Things to Do in Italy: City Guides & Audio Tours

Italy is a country of Alpine mountains, Mediterranean islands, historic cities and coastlines shaped by the sea. The best things to do in Italy include exploring places formed by Roman history, Renaissance culture, competing city-states and centuries of local traditions. Neywo has free audio guides for 123 cities in Italy, covering 9,149 narrated places in total, with narration available in 11 languages.

What to see and do in Italy

Italy stretches from the Alps into the Mediterranean. The Po Valley and Venetian Plain occupy the north, while the Apennines run through much of the peninsula. Sicily and Sardinia, the Mediterranean’s biggest islands, belong to Italy alongside hundreds of smaller islands. With about 8,000 kilometres of coastline, the influence of the sea is never far away.

This geography creates striking variety. Alpine landscapes, central woodlands, southern shrublands and coastal environments provide different habitats, while Italy’s position between Central Europe and North Africa has made it a meeting point for wildlife. The climate is broadly Mediterranean, but mountainous terrain and inland regions create sharp local differences.

Rome and the layers of Italian history

Italy’s history is often associated with Rome, whose Republic conquered the Mediterranean world before the Roman Empire ruled for centuries. Rome later became the seat of the Catholic Church and the Papacy as Christianity spread.

The decline of the Western Roman Empire brought invasions and successive kingdoms, but Italian cities later prospered through commerce. City-states and maritime republics accumulated wealth and influence, helping create the conditions for modern capitalism. The country’s political divisions lasted for centuries before the Kingdom of Italy was established in 1861. After the 1946 referendum, the monarchy gave way to a republic.

Rome remains one of the most important places to begin an Italy travel guide. Neywo’s city guide covers 1,311 narrated places, including Castel Sant’Angelo, the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls, Trajan’s Column and the Pantheon. Rome also provides a way to encounter several periods of Italian history within one city.

Renaissance cities and artistic heritage

Italy was the birthplace and heart of the Renaissance. Merchant wealth and the patronage of powerful families supported a transformation that influenced architecture, painting, philosophy and European culture.

In Florence, the Ponte Vecchio, Florence Cathedral, Basilica of Santa Croce and Palazzo Pitti are among the 91 places narrated by Neywo. Florence is part of a wider Tuscan landscape where historic towns and artistic traditions remain central to the experience of the region.

Other cities show different sides of Italy’s artistic and architectural history. Milan has 672 narrated places, including Santa Maria delle Grazie, La Scala and Sforza Castle. Milan also reflects the country’s continuing role in fashion and modern creative work.

Naples, Pompeii and Campania

Campania brings together historic cities, islands and archaeological remains. Neywo’s guide to Naples includes 653 narrated places, among them Teatro di San Carlo, the Farnese Atlas, the Royal Palace of Naples and the Museo di Capodimonte. Naples is one of the country’s largest urban centres and a particularly rich place for exploring art, architecture and history.

Nearby, the archaeological excavations of Pompeii include the Villa of the Mysteries, the Temple of Apollo and the House of the Vettii. The Pompei guide covers 34 narrated places. On the coast, Amalfi has 15 narrated places, including Amalfi Cathedral, the Arsenale and the Diocesan Museum of Amalfi.

Apulia’s historic towns and coastal cities

Southern Italy offers a different architectural character. In Apulia, whitewashed towns, churches, castles and coastal landscapes create a strong regional identity.

Bari has 23 narrated places, including the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Castello Normanno-Svevo. Lecce has 68 places, with the Cathedral, Basilica of Santa Croce, San Marco and the Abbey of Santa Maria a Cerrate among its highlights.

Smaller towns provide another way to explore the region. Alberobello’s 13 narrated places include Museo Casa Pezzolla and Trullo Sovrano, while Polignano a Mare includes Torre Incina, the former church of Galleria Santo Stefano, Badia di San Vito and Grotta di Sella. Ostuni, Otranto, Monopoli, Locorotondo and Trani add further historic centres, churches, castles and museums to an itinerary through Apulia.

Venice and the cities of northern Italy

Venice is one of Italy’s most distinctive cities, shaped by its relationship with water and its long history as a maritime power. Neywo’s guide covers 597 narrated places, including St Mark’s Basilica, the Gallerie dell’Accademia, Doge’s Palace and Santa Maria della Salute. Venice is also part of a broader Veneto itinerary that can include Verona, Padua, Treviso, Vicenza and Bassano del Grappa.

Verona has 223 narrated places, led by the Verona Arena, Verona Cathedral, the Basilica of San Zeno and Forte Biondella. Padua’s 140 places include the botanical garden, the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, Padua Cathedral and the Scrovegni Chapel. Vicenza’s guide covers the Olympic Theatre, Villa Almerico Capra—La Rotonda—and the Basilica Palladiana.

Mountains, lakes and northern landscapes

Italy’s northern geography extends from the Alps to major lakes and mountain valleys. Courmayeur has eight narrated places, including the Duke of the Abruzzi Alpine Museum, the Dora Baltea, the Grandes Jorasses and the Mont Blanc Tunnel.

Around the lakes, Neywo covers places such as Bellagio, Como, Sirmione, Limone sul Garda, Malcesine and Riva del Garda. In Bellagio, the guide includes Lake Como and the Antiquarium of the Villa Melzi. Sirmione includes the Grotte di Catullo museum, Scaligero Castle and the churches of San Francesco D’Assisi and San Pietro in Mavino.

Islands and Sicily

Sicily and Sardinia extend Italy’s cultural and geographical variety into the Mediterranean. Sicily’s cities preserve Greek, Roman, medieval and later layers of history. Palermo has 207 narrated places, including the Martorana, San Cataldo, the Palazzo dei Normanni and Palermo Cathedral. Sicily also includes destinations such as Agrigento, Catania, Cefalù, Erice, Noto, Ragusa, Syracuse and Taormina.

Agrigento’s 39 narrated places include the Valley of the Temples, the Temple of Concordia and Agrigento Cathedral. Taormina has 30 places, including its Ancient Theatre, Palazzo Duchi di Santo Stefano, Castello di Monte Tauro and Corvaja Palace.

On Sardinia, Sardinia brings together archaeological sites, coastal towns and museums. Alghero has 53 narrated places, including the necropolis of Anghelu Ruju, nuraghe Palmavera and Alghero Cathedral. Cagliari, Bosa, Iglesias, Sant’Antioco and Santa Teresa Gallura offer further perspectives on the island’s history and landscapes.

Italy’s living culture

Italian culture has influenced art, architecture, music, literature, fashion, theatre and cinema. Ancient Roman arches and domes, Renaissance architecture, folk traditions and classical music all form part of this long creative history. Rome and Milan are noted as global fashion capitals, while Italian cinema began soon after motion-picture exhibitions were introduced.

Cuisine is also part of Italy’s international identity, alongside science, technology and manufacturing. The country remains a parliamentary republic and a founding member of the European Union, with Italian as its official language and Rome as its capital.

Explore Italy with Neywo’s free audio guides

Download Neywo to explore Italy independently. The app offers 304 walking tours across the country, covering 9,149 narrated places in 123 cities. Narration is available in 11 languages.

Each story plays as you reach the place, at your own pace. There is no group and no schedule: the app tells the story of each place as you arrive, allowing you to explore Italy with a self-guided audio tour.