Places worth the detour in Italy
Italy has 4,586 places worth going out of your way for on Detourmap, across 16 kinds — the biggest group is churches, temples, monasteries & shrines (1,400). The best known is Colosseum. 3,784 of them are hidden gems most guides skip. Every place below has a photo and a Wikipedia article — click any of them to fly the map there.
Churches, temples, monasteries & shrines in Italy 1,400
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Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Sacred sites · 5th century · Renowned
Largest Catholic Marian church in Rome
Castles, palaces & forts in Italy 890
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Domus Aurea
Castles & palaces · 1st century · Notable
Domus, palace of Roman emperor Nero, "Golden house"
Ancient & archaeological sites in Italy 600
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Colosseum
Ancient & megalithic · 1st century · Iconic
Ancient Roman amphitheatre, a landmark of Rome, Italy
Parks, canyons & rock formations in Italy 566
Museums & galleries in Italy 313
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Uffizi Gallery
Museums & galleries · 16th century · Renowned
Palace and art museum in Florence, Italy
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Palazzo Pitti
Museums & galleries · 15th century · Renowned
Renaissance palace and museum in Florence, Italy
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Palace of Caserta
Museums & galleries · 18th century · Renowned
Former royal residence in Caserta, Italy
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Capitoline Museums
Museums & galleries · 15th century · Renowned
Municipal museum of the city of Rome, Italy
Monuments & statues in Italy 187
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Castel Sant'Angelo
Monuments & statues · 2nd century · Renowned
Castle and museum in Rome, formerly the imperial mausoleum of the emperor Hadrian and subsequent Roman emperors
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Mausoleum of Augustus
Monuments & statues · 1st century BC · Renowned
Building in Campo Marzio, Italy
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Column of Marcus Aurelius
Monuments & statues · 2nd century · Notable
Roman victory column (completed 193)
Towers & lighthouses in Italy 162
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Leaning Tower of Pisa
Towers & lighthouses · 12th century · Iconic
Cathedral bell tower in Pisa, Italy
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St Mark's Campanile
Towers & lighthouses · 10th century · Notable
Bell tower of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy
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Mole Antonelliana
Towers & lighthouses · 19th century · Notable
Major landmark building in Turin, Italy
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Torre della Ghirlandina
Towers & lighthouses · 12th century · Notable
Bell tower of the Cathedral of Modena
Bridges & aqueducts in Italy 152
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Rialto Bridge
Great structures · 16th century · Renowned
One of four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy
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Polcevera Viaduct
Great structures · 20th century · Renowned
Demolished highway bridge in Genoa, Italy
Parks, gardens & arboretums in Italy 111
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Gardens of Bomarzo
Parks & gardens · 16th century · Notable
Manieristic monumental complex located in northern Lazio, Italy
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Gardens of Sallust
Parks & gardens · 1st century BC · Notable
Gardens in ancient Rome founded ca. 50 BCE
Catacombs, shipwrecks & cemeteries in Italy 78
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Costa Concordia
Macabre & curious · Renowned
Cruise ship that ran aground in a maritime accident in 2012.
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Catacombe dei Cappuccini
Macabre & curious · 16th century · Notable
Burial catacombs of the Capuchin monks in Palermo, Sicily
Caves & caverns in Italy 46
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Coreca Caves
Caves & caverns · Notable
Group of two karstic caves in the commune of Amantea in southern Italy
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Ear of Dionysius
Caves & caverns · Notable
Limestone cave and former quarry in Syracuse, Sicily, Italy
Theme parks, zoos & aquariums in Italy 33
Volcanoes, geysers & hot springs in Italy 25
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Mount Etna
Volcanic & geothermal · 3000th century BC · Iconic
Active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy
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Phlegraean Fields
Volcanic & geothermal · Iconic
Volcanic region located in the Gulf of Pozzoles, west of Naples, Italy
Waterfalls in Italy 11
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Cascata delle Marmore
Waterfalls · Notable
Waterfall in Umbria, Italy; tallest man-made waterfall in the world
Beaches & coves in Italy 7
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Lido di Venezia
Beaches & coves · Renowned
Sandbar island located on Laguna Veneta near Venice, Italy
Abandoned places & ghost towns in Italy 5
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Baia
Abandoned & ghost towns · Notable
Human settlement in Bacoli, Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, Italy
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Tavolero
Abandoned & ghost towns · Hidden gem
Human settlement in Rocca Santa Maria, Province of Teramo, Abruzzo, Italy
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Valle Piola
Abandoned & ghost towns · Hidden gem
Human settlement in Torricella Sicura, Province of Teramo, Abruzzo, Italy
