UNESCO Sites in Italy

Italy UNESCO has registered 58 sites on the World Heritage list and 31 on the tentative list.

Some places are so interesting that it’s relevant to keep them for future generations. This is why UNESCO has built a list of crucial classified properties in which superb places stand out for their aesthetic, natural, artistic, or cultural significance.

More than a thousand places are registered as Unesco’s World Heritage worldwide. Due to my interest in visiting World Heritage sites, I compiled the UNESCO list in Italy and the corresponding map.

Italy UNESCO list

1. Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy
2. 18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio Complex
3. Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale
4. Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia
5. Archaeological Area of Agrigento
6. Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata
7. Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites
8. Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua
9. Castel del Monte
10. Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena
11. Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci (1980)
12. Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula
13. City of Verona
14. City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto
15. Costiera Amalfitana
16. Crespi d’Adda
17. Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna
18. Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia
19. Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta
20. Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli
21. Historic Centre of Florence
22. Historic Centre of Naples
23. Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura
24. Historic Centre of San Gimignano
25. Historic Centre of Siena
26. Historic Centre of the City of Pienza
27. Historic Centre of Urbino
28. Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century
29. Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily)
30. Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene
31. Longobards in Italy. Places of the Power (568-774 A.D.)
32. Mantua and Sabbioneta
33. Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany
34. Padua’s fourteenth-century fresco cycles
35. Piazza del Duomo, Pisa
36. Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)
37. Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
38. Residences of the Royal House of Savoy
39. Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes
40. Rock Drawings in Valcamonica
41. Su Nuraxi di Barumini
42. Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica
43. The Trulli of Alberobello
44. The Great Spa Towns of Europe
45. The Porticoes of Bologna
46. The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera
47. Val d’Orcia
48. Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries: Stato da Terra – Western Stato da Mar
49. Venice and its Lagoon
50. Villa Adriana (Tivoli)
51. Villa d’Este, Tivoli
52. Villa Romana del Casale
53. Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato
54. Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
55. Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands)
56. Monte San Giorgio
57. Mount Etna
58. The Dolomites

Italy UNESCO Map

Click on the blue pins to view more relevant information about each World Heritage site in Italy.

Description

1. Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy is a collection of nine mountain-top Christian sanctuaries featuring stunning architecture and art.
2. 18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio Complex – a stunning palace with unique architecture and art from the 18th century.
3. Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale – a collection of historic landmarks and buildings that date back to the Arab-Norman period in Sicily.
4. Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia – a collection of historic landmarks and archaeological sites that date back to the Roman and early Christian eras.
5. Archaeological Area of Agrigento – a collection of well-preserved ancient Greek temples and ruins.
6. Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata – a collection of well-preserved ancient Roman ruins that were buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.
7. Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites – a collection of historical landmarks and religious sites associated with Saint Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan order.
8. Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua – a stunning botanical garden with a diverse range of plant species.
9. Castel del Monte – a well-preserved medieval castle known for its unique architecture and cultural significance.
10. Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena – a collection of historic landmarks and buildings that date back to the medieval era and feature unique architecture and art.
11. Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci is a well-known painting housed in a historic church and convent in Milan.
12. Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula – a stunning natural park with ancient Greek and Roman ruins as a historic monastery.
13. City of Verona – a historic city with stunning architecture and art from the medieval era.
14. City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto – a collection of well-preserved villas and buildings that were designed by the famous architect Andrea Palladio.
15. Costiera Amalfitana is a stunning coastal region with unique architecture and a diverse range of plant and animal species.
16. Crespi d’Adda – a well-preserved industrial village from the late 19th century.
17. Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna – a collection of historic landmarks and religious sites that date back to the early Christian era.
18. Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia – a collection of well-preserved burial sites and artifacts that date back to the Etruscan civilization.
19. Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta – a historic city that features stunning architecture and art from the Renaissance era and a unique natural landscape.
20. Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli – a collection of well-preserved buildings and palaces that date back to the Renaissance era in Genoa.
21. Historic Centre of Florence – a well-preserved historic city that features stunning architecture and art from the Renaissance era.
22. Historic Centre of Naples is a well-preserved historic city with stunning architecture, art, and cultural landmarks.
23. Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura – a collection of historic landmarks and religious sites that date back to ancient times, as well as properties belonging to the Holy See.
24. Historic Centre of San Gimignano – a well-preserved small medieval town with unique architecture and art.
25. Historic Centre of Siena is a well-preserved medieval city with stunning architecture, art, and cultural landmarks.
26. Historic Centre of the City of Pienza is a well-preserved Renaissance city with stunning architecture and cultural landmarks.
27. Historic Centre of Urbino is a well-preserved Renaissance city with stunning architecture, art, and cultural landmarks.
28. Ivrea, an industrial city of the 20th century, is a unique city with well-preserved architecture and cultural landmarks from the 20th century.
29. Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily) – a collection of unique Baroque-style towns that are well-preserved and feature stunning architecture and cultural landmarks.
30. Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene is a unique wine-producing region that features stunning natural landscapes and cultural landmarks.
31. Longobards in Italy. Places of the Power (568-774 A.D.) is a collection of unique historical sites and landmarks dating back to the Longobard era.
32. Mantua and Sabbioneta is a well-preserved Renaissance city and a small historic town with stunning architecture, art, and cultural landmarks.
33. Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany – a collection of stunning Renaissance villas and gardens built by the powerful Medici family.
34. Padua’s fourteenth-century fresco cycles – a collection of beautiful frescoes painted in the 14th century in various religious buildings in Padua.
35. Piazza del Duomo, Pisa – a beautiful square with stunning architecture, including the famous leaning tower of Pisa.
36. Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino, and Tinetto) are picturesque coastal villages, islands, and natural landscapes.
37. Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps – a collection of well-preserved prehistoric pile dwellings that were built in and around the Alps region.
38. Residences of the Royal House of Savoy – a collection of stunning palaces and residences that were built by the Royal House of Savoy in various locations in Italy.
39. Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes – a beautiful railway line that winds through the stunning mountain landscapes of Switzerland and Italy.
40. Rock Drawings in Valcamonica – a collection of well-preserved rock carvings and drawings that date back to prehistoric times.
41. Su Nuraxi di Barumini – a well-preserved complex of ancient Nuragic structures that date back to the Bronze Age.
42. Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica – a collection of ancient ruins and archaeological sites that date back to ancient Greek and Roman times.
43. The Trulli of Alberobello is a unique collection of traditional stone houses found in Alberobello.
44. The Great Spa Towns of Europe – a collection of historic spa towns known for their natural mineral springs and historic architecture.
45. The Porticoes of Bologna: A network of covered walkways and arcades that extend for 38 km in the city of Bologna, Italy.
46. The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera: A complex of cave dwellings and ancient rock-hewn churches in Matera, Italy.
47. Val d’Orcia: A scenic valley in Tuscany, Italy, known for its rolling hills, picturesque villages, and distinctive landscape.
48. Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries: Stato da Terra – Western Stato da Mar: A system of fortifications built by the Republic of Venice in Italy to protect its territories from invasion.
49. Venice and its Lagoon: A city in northeastern Italy built on a group of islands in a lagoon.
50. Villa Adriana (Tivoli): A large Roman villa complex built in the 2nd century AD by Emperor Hadrian in Tivoli, Italy.
51. Villa d’Este, Tivoli: A Renaissance villa famous for its elaborate gardens and water features, located in Tivoli, Italy.
52. Villa Romana del Casale: A well-preserved Roman villa near Piazza Armerina, Sicily, Italy, known for its extensive collection of Roman mosaics.
53. Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato: A region in Italy famous for its vineyards and wine production, located in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.
54. Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe: A UNESCO World Heritage site that includes various ancient and primeval beech forests in Europe.
55. Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands): A group of volcanic islands located north of Sicily in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy.
56. Monte San Giorgio: A mountain located on the border between Switzerland and Italy, known for its well-preserved fossils from the Middle Triassic period.
57. Mount Etna: An active volcano located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy.
58. The Dolomites: A mountain range in northeastern Italy known for its distinctive limestone peaks and scenic beauty.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy have protected places for their cultural and natural importance.

Sites on the Tentative List

1. Lake Maggiore and Lake D’Orta lakelands
2. Hanbury botanical gardens
3. Orvieto
4. Via Appia “Regina Viarum”
5. Villas of the Papal Nobility
6. Salento and the “Barocco Leccese”
7. Cattolica Monastery in Stilo and Basilian-Byzantine complexes
8. Archipelago of La Maddalena and Islands of Bocche di Bonifacio
9. Mothia Island and Lilibeo: The Phoenician-Punic Civilization in Italy
10. Bradyseism in the Flegrea Area
11. Cascata delle Marmore and Valnerina: Monastic sites and ancient hydrogeological reclamation works
12. Pelagos: The Cetacean Sanctuary
13. Island of Asinara
14. Sulcis Iglesiente
15. The Marble Basin of Carrara
16. The Transhumance: The Royal Shepherd’s Track
17. Volterra: Historical City and Cultural Landscape
18. The Aniene valley and Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli
19. The Murge of Altamura
20. Karstic caves in prehistoric Apulia
21. Citadel of Alessandria
22. Massif du Mont-Blanc (inscription comme patrimoine naturel transfrontalier, avec France et Suisse)
23. The cultural landscape of the Benedictine settlements in medieval Italy
24. Les Alpes de la Méditerranée
25. The Cultural Landscape of Civita di Bagnoregio
26. Evaporite karst and caves of Emilia Romagna Region
27. Via Francigena in Italy
28. Art and Architecture in the Prehistory of Sardinia. The domus de janas.
29. Eocene Marine Biodiversity of the Alpone Valley
30. Historical theatres of the Marche Region
31. Nuragic monuments of Sardinia