730 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.

The Sunken City of Baia

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

Libreria Acqua Alta

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

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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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Italy

BackDoor 43

One of the world’s smallest bars, just 13 square feet, is brimming with speakeasy flair.

Museo Nazionale delle Paste Alimentari

This delightful little museum is dedicated to only one thing: pasta.

Thermopolia of Pompeii

Ancient snack bar of the Roman Empire re-opened.

Langhirano, Italy

Museum of Prosciutto di Parma

Ham is serious business at the Prosciutto Museum-Serious, delicious business.

See all 19 places to eat in Italy See all 19 places 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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Where is your favorite place to eat and see something unusual in Rome?	1 July 23, 2019	1632	July 23, 2019
Uffizi Gallery Trip	3 July 30, 2019	1023	July 30, 2019
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Stories About Italy

An aerial view of the villa and the area where researchers made the find.

Found: Emperor Hadrian's Palatial Breakfast Chamber

This was no cozy nook.

by Eric J. Wallace

February 17, 2021

Packed with sweet ricotta, candied fruit, and sponge cake, the treat is indulgently intense.

How a Breast-Shaped Cake Became the Symbol of a Sicilian City

History and legend collide in the story of one seriously suggestive sweet.

February 5, 2021

An ancient Pompeiian may have enjoyed this meal of braised duck.

Reconstructing the Menu of a Pub in Ancient Pompeii

Eat like a first-century Roman, using recent archaeological discoveries as your guide.

by Farrell Monaco

January 26, 2021

One of da Vinci's self-portraits in the laboratory.

Zooming in on the Microbiome of Some da Vinci Masterpieces

A new study found plenty of bacteria, fungi, and insect remains, but nothing to be alarmed about.

by Matthew Taub

November 25, 2020

There are a lot of theories about why it's called La California.

The Italian Village of La California Hosted Its Own American Elections

It was a gag, but the community has long been tied to its namesake on the other side of the world.

by Guia Cortassa

October 27, 2020

Giulio Geraldi surveys the skies at sunset. He worries about rain, which can end the manna season.

The Mountains Where Manna Flows From Trees

Giulio Geraldi brought cultivation of the sweet stuff back from the verge of extinction.

by Emiliano Ruprah

August 25, 2020

The Temple of Juno, seen here through the branches of a blossoming almond tree, is surrounded by centuries-old olive trees that are harvested to make olive oil.

The Ancient Greek Temples Home to Orchards, Vineyards, and Rare Bees

A UNESCO site that doubles as a working farm represents a shift in conservation.

An aerial photo taken on June 19, 2020, shows workers covering the Presena glacier with huge geotextile sheets in northern Italy.

An Italian Ski Resort Fights Glacial Melting With Giant Tarps

Climate change is shrinking Alpine glaciers. The tourism industry has a stake in keeping them around.

by Joseph Winters

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