Outdoor sights in Italy
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
Parco Sempione
Everything you’d expect from Milan is here: a historic castle (Castello Sforzesco), chic bars, a museum honouring design (Triennale di Milano), lovely Liberty-style buildings (Civico Acquario) and an architectural conversation piece (Torre Branca). Plus there’s grass, winding paths, relaxed people, and peace and quiet, too.
reviewed
-
B
Villa Giulia
Villa Giulia in La Kalsa is a welcome relief from the claustrophobic streets, although the formal planting scheme of the park is severely challenged by the rampant fecundity of the island.
reviewed
-
Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago Toscan
According to local legend, when Venus rose from the waves, seven precious stones fell from her tiara, creating seven islands off the Tuscan coast. They range from the 530 sq km of Elba, the largest, to tiny Montecristo, at just over 1000 hectares. All except Montecristo, nowadays a closed marine biological reserve, rely mainly on income from tourism. This national park was established in 1996 to protect the delicate ecosystems of the islands.
But it's not only the land that's protected - the 60,000 hectares of sea that washes around the islands make up Europe's largest marine protected area. Here, typical Mediterranean fish abound and rare species, such as the wonderfully…
reviewed
-
C
Parco delle Cascine
Florence's largest park is dotted with playgrounds and is a great place to let the little 'uns loose. Families take over at weekends and the park is a colourful scene with rollerbladers, kite-flyers, joggers and kids on bikes. In summer you can also use Le Pavoniere swimming pool.
The Medici dukes made this a private hunting reserve, but Peter Leopold opened it to the public in 1776, with boulevards, fountains and bird sanctuaries (now the swimming pool). In the late 19th century horse racing began here. Queen Victoria was a fan of Florence and would toddle along to the Cascine during her stays.
At the extreme west end of the park is a monument to Rajaram Cuttiputti, an I…
reviewed
-
D
Villa Borghese
Cardinal Scipione Borghese’s 17th-century playground is now a ravishing park with shaded avenues, hedged walks, flowerbeds, gravel paths and roads. The English-style Giardino del Lago is a late 18th-century creation, as is Piazza di Siena, an amphitheatre used for Rome’s top equestrian event in May. Bike hire is available at various points, including Via delle Belle Arti, near the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna. Bank on about €5/10 per hour/day. Near the park’s southern entrance (Piazzale San Paolo del Brasile), the Cinema dei Piccoli is the world’s smallest cinema. Housed in a curious chalet-style building, it screens kids’ films most afternoons – check the …
reviewed
-
Via dell'Amore
The Via dell'Amore (Lovers' Lane) is a well-paved coastal path linking Manarola with Riomaggiore (1km/0.6mi). Studded with picnic areas and stone beaches embedded in the cliffside, it affords stunning ocean views. At either end, steps lead up from the train station to the path - checkpoints along the way ensure no one sneaks by without a valid trail pass.
The Via dell'Amore is part of the 12km-long (7.4mi) sentiero azzurro (blue trail) that runs the length of the coast between Monterosso and Riomaggiore. Unlike Lovers' Lane, which is flat, well-paved and suited to walkers of all abilities, the rest of the footpath is only for the sure-footed and well-equipped.
reviewed
-
Fattoria di Celle
A tea house, aviary and other romantic 19th-century follies mingle with cutting-edge art installations created in situ by the world’s top contemporary artists at the Fattoria di Celle, 5km from Pistoia. The extraordinary private collection and passion of local businessman Giuliano Gori, this unique sculpture park showcases 70 site-specific installations sprinkled around his vast family estate. Visits – reserved for serious art lovers – require forward planning (apply in writing at least five weeks in advance) and entail a three- to four-hour hike around the art-rich estate, led by the collection’s curator, Miranda McPhail.
reviewed
-
E
Parco Virgiliano
Playground of the city's well-heeled denizens, this large park sits high above the shimmering sea on the westernmost tip of posh Posillipo hill. Kick back on a terrace and soak up the views; from Capri to the south, Nisida, Procida and Ischia to the southwest, to the Bay of Pozzuoli and Bagnoli to the west. Open 14 hours a day, this leafy getaway features swings and slides for the kids and low-key bars for the grown-ups.
The trendy Posillipo market takes place outside the main gates on Thursdays.
reviewed
-
F
Parco della Favorita
About 3km to the north of the city centre is Palermo's biggest park, the Parco della Favorita. Ferdinand purchased the land in 1799 and commissioned the original layout, and he lived in the extraordinary Chinese pagoda palace, the Palazzina Cinese, with his wife during his exile from Naples. Originally built as Ferdinand's hunting lodge by Venanzio Marvuglia, the palazzina is an odd but charming mixture of Chinese and neoclassical styles (if you can imagine such a thing).
reviewed
-
G
Parco Archaeologico della Neapolis
For the classicist, Syracuse’s real attraction is the Parco Archaeologico della Neapolis, with its pearly white, 5th-century-BC Teatro Greco, hewn out of the rock above the city. This theatre saw the last tragedies of Aeschylus (including The Persians ), which were first performed here in his presence. In summer it is brought to life again with an annual season of classical theatre. Check the www.apt-siracusa.it website for information.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
H
Villa Celimontana
With its lawns and colourful flower beds, this leafy walled park is a wonderful place to escape the crowds and enjoy a summer picnic. Romantic couples can seek out shady corners while parents can earn goodwill by letting their loved ones loose at the playground. At the centre of the park is a 16th-century villa that was once owned by the Mattei family but now houses the Italian Geographical Society. Each summer the park stages a much-loved jazz festival.
reviewed
-
I
Parco Vergiliano
Wedged between a railway bridge and the cliffs of Posillipo hill, this off-the-radar park boasts a rather steep flight of steps leading up to the world’s longest Roman tunnel, a 700m-long affair once linking Naples to Pozzuoli. While you can’t walk through it, peering into its dark, draughty abyss is nonetheless a thrill.
reviewed
-
J
Eremo delle Carceri
Find out why St Francis chose the caves of Eremo delle Carceri as his hermitage. The carceri (isolated places, or ‘prisons’) along the slopes of Monte Subasio are as peaceful today as in St Francis’ time. These days, many use the locale as a jumping-off point for contemplative walks or picnics under the oaks.
reviewed
-
K
Parco Archeologico
To its west of Fortezza Medicea is the pleasant Parco Archeologico, site of the ancient Acropolis (open 10:30 to 17:30 mid-March to October). Little of archaeological interest has survived, apart from a few battered Etruscan tombs, but the park has swings and things for kids, and it's a good place for a picnic.
reviewed
-
L
Parco Savello
Known to Romans as the Giardino degli Aranci (Orange Garden), this pocket-sized park is a romantic haven. Grab a perch at the small panoramic terrace and watch the sun set over the Tiber and St Peter’s dome. In summer, theatre performances are sometimes staged among the perfumed orange trees.
reviewed
-
M
Villa Ada
If you’re in this neck of the woods and you need a breather, Villa Ada is the place. A big rambling park with wooded paths, lakes and lawns, it was once the private property of King Vittorio Emanuele III. Outdoor concerts are held here in summer as part of the Roma Incontro il Mondo festival.
reviewed
-
Torre Guardiola
Bird life and local flora can be seen from the Torre Guardiola, a nature observation and bird-watching centre located on Fossola Beach, immediately southeast of Riomaggiore marina. From the centre a botanical walking trail leads along the coast.
reviewed
-
Parco dell Scienza
A riverside promenade with an informative twist, the Parco dell Scienza stretches along the shore of Lago di Mezzo from Porta San Giorgio to Porta Molina. Information panels and gadgets illustrate various physical and scientific phenomena in a kid-friendly fashion.
reviewed
-
Villa Comunale
In the early evening the passeggiata will be in full swing around the port. Join the crowds and make your way around to the Villa Comunale, Trani's lovely public park. It has absolutely gorgeous views of the cathedral with the sun setting behind it.
reviewed
-
N
Foro Romano
From the basilica, take Via Santa Chiara or Corso Mazzani back to Piazza del Comune, which once was the site of a partially excavated Foro Romano. Some of the shops on the piazza open their basements to reveal Roman ruins.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
O
Parco Ducale
Stretching along the west bank of the Parma, the formal gardens of the Parco Ducale were laid out in 1560 around the Farnese family’s Palazzo Ducale, which now serves as headquarters of the provincial carabinieri (military police).
reviewed
-
P
Parco delle Basiliche
Dodge the shoppers along Corso Porta Ticinese and take the scenic route from San Lorenzo past the Museo Diocesano to Sant'Eustorgio, past couples, clusters of gossips, and children running circles around their parents.
reviewed
-
Q
Mondobimbo
Kids are universally welcomed and pampered by Italians. This is a well-stocked playground with everything from bouncy-castles to a minirailway, aimed at kids aged two to 10.
reviewed
-
R
Villa Doria Pamphilj
Rome’s largest park and a lovely spot for a walk and a picnic. The park was laid out in the 17th century for Prince Camillo Pamphilj, cousin of Pope Innocent X.
reviewed
-
S
Villa Comunale Park
The Villa Comunale park commands grand views over the water to Mt Vesuvius.
reviewed
