It’s not possible to see everything that Italy has to offer in one trip. What follows is a selective taste, in no particular order, of the country’s highlights of Top 20 Places Not to Miss When Visiting Italy.

CENTRO STORICO DI ROMA

There’s so much to see in Rome that wandering the city’s fantastic old centre can yield a surprise at every turn, whether it’s an ancient statue or a marvellous Baroque fountain.

The Eternal City’s main attractions are in the heart of the centro storico.

From Rome’s best preserved pagan temple-turned-church, the Pantheon to the best display of Baroque art at Piazza Navona.

DUOMO DI MILANO

It is the largest Gothic cathedral and the second largest Catholic cathedral in the world.

The Duomo was recently under major renovations and cleaning for several years, obscuring the west front with scaffolding. Works were finally completed in 2009, revealing the newly-cleaned facade in all its glory.

PIAZZA SAN MARCO – VENICE

Crowded or not, this is one of Europe’s grandest urban spaces and home to Italy’s most exotic cathedral.

As the largest square in the city and the only one given the designation of  “piazza” (the others are all referred to as “campi”), St. Mark’s Square has always been the location of important government buildings and other facilities central to the goings on in Venice.

The centrepiece of the piazza is, of course, the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica.