazza Maggiore the church of San Petronio comes into view. This church was never completed. Climb the Due Torri for spectacular views of Bologna.

Capri

An island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Capri is steeped in history and part of the Campagnia region. What makes it unique is that it can only be reached by boat from a few areas on the mainland. The hydrofoil or ferry departs from Positano, Amalfi, Sorrento, and Naples. The island is divided into two, Anacapri to the west and Capri to the east. Grotta Azzurra is the most popular tourist attraction. This unique wonder of nature is a cave located on the northwestern side of the island, called the Blue Grotto named rightly so for the turquoise blue water within it. Faraglioni is a collection of 3 dramatic rocks jutting out of the sea in the southeastern part of the island. The three rocks are named Stella, Faraglione di Mezzo and Fraglione di Fuori. The last one houses the Blue Lizard, found only on this rock. Villa San Michele is a villa made popular by the book The Story of San Michele. It was constructed on a cliff 327 meters above sea level and home to many art pieces, artifacts, and relics.

Erice

One of the greatest treasures of Sicily, the town of Erice sits on top of Mount Erice and was once called Eryx. After arrival at the base of Mount Erice, you have the choice of hiking, driving to the top by bus or taking the cable car. Castello di Venere is a Norman Castle built on top of the ancient Temple of Venus. Before the Norman occupation the temple underneath the castle was used to worship Venus Encina. In ancient times animals chosen as sacrificial offerings walked themselves to the altar to be killed. The Cathedral of Erice was built in 1312 with a neo-Gothic style. Three other churches should also be visited, Chiesa San Giuliano, Chiesa San Giovanni, and Chiesa San Martino.

Florence

As the most popular tourist destination in Europe, and the capital city of the Tuscan region, the city of Florence has it all: art, architecture, cuisine, fashion, and culture. The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most popular art galleries, with an extensive collection of Renaissance Art. Florence Duomo, the Cathedral of Florence is a must-see, as it is considered the cityâ??s most iconic landmark. Museo di San Marco is connected to the Dominican monastery of San Marco and contains many important art pieces.

Marsala

Located in the Trapani Province of Sicily, Marsala is built on top of ruins of Lilybaeum, which is a city of ancient Carthage. Marsala wine is produced in this region. From religious architecture to military structures to civil structures, the city is interesting to explore. Museo Archeologico Baglio Anselmi houses many pieces of Marsalaâ??s past. Insula Romana is an archeological site with ruins of a villa built in the 3rd century AD. Chiesa Madre is one of the many churches in this city built in the 17th century and dedicated to St. Thomas of Canterbury. Its ancient organ has 4317 pieces.

Monreale

Located on the slope of Mount Caputo with breathtaking views of orange, olive, and almond trees of the Conca dâ??Oro valley sits the town of Monreale. This hillside town overlooks Palermo and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Cattedrale di Monreale is one of the most visited cathedrals with Norman-Sicilian architecture and Byzantine mosaics. One of the mosaics on the south wall of the Cathedral shows Noah, the ark, and the dove with olive leaf portraying when the floods ended, and land was found. The Cloister of Monreale found beside the Cathedral is Benedictine and completed in 1200 with its 26 arches on columns with intricate carvings.

Montepulciano

The town of Montepulciano is in the southern part of Tuscany, in Siena. This medieval town is known around the world for its wine. It also produces cheese, pasta, honey, lentils, and pork. Palazzo Comunale is a palatial Gothic-style building used as the town hall with tower giving great views of the city. Museo Civico and Pinacoteca Crociani are civic museums featuring important works of some of Italyâ??s greatest artists. Madonna with Child and Two angels by Maestro di Badia a Isola can be seen here. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is a place of worship with a 16th century edifice that has an unfinished façade and belfry.

Naples

The popular city of Naples is located just southeast of Rome and northwest of Sorrento and the capital of Campania. It has hundreds of historical sites and buildings to explore. Naples is the city for castles and palaces. The main city square is the Piazza del Plebiscito and surrounded by interesting places to visit like San Francesco di Paola church to the west and the Royal Palace to the East. Naples is the home to many museums that carry ancient Greek and Roman artifacts. There are also many religious buildings that you should not miss such as Cathedral of Naples, Certosa di San Martino, Archbishopâ??s Palace, San Paolo Maggiore, and the Spires of Naples. Explore the ruins of Pompeii and brave the San Gennaro Catacombs.

Noto

The city of Noto can be found at the foot of the Iblean Mountains on the island of Sicily and 20 miles away from the city of Syracuse. Part of the province of Syracuse, the city of Noto is famous for its baroque style buildings form the 18th century. Visit the Cathedral di San Nicola di Mira first constructed in the 18th century and finished in 1776. The cathedralâ??s dome collapsed in 1996. The dome was repaired and opened to the public in 2007. Palazzo Ducezio was designed by Vincenzo Sinatra, a Sicilian architect specializing in Baroque structures.

Padua

The city of Padua is just an hour away from Venice on the banks of the Bacchiglione River and framed by the Euganean Hills in the southwest. Galileo Galilei once lectured at the University of Padua. The city has been used by many artisans in their work. Shakespeare used it as the setting for Taming of the Shrew and Oscar Wilde did a play called the Duchess of Padua. The Scrovegni Chapel houses one of the most important masterpieces of Western Art. The frescoes in the chapel covered all the internal surfaces with the largest ones depicting the lives of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. Palazzo della Ragione houses a 15th century wooden horse patterned after Donatelloâ??s bronze Gattamelata. Prato della Valle is a 90,000 square meter elliptical garden. The glorious garden went through a period of neglect in the early 1900s but has been revitalized with the help of the locals living in Padua.

Palermo

As the capital city of Sicily, Palermo is known for its architecture, culture, gastronomy and history. It was founded by the Phoenicians in 734BC and is a remarkably interesting city with many Norman style buildings. Palazzo dei Normanni dates to the 9th century. The palace became the residence of the King of Sicily when the Normans conquered the area in 1072. Teatro Massimo is the largest opera house in Italy and popular for its acoustics and unique mixture of Sicilian architecture and neoclassical Greek inspired design. The last scenes of the movie Godfather II were filmed in the city. You can visit the Palermo food markets and buy vintage items at specialty stores.

Pisa

Harboring more than just the leaning tower, the city of Pisa has more to offer. It is just one of four buildings that compose the Campo dei Miracoli or field of miracles. The complex includes the Duomo, Baptistery and Camposanto. The Campo dei Miracoli was built during Pisaâ??s Golden Age. When visiting Campo dei Miracoli, itâ??s impossible not to feel as if in the presence of a miracle. The Leaning Tower was always on an angle after three of the eight stories began to lean in the direction it is now leaning. Corrective stones were set in place that sent the tower leaning in the other direction.

Pompeii

The famous city of Pompeii is an ancient Roman city that was covered in ash and pumice when the volcano Vesuvius erupted in August of 79AD. It was accidentally discovered in 1600, but excavations did not begin until 1748. Stroll through the House of the Vettii and the House of Faun. View the Palestra or gym with its swimming pool and Amphitheater. Donâ??t miss the Villa dei Misteri, a third century BC house with life-size fresco around the walls thought to be a woman preparing for initiation rites into the Dionysian Mysteries. See the plaster casts made from victimâ??s bodies scattered around the site. Herculaneum is a better-preserved archeological site located near Mount Vesuvius with villas, shops and a bath discovered in 1927. The most famous of Herculaneumâ??s villas is the Villa of the Papyri, decorated with over 80 sculptures and unreadable scrolls of papyri found on the grounds. Villa Oplontis, Boscoreale and Stabiae, also in the area around ancient Pompeii are other enclaves of dwellings built for the rich with frescoes to still be seen. Take a climb up Mount Vesuvius to view all the destruction. The last eruption was in 1944 and scientists say there should not be another any time soon.

Rome

The capital city of Italy is the most populated in the country. Rome is most noted for Vatican City, where the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, can be found. The Colosseum is an oval amphitheater once used for gladiator fights and other shows. It has a seating capacity of 80,000 and an iconic symbol of the old Roman Empire. The Pantheon was built in 125AD as a Roman temple built on top of another temple. The structure has a main area and a portico in front with huge Corinthian columns made of granite. The Vatican Museums houses works including sculptures and paintings collected over a span of a few hundred years. These are just a few of the main sites to see in Rome. There is a long list of monuments, buildings, and ruins to be visited.

Siena

Siena is a wonderfully preserved medieval town. You donâ??t have to go inside to see its famous works of art twist through the medieval alleys and open piazzas. It is a museum within itself with home-style restaurants to sample Tuscanyâ??s regional cooking and wines. II Campo and the Palazzo Pubblico are examples of the building achievements during the Sienese years. In July and August, the square is used for horse races with bareback riders, a sight to be seen. The Palazzo Publico is still used as Sienaâ??s Town Hall. Climb the Torre del Mangia bell tower for sweeping views of Siena and the Tuscan countryside.

Siracusa

Also widely known as Syracuse, Siracusa is a city steeped in Greek history with many archaeological sites, ruins, monuments, and architecture. The Parco Archeologico della Neapolis will show remnants of ancient Syracuse during the Greek period with a Greek Theater, the Cave of Nymphaeum, the Galermi aqueduct and the Roman amphitheater. Basilica & Catacombe di San Giovanni are worth a visit. Great treasures are found here buried with the dead.

Sorrento

The coastal town of Sorrento overlooks the Bay of Naples and the Tyrrhenian Sea with museums, churches, piazzas, and parks to explore. Museo Correale di Terranova houses paintings from Neapolitan artists, Murano glassware and Sevres ceramics with 3 floors and 24 halls carrying diverse art pieces from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Duomo di Sorrento has undergone several renovations with the style changing from original to a more Baroque style. Have a glass of Limoncello, produced in the region, while you walk around town and visit the quaint shops.

Taormina

On the east coast of Sicily, Taormina faces the Ionian Sea. Teatro Greco are notable Grecian ruins in a perfect horseshoe shape with Mount Etna looming in the distance. It was built in the 3rd century B.C. and is the most dramatically placed Greek Theater in the world. Chiesa San Giuseppe is called a jewel box church due to it being shaped like a jewelry box. Take a stroll of the main thoroughfare and visit the shops and enjoy the nightlife. Visit the Alcantara Gorge and enjoy this natural wonder. You can even take a dip and enjoy the cool waters. Taormina is not only famous for its resorts. Take in the history and culture.

Venice

The city that is built on water with gondolas as the primary mode of transportation offers grandeur in the marble structures lining hundreds of canals. The city is in the Venetian Lagoon, which is an enclosed shallow bay between the Piave and Po Rivers. The Grand Canal is lined with over 170 buildings built as early as the 13th century, with new ones built in the 18th century. Only three bridges traverse the width of the canal with the Rialto Bridge crossing the widest expanse of water. Basilica di San Marco is a rather intricate church with detailed design featuring opulent decorations such as gold ground mosaics, marble cladding and ornate carvings. Palazzo Ducale, also known as the Dogeâ??s Palace, is a main landmark built with a Venetian Gothic design.I hope you enjoyed this mini tour of Italy keeping you busy while being at home. Enjoy every minute and remember, when life deals you lemons, make lemonade! When youâ??re ready to book your Italy tour, consider Atlas Travel for all of your vacation needs.