24 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy

Italy is a beautiful country which attracts millions of tourists every year. It holds the record for having a large number of UNESCO world heritage sites. Currently, it has received 53 cultural and five natural heritage sites. People often consider these 58 physical sites when they visit Italy for a vacation.

Are you planning a visit to Italy? This article will give you a detailed list of some of the best world heritage sites in Italy based on the oldest heritage status.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) aims to build a culture of peace and reduce poverty. It has provided the status of world heritage sites to various locations across the world that meet its standards. Italy has successfully received and maintained a bunch of such sites. Here is a list of the Italy heritage sites for your guidance.

1. Rock Drawings in Valcamonica (1979)

It is the oldest cultural site to receive heritage status from UNESCO. Valcamonica has one of the most significant collections of prehistoric petroglyphs. It consists of over 140,000 symbols and figures carved into the rocks. You will find depicting themes in these rocks related to navigation, agriculture, war and magic. These rocks and the artwork stretch over 8,000 years.

• Location: Lombardy Plain, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: June to September will be ideal for avoiding cold weather or heavy rain
• Hours of Operation: Open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• Entry Fee: € 6 per visitor

2. Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria Delle Grazie (1980)

This is a part of the architectural complex. Bramante built it throughout the 15th century. One of the biggest highlights of this Church is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci called “The Last Supper”. It is an unrivalled masterpiece placed on the north wall, which is a refectory of the Dominican Convent of Santa Maria Delle Grazie. The Church complex is also eye-catching, with the serenity of nature and architectural brilliance.

• Location: Milano, MI, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: April to June and September to October are ideal for visiting and exploring Milan
• Hours of Operation: Open from 8:15 AM to 7:00 PM
• Entry Fee: No Entry Fee

3. Historical Centre of Florence (1982)

Florence was built on the Etruscan settlement and was a significant symbol of the Renaissance. During the 15th and 16th centuries, it rose to economic and cultural pre-eminence under the Medici. The current historical centre covers 505 hectares and includes the remains of the 14th-century walls of the city. Here, you will find surviving gates, towers, and Medici strongholds like the “da Basso” and the Fort of San Giorgio del Belvedere. It is a beautiful place surrounded by the Arno River.

• Location: Florence, Tuscany, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: March to May is perfect, as Spring is beautiful in this area
• Hours of Operation: You can visit anytime
• Entry Fee: € 4 per visitor

4. Venice and its Lagoon (1987)

Another historical place, Venice, is a famous UNESCO world heritage site in Italy. Venice was super popular in the 10th century, sprawling across 118 islands. The entire city is an architectural masterpiece, with some stunning artwork by artists like Titian, Giorgione, Tintoretto, Veronese, and others. The lagoon covers a large area of 70,176.4 hectares and combines nature and history well.

• Location: Veneto Region of Northeast Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: April and June or September and October can be ideal for enjoying the beauty of this region
• Hours of Operation: You can visit any time
• Entry Fee: Between € 3 - € 10 per person

5. Piazza del Duomo, Pisa (1987)

With a group of monuments, Piazza del Duomo stands over a large green expanse. Four masterpiece architectural creations include the baptistry, the cathedral, the campanile and the cemetery. The campanile or the 'Leaning Tower' of Pisa is a world-famous creation. You can witness stunning artwork from the 14th century.

• Location: Pisa, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: June to September is the best time to visit this place
• Hours of Operation: Open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
• Entry Fee: € 20 per person for a ticket for the cathedral and tower, and € 27 for other sights on the ground

6. Historic Centre of San Gimignano (1990)

San Gimignano delle belle Torri in Tuscany served as an excellent travel point for pilgrims travelling to or from Rome. Here, the patrician families built 72 tower houses, some as high as 50m. This exhibited their power and wealth. You will find authentic Italian art from the 14th and 15th centuries here. Moreover, it groups all kinds of urban structures here, including squares and streets, houses and palaces, wells and fountains.

• Location: Tuscany, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: April to May and September to October will be ideal for enjoying the Spring
• Hours of Operation: You can visit any time. Pro Loco San Gimignano is open from 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM
• Entry Fee: € 35 per adult visitor and € 20 per 7-14-year-old visitor for Pro Loco San Gimignano

7. The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera (1993)

This complex, located in Basilicata, includes churches, monasteries, houses and hermitages. These are built into the natural caves of the Murgia. Covering a vast area of 1016 ha, his property exhibits a historical significance from the Palaeolithic period. It includes rock-cut settlements, showing changing occupations of humans over the years. The architectural ensemble and landscape catch tourists' eyes.

• Location: Matera, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: May to October exhibits pleasant weather, which makes perfect time
• Hours of Operation: There are no fixed hours, and you can visit anytime
• Entry Fee: Not available

8. The City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto (1994)

This is another UNESCO site in Italy, mainly known for its historical significance. Vicenza has founded in the 2nd century BC, and the Venetians ruled it from the 15th to the 18th century. The main highlight is the work of Andrea Palladio, exhibiting classical Roman architecture. Here, you will be able to get a better understanding of the source of Palladian architecture and urban designs of European architecture.

• Location: Veneto, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: Spring months like March, April and May are considered ideal for visiting this place.
• Hours of Operation: You can visit anytime.
• Entry Fee: Not available

9. Historic Centre of Siena (1995)

Siena was a significant rival of Florence when it came to urban planning in the mediaeval era. The city acquired a gorgeous Gothic presence during the 12th and 15th centuries, and the government has successfully maintained these features of the city even today. To date, it is a work of art, including artistic brilliance from artists like Duccio, the Lorenzetti brothers and Simone Martini. Apart from the architecture, Siena is also known for sculptures, painting, and town planning.

• Location: Tuscany, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: April to May and September to October will be ideal for enjoying the Spring
• Hours of Operation: You can visit anytime, as there is no fixed hour
• Entry Fee: € 13 per visitor for the Civic Museum

10. Historic Centre of Naples (1995)

Naples is a significant name when considering a list of UNESCO world heritage sites in Italy. The Greek settlers found Napolis in 470 BC, which was later known as Naples, and it successfully retained the cultures arising from Europe and the Mediterranean basin. Moreover, you will find stunning monuments here, including the Church of Santa Chiara and the Castel Nuovo. The contemporary urban fabric of this region has also contributed to its heritage status.

• Location: Campania, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: April to June and September to October are usually considered the best time
• Hours of Operation: You can visit anytime, as there is no fixed hour
• Entry Fee: Not applicable

11. Crespi d'Adda (1995)

It is a site located in Capriate San Gervasio in Lombardy, which displays the “company towns” built in Europe and North America around the 19th century. Industrialists were responsible for building these, keeping the interests of the workers. It has successfully maintained the remains, keeping them intact. Sometimes, it is also used for industrial purposes.

• Location: Crespi d'Adda BG, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: April to June can be a suitable time to visit here
• Hours of Operation: You can visit anytime
• Entry Fee: Not available

12. Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta (1995)

It is an intellectual and artistic centre located around the River Po. The greatest minds of the Italian Renaissance were attracted to it around the 15th and 16th centuries. Here, you will find the remains of the House of Este's palaces, which contain gorgeous decorations from artists like Jacopo Bellini, Piero Della Francesca, and Andrea Mantegna. Moreover, it includes Po Delta, which is an exceptionally planned cultural landscape from ancient times.

• Location: Emilia Romagna region of Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: Spring and Autumn are enjoyable here, which makes April to June and September to October ideal
• Hours of Operation: You can visit anytime
• Entry Fee: Not available

13. Castel del Monte (1996)

Emperor Frederick II built this gorgeous castle near Bari around the 13th century. He aimed to highlight symbolic significance, maintaining mathematical and astronomical precision of the shape and layout of this castle. As a part of mediaeval military architecture, this castle maintains a perfect blend of elements from the Islamic Orient, classical antiquity, and north European Cistercian Gothic.

• Location: Apulia region of southeast Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: July and August will be suitable for visiting this place
• Hours of Operation: Open from 9:00 AM to 5:45 AM, with the last entry at 5:00 PM
• Entry Fee: € 7 per adult visitor and € 2 for EU citizens aged 18-25 years. Free for children and disabled visitors

14. The Trulli of Alberobello (1996)

Located in Puglia, the Trulli includes stunning limestone dwellings, which makes it a part of the UNESCO world heritage in Italy. It still uses prehistoric building techniques, and you can find drywall (mortarless) constructions here. Roughly worked limestone boulders from neighbouring fields are used to prepare the Trulli. You can also find domed, pyramidal, or conical roofs made of corbelled limestone slabs.

• Location: Puglia, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: July and August will be ideal for visiting this place
• Hours of Operation: You can visit anytime
• Entry Fee: € 1.50 admission fee

15. Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna (1996)

Ravenna is a historical name under the Roman Empire and Byzantine Italy until the 8th century. It has a unique collection of Christian monuments and mosaics from ancient times. Eight of the most prominent buildings from the 5th and 6th centuries are here, some of which include the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, the Neonian Baptistery, and the Arian Baptistery, etc. These have blended elements of Christian iconography, Graeco-Roman tradition, and oriental and Western styles.

• Location: Emilia Romagna, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: Winter months
• Hours of Operation: You can visit anytime
• Entry Fee: A combination ticket costs around €10.50 per adult visitor and €9.50 per minor visitor

16. Historic Centre of the City of Pienza (1996)

This Tuscan town was responsible for putting Renaissance town-planning concepts into practice around 1459. Pope Pius II chose Bernardo Rossellino to develop an urban transition with the Piazza Pio II, an exceptional square in this space. Around this, you can find multiple buildings like the Borgia Palace, the Piccolomini Palace, and the cathedral, which show influences from the Renaissance and a late Gothic style of architecture.

• Location: Pienza, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: April to October can be the perfect time to visit this place
• Hours of Operation: You can visit anytime
• Entry Fee: € 28 per person

17. 18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park (1997)

Bourbon king Charles III built this monumental complex in Caserta in the mid-18th century. It brings together an iconic palace with stunning parks and gardens. The garden includes various art forms and sculptures developed to uphold the spirit of Enlightenment. Moreover, it includes hunting lodges, natural woodland, and a silk factory. It is bound to catch attention for blending a material form of artistry into a natural setting.

• Location: Caserta, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: March to May and September to November will be suitable for enjoying this place
• Hours of Operation: Open from 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM
• Entry Fee: € 19 per adult visitor

18. Residences of the Royal House of Savoy (1997)

Emmanuel-Philibert, Duke of Savoy, built this complex as a part of his series of building projects after moving to Turin in 1562. Leading architects and artists of that time were responsible for finishing its work, such as Benedetto Alfieri, Ascanio Vitozzi, Amedeo di Castellamonte, etc. The Royal Palace stands out for its unique architectural brilliance, including various country residences and hunting lodges within the premises.

• Location: Turin, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: September and October are the best months to visit Turin
• Hours of Operation: There is no fixed time
• Entry Fee: € 10 per adult visitor

19. Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua (1997)

It is the first botanical garden in the world, established in Padua in 1545. To date, it successfully maintains the original layout, which is a circular central plot, a symbol of the world. Some of the architectural highlights in this area include ornamental entrances and balustrades. On the other hand, it contains some practical aspects like greenhouses and pumping installations. It also serves its role as a scientific research centre.

• Location: Padua, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: June to August will be ideal for visiting this place
• Hours of Operation: Open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Entry Fee: € 10 per adult visitor, and free for children

20. Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto) (1997)

It is a cultural landscape with significant scenic and rich cultural values. Located on the beautiful Ligurian coast, between Cinque Terre and Portovenere, it maintains the layout and disposition of the small towns of Italy. This site has upheld the traditional way of life for several years, playing a socioeconomic role in the community's life. Shaping the terraces in the surrounding houses has successfully dodged the disadvantages of steep, uneven terrain.

• Location: Ligurian coast, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: June to September can be the ideal visiting time for this area
• Hours of Operation: There is no fixed time to visit
• Entry Fee: Not available

21. Hanbury Botanical Gardens (2006)

Located near Ventimiglia Hanbury Botanical Gardens is a popular visiting spot in Italy. The garden is named after its founder Sir Thomas Hanbury. The garden was established by planting a huge amount of olive trees and vines. The garden got severe damage during World War II, however, restored later. Currently, Genoa University is taking care of this garden and it is a great place to experiment with acclimatisation.

• Location: Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy,
• Ideal Time to Explore: February to March
• Hours of Operation: 9:30 am to 5 pm
• Entry Fee: € 10 per adult visitor

22. Orvieto (2006)

Orvieto is one of the most viewed hilly destinations in Italy. Situated in central Italy, Orvieto attracts so many people throughout the year. It has two parts, the old town at the hilltop and the new town below. Apart from enjoying adventurous mountain activities, people can also visit some famous places in Orvieto. One such example is Orvieto’s Cathedral. The town becomes dreamy and peaceful in the night light.

• Location: Ventimiglia IM, Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: February to March, and October
• Hours of Operation: Throughout the day
• Entry Fee: No Entry Fee

23. The Cultural Landscape of the Benedictine Settlements in Mediaeval Italy (2016)

The Cultural Landscape of the Benedictine Settlements is a heritage land of different historical sites. It is a settlement from the mediaeval Italian period that can demonstrate great cultural excellence. Some of the popular sites in this site are San Pietro al Monte Church, Santa Maria di Farfa Abbey, Sacra di San Michele Complex, Sant’Angelo in Formis Abbey, and San Vittore alle Chiuse di Genga Complex.

• Location: Italy
• Ideal Time to Explore: December to March
• Hours of Operation: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
• Entry Fee: Varies as per the sites

24. Nuragic Monument of Sardinia (2021)

Nuragic Monument of Sardinia has 31 proto-historic monuments. These monuments showcase archaeological instances from the Nuragic Civilization. Here tourists can explore several elements from the bronze and iron ages as well. Some important monuments on this list are Nuraghe Arresi, Nuraghe Genna Maria, Necropolis of Monte Prama, Giant’s Tomb of Coddu Ecchju, Nuraghe Santu Antine etc.

• Location: Sardinia
• Ideal Time to Explore: Throughout the year
• Hours of Operation: 8:30 am to dusk
• Entry Fee: Not available

The UNESCO Committee looks for the following cultural and natural parameters to list a place as a World Heritage Site. It includes:

• It must testify to an attestation of cultural significance.
• It must have a unique specimen of any existing or disappearing culture or civilisation.
• The area must testify to creative brilliance.
• It should represent traditional human settlement, including culture or interaction with nature, mostly if endangered because of any irreversible changes.
• A site with prominent stages of the earth's history can be listed as a heritage site. It must represent a record of life, physiological characteristics and recognisable geological processes in progress developing landforms.
• It needs to be directly or indirectly related to existing traditions, beliefs, events, and literary and artistic genius of universal significance. The Committee considers this pointer along with the rest.
• The site must exhibit natural habitat for in-situ conservation related to biological diversity, including extinct species of unique universal importance.
• The place should interchange human values on monumental arts, architecture or technology, landscape design or planning a town.
• The site needs to illustrate notable examples of important ecological and biological processes in the ongoing evolution and development of nature.
• The site should exhibit exceptional examples of the landscape or building that holds a significant position in history or architectural or technological ensemble.