423 Best Sights in Italy

In the mid-1500s, Bishop Alessandro Rufini of Melfi constructed a stunning country retreat on the site of an earlier Roman villa in the hills outside the city. Pope Paul III soon played a hand in enlarging the villa, as a part of his broader plan to enhance the village of Frascati. The villa was eventually purchased by the Falconieri family in 1628, who gave their name to the estate and commissioned an extension by Borromini—though the extent of the famed architect’s contributions are debatable. What is certain is that the Falconieri family built a legacy-worthy library that hosted intellectuals and writers from around Europe and established a tradition of offering 20 annual scholarships to promising young art students. The villa is now home to the Academy Vivarium Novum, a humanities institute based on the educational tradition of Renaissance schools, that opens the doors to its fresco-filled campus every Sunday with guided tours (in Italian) from 10 am–12 pm. Reserve a spot by emailing  [email protected].

The gardens of Villa La Petraia sit high above the Arno. The villa was built around a medieval tower and reconstructed after it was purchased by the Medici sometime after 1530. Allow 60 minutes to explore the park and gardens, plus 30 minutes for the guided tour of the villa interior.

To get here by car, follow directions to Villa di Castello, but take the right off Via Reginaldo Giuliani, following the sign for Villa La Petraia. You can walk from Villa di Castello to Villa La Petraia in about 15 minutes; turn left beyond the gate of Villa di Castello and continue straight along Via di Castello and the imposing Villa Corsini; take Via della Petraia uphill to the entrance.

Closed to traffic but always buzzing with crowds, this piazza has at its heart an elephant carved out of lava, balancing an Egyptian obelisk. This is the city's informal mascot, called "U Liotru" in Sicilian dialect. The square also marks the entrance to Catania's famous pescheria (fish market) and is one of the few points in the city where you can see the Amenano River above ground. Another point of interest is Via Garibaldi, which runs from Piazza del Duomo up toward the impressively huge Porta Garibaldi, a black-and-white triumphal arch built in 1768 to commemorate the marriage of Ferdinando I.