🏺 Italy's most important archaeological sites

27 places ordered by editorial score

  1. 1 The Colosseum lit up at dusk viewed from a street with traffic light trails Colosseo Rome · Lazio The largest ancient amphitheater ever built, completed in 80 AD by the Flavian dynasty, is the iconic symbol of Rome. 100
  2. 2 Ancient ruins of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius in the background Parco Archeologico di Pompei Pompei · Campania Buried by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, Pompeii is the only site globally offering a complete picture of a Roman city. 98
  3. 3 People walking along a paved path toward the Temple of Concordia in the Valley of the Temples, Agrigento Valle dei Templi Agrigento · Sicily A 1,300-hectare archaeological park preserving the monumental Doric temples of ancient Akragas, founded in 581 BC. 95
  4. 4 View from below of the coffered dome and central oculus of the Pantheon in Rome. Pantheon Rome · Lazio Built in 27 BC, this ancient Roman temple turned Catholic church houses the tombs of Italy's first kings. 94
  5. 5 Well-preserved Doric Greek temple at Templi di Paestum in Italy with a pine tree. Temples of Paestum Capaccio Paestum · Campania Three exceptionally preserved Doric temples from the 6th and 5th centuries BCE define this ancient Greek and Roman city. 92
  6. 6 The Verona Arena displaying its iconic Roman stone arches under a clear blue sky. Arena di Verona Verona · Veneto Completed around 30 AD, the Verona Arena is a remarkably preserved Roman amphitheatre renowned for its opera festival. 91
  7. 7 Imposing Doric columns at the Parco Archeologico di Selinunte in Castelvetrano, Sicily Selinunte Archaeological Park Castelvetrano · Sicily Covering 2.7 km², Selinunte is Europe's largest archaeological park, preserving the ruins of a powerful Greek city. 91
  8. 8 Human skeletons preserved in volcanic ash at the Herculaneum excavations. Herculaneum Excavations Ercolano · Campania Buried under 20 meters of volcanic ash in AD 79, this wealthy Roman retreat preserved intact wooden roofs and papyri. 90
  9. 9 Ancient Theatre of Taormina at sunset with views of the coastline and sea. Teatro Antico di Taormina Taormina · Sicily The second-largest ancient theatre in Sicily, founded in the third century BC and later rebuilt as a Roman arena. 90
  10. 10 Roman mosaic of the Small Hunt showing a wild boar hunt at Villa Romana del Casale. Villa Romana del Casale Piazza Armerina · Sicily A 4th-century Roman palace preserving 3,500 square meters of the world's most varied late-antique floor mosaics. 89
  11. 11 Headless classical statue and ancient Roman columns at the Canopus of Villa Adriana in Tivoli. Hadrian's Villa Tivoli · Lazio Spanning over 120 hectares, this 2nd-century imperial residence is a masterpiece of Roman architecture and UNESCO site. 88
  12. 12 Flowering acanthus stalks at the Neapolis Archaeological Park in Syracuse Parco Archeologico della Neapolis Syracuse · Sicily An archaeological and natural park on Colle Temenite preserving the greatest monuments of ancient Syracuse. 88
  13. 13 The ancient Nuragic archaeological complex of Su Nuraxi in Barumini, Sardinia. Su Nuraxi Barumini · Sardinia A UNESCO site since 1997, Su Nuraxi is Sardinia's grandest Nuragic village, built around a 17th-century BCE basalt tower. 87
  14. 14 Ancient Roman ruins of the Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione with Lake Garda in the background. Grottoes of Catullus Sirmione · Lombardy The most imposing Roman villa in northern Italy, a two-hectare archaeological site overlooking Lake Garda. 84
  15. 15 View through the arches of the Palombaro Lungo hypogeum in Matera. Palombaro Lungo Matera · Basilicata Matera's largest underground cistern, a monumental five-million-litre reservoir rediscovered in 1991 beneath the city. 78
  16. 16 Ancient Roman columns of the Basilica at the Saepinum archaeological site in Sepino. Saepinum Archaeological Area Sepino · Molise Encircled by walls built by Tiberius, ancient Saepinum is an exceptionally preserved Roman city in the Molise plain. 78
  17. 17 Temple of Jupiter Anxur perched atop Mount Sant'Angelo in Terracina. Temple of Jupiter Anxur Terracina · Lazio A monumental Roman sanctuary from the 1st century BC dominating the Tyrrhenian Sea from Mount Sant'Angelo. 78
  18. 18 Satellite view of the western coast of Sicily, Marsala, and the Egadi Islands Mozia Marsala · Sicily Phoenician city on a Stagnone island, home to the famous Motya Charioteer in the Whitaker museum. 51
  19. 19 Country road winding through dry hills in the surroundings of Modica, Sicily necropoli di Bellamagna Modica · Sicily An early Bronze Age necropolis near Modica, with 87 rock-cut tombs of the Castelluccio culture. 50
  20. 20 Drepanon — Trapani Drepanon Trapani · Sicily On the sickle-shaped headland where Trapani now stands, ancient Drepanon crushed the Roman fleet in 249 BC. 48
  21. 21 Grotta d'Oriente — Favignana Grotta d'Oriente Favignana · Sicily Favignana's prehistoric cave yielded Oriente C, a hunter who lived over 14,000 years ago. 48
  22. 22 Adranon — Adrano Adranon Adrano · Sicily Greek polis founded by Dionysius I of Syracuse around 400 BC on the slopes of Mount Etna. 47
  23. 23 Finziade — Licata Finziade Licata · Sicily The last Greek colony of Sicily, founded in 282 BC by the tyrant Phintias near Licata. 47
  24. 24 Mendolito — Adrano Mendolito Adrano · Sicily The only known monumental inscription in the Sicel language surfaced here, on the south gate's jamb. 47
  25. 25 Milazzo — Milazzo Milazzo Milazzo · Sicily Off Milazzo in 260 BC Rome won its first naval victory over Carthage. 47
  26. 26 View of the historic center of Caltagirone in Sicily with a church dome in the background. Monte San Mauro Caltagirone · Sicily Greek-Sicel site excavated by Paolo Orsi, with an anaktoron and a necropolis above the Maroglio valley 47
  27. 27 Courtyard in the historic center of Mazara del Vallo with decorative ceramic vases and a mosaic Roccazzo Mazara del Vallo · Sicily An Eneolithic site near Mazara del Vallo, where Upper Palaeolithic flint tools came to light. 47