Rome is Italy's capital and its largest city, but the country hosts a number of other leading European destinations. Italy's ten largest cities are Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Palermo, Genoa, Bologna, Florence, Bari and Catania.

Whether Rome is "bigger" than Milan depends entirely on how you measure the boundaries. In terms of municipal population and land area, Rome is significantly larger; the "Commune of Rome" has approximately 2.8 million residents and covers 1,285 square kilometers, making it the most populous and largest city in Italy. Milan's municipality is much smaller, with about 1.4 million residents. However, when looking at the metropolitan area (built-up urban zone), the competition is much closer. The "Greater Milan" area is the economic engine of Italy and, by some measures, has a higher population density and a larger continuous urban footprint, totaling over 5 million people in its wider metro region compared to Rome's roughly 4.3 million. In 2026, Rome remains the political and historic "giant," while Milan is the "larger" city in terms of sheer economic output, industrial sprawl, and metropolitan influence in Northern Europe.