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PhrasesReading Signs and MapsDove si trovano i punti di interesse?
A2

Dove si trovano i punti di interesse?

Where are the points of interest?

Pronunciation

'Interesse' — in-te-RES-se. Double 's'; stress on the third syllable.

When to use it

Ask a tourist office worker or guide when looking at a map and wanting to identify what is worth visiting. A common first question when arriving in a new Italian town.

What it means

'Punti di interesse' (points of interest) is the Italian equivalent of the English tourism term 'POI'. 'Punto' (point) is masculine; 'di interesse' (of interest) is the prepositional phrase. On maps, POIs are usually marked with icons or numbers corresponding to a legend.

Variations

Quali sono i luoghi più importanti da vedere?

What are the most important places to see?

Open-ended question for recommendations.

Cosa c'è da visitare qui vicino?

What is there to visit nearby?

Asks about local attractions.

Mi consiglia un percorso?

Can you recommend a route?

Ask for a suggested walking itinerary.

Mini Dialogue

— Dove si trovano i punti di interesse? — Sulla mappa sono segnati con i numeri da uno a venti. — Devo vederli tutti? — I più importanti sono il uno, il tre e il dodici.

— Where are the points of interest? — On the map they're marked with numbers from one to twenty. — Do I need to see all of them? — The most important ones are number one, three and twelve.

Cultural Note

The APT (local tourism authority) tourist office in any Italian town offers free paper maps with numbered points of interest, typically 10–30 depending on town size. The tourist office staff can recommend a walking route covering the highlights in 2–3 hours.