Things to do in Cerignola

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Colosseum

•This was once the place where gladiators fought to the death and condemned prisoners struggled against hungry lions, and it is also where the great symbol of eternal Rome stands. •Admire the magnificent architecture and imagine the epic battles that once took place here △The Colosseum was built on the original site of the opulent Domus Aurea and was completed in 80 AD. However, with the decline of the Roman Empire, the Colosseum was gradually abandoned and became overgrown with weeds. Later, the Colosseum suffered damage from earthquakes multiple times and even became a source of stone and marble for builders. What people see before them now is only the incomplete skeleton of the Colosseum, but its former glory can still be glimpsed. △On the first floor, you can clearly see the maze-like structure in the center of the Colosseum, which used to be the basement of the Colosseum, where the beasts and gladiators awaiting combat were held. △The entire outer wall of the Colosseum was built of limestone, and the arches (vomitoria) allowed spectators to enter quickly and take their seats. The recesses on the second and third floors were once filled with marble statues. The top of the wall was adorned with windows and slender Corinthian pilasters, and 240 wall posts supported the canvas awning that covered the Colosseum.

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Pantheon

The Pantheon is one of the best-preserved buildings of ancient Rome. It was originally commissioned around 27 BC by Agrippa, a general under Augustus, and later destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt in the 2nd century AD by Emperor Hadrian and stands as a masterpiece of ancient Roman architectural skill. Michelangelo once called it "a design of angels." The Pantheon houses the tomb of Renaissance artist Raphael, as well as those of Italian kings Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I and other historical figures. The building is located in the heart of Rome, with the Piazza della Rotonda as its forecourt. In the center of the piazza stands an Egyptian obelisk, and beneath its base the fountain foundation is adorned with stone carvings of dolphins and masks. The main structure is a massive cylinder of equal width and height, topped by a hemispherical dome, with no windows inside. The surrounding niches once housed statues of the gods in ancient Roman times; today they contain the tombs of notable figures from various eras. At the apex of the dome is a circular oculus about 9 meters in diameter, which serves as the main source of light for the interior. Sunlight pours down from above, changing angle as the sun moves, and light and shadow slowly travel across the floor and walls, creating a solemn spatial atmosphere.

No. 9 of Best Things to Do in Italy

Borghese Gallery and Museum

The Borghese Gallery and Museum was originally a 17th-century countryside villa built by Cardinal Scipione Borghese in northern Rome. The villa and its collection were nationalized in the early 20th century and converted into a museum, still surrounded by extensive gardens today. The gallery is renowned for its Baroque marble sculptures and Renaissance to Baroque paintings, featuring masterpieces by Bernini, Canova, Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian, and others, all displayed within this compact two-story building. The highlights on the first floor are almost all by the young Bernini: in room 2, "David" twists his entire body, frozen in the moment before releasing the stone; in room 3, "Apollo and Daphne" captures the fleeing maiden as her fingertips sprout laurel leaves; in room 4, "The******of Proserpina" shows Pluto's fingers sinking deep into the marble-carved flesh; while room 6's "Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius" was sculpted when he was just over twenty—the hard stone takes on the soft textures of skin, foliage, and drapery in these statues. Room 5 houses the "Sleeping Hermaphroditus," an ancient Roman copy of a Greek original, with the buttoned mattress beneath added by Bernini in 1620, so lifelike it could deceive; at the center of room 1 stands Canova's reclining statue of Napoleon's sister Pauline, the goddess holding a golden apple, with a hidden mechanism in the base allowing the entire sculpture to rotate. Don't rush through the entrance hall either—underfoot lies a 4th-century gladiator mosaic floor, while overhead is Mariano Rossi's ceiling fresco depicting Romulus being welcomed to Olympus to meet Jupiter. Gallery 7 features ancient Egyptian-style displays, while gallery 8 showcases original works by Caravaggio, including "David with the head of Goliath," "Sick Bacchus," and "Boy with a basket of fruit." The second floor is a gallery displaying a condensed history of Italian painting, with Titian's "Sacred and profane love" and "Venus blinding Cupid," Raphael's "The entombment," Correggio's "Danaë," Rubens' "Susanna and the elders," Cranach's "Venus and Cupid as honey thief," Botticelli's Madonna, and Pinturicchio's 1473 "Crucifixion" all lined up in sequence. The art museum has long implemented a reservation system with entry by time slot. Each slot is limited to 2 hrs with a capped number of visitors, and peak season quotas often get booked up well in advance—plan ahead to secure your spot. Once inside, consider focusing first on the Bernini sculptures on the first floor and Caravaggio's works in Hall 8, then leisurely head to the second floor for the paintings. Two hours is just enough to thoroughly cover the highlights.

No. 11 of Best Things to Do in Italy

Pompeii Archaeological Park

The Pompeii Archaeological Park is located on the shores of the Bay of Naples in southern Italy, with Mount Vesuvius as its backdrop. In 79 CE, the sudden eruption of the volcano buried the entire town under ash and pumice, inadvertently preserving its streets, houses, shops, and frescoes—freezing the daily life of an ancient Roman town at the moment of disaster. Beyond the ruins, the site also features poignant casts of victims: cavities left by decomposed bodies in hardened ash were filled with plaster by archaeologists, recreating their final moments, with a group of such casts displayed in the Garden of the Fugitives. The tour typically begins at the Porta Marina in the west, where the Temple of Venus, the patron goddess of Pompeii, stands on a high platform to the right of the entrance. Along the main street, visitors can see the rectangular Basilica with its recognizable column remnants and frescoes, followed by the ancient Temple of Apollo nearby. Further ahead lies the central forum, where the columns of the Temple of Jupiter frame the silhouette of Mount Vesuvius in the distance—a classic photo spot. The stone-paved streets outside the forum still bear deep ruts from ancient cart wheels. To the south are the Large Theatre and the covered Odeon, the latter once used for musical performances, with the Temple of Isis reflecting Egyptian influence nearby. Heading north to an intersection, the Stabian Baths offer a glimpse into ancient Romans' passion for bathing. Further east, the House of the Venus in the Shell features a small garden surrounded by a colonnade, with the famous fresco of Venus reclining in a shell still adorning the garden wall. At the southeastern end of the town stands the Amphitheatre, built around 2,000 years ago and capable of seating 20,000 spectators—one of the earliest surviving stone Roman amphitheatres, offering panoramic views from the upper seats. The House of the Faun in the northwest occupies almost an entire block; its excavated Alexander Mosaic is now housed in Naples' National Archaeological Museum. Nearby, the House of the Tragic Poet displays the famous "Beware of the Dog" mosaic at its entrance, with interior frescoes depicting mythological and theatrical scenes. The vast site offers limited shade, so allocate at least half a day for exploration, wear comfortable shoes, and bring water. Those interested in seeing the original Alexander Mosaic and other artifacts can pair their visit with the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

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Castel Sant'Angelo

The Fort Sant'Angelo was originally a family cemetery built by Emperor Hadrian. It was later converted into a papal fortress in the 6th century AD. It is said that in 590 AD, Pope Gregory saw an angel in the sky above the fort and named it the Holy Angel. Fort. Castel Sant'Angelo, located on the Tiber River, at the western end of the ancient Roman region, there are several bridges leading to the west bank of the Tiber River, the more important one is the bridge to the Castel Sant'Angelo (PonteSantaAngelo). When walking through the Pont Sant'Angelo, you may wish to take a closer look at the shape of the bridge and the various exquisite carvings on it. The bridge designed by Bernini can be said to be a masterpiece of Baroque decorative art, but only two of the angel statues on the bridge are made of The statue, sculpted by Bernini himself, has been moved to the church of Santa Adreadelle Fratte for proper preservation, and two replicas have been placed on the bridge. The history of Castel Sant'Angelo in the 2nd century AD, the Roman emperor Hadrian designed the Castel Sant'Angelo and personally directed its construction as the resting place for himself and his successors. Over the centuries, Castel Sant'Angelo has undergone a number of changes: first as a fortress to stop the Visigoths and Ostrogoths from invading, then as a prison, and later converted into a splendid papal palace. Now as a museum, in addition to the collection of stuccoes, frescoes and the residence furniture of the Pope, ancient weapons are also an important and precious collection here.

Multisala Corso

Strike

No. 7 of Night Attractions in Italy

Trulli, Rione Monti

Trulli, Rione Monti is one of the best-preserved complexes of conical stone dwellings in Europe. Trulli are a unique type of dry-stone construction built without mortar, relying solely on limestone blocks stacked in layers, with conical roofs formed by stones corbelled outward layer by layer. This architectural technique dates back to prehistoric times and is still used in the Itria Valley today. Originally scattered across the countryside as farmhouses, animal shelters, or storage for farm tools, Alberobello is where these trulli are clustered together. The town preserves over 1,500 trulli, mainly concentrated in two areas: the Rione Monti district in the south features approx. 1,000 conical-roofed houses, with various handicraft shops lining the streets, and many shop owners invite visitors inside to see the interior structure of the trulli; the Rione Aia Piccola district is smaller and retains a more authentic residential character, with no commercial shops, offering a quieter atmosphere perfect for a leisurely stroll. As you wander through, you will see layers of white limestone walls and gray conical roofs.

No. 1 of Family-friendly Attractions in Italy

Villa Borghese

Villa Borghese is located in northern Rome. Built in the early 17th century by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who came from a prominent Sienese family, it was constructed on the site of a hillside vineyard for his family. Acquired by the Rome city government in the early 20th century and opened to the public, the park covers approx. 80 hectares, making it one of Rome's most prominent large urban parks. With its shady stone pines and cedars, scattered sculptures and fountains, it's easily accessible either by climbing the steps from Piazza di Spagna or entering from the Piazza del Popolo side, serving as a popular leisure spot for locals to stroll, jog, or picnic. The park offers abundant attractions: The artificial lake in the lakeside garden allows visitors to rent boats to reach the center, where the Temple of Aesculapius reflects on the water surface, creating a classic photo spot. The 19th-century water clock, driven by water flow, remains operational to this day. The Pincio Terrace at the northern end of the park overlooks Piazza del Popolo. The park resembles an open-air art district: The Borghese Gallery is renowned for Bernini's sculptures and Caravaggio's paintings, while the National Gallery of Modern Art houses works by Monet, Klimt, and numerous modern Italian artists. The park also features the Etruscan Museum and an open-air theater modeled after Shakespeare's Globe. The Siena square in the garden was built in the late 18th century, named after Siena, the hometown of the Borghese family. Every late spring, it hosts the international show jumping competition that has continued since 1922, with performances by mounted carabinieri in traditional uniforms often serving as the grand finale; the equestrian events of the 1960 Rome Olympics were held here. The Rome zoo Bioparco is adjacent to the park area and can be included in the same tour route.

Teatro Comunale Mercadante