What Are The 5 Regions of Italy?

A magnificent European country with a Mediterranean coastline, visited by millions of tourists every day, having beautiful landmarks and ancient ruins –  that is Italy.

Italy, the country of delicious food, lovely language, and stylish people. The country with a rich history, monuments, and a lot of remains from the past centuries.

Its capital, Rome, is home to the Vatican, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Apart from Rome, you have a full list of cities in Italy that are worth visiting.

The 5 Autonomous Regions of Italy?

There are many wonderful regions in Italy that you can visit. Each area has its beauty, culture, traditions, specialties, and accent. 

Depending on your personality and wishes you have a huge list of places, and each are one of the best tourist attractions that Italy has to offer. Take a map, learn a bit about each region, and make up your mind.

You will realize that Italy is divided into 20 different regions, each with its own cultural heritage, history, and their independent language. The 5 autonomous regions of Italy are Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardinia, Sicily, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Val d’Aosta.

Trieste, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

1. Friuli-Venezia Giulia

One of the 5 autonomous regions which are pretty interesting places for visitors. Its capital is Trieste. It is placed in North-eastern Italy and it borders the Veneto region, the Adriatic Sea, as well as Slovenia and Austria.

It has a multicultural history and besides Italian, other 2 languages are widely spoken such as Friulano and Slovenian

It is a mountainous place full of skiers and snowboarders in the winter time. Regardless of the season, there is plenty to explore in this small region, especially, ancient Roman ruins.

Sardinia, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

2. Sardinia 

Sardinia is the third-largest region in the country and is densely populated. The capital of Sardinia is Cagliari

Sardinia is one of the two large islands in Italy. It takes the West part of the Italian coast and South of French island Corsica.

This island is less reachable and it seems like it is not part of Italy at all. There you can find a lot of fantastic places for hiking and sandy beaches where you can feel the Mediterranean breeze. 

If you want to go there, you can either go by plane or boat. 

Sciacca in Sicily, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

3. Sicily  

Sicily is the greatest island in the Mediterranean sea. The Italian name for Sicily is Sicilia. Its capital is Palermo

Sicily – the region of so many intrigues, crime, and mobsters. The biggest attraction is to visit the places where a lot of movies took place. 

There you can visit Palermo Cathedral, Greek Theatre in Taormina, Tempio di Segesta, Palazzo Conte Federico, and Castello di Punta Troja.

Sicily is also a place to be for beach lovers, art admirers, and mountain climbers. Climbing the hill Etna is one of the best experiences you can get there.

4. Trentino-Alto Adige

Trentino is located in the Northern part of Italy and it shares the borders with Switzerland and Austria and is popular for the beauty of its peaks.

The capital of Trentino-Alto Adige is Trento. It’s a Dolomites and Alps country, covered with a dense forest. 

Several spa towns offer different treatments of which Levico Terme, Peio, Merano, Comano Terme, and Rabbi are some of the most famous treatments on offer.

Aosta, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

5. Val d’ Aosta

In the Northwest of Italy, bordering both France and Switzerland, Val d’ Aosta is located or in English known as the Aosta ValleyAosta is the capital of Val d’ Aosta.

This is one of the smallest regions in Italy and the least populated. It is a popular place because it is home to Europe’s tallest mountain Mont Blanc on the borders. 

Courmayeur (resort on Mont Blanc)  is one of the greatest and most famous resorts in Europe. It is a paradise for all winter lovers.

What Are The 20 Regions of Italy? 

Traveling through Italy is like opening a new chapter each time and going through Italian history, culture, traditions.

Each city or region has its own story. Its beauty, heritage, and attractions. Simply put, the country is fully loaded with historical remains, delicious cuisine, and style.

Italy is subdivided into 20 regions, 5 of which have autonomous status in order to take into account cultural differences and protect linguistic minorities.

Rivisondoli, L'Aquila, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

1. Abruzzo

Abruzzo is at the center of the Italian peninsula facing the Adriatic. Its capital is L’Aquila.

If you visit this place in winter, the ski centers like Campo Imperatore, Roccaraso, and Campo Felice are a perfect choice.

If you go there during the summer, you may enjoy the Adriatic seaside and sandy beaches in Silvi Marina and Francavilla a Mare.

Bari, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

2. Apulia (Puglia)

Puglia lies in the Southeast part of the Italian peninsula. The capital is Bari

Puglia is one of the richest archeological regions in Italy which is becoming extremely popular among tourists. There are a lot of prehistoric and early historical monuments that date back from Greek colonization.

The best time to visit Puglia is early spring or in autumn. During the summer it might be unbearable to stay because of the high temperatures.

Maratea, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

3. Basilicata 

Basilicata is one of the smallest Italian regions with a short coastline. It lies down between Calabria and PugliaPotenza is the capital city of the Basilicata. 

Maratea is the only town alongside the Tyrrhenian Sea. It consists of 2 parts: Marina di Maratea, known as the “Pearl of The Tyrrhenian” and Maratea Centro Storico, known as “The Town of 44 churches”.

Scilla, Calabria, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

4. Calabria

Calabria takes place South of Naples, at the “toe” of the Italian peninsula. The capital city is Catanzaro

The region offers splendid sandy beaches and a lot of historic centers. Some of the places that are worth visiting are Capo Colonna-Crotone, Cattolica di Stilo, Vibo Valentia, Castle of Roccella Ionica. 

Naples, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

5. Campania 

Campania is a wealthy region with historical monuments, archeological sites, good music, and food.

The capital city is Naples which is densely populated. Campania splits into 5 provinces: Napoli, Avellino, Benevento, Caserta, and Salerno.

The most famous tourist attractions are the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Mount Vesuvius, the islands of Capri, Ischia, and Procida

Bologna, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

6. Emilia-Romagna 

Emilia-Romagna takes place in Northern Italy and encompasses two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. The capital city is Bologna, one of the oldest cities.

It is the biggest center for gastronomical and automotive industries such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Ducati.

It is a place with a lively and picturesque coastline, with a lot of resorts like Catolica and Rimini.

Rome, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

7. Lazio 

Lazio is placed in Central Italy and borders Tuscany, Abruzzo, Campania, and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its capital is Rome.

Rome attracts the most visitors in this region, having such impressive historic villas and gardens, beautiful coastal towns, and countrysides.

Other interesting sights are Vatican city, Hadrian’s Villa, Palatine Hills, Roman art in Tivoli, Ostia, Anzio, and Gaeta. 

Genoa, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

8. Liguria

Liguria is in the northwestern part of Italy, the third smallest region. The capital is Genoa. 

The most beautiful places to visit are Genova Cathedral, Caves of Toirano, Camogli, Cervo, Portofino, Manarola.

This place is desirable for tourists because it’s close to famous places in France like Monaco, Monte Carlo, San Remo, and Cannes.  

Lake Como, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

9. Lombardy

Lombardy is in Northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Its capital is Milan. The core of fashion and finance.

The biggest attractions in Lombardy are The Cathedral Duomo, Lakes Como and Garda, Bergamo, Lugana, Mantova.

Passetto Beach, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

10. Marche 

This region lies near the Central area. The capital city is Ancona. Marche is famous for its shoemaking tradition, having outstanding and luxurious footwear. 

The places that you need to visit are Passetto Beach, San Ciriaco Cathedral, Palazzo Ducale, Raphael’s House, Cassa Rossini.

Monforte Castle, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

11. Molise 

Molise is the second smallest region in Italy, placed between the Apennines and the sea. The capital is Campobasso

Places you can visit there are Matese, Monforte Castle, Monte Miletto.

Turin, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

12. Piedmont 

Piedmont, a region in Italy bordering Switzerland and France. Its capital is Turin, once the first capital of Italy.

There you need to go Asti, Gran Paradiso, Lago Maggiore, Lago d’Orta, Montiglio.

Cathedral Of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

13. Tuscany 

Tuscany, the fifth largest region. The place of Renaissance and Italian language birthplace. The capital is Florence.

The places you must visit there are Cathedral Of Santa Maria del Fiore, Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, II Duomo.

Perugia, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

14. Umbria

Umbria is in Central Italy, sandwiched between Tuscany, Marches, and Lazio. Its capital is Perugia.

You have to visit there Basilica of San Francesco d’ Assisi, Marmore Falls, Duomo di Orvieto. 

Venice, What Are The 5 Regions of Italy - The Proud Italian

15. Veneto

Veneto is a Northeastern Italian region. The capital is Venice. It’s famous for its canals, Gothic architecture and Carnival celebrations. 

In Veneto, you can see the Grand Canal, Bridge of Sighs, Saint Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace.

Takeaway

If you are planning a trip to Italy, think carefully about which region you would like to visit. There are splendid places that need to be visited.

You have to decide whether you prefer mountainous places or sandy beaches, sometimes you can make a combination of both.