My 8 Favorite Amazing UNESCO Sites in Italy that You Need to See

Did you know that there are 58 UNESCO Sites in Italy?

And that Italy has the most UNESCO sites of any country?

Sí. 

It’s all true.

China does run a very close second.

But Italy, not surprisingly, comes out on top.

The great thing about the UNESCO sites in Italy is that they are spread out all over the country.

So no matter where you go, you’ll have an opportunity to visit one.

In this post I want to offer up my 8 favorite Italian UNESCO sites.

I’ve actually been to about 11 of them, but there are 8 that make my favorite list. 

And there are a few on the list that I really would like to visit so I’ll add those at the end.

But let’s start with exactly what UNESCO is and what it means to be on this prestigious list.

What is UNESCO? And what does a UNESCO designation mean?

UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

It is a specialized agency of the United Nations that:

“seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.”

What makes UNESCO remarkable is its “universal application” that all World Heritage sites belong to everyone, “irrespective of the territory on which they are located.”

So, in other words, UNESCO Sites belong to all humankind — not just Italians or Chinese or Americans or Brazilians. 

UNESCO Sites can be cultural, natural or a mix of both such as Meteora in Greece. 

The other thing to note is that a site can be delisted if it no longer meets the stringent criteria to become a UNESCO site.

Typically it will first go on an “In Danger” list then it can be delisted if it is not being properly managed and/or protected.

So just because a site makes the list, doesn’t mean it stays there. 

Okay, so let’s talk about some of my favorite UNESCO sites in Italy and why I think you should visit them.

Vicenza

So technically this site is listed as the City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto.

But my experience is just with the city of Vicenza. 

This is one of the best UNESCO Sites in Italy because it’s not as well known compared to all the others on my list.

And that’s why I love this city — because it is a bit under the radar.

It’s the home of Andrea Palladio, one of the greatest Italian architects.

He was actually born in another city in the Veneto region, Padua, in 1508. 

But he lived a lot of his life in Vicenza and left a huge architectural mark on this city.

This is the city to come to if you want to be away from the huge crowds of Venice and mix more with the locals.

Wander about the streets.

Sit in one of the piazzi.

Take in Palladio’s works in town such as Loggia del Capitanio, Basilica Palladiana (which he helped to reconstruct) and a couple of churches and former palazzi. 

And don’t miss the Teatro Olimpico — which Palladio started but didn’t quite finish — as it’s a magnificent site.

Again, this is a wonderful city to wander about and slow down a bit.

It’s a great stop after the zaniness of Venice.

Relais Santa Corona makes a great place to stay.

Also, pop over to the park, Parco Querini, for a walk or run.

It’s a lovely park and frequented by the locals.

Vicenza is a not-to-be-missed destination in Italy.

Verona

One of my favorite cities in Italy and in all of Europe is Verona.

And this city happens to be one of the many amazing UNESCO sites in Italy — with good reason.

The ancient Arena is one good reason it makes the list. 

I highly recommend a tour of this fabulous site.

And if you can see a performance here, even better.

Yes, they still use it for the summer opera and for concerts.

It’s a surreal experience to see a show in this ancient structure.

The buildings of Verona are well preserved as are some of the original city gates.

Piazza Bra around the Arena is lively, Piazza delle Erbe is a bit touristy but still worthwhile and Piazza dei Signori is my favorite with its statue of Dante.

Do climb up Torre dei Lamberti for panoramic views of the city. 

And be sure to stop in one of the many churches.

Sant’Anastasia is my personal favorite.

The other piece of advice I have is to wander about and get a bit lost.

I know.

I say this about every city or town.

But it really is one of the best things to do.

Verona actually sits along the Adige River so walk along the riverfront.

Tuck down some of the wee pedestrian lanes.

There are lots of historic spots hidden away.

And there are loads of places to stop for a tasty bite to eat or to have a delicious glass of wine.

I really hope to digital nomad here in Verona for a month someday.

That’s how much I love this city.

Florence

Another city I’d digital nomad in is Florence.

This is another of the UNESCO Sites in Italy that I don’t think is a surprise to find on the list.

Florence, Firenze, is truly amazing.

While Florence has been inhabited since the time of the Etruscans, it was during the 15th and 16th centuries that this city was in its prime — the time of the Renaissance.

And wandering about Firenze is like walking in an open air museum. 

It’s stunning!

Yes, it’s busy so plan your trip accordingly.

However, all the churches, museums, piazzi, palazzi (palaces) and narrow lanes are worth your time.

Again, I advise getting a bit lost and finding a lane leading away from the major tourist sites.

You’ll probably end up in a little piazetta (small public square) or find a local trattoria where you’ll find mostly locals eating delicious Tuscan food. 

You could easily spend a week in Florence taking in all the sites.

While I have been in the Uffizi and the Accademia — where the magnificent David is — I have yet to visit the Pitti Palace or go into the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. 

So I’ll go back for sure as there is so much to experience.

Firenze is a city that I think everyone should visit at least once.

One off the main tourist track museums I recommend is the Museo Galileo which is a nerdy science museum but oh so cool!

Piedmont Vineyards

It makes me so happy that a wine growing region is on the UNESCO sites in Italy list.

You should not be surprised that such a place makes my list of favorite UNESCO sites!

Technically the site is known as the Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato.

I’ve visited some of this area although not all as I didn’t get to the Monferrato region.

I did, however, spend a week staying just near the village of Barolo and the town of La Morra which are part of the Langhe region.

And I visited a vineyard in the Roero wine growing region.

This piece of Piedmont is stunning.

I call it Tuscany on steroids as you get a lot of what you get in Tuscany (and the Val d’Orcia in particular) but with bigger mountain peaks off in the distance. 

The wine is equally good if not better in Piedmont. 

But that depends on your wine palate.

The vineyards are just gorgeous though.

And the hill towns are just as charming.

In fact, you may find a few more fortresses in the area.

I’d definitely put this UNESCO site in Italy on your list.

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