Top 6 Italian tourist traps - and where to go instead
6) The Leaning Tower of Pisa
If we told you to go see an old tilting tower that wasn't Pisa, would you? Probably not, and you should avoid the surprisingly small and devastatingly disappointing Leaning Tower of Pisa too.
Instead, visit San Gimignano, a mostly tourist-free haven in Tuscany known for medieval architecture and perfectly preserved ancient tower houses — in fact, it's often referred to as "the city of beautiful towers" or even "medieval Manhattan." The city is also famous among locals for its Vernaccia di San Gimignano white wine.
5) The Duomo in Florence
The Duomo is one of Florence's most famous and most-visited sites, and definitely worth a look. However, save yourself the 463-step climb to the top (no, there's no elevator), where you'll be jostling for shots of the city with dozens of other panting tourists.
For equally stunning views minus the climb, check out the Piazzale Michelangelo. Plus, the best part of the views there? You actually get the Duomo in your pics.
4) The Trevi Fountain
It's hot and you've walked all over Rome's many, many sites, including the beautiful Trevi fountain. We can't blame you for wanting to cool your heels in it, but don't, because that's illegal.
If you need to take a dip, check out the Terme di Saturnia in Tuscany. These stunning, 98 degree geothermal springs were said to have been created by Jupiter carelessly throwing lightning bolts. The hot springs were popular with ancient Roman nobles way back when, and are still a popular spot with Romans today.
3) Gondola in Venice
Taking an overpriced gondola captained by someone dressed like what foreigners imagine Italians to look like is one of the most corny and touristy things to do in Venice — and that's before the gondolier starts singing (which costs extra, mind you).
Instead, take a much cheaper traghetto, which is basically just a less frilly gondola that locals use to get across Venice's canals. Traghettos look like gondolas, but instead of cruising up and down the canals, they cross the canals at seven points, where there are no bridges. And they cost just a few euros, instead of hundreds of dollars.
2) Pompeii
Ok, Pompeii isn’t a tourist trap, but it is overrun by tourists. The ancient city is perfectly preserved after it was covered in ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
To get some breathing room, as well as your fill of ancient ruins, visit Taormina in Sicily instead. The beautiful town carved into the Monte Tauro hillside has sweeping views of Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano, as well as beautiful beaches, which are accessible by gondola. Goethe himself called Taormina "a patch of paradise." While ancient Roman buildings and ruins are sprinkled across town, the most famous ones are the Teatro Greco and the Naumachia.
1) Romeo and Juliet Balcony, Verona
Lovers around the world flock to Romeo and Juliet's balcony in the Casa di Giulietta in Verona, but the site is really just a mess of gum and scraps of paper, as people leave love notes on the wall by tacking them up with chewed gum.
How about giving something else a shot? Venice is one of the most romantic cities in the world, so it comes as no surprise that it houses many local traditions pertaining to finding everlasting love. Head to Sotoportego dei Preti, a narrow alley between two houses that has a stone heart embedded under its arch. According to local lore, touching the heart with your partner means eternal love, while touching it alones means you'll find love within the year.