594 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Italy - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Italy

Sorrento, Italy

Valle dei Mulini (Valley of the Mills)

An Italian crevasse filled with abandoned buildings gives visitors a look at the world without humans.

Santa Maria della Concezione Crypts

The crypts of Capuchin friars decorated with the bones of over 4,000 friars, including an entire "crypt of pelvises."

The Monsters of Bomarzo

A 16th-century horror show built in a lovely Italian garden.

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.

Libreria Acqua Alta

This Venice bookstore has resigned itself to constant flooding by keeping its books in bathtubs and boats.

The Sunken City of Baia

A submerged archeological park still holds the wonders of a Roman Sodom.

Quartiere Coppedè

Architectureal fantasy quarter of Rome.

Porta Alchemica

An alchemist's "magic door" stands in the middle of a Roman park.

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Unique Food & Drink in Italy

Strawberry Tree Fruit

The lychee-looking fruit appears in everything from jam and liqueur to the Aeneid and Madrid's flag.

Sfogliatella

This layered pastry from Italy's Amalfi Coast may have origins in a 17th-century convent.

Threads of God

To eat the world's rarest pasta, you must first complete a 20-mile pilgrimage.

Saint Agatha's Breasts

This ricotta and marzipan pastry honors the Sicilian saint's most noteworthy body part.

See all 62 things to eat in Italy See all 62 things to eat in Italy

Atlas Obscura Trips

Barolo to Truffles in the Shadow of the Alps

Taste your way through Italy’s northwest region of Piedmont, sampling sweets, sipping local wine, and foraging for truffles.

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Stories About Italy

A 14th-century painting of Saint Corona by the Master of Palazzo Venezia Madonna.

Is Saint Corona a Guardian Against Epidemics?

Well, she might be now, at least.

by Matthew Taub

The Siena Pianoforte has seen its share of adventure.

Sold: An Ornate Piano Found on a World War II Battlefield

It traveled three continents, survived desert warfare, and accidentally ended up with a man who'd been looking for it all along.

by Matthew Taub

The situation in Castelvetro di Modena looked like this staged shot.

In an Italian Town, Red Wine Briefly Flowed From Faucets and Taps

A mishap turned water into Lambrusco.

by Eric J. Wallace

Revelers in Ottana walk through the ruins of the town's old center.

Sardinian Carnevale Has No Place for Beads or Glitter

Instead it has animal skins, cowbells, bullwhips, and frightened children.

A festoon from a fresco by Cristofano Gherardi in Palazzo Vitelli detailing ancient fruit and vegetable varieties.

The Archaeobotanist Searching Art for Lost Fruit

Renaissance paintings can hide botanical secrets.

by Vittoria Traverso

February 21, 2020

Here's the catch: Dried cod is Norway's oldest export industry.

How Dried Cod Became a Norwegian Staple and an Italian Delicacy

The lucrative stockfish trade dates back to the Viking days.

February 7, 2020

Shell game: Neanderthals likely found these cutting tools beneath the waves.

Some Neanderthals Wintered in Italy, Diving for Clams

In the absence of stone tools, bivalves would have to do.

by Isaac Schultz

January 16, 2020

An employee prepares French dragée candies, which fit into a lineage of wedding and confetti edibles.

The Edible History of Confetti

Before the paper variety, nuts, hops, and dates rained down—and put out the occasional eye.

by Christa Weil Menegas

December 30, 2019

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