What’s the most beautiful place in Italy? We chose 21, and we’re still lamenting all the places we had to leave out. When you behold a list of the most beautiful places in Italy, you realize how much stunning scenery this one slender European country contains.

Our Ultimate Italy journey is 12 days of signature luxury guided travel, taking in Venice, the Cinque Terre, Florence, San Gimignano, Tuscany, Rome, Naples and more, but you could always extend your stay (for a year or so) to fit in all of the locations below. The pictures are probably speaking for themselves by now, so let’s dive in.

Burano, Venice

It’s impossible to choose just one beautiful spot in one of the most ethereally beautiful cities in the world, but Burano is a sight to be savored. It’s the island in the Venetian Lagoon you’ve seen on art prints a hundred times – pastel-colored homes reflected in the canal below. It’s a special place, deserving of its fame, with its leaning bell tower, fairytale bridges and shops and workshops full of intricate lacework.

Grand Canal, Venice

OK, we didn’t choose just one. There is nowhere on earth like the Grand Canal, especially at sunset, when the sky is streaked with pinks and purples, and the surrounding palazzos take on a golden glow. The most elegant way to arrive in Venice is by private water taxi, which ideally takes you to your hotel by the water’s edge, as on our Ultimate Italy journey.

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Polignano a Mare, Puglia

Just before the heel begins, on the southern Adriatic coast, this enchanting town is perched on limestone cliffs. It’s petite, but spectacularly positioned. Day trippers come from Bari (30 minutes away) to see the waves crashing against the craggy cliffs and to cruise the coastal caves. Admirers tend to focus their gaze on Lama Monachile, a rocky bay between cliffs that was once used as a port.

Lecce, Puglia

In the Salento region of Puglia, tucked well within the heel of the boot, this honey-coloured Baroque city of exuberant carved sandstone is often referred to as the “Florence of the South”. However, that seems a little reductive because Lecce is a masterpiece on its own merit – a mini metropolis of 17th century piazzas, basilicas, columns and gargoyles, with architectural surprises (and leisurely lunches) around every cobblestone corner.

Ostuni, Puglia

Will we ever leave Puglia? Perhaps. But first we must take a pause in Ostuni, which is known as the White City for its wedding cake of sun-drenched, whitewashed houses, arranged across three hills. Delicious things await in Ostuni’s medieval alleys, and from the walled city’s many balconies, you also get glorious views of the Puglian countryside – olive groves, vines and all.

Ortigia, Sicily

Ortigia is the tiny Sicilian island that forms the historical heart of Siracusa – it’s connected by three bridges, with cars best left in the car park outside. Ortigia’s story began in 734, when Archia arrived from Corinth to defeat Sicilians and form the Greek colony of Siracusa. Nowadays, it provides more of that honey-hued baroque magnificence we’ve met before, but with added turquoise waters and atmosphere in abundance.

Discover more about out Ultimate Italy journey: How Travel Concierge Elena Makes Italy Sparkle

Matera, Basilicata

You really have to see Matera to believe it. In Basilicata, in southern Italy, this city of stone is situated on a rocky outcrop and the whole place sparkles at dusk. Matera incorporates the Sassi (“stones”) districts, complexes of unfathomable cave dwellings which have been excavated and extended over millennia. It’s one of the most unique landscapes in the world – beautiful inside and out.

Spiaggia dei Conigli (Rabbit Beach), Lampedusa

What are the most beautiful beaches in Italy? Those of the Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast are up there, but Spiaggia dei Conigli is a special one we couldn’t miss. It’s accessible by boat or on foot via a 20-minute detour from the main road and it is a true Sicilian paradise, named after its original inhabitants. There are aperitif boat rides and dolphin spotting excursions, but once you get there, the best thing to do is sit and drink it in.

Duomo de Milano, Milan

What are the most beautiful cities in Italy? While the capital of fashion might not rank highest in your mind, it’s undeniable that the Duomo de Milano is a Gothic sensation, its facade festooned with gargoyles and spires. Constructed over several centuries, with the input of various architects, sculptors and artists, the duomo combines contrasting styles and contains more statues than any other cathedral in the world – over 3,500.

Val d’Orcia, Tuscany

This is a lush, hilly expanse of countryside so green and densely packed it’s on the UNESCO World Heritage list, making it officially one of the most beautiful places in Italy. This quintessential Tuscan landscape is graced with vineyards, olive groves, medieval villages, cypresses and chestnut groves. Visitors meander between thermal spas, rustic osterias and enrapturing wine trails, stopping to take photographs around each and every bend of the cypress-lined road.

Soak up even more travel inspiration: The 30 Most Beautiful Places in the World You Need to Visit

Roman Forum, Rome

Once the centre of public life – the place to witness gladiatorial combats, public speeches and criminal trials – this is now (bear with us) an assemblage of rather random ruins between the Palatine and Capitoline hills. And while it’s hard to picture the area in all its former glory, the sheer spectacle of the iconic columns and archways seemingly sprouting from the ground right in the middle of modern day Rome is something special.

Ravello, Amalfi Coast

High in the hills, with coastline views unlike anywhere else on earth, Ravello is one of the Amalfi Coast’s quieter but no less flamboyant towns. It may not be as famous as Positano or Amalfi, but its position is second to none. Ravello is a place of such stark beauty that writers and artists have come here for decades to feel alive again, and be inspired. Whether you’re creative or not, the view from the belvedere at Villa Cimbrone will live with you, always.

Lake Como, Lombardy

Opulent neoclassical villas and garden follies in shades of pearl and rose are set against a backdrop of mountains, cypresses, magnolias and palm trees, arranged around the star of the show: the twinkling Lake itself. Add to the picture a few speedboats and ferraris and here you have the location of the Bond film Casino Royale and the site of Amal and George Clooney’s wedding. Not just one of the most beautiful places in Italy, it’s one of the most luxurious and captivating places on earth, and you have to see it.

Tropea, Calabria

On the Gulf of Saint Euphemia, part of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Tropea is another irresistible cliffside town. It’s a white sand paradise, famed for its associations with Hercules (who may have founded it), for being “the jewel in the crown of Calabria”, for its assemblage of cobbles and piazzas, and – not forgetting – its Tropea red onions. It’s frequently named one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.

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Vernazza, Cinque Terre

On the rugged Italian Riviera, this divine little fishing village is the Cinque Terre in a nutshell – little jumbles of candy-coloured houses balanced on and around the cliffs, opening out to perfect bays where lucky people are taking the most beautiful and invigorating sea swims of their lives. Cinque Terre means “five lands”, and it actually consists of five villages, all of them absurdly photogenic, but Vernazza just pips the others.

Capri, Bay of Naples

In Italy’s Bay of Naples, Capri (darling) is chic to the bones, with its elegant boutiques, megayachts and sun-kissed limoncello. But it also has natural beauty in rich abundance, in its dramatically craggy rock formations and sea caves tucked into cliffs. The Blue Grotto is the most famous sea cave – so-called because the sunlight streams through an underwater cavity, giving the water a blue glow that lights up the space.

Langhe, Piedmont

The softly rolling, wine-growing hills of the Langhe may be less dramatic than Italy’s city duomos and craggy coastline, but it is no less beautiful. As you drive around, among the vines, with the scents of hazelnut and truffle in the air, each hilltop appears iced with its own fairy castle. What are the most beautiful towns in Italy? It could be these Piedmontese dream locales: Alba, Grinzane Cavour and Barolo.

Gulf of Orosei, Sardinia

On the east coast of Sardinia, the Gulf of Orosei is home to some of the most photogenic beaches in Italy and the whole Mediterranean, with their clear turquoise waters and white sand. Cala Luna is the real deal, with powdery soft sand and a gentle slope out to sea – it’s accessible by boat, or a two-hour hike. Cala Goloritzè is just as idyllic, with the same impeccable colour palette, but it’s a little wilder, with a mighty limestone pinnacle.

Piazza del Campo, Siena

Italy has piazzas aplenty, but no others quite like Siena’s huge, sloping social centre. One of the most beautiful places in Italy, it’s the shape of a scallop shell, divided into nine sections, recalling the ‘Nove’ (the nine) who governed the city for the ‘common good’, not for the nobility, at the end of the 13th century. Nowadays, it’s surrounded by the Palazzo Pubblico and its Torre del Mangia, as well as various opportunities for aperitivo.

Bookmark for later: The Luxury Gold Guide to Private Wine Tasting in Italy

Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Dolomites

Three distinctive rocky peaks rise abruptly and spectacularly into the sky in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy. These are the three epic icons of The Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage site and if you want to hike them all, it’s a 10km route, best taken in the summer when the buttercups, forget-me-nots and vanilla orchids are in bloom. The Dolomites are a popular draw all year long, though, and one of the most inspiring places on earth to get outside and walk.

San Fruttuoso, Liguria

What this list needs to finish is a good, ancient Benedictine monastery, right on the seashore. The tiny hamlet, situated between Camogli and Portofino, and surrounded by Portofino Regional Park, has all the right shades of aquamarine and sun-blanched white, but its dominated by the Abbazia di San Fruttuoso, with its domed watchtower. It has to be one of the most beautiful places in Italy to lay your chic, striped beach towel.

Keen to discover Italy in luxury style? Take a look at our Ultimate Italy small group journey.

Each year, Mercer, the consultancy focused on global economics, publishes its list of the most expensive cities in the world. The index lists 226 cities in the world in order, measuring how ‘expensive’ each one is by comparing the costs of more than 200 items in each location, including transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment. Mercer says “the comprehensive ranking serves as a valuable compass, providing guidance through the intricate landscape of living expenses in cities worldwide”. At the other end of the Mercer list, the cities that ranked the lowest for living costs last year are Islamabad, Lagos and Abuja.

Mercer’s list of the most expensive cities in the world is aimed at companies with employees who are assigned internationally and it includes four Swiss cities (Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Bern). There are other similar lists, including one by The EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit), which publishes a worldwide cost of living survey naming its most expensive cities in the world each year. And there’s another, by Numbeo, which focuses on the prices of consumer goods such as food, restaurants, and transportation, but not housing. Below, we’ve combined our findings to make a list of the 10 most expensive cities in the world, which happen to make wonderful luxury travel destinations.

1. Singapore

Poised at the top of both lists, there is no denying this luxury paradise’s position as one of the most expensive cities in the world. Singapore has pizzazz in abundance – even its botanical garden is described by Lonely Planet as “a S$1 billion, 101-hectare fantasy land of space-age biodomes, high-tech Supertrees and whimsical sculptures”. The soothing Mandarin Oriental overlooks the Marina Bay Sands development – the crown jewel of the skyline, and the symbol of modern Singapore.

2. Hong Kong

This city wears its luxury credentials glamorously, via an iconic skyline, glittering harbour and spectacular restaurant scene. But there are lush green peaks all around, too, offering panoramic views, Hong Kong camellias and sightings of spoon-billed sandpipers. Stay at the Peninsula to absorb some old-world magic, right on the Kowloon waterfront, and dine at Wing, Vicky Cheng’s rule-free fine dining establishment, which celebrates the eight great Chinese cuisines to dazzling effect.

3. Zurich

Another long-term resident of the top 10 list, this Swiss city rides high as a result of expensive housing prices and high transportation costs. Our 10-day Majestic Switzerland journey begins and ends in Zurich, where we stay at the stunning art deco AMERON Zürich Bellerive au Lac on the shore of Lake Zurich, a short walk from the opera house.

4. Geneva

On the same captivating Switzerland journey, which sweeps round the country with a stint on the Glacier Express, we pause in Geneva for a stay at the uniquely grand but intimate Hotel d’Angleterre, on the shores of the lake. It’s a sumptuous address – lots of dark wood, soothing tones, rich fabrics and imposing drapery. The lake views from the restaurant are exquisite, making for a meal perfectly befitting one of the most expensive cities in the world.

5. Copenhagen

Number 8 on the EIU list, Denmark’s impossibly cool capital is well documented as an expensive destination to while away a weekend. It’s worth every penny. Our Timeless Scandinavia journey combines a divine mix of fjords, scenic railways, countryside abodes and dazzling cities, starting in Copenhagen. Our chosen city lodgings are the epitome of Scandi minimalism: 71 Nyhavn is made up of restored canalside warehouse buildings, originally built in the early 1800s. We dine at the Michelin-star Høst – on the best Nordic ingredients, meticulously assembled.

6. Paris

Naturalement, some of the world’s most fabulous vacations are taken in Paris. On our Ultimate France journey we luxuriate in Paris last of all, so you can also extend your trip and linger longer. We stay at the Hotel Napoleon, a romantic address in the city’s heart, a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe. At the very end, our guests reminisce over dinner on the Eiffel Tower, potentially the most alluring dining destination in the world.

7. New York City

We flock to the Big Apple to shop widely, dine opulently and sleep soundly in some of the world’s most exquisite boudoirs, amid the unmistakable buzz of one of the most expensive cities in the world. Our current hotel pick for sheer grandiosity is the Fifth Avenue Hotel, once part of the estate of a 19th century socialite, sensationally restored with a jewel box palette, elaborate wallpapers, ornate paneling and oysters à la pomme at Café Carmellini.

8. London

Maintaining its position in the top 10 thanks to enormous demand for a tightly constrained supply of city-centre property, London is still Europe’s biggest financial centre, and the average house costs around 850,000 USD. On our journey through the regal glory of Great Britain, we begin in London – very centrally – across the road from Buckingham Palace. The Rubens at the Palace is a riot of lavish Englishness, with four poster beds, doormen in tailcoats and afternoon tea.

9. Nassau

The high cost of living in Nassau is due to its status as a tourist destination and financial hub, and because of high demand for limited housing from both locals and expatriates. Modern Nassau is all high-end fashion designers, extremely fine dining and superyachts – all with that turquoise backdrop. Soak it up at the Rosewood Baha Mar, a haven of exclusivity, with a golf course, French restaurant and soothing, richly decorated residences, opening on to the powder white sands of Cable Beach.

10. Los Angeles

LA has higher than average costs for housing, taxes, food, transport, health care, and utilities. The most expensive neighbourhood is Bel-Air. If you’re in town, only the rose-coloured Hotel Bel-Air will do, set within 18 acres of bougainvillea, ficus, orange blossom and fern. This classic Hollywood hideaway makes guests feel like A-listers, and is a peaceful antidote to the traffic.

The tiny but mighty Emerald Isle packs a punch, particularly when it comes to natural beauty. When it comes to  the most beautiful places to visit in Ireland, where to even begin? Our 12-day guided journey across Ireland answers much of that question for you, particularly if you love jaw dropping landscapes and good food; it’s aptly named Ultimate Ireland.

We begin in Belfast, make a loop through Northern Ireland, stopping at Londonderry and Giant’s Causeway, then head south along the eastern coast, clockwise towards Galway. The sheer variety on offer is breathtaking – rugged cliffs and the crashing waves of the wild Atlantic, charming towns, rich culture, buzzy cities and the greenest greens. You can extend this journey into England and Scotland on Castles & Kingdoms, a three week journey. Below, we answer some of your most frequently asked questions, and take you through our favorite places to visit in Ireland.

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Ireland FAQs

Where to go for the first time in Ireland?

You’ll fly into Dublin and you won’t want to miss that. Most shorter itineraries will hop straight across the island to Galway, making time here and there for the key sights of the south: a glimpse of the staggering Cliffs of Moher, or a spin round the Ring of Kerry, perhaps a market tour in Cork.

Is 7 days in Ireland enough?

Seven days is barely enough time to see a region, let alone a whole country, and certainly a country as rich as this one. Our Ireland journey is twelve days long, but could easily be longer. It begins in Belfast and ends in Shannon so you could opt to extend at either side.

What three cities should I visit in Ireland?

Dublin, Galway and Belfast. You’ll find more on all three of these legendary cities below, along with 12 more of our favourite places to visit in Ireland.

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The 15 Best Places to Visit in Ireland

Dublin

It’s one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and yet it makes for such a relaxed start to any vacation. There are walking tours, or you can pootle between bucketlist sights like the Guinness Storehouse and Trinity College (pausing to admire the stunning Long Room in the Old Library), taking breaks here and there for Irish breakfasts, Dublin Bay prawns and world-class cocktails, depending on the time of day (or maybe not).

Galway

A journey to Galway takes you to the heart of Ireland’s rich culture, vivid history and luscious greenery. On our luxury journeys you’ll visit the gently bustling city, with its tangled lanes and pastel shopfronts, but you’ll stay out in the enchanting countryside, in the lakeside Ashford Castle, the former home of the Guinness family.

Cliffs of Moher

In County Clare, these staggeringly tall sea cliffs are an invigorating sight, and not just because of the sea spray and wind whipping your face. The scene is like a masterpiece come to life – emeralds, teals and midnight blues abound. It’s the Atlantic Ocean as you were meant to see it.

Blarney

The little unassuming village of Blarney is one of our favorite places to visit in Ireland – it’s home to the legendary castle and stone of the same name. Visitors flock here to kiss the Blarney stone in order to be granted the “gift of the gab” – the gab being, a certain eloquence, or skill at flattery or persuasion. We love showing our guests the magic of Blarney.

Giant’s Causeway

Northern Ireland’s World Heritage Site is like nothing you’ve ever seen – it’s an area formed of roughly 40,000 perfect columns of basalt, coming together in what looks like a rudimentary old Lego sea palace, with waves frothing around it, perhaps the sun setting on the horizon. It developed between 50 and 60 million years ago when lava oozed from fissures in the earth. On our journey, a wildlife ranger will show you round.

Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry is a 179km circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry in South Western Ireland. From Killarney, it’s an easy scenic drive, with new, jaw-dropping views every few minutes, and various delicious villages along the way. It’s one of the most famous places to visit in Ireland, and rightly so.

Killarney

Feel completely at one with Ireland in the sprawling Killarney National Park, where the order of the day is lakes, woodlands, waterfalls and landscapes a-go-go. It’s a magical place to explore, with Ross Castle and Muckross House being choice stops.

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Dingle Peninsula

One of the highlights of the west coast’s Wild Atlantic Way, this is an ancient landscape of early grassy hills, craggy cliffs and villages with chapels and holy wells – it never fails to delight. The sandy beaches are some of the world’s most pristine, with the possibility of seal, dolphin, whale, and sea bird sightings just off the coast.

Belfast

We begin our luxury journey in this spirited, sparkling city, so we can start as we mean to go on. It’s got it all: a thriving performing arts scene, cozy pubs, live music, museums (including the fantastic Titanic Belfast), fish suppers and the Ulster Fry (a breakfast that usually combines sausage, bacon, eggs, black pudding, white pudding, soda bread and potato farls).

Glendalough

A little spiritual well of serenity amid the lush greenery of the Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough is a valley carved by grinding glaciers during the last Ice Age. It’s home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland –  the monastery founded by St Kevin in the 6th century.

Donegal

Lonely Planet calls County Donegal Ireland’s “wild child”; the landscapes look like they’re from the pages of a fantasy novel. See the Derryveagh mountain range, the Slieve League cliffs and golden eagles soaring over Lough Veagh. Donegal town is a perfect town in the thick of it, offering great craic.

Aran Islands

The three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay – Inishmore, Inishmaan and Inisheer – make up the Aran Islands. A visit here is an immersive experience; locals speak Irish (as well as English) and there is an unusually high number of ruins and significant sacred sights, including Dun Aonghasa, a fort whose structures are thought to date from the Bronze and Iron Ages.

Cork

Ireland’s second largest city is delicious. At the English Market, you’ll find the very best of County Cork’s butter, creamy cheeses made in West Cork, and much more besides. After a dazzling market lunch, you’ll head out to see Cork City Gaol, a castle-like building which once housed 19th century prisoners and is now a museum, and beautiful Fitzgerald Park.

The Skellig Islands

These two uninhabited steep, rocky islets off the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry are now most famous as Luke Skywalker’s island sanctuary on the planet Ahch-To in the latest Star Wars trilogy. By regular humans, they’re best seen on a little looping boat tour, on which you might catch a glimpse of nesting puffins, gannets and guillemots (but no jedis).

Croagh Patrick

Nicknamed ‘the Reek’, Croagh Patrick is a holy mountain associated with St Patrick, and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo. Archaeologists found that there had been a stone chapel or oratory on the summit since the 5th century. On the last Sunday in July, thousands of pilgrims climb Croagh Patrick in honour of St Patrick, and masses are held at the top.

Read next: Ashford Castle: An Idyllic Country Escape