Rivers in Italy Map

The rivers of Italy have been important throughout history, from the time of the Roman Empire and even today.

As the lifeline of the nation, Italy’s rivers have been the primary water sources of this peninsular nation, with major cities springing up along the river banks for easy access to fresh water. There are over a thousand rivers and streams in Italy. The major rivers in Italy include the Po River, the Tiber, Arno, Reno, and Adige Rivers.

Major rivers draining into the Adriatic Sea include the Po, Adige, Reno, Savio, and the Isonzo. The Po is the longest river in Italy, flowing through Turin and Ferrara, before emptying into the Adriatic Sea after about 652 kilometers (405 miles). The Adige River is also quite long, flowing 410 kilometers (250 miles) from the border of Austria and Switzerland, over near Verona, and out into the Adriatic Sea.

The Tiber flows through Rome and drains into the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west of Italy. The Tiber is the third longest river in Italy, flowing about 406 kilometers (252 miles) from the Apennine Mountain range, through the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, and finally, Lazio, where it reaches Rome.

The Arno eventually flows into the Ligurian Sea after first passing through Florence in the Tuscany region.

Each of these and the other rivers of Italy has many smaller tributaries, which carry the fresh water to other cities and areas of the country.