The number of foreign tourists coming to Italy is growing. Every year tourism in Italy increases. Obviously, there are a certain number of top rated and visited destinations. And also a list of most visited museums and art places. Here, we want to show you the 5 most visited museums of Italy.
As you can see in the latest world list on Wikipedia the data about visitors of these world renown museums are very interesting and impressive. The most updated data about Italian museums (limited data for the first semester of 2017) show a slightly different chart.
The 5 most visited museums of Italy
We will exclude from our short chart places like the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the archaeological area of Pompeii and the royal palaces (as Venaria Reale or the Royal Palace of Caserta). We wanted to include only that museums where art is the major focus, even though the actual chart would include other places.
Vatican Museums
Unmissable. People from all over the world and huge lines. It is globally renown as a remarkable place to visit. The best way of avoiding the line is to buy tickets ahead of time. Preferably getting a guided tour. With us, obvious 😛
Located within the city boundaries of the Vatican City. The Vatican Museums display works from the amazing collection the Popes built throughout the history. Some of the most renowned classical sculptures and incredible masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world are included in this unforgettable experience.
As we already said in another post “Rome would require a life to be deeply appreciated in every aspect”. You just need to start as soon as possible.
Uffizi Gallery
Florence is the cradle of the Renaissance. It is like a mythological battle between the capital city of Italy and this little treasure in the middle of Tuscany. Our suggestion is very easy. You must to see both the cities, no way. This is the one and only possible choice.
One of the most important Italian museums is located in the centre of the city, near Piazza della Signoria. A charming little city crossed by the Arno river and this unique museum looking over the river. Michelangelo, Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci, Titian, Caravaggio…and much more.
You will need at least a couple of hours to visit the gallery. And it’s better to buy the tickets in advance to avoid long lines under the sun if you are going to come during summer.
Last, but not least, Florence is perfect to be visited also just in three days if you have a good organization. There are shorter distances (shorter than Rome distances, for example) from a place to another and you can enjoy it by walking. Insert it in your plan for the next Italian trip: let’s take you with us on a guided tour of the Uffizi museum.
Galleria Accademia e strumenti musicali
The Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze is every year, together with the Uffizi, in the top ten of the most visited museums of Italy. The beautiful, stunning sculpture in this picture is just one of the good reasons to book a visit.
Michelangelo here is the king. The David is a white-marble standing sculpture that is 5,17 meters tall. In addition to this symbol of Renaissance, this museum retains some of the most beautiful works of Michelangelo and many others.The Gallery was designed to house the works of art of great value, and its structure that is particularly impressive, proves it.
Castel Sant’Angelo
Featured in the movie Angels and Demons directed by Ron Howard, Castel Sant’Angelo, this museum is also known as The Mausoleum of Hadrian.
It’s also been the burial place of the Antonine emperors until Caracalla. It was built in ad 135–139 and was converted into a fortress during the 5th century. Standing on the right bank of the Tiber River it guards the Ponte Sant’Angelo, one of the principal ancient bridges of the city.
Refuge, prison, castle, museum. To date Castel Sant’Angelo attract many tourists. The papal apartments contain significant Renaissance decorative paintings and its mysterious atmosphere is one of the reasons why people love this fortress full of secret hidden passages.
Capodimonte National Gallery
The Royal Palace of Capodimonte in Naples houses the National Museum. The building is located on the Capodimonte hill, in a park known as Bosco di Capodimonte (Capodimonte wood). The gallery is house to paintings from the 13th to the 18th centuries.
Art works by Raphael, Simone Martini, Titian, Caravaggio, Masaccio, Bellini, Vasari and among many others you will find works of the Neapolitan School: Luca Giordano, the Neapolitan Caravaggisti and many others. At the ground floor you will find part of the magnificent Farnese collection of classical, mostly Roman, monumental sculpture, which survives largely intact.
The royal apartments are furnished with antique 18th century furniture and an amazing collection of porcelain and majolica from the various royal residences.
Beautiful. If it is not enough, UNESCO says “Outstanding Universal Value” when talks about the Historic Centre of Naples…
