Italy is one of my favourite countries, an incredible destination I return to time and time again. So I did the one thing bigger than repeatedly travelling to Italy: I moved to Italy, specifically to the beautiful city of Florence. Sometimes it still feels kind of surreal that I am really living here! I will be staying here for at least two years to finish my master’s degree. While living here, I promised myself to travel to as many destinations as possible within Italy.
So one of my friends gave me a fantastic idea: make a bucket list! Thus I started writing down all of my own ideas, and I asked my Italian roommates for some inspiration. But knowing myself, I will be back often to complete this list a little more because I want to do it all. If you know some places that aren’t on this list yet, I would love it if you leave them in a comment or send them to me!
So here I am with my Italy bucket list that I hope might be a source of inspiration for your next vacation!
Disclosure: When you decide to purchase any of the shared links, I will receive an affiliate commission, at no extra cost to you! This will make a huge difference to Finding Falke and ensure I can keep sharing many more travel tips and tricks.
Tuscany bucket list
Florence
Starting in my new home town: Florence is an overwhelmingly beautiful city. This whole city is an open-air museum with art around every little corner. If you’re not admiring the works of Botticelli and Michelangelo, then you’re probably relishing in the local artists while wandering through the city.
- See the David in the Galleria dell’Accademia.
- Admire Botticelli paintings in the Uffizi Gallery.
- Watch the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo.
- Visit the Bardini Gardens.
- Visit Palazzo Vecchio and the outdoor public art gallery on Piazza Della Signoria.
- Climb Giotto’s Bell Tower and Brunelleschi’s dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
- Take a photo in the Foto Automatica
Pisa
- Take a picture at the leaning tower of Pisa.
- Walk around the Field of Miracles.
Siena
- Stroll around Piazza del Campo.
- Watch the Palio, the famous horse race between the various Sienese “contrade”.
- Visit the Cathedral and its gate of heaven.
- Climb the Torre del Mangia.
- Visit the Facciatone.
Lucca
- Cross the Ponte del Diavolo
- Walk the city walls
- Stroll around Piazza dell’Anfiteatro
- Visit the Chiesa di San Michele in Foro
- Walk through the Via Fillungo
Tuscany
- Eat gelato in San Gimignano.
- Stroll around Pistoia.
- Shop at Fiera Antiquaria de Arezzo and follow the walking route of La Vita è Bella in Arezzo.
- Visit the pastel building of Pienza.
- Relive the twilight era in Volterra.
- Shop at the vintage market in Fiesole.
- Relax in the Terme di Saturnia.
- Go on a winetour in Chianti.
- Picnic in Val d’Orcia.
- Visit Montepulciano.
- Visit the white beach in Livorno.
- Take the boat to Elba.
- Visit Bolgheri.
- Celebrate Carnevale di Viareggio.
- Visit Porto Ercole.
Emilia-Romagna bucket list
Bologna
- Walk under the Porticos.
- Climb the Asinelli tower.
- Visit Piazza Maggiori.
- Try tagliatelle al ragu
Liguria bucket list
Genua
- Visit the Palazzi dei Rolli.
- Visit the Palazzo Reale.
- Stroll through the Via Garibaldi.
- Day trip to Portofino.
Cinque Terre
- Visit the villages: Riomaggiore, Vernazza, Monterosso al Mare, Corniglia, Manarola.
- Go kayaking.
- Visit Portovenere and Lerici.
Umbria bucket list
- Visit Assissi.
- Visit Perugia
Marche bucket list
- Go on a day trip to Ancona.
- Visit Pesaro.
- Go on a day trip to Urbino.
Lombardy bucket list
Milan
- Watch the sunset from the terrace of the Duomo.
- Have dinner in Navigli.
- Visit the Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle.
- Eat risotto alle Milanese.
Mantua
- Visit the Palazzo Ducale.
- Stroll around the Piazza Sordello.
- Visit the Basilica Sant’ Andrea.
The lake district
- Visit Lake Como.
- Take the boat to new towns around Lake Garda.
- Visit Lake Maggiore with the Borromean Islands.
Piedmont bucket list
Turin
- Go to Eurovision.
- Take the elevator in Mole Antonelliana.
- Visit the Royal Palace
Trentino bucket list
The Dolomites
- Take the cable car to Seceda.
- Visit Alpe di Siusi.
- Visit Lake Braies.
Veneto bucket list
Venice
- Ride a Gondola.
- Eat cicchetti in Cannaregio.
- Visit the Accademia where Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man is stored.
- Have a Spritz at the Gritti Terrace on the Grand Canal.
- Attend Carnevale di Venezia.
- Visit Murano, Burano and Torcello.
Padova
- Get lost in the city.
Verona
- Stand on Juliet’s balcony.
- Catch the opera in Verona’s arena during the summer festival.
- Visit the Santuario Madonna della corona.
Lazio bucket list
Rome
- Visit the Colosseum and do the underground tour.
- Visit the Forum Romanum.
- Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain.
- Visit the Pantheon.
- Tour the Capuchin Crypt, Rome’s own bone chapel.
- Visit the Vittoriano Monumental Complex.
- Visit the Vatican and go to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Admire the Sistine Chapel.
- Visit the Borghese Gallery.
- Find the ‘secret’ palaces: Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, Palazzo Colonna & Villa Giulia.
- Have dinner in the Trastevere neighbourhood.
- Day trip to Tivoli.
Campania bucket list
Naples
- Stroll around Piazza del Plebiscito.
- Visit Pompeii.
- Try pizza Napoletana.
- Try the Mozzarella di Bufala here.
- Visit the Royal Palace of Caserta.
- Take the ferry to Procida.
- Go to Sorrento.
Amalfi Coast
- Drive to the Amalfi coast: the road of 1000 bends.
- Sail into the Blue Grotto, Capri.
- Go to Ravello.
- Have dinner with a view in Positano.
- Beach day in Atrani.
Basilicata bucket list
Matera
- Stay in a cave hotel.
- Visit the cluster of cave dwellings carved into the cliffs.
Puglia bucket list
- Visit the Trulli homes of Alberobello.
- Visit Castel del Monte.
- Go to Polignano a Mare and visit Cala Porto.
Calabria bucket list
- Visit Tropea.
- Beach day in Caminia.
- Visit Catanzaro.
Sicily bucket list
- Hike Mt. Etna.
- Visit the Valley of Temples.
- Visit the ancient Greek theatre in Taormina.
- Stay in Palermo.
- Stay in Catania.
- Eat cannoli.
- Go to Isole Eolie.
Sardegna bucket list
- Visit the Nuraghi.
- Visit La Maddalena.
- Beach day in San Teodoro.
- Beach day at the Pink Beach, Budelli.
- Visit Costa di Baunei & beach day at Cala Goloritzè.
San Marino bucket list
- Visit San Marino Città.
- Follow the Witches path.
- Visit the three towers.
- Get the passport stamp (as a memory and to make my dad jealous that I’ve been to his favourite Eurovision country).
Final Thoughts
Dream big and travel often. It is no surprise I call my little corner on the internet a guide for the dreamers. With this Italy bucket list, I challenge myself to do as many bucket list items as possible.
A few things I hope to achieve with this Italy bucket list:
Firstly, I want this list to be a source of inspiration for you and me while travelling through Italy. Furthermore, as some of you might know I collect ugly, touristic postcards from all the places I travel to. So I am hoping to start a whole new, Italian, collection with this challenge that I can keep in my travel diary. And last, but certainly not least, I want to enjoy my time in Italy to the fullest!
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Disclosure: When you decide to purchase any of the shared links, I will receive an affiliate commission, at no extra cost to you! This will make a huge difference to Finding Falke and ensure I can keep sharing many more travel tips and tricks.
