Italy’s best-known origin tales belong to Rome and, to a lesser extent, Naples. But many other cities have their own legendary beginnings that shaped local symbols and identity.
Look at a coat of arms, a statue in a piazza, or a festival banner, and you’ll often find a founding tale hiding in plain sight. Five cities, Siena, Mantua, Turin, Catania, and Perugia, offer a clear tour of how these stories work.