underrated places in italy to visit

9 under-the-radar destinations in Italy you need to visit

With classical cities, idyllic islands , endless sunshine and a world-renowned gastronomy scene , Italy is a destination to visit again and again.

The ideal country for both first-time travelers and seasoned road warriors, Italy has something for everyone.

If this is your first Italian holiday , make sure to visit the most popular spots like Rome , Florence and the Amalfi Coast . However, if you've already seen Italy's most popular destinations and attractions, it might be time to check out lesser-known spots.

There are way too many to name in just one article, but here are nine of the most underrated spots that might inspire you to hop on a flight to Italy.

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Though hardly a secret, the island of Sardinia offers just about everything you could want from an Italian escape.

It's home to pristine white-sand beaches like Costa Smeralda, as well as plenty of daytrip-friendly towns (Alghero, Castelsardo, Bosa).

In the capital city, Cagliari, expect a culture-packed stay — discovering pockets of history in the Castello district, admiring the Duomo di Cagliari and the medieval Castle of San Michele.

It's one hour, 10 minutes by plane from Rome to Sardinia, so it's not totally impossible to make the trip after a city break in the capital — but it's also worthy of your entire holiday's focus.

Bonus? Northern Sardinia is a 50-minute ferry ride from another gem of an island — Corsica in France.

This southern Italian hub is certainly famous, but interestingly not as popular with foreign tourists as many other big-name destinations.

In many ways, the less explored side of Naples is still something of a secret for those wanting a taste of real Italian culture.

Naples is one of the most interesting Italian cities to explore. Visit the vineyards of the looming volcano Mount Vesuvius, sample affordable southern Italian cuisine (it's the birthplace of pizza ) and visit the city's numerous cultural attractions (there are seven castles and over 400 churches).

Plus, it's the gateway to the picturesque Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri for those looking to add a more traditional Italy tourist experience to their Naples vacation.

Related: 5 reasons to visit Naples, Italy

If you want Tuscany vibes but have already been, Umbria should be next on your list. The landlocked region has the best of Tuscany without the tourists and the high prices.

Similar to that of Tuscany, the dense foliage of Umbria is perfect for autumnal activities like wine tasting and truffle hunting.

In fact, grapes in this region are particularly special. Sample white wines made with the local grechetto grape or extra-tannic reds made from the sagrantino grape. Visitors can also explore hilltop medieval villages , take cooking classes or get outside by hiking, rafting or cycling.

Ischia and Procida

Move over, Capri. Ischia is also a short ferry ride from Naples and the Amalfi Coast. However, it's an island that is frequented by Italian visitors, not international tourists.

More affordable, less touristy and just as gorgeous as Capri, the Italian island features a number of thermal pools and hot springs, both black- and white-sand beaches and the towering Aragonese Castle.

For even more Italian charm, hop over to the nearby tiny island of Procida. Its pastel-colored harbor is an immediate draw. It's no wonder the island has been deemed Italy's Capital of Culture (the first island to win the title) for 2022.

Fan of Italian food? Bologna's delicious ragu, ragu alla Bolognese, is a meat-based tomato sauce that hails from the local area.

Don't expect to pair it with spaghetti in this town, though. Locals prefer to pair it with tagliatelle, a flatter, ribbon-style pasta, or make lasagna verdi alla Bolognese, which is a lasagna made with the sauce and spinach pasta and without ricotta.

Besides eating, there's plenty to do in this small city, like admiring the UNESCO -recognized porticoes, which are covered, arched walkways (some date back to the Middle Ages).

The city also has some canals, mainly located in an area dubbed "Little Venice ."

Related: From Bologna to Bari: 5 of Italy's best hidden-gem cities

An easy daytrip from Milan, Bergamo 's Citta Alta is a hilltop historic paradise, encircled in fog and Venetian walls. The old city is like a step back in time, with its cobbled streets, centuries-old churches and the signature bell tower in Piazza Vecchia.

Wandering the city without a plan is the best way to pass the time. Weave through the hilly streets, stop at small artisan boutiques and visit the town's cathedral.

Make sure to snack on a polenta e osei dessert, which is a corn-based pastry filled with rum and hazelnut cream.

Val di Noto, Sicily

The Baroque towns of Sicily's Val di Noto (Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Ragusa and Scicli) are some of the island's most charming destinations — and they're all considered UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

However, visiting this area will require a car, and you'll have to drag yourself away from Taormina's charm or Palermo's Arab-Norman architectural sites.

You don't have to see each and every town, but do spend at least a day or two climbing the hills of the Val di Noto, stopping to enjoy the dramatic Baroque flavor of these towns.

If you're itching to see Rome but also need a little island time, consider a visit to Ponza, the largest of the Pontine Islands. From Rome, take a train ride and then a hydrofoil boat from the port of Anzio. A few hours later you'll be exploring Ponza's rocky cliffs and sea caves.

Ponza is often compared to the Amalfi Coast — but without the hordes of international tourists or the accompanying exorbitant prices.

The island's clear waters are a draw for divers, but those wanting to stay on dry land can hike, visit Roman ruins or traverse the island's many beach coves by boat or scooter rental.

Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta and Lake Iseo

Lake Como and Lake Garda get all the fame. However, northern Italy has many other lakes that are relaxing and beautiful spots for a getaway without too many tourists.

Lake Maggiore actually spans two countries, Italy and Switzerland, offering a distinct Swiss-inspired appeal. There are a number of gardens, so anyone who loves a scenic floral stroll should head to this lake.

Lake Orta is one of Italy's smaller lakes often frequented by the Italian creative set. Orta oozes charm and provides artistic inspiration thanks to San Guilio, a tiny, scenic island that sits in the lake.

Lake Iseo is where you should really go to hide from tourists. Iseo's main island, Monte Isola, is so stunning that it made our list of the most beautiful villages in Italy .

Bottom line

Whether you want to experience its most famous attractions or get off the beaten path, Italy has so much to offer visitors. Some of the best Italian vacations combine doing something touristy with something more underrated to really take in the local culture.

Our top tips? Pair Rome with Ponza, Naples with the Amalfi Coast, Milan with the northern lakes or Capri with Ischia. These options allow visitors the chance to absorb all the best cuisine, monuments, attractions and local traditions Italy has to offer.

Want more Italy inspiration? Check out these stories:

• What's new in Italy right now
• Planning a trip to Italy? Here's how to get there on points and miles
• How I skipped the cruise ship tour in Italy and had a better, cheaper adventure on my own

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11 Hidden Gems in Italy: Underrated Places To Visit

November 15, 2019 By Somto Ugwueze 4 Comments

When it comes to gorgeous destinations for an Italian holiday, we often think of Rome , Venice, and Florence. These destinations are on everyone’s bucket list. However, beyond Rome “the Eternal City,” Florence “the city of art,” and Venice “the city of love,” there are beautiful hidden gems in Italy that will steal your heart. These places boast breathtaking, narrow alleyways, mysterious beauty, magical scenery, and remarkable history. Visiting these less-known places on your trip to Italy will enable you to truly experience the diversity of the country. Here are 11 hidden gems to add to your Italian bucket list. 

The Lake District

Located in northern Italy, the Lake District is a spectacularly beautiful site surrounded by breathtaking mountains, sapphire blue lakes, picturesque little towns, and colorful villas shining with beautiful gardens.

This region is home to many great lakes, including Como, Garda, Maggiore, and Lugano. It is not only ideal not only for lovers of natural beauty but also for people looking for an opportunity to learn about history. There are some ancient Roman ruins you can visit here.

Procida Island

Procida is the smallest island and the best-kept secret in the Bay of Naples. It is the ideal place for tourists to explore on foot. Although this island does not have plenty of beaches, it offers the sun-bleached narrow streets, lively bars, famous restaurants, and luxury hotels. August and Lido di Procida are two must-see beaches on the island. Besides the beaches, Procida is home to picturesque ports and boardwalks where you can have a drink while admiring the scenery. These include Marina Corricella, Marina Grande, and Marina di Chiaiolella.

Rapallo, located in Liguria about half an hour away from Genoa, has an iconic historic center that is best-known for its landmark Castle and free beaches. There are a lot of things to do in Rapallo, such as walking on pedestrian shopping streets, swimming, and trying fresh seafood.  

Hidden along the cliffs of the Basilicata region is Matera, known as a magical city of stone. Built over 30,000 years ago during the Paleolithic period, Matera is the oldest inhabited place, followed by Petra, Jordan.

Matera’s tourism got a boost when it was recognized as A UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. If you have a chance to visit this place, you will find that this unique city is like nowhere else in the world. All of the structures and homes of Matera are carved out of limestone rocks. Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso are two districts built on natural over millennia-old caves.

You can spend hours meandering through limestone churches, palaces, monasteries, and houses balanced on the ravine’s edge. Matera is also a capital of culture as there are several museums that are worth a stop.

Alberobello

Alberobello became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. As one of the best-hidden gems in Italy, Alberobello is truly unique due to its remarkable drywall construction, conical-roofed homes, and ancient buildings. These features give this small town in Puglia, Italy a magical, fairytale vibe.

If you have an opportunity to discover this quirky town, don’t forget to stop at the Trullo Sovrano museum, Sant’Antonio Church, and Casa d’amore historical site. Also , be sure to enjoy a local lunch of classic traditional Southern Italian food at one of the famous family-owned restaurants.

Civita di Bagnoregio

Civita di Bagnoregio was once a dying town perched on volcanic rocks in Italy’s Lazio region. However, tourism is thriving in this tiny town nowadays thanks to smart initiatives by the town’s mayor . Civita di Bagnoregio is a well-preserved medieval village where you can enjoy uninterrupted silence, peace, and awe-inspiring surroundings. 

Venturing down to alleys, you can enjoy picturesque and breathtaking views and find plenty of opportunities for photos. This is one of those places where every turn is post-card worthy.

San Fruttuoso

San Fruttuoso is a must-see spot on the Italian Riviera. With crystal clear waters and a dream-like beauty, this tiny beach town looks like a mix between Camogli and Portofino. After arriving by boat, you can take a stroll along the pebbled sand, visit the church, and enjoy the sight of wooden artifacts. Without a doubt, San Fruttuoso is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy.

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre, located on the western coast of Italy, is a colorful group of towns on the Mediterranean Sea. This area comprises of a vast terraced agricultural land and five small beautiful towns that are home to about 4,000 inhabitants.

The laid-back lifestyle, dramatic scenery, and breathtaking but rugged landscape of Italy’s Cinque Terre have made this small attraction unique and outstanding. It is not surprising that it lures millions of tourists each year, many of whom return again and again.

If you have ever cried because of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare’s story, you should stop in the town of Verona. As the setting of the famous story, Verona is home to the balcony where Romeo kissed the beautiful girl named Juliet one fateful night.

Verona is also home to a famous 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater where opera performances take place in the summer. After experiencing a performance of opera, be sure to head to is the historic center, Centro Storico, where you can explore the main sights of the city, like Juliette’s house, wide piazzas, and churches. Other points of interest in Verona include the Ponte Pietra Bridge, Piazzale Castel San Pietro, the Gothic church, and the Roman gate.

Ravello is an ideal destination for someone who is looking for a quiet and peaceful experience. This scenic seaside hilltop makes every tourist mesmerized with the sherbet-colored houses, colorful groves, dense vineyards, and magnificent view of the Salerno Bay. No wonder people called this place “a piece of the most beautiful paradise on earth” as it features a mix of Italian charm, great Mediterranean food, and seaside relaxation.

A visit to the medieval city of Siena will take you through a  journey that mixes the past and present. It is also a place where you can enjoy the Palio horse race during the summer with beautiful bright colors, banners, and participants wearing ornate medieval costumes.

This walled hilltop city is also famous for magnificent Renaissance and Gothic palaces where you can discover well-preserved medieval history. Exploring the history and architecture of Siena will make your trip to Italy more meaningful and complete.

So do you have any ideas for your next visit to Italy? If you know any hidden gems in Italy beyond the list of attractions I have chosen, feel free to leave them in the comments.

About the author

Emily Pham was born in Vietnam – a country with many unknown beaches, historic sites, and tourist attractions. Understanding that Vietnam nowadays is a famous destination, she established the blog vina.com with the purpose of introducing the elegant beauty of Vietnam to friends around the world. If you are planning a trip to Vietnam, the blog will provide you with essential information on where to go and what to do in the country.

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Somto Ugwueze

Hi! I'm Somto. Two years ago, I stopped making excuses, ditched my indecisive friends, and started booking flights. Today, I'm a full-time solo traveler on a mission to inspire young women to seek new adventures.

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Reader Interactions

November 20, 2019 at 1:19 am

Dear Somto, thanks for the great tips! Just one more suggestion to add to the list: Tivoli, about 45 min from Rome and home to Villa D’Este. Exceptionally beautiful in the spring.

January 6, 2020 at 2:18 pm

Awesome! Thanks for the suggestion. Tivoli looks beautiful 😉

December 13, 2019 at 8:59 am

So beautiful destinations! This year I visited Lake Garda and Verona during one trip. It was amazing! Previously I also visited Lake Como and totally loved it! I especially liked Varenna, a small town on Lake Como, perfect for travel as a couple. And on Lake Garda, I visited Sirmione, a small charming peninsula on the Southern shore. Maria Callas used to spend summer vacations there. From your list I especially liked Ravello, the picture and description are so tempting! It’s not so far away from Napoli, which I wish to be my next travel destination, so I definitely must visit Ravello as well. Thanks for this post Somto! 🙂

January 6, 2020 at 2:21 pm

Hi Dominika, I’m glad you enjoyed the post! I haven’t spent much time in Northern Italy, but it’s on my list. Lake Como and Lake Garda are on my list. I spent some time in Positano, but didn’t get a chance to go to Ravello. It’s on my list as well!

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Who Is Somto Seeks?

Hi there, I’m Somtochukwu. Can you try pronouncing that? I've always gone by Somto (Sohm-toe). I'm a child of Nigerian immigrants who decided to pursue her dream of living an extraordinary life. In 2015, I chose faith over fear, packing my bags and moving to Spain with $1,000 in my pocket. This was after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that caused me to develop a giant bald patch in the middle of my scalp. Living in Spain and traveling around Europe for a year changed my life forever, allowing me to discover the freedom of solo travel and the freedom of working from anywhere. Today, I’m a full-time travel writer whose mission is to help you navigate this big, beautiful world with confidence and have those omg-pinch-me-moments you’ll remember for a lifetime.

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10 Most Underrated Destinations in Italy

Italy is one of the world’s most popular travel destinations. However, many visitors spend most or all of their time visiting the major attractions within the country. The historical landmarks in Rome and Florence are undeniably remarkable, but Italy has a lot more to offer. Veering just a little off the beaten track can deliver spectacular rewards.

Try local prosciutto in Parma, see the baroque buildings in Lecce and relax on the beach in Cefalu. All of these experiences are possible when you explore some of the underrated destinations in Italy. Pack your itinerary with as many of these highlights as your schedule will allow.

10. Trieste [SEE MAP]

The city of Trieste was once considered to be a hub of politics and culture. Today, it is overshadowed by larger cities, but it is still an underrated and fascinating destination in Italy. Located on the border with Slovenia, and situated right on the water, Trieste has a culture that is all its own.

Be prepared for quadrilingual residents and a very sophisticated, cosmopolitan atmosphere. Trieste is home to a mostly pedestrian old town called the Città Vecchia, which features winding cobblestone streets and plenty of medieval homes. You’ll also want to explore the Austrian Quarter and the 2,000-year-old Roman Theater.

9. Turin [SEE MAP]

A large city of about one million inhabitants, Turin was the first capital of modern Italy. It is less than an hour’s drive from the Mediterranean Sea, an hour’s drive from the French border, and it is even home to the former royal family.

Sprawling tree-lined boulevards set the scene, and you could spend several days admiring the vast collection of baroque churches and castles. Piazza Castello is largely considered the heart of the city, and it is just a short stroll from the plaza to the Porta Palazzo Market. The market is a bustling spot where you can buy everything from antiques to food.

8. Ragusa [SEE MAP]

Ragusa is an incredible destination on the island of Sicily. It can be divided into two major sections: Ragusa Superior and Ragusa Ibla. Ragusa Superior is the newer part of the city, while Ragusa Ibla is where most visitors head in order to admire the historic architecture.

Although the city has struck by an earthquake in the 17th century, many buildings were restored or rebuilt using the original materials. Be sure to check out the beautiful Duomo and the baroque Palazzo Bernini. Then, stroll across the Ponte Vecchio, built in 1825, to cross between the two sections of Ragusa in style.

7. Parma [SEE MAP]

The region known as Emilia-Romagna is home to Parma, a small city that is easy to traverse on foot. While Parma has plenty to offer for anyone, it is a must-visit spot for foodies. You’re probably already familiar with Parma’s most famous exports, but they will certainly taste best right from the source.

You can spot cows grazing right out of the city, and then see Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese being made from their milk. Dig into the salty cured ham known as Prosciutto di Parma, and pair with a glass of the sparkling local red wine called Lambrusco.

6. Perugia [SEE MAP]

Head to the center of Italy, and you’ll arrive at Perugia . Home to a large university, this Umbrian city boasts a diverse, educated and youthful population. It’s known for its medieval art and its chocolate production, which makes it an obvious place to explore!

While the architecture in Perugia is impressive, even more spectacular is what’s underneath. Walk through the remains of a fortress called Rocca Paolina, and you can actually walk right underneath the heart of the city. Above ground, make your way to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, which stands right next to the 13th century Gothic-style Palazzo dei Priori, or Town Hall.

5. Cefalu [SEE MAP]

The coastal resort of Cefalu, located on the northern shores of Sicily, was once little more than a small fishing village. While fisherman still haul in their catches each day, Cefalu is now a bustling resort with plenty to offer visitors.

If you make it to Sicily, Cefalu is the perfect place to get active outdoors and soak up the sun. Climb The Rock, or La Rocca, for a brief hike that promises spectacular views over Cefalu. Take a dip in the sea at the beach, and then catch sunset at the harbor before an oceanfront Italian dinner.

4. Urbino [SEE MAP]

There are many destinations in Italy packed with Renaissance culture and architecture, but Urbino still stands out as one of the most significant. It is home to one of the largest medieval palaces in Italy, called Ducal Palace. This so-called Duke’s Palace is open for public tours, and it is also home to the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, an art museum filled with Renaissance works.

Continue your art adventures by visiting Raphael’s House, where the famed Renaissance painter Raphael was born and raised. In addition to the magnificent art in the city, Urbino is home to fantastic nightlife.

3. Sardinia [SEE MAP]

Anchored between the Italian peninsula and North Africa’s coastline, Sardinia has been home to a succession of civilizations, many of which have left their mark on the second largest island in Italy.

From prehistoric stone structures to medieval castles and churches, visitors interested in history, architecture and culture won’t be disappointed. The capital of Cagliari is home to an impressive archaeology museum as well as the Bastione di Saint Remy, which boasts amazing views.

In the medieval town of Alghero, don’t miss the historic Palazzo d’Albis. With its quintessential Mediterranean beauty, the island is also loved for swimming, boating, windsurfing, hiking and camping in the wilderness.

2. Lecce [SEE MAP]

Lecce may be one of the most underrated destinations in Italy. Known as the Florence of the South, Lecce is full of baroque buildings and cultural attractions. Start your sightseeing in the Piazza S. Oronzo, a medieval plaza that is the hub for city residents. Then, walk over to the baroque cathedral, which you can enter and explore on your own.

Walk through the city’s famed 16th century arch called Porta Napoli, and then find one of the many bakeries in the Lecce. If you only eat one thing in Lecce , make sure it is the pasticciotto cake. This cake is sweet and rich, but it is still easy to eat as you walk through the streets.

1. Genoa [SEE MAP]

The birthplace of Christopher Columbus, Genoa has always played a big role in Italian maritime trade and is still one of the largest ports in Italy. Though Genoa is often overlooked as a tourist destination, it is a wonderful Italian city, and definitely worth visiting.

The aquarium in Genoa is the largest in Europe, and it is perhaps the most popular tourist attraction in the city. If you gravitate more towards art and architecture, then the art galleries found at the Prince’s Palace and in the Raccolte Frugone are well worth a visit.

Foodies love Genoa, and it is easy to see why. Pesto originated from Genoa, and the affordable flat-bread called focaccia is also delicious and readily available throughout the city.

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April 22, 2019 at 4:37 am

In Lecce do not miss Santa Croce – the stunning baroque facade.

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22 Underrated Tourist Destinations In Italy

A country that is high on the wish list of travelers the world over, Italy is a scintillating destination. What's not to love about this European nation, shaped, for anyone that has an overactive imagination, like a thigh-high boot that appears to be kicking a slice of something vaguely triangular (that's the island of Italian Sicily, but the way)? Tons of people feel that way, and, pre-pandemic, Italy was welcoming more than 50 million international tourists per year. This is where to find delectable food from north to south, beautiful rolling countryside with fresh produce and exquisite wines, beaches that will make your heart melt, incredible history that is still represented in living structures, fabulous artistic works in world-renowned museums, striking architecture that represents centuries of achievement, and a vibrant sense of living life for simple pleasures. 

Italy is a place to visit any time of the year, and many travelers that come here will descend on a few tried-and-tested places that can't be missed. There's Rome, with its Colosseum, iconic fountains and monuments, and grand stature as the core of a former empire. Florence is where to linger over incredible art and picturesque bridges, while Venice appears like some fantasy land torn from the pages of a fiction book, with homes straddling canals and roads nowhere to be seen. Yet, for every sure-fire hit in Italy, there exist plenty of other places off the tourist radar that still promise an amazing experience.

Alberobello

Any visitors who want to feel as though they have entered another dimension should plan to drop by this small town on the heel of Italy's boot, in the country's southeast. Here, the houses have distinctive cone-shaped roofs and almost appear lifted from the medieval hamlet, or some epic Middle Ages tome where the homes are inhabited by a tribe of compact, yet noble, warriors that will proudly, heroically defend their town against all enemy forces. The houses have blindingly white bases but it is their roofs that stand out, conical and sharply pitched, like a Hershey's Kiss, and covered in tiles. 

While the houses look almost museum-like in their form, preserved for centuries this way, they are very much living abodes, where the townspeople reside. Known as "trulli" (the plural of "trullo"), these homes are made of chunky limestone blocks from the surrounding area, and use an ancient building scheme in their assembly. Such is the historic significance of this architectural wonder, the buildings are on the UNESCO World Heritage site list.

Ascoli Piceno

This town is located about three hours northeast of Rome. While visiting here, you'll see what is most remarkable about Ascoli Piceno are its beautiful travertine buildings — solid, sun-baked, and stoic. Wander around the town and you will find gorgeous piazzas where locals flock for a sip of coffee or a chance to catch up, and look up at the ancient churches that speak to the destination's rich background. This was a Roman stronghold more than 2,000 years ago, known back then as Asculum, though more recently it was notable as a key base of resistance against the Germans in World War II. 

One sight that can't be missed is the Palazzo dei Capitani del Popolo, set on the edge of the equally hypnotic Piazza del Popolo. The complex brought together three medieval edifices and was formed as a forum to represent the townspeople, though it subsequently burned down and was reconstructed in the mid-1500s, with statues, courtyards, internal false ceilings, and a soaring central tower. Elsewhere, travelers will delight in the bridges, forts, cathedrals, and churches all around, as well as gourmet specialties like local stuffed olives.

Bassano del Grappa

Not far from Venice, only an hour's drive from its airport, this town is famous for a drink that appears in its name. Made from the less desirable parts of a grape — stems, seeds, skins — that serve no purpose in the process of making wine, grappa originates from grapes that grow in Italy. It's a powerful spirit, but still very popular in households around the country, a great aperitif or digestif at dinner. The town has a healthy population, approximately 40,000 inhabitants, and lies between grand plains and the foothills of the Alps. The architecture here reflects the location, with the sorts of arcades that are commonplace in this region mixing with wooden balconies that are a hallmark of the Alpine vernacular. 

Visits here will typically stop at the Ponte degli Alpini, a picturesque covered bridge that spans the Brenta river, and was designed by legendary Italian architect Andrea Palladio. At one end of the bridge, a small museum looks at the military history of the area, with photographs and items from World War I, and World War II, while the nearby Museo della Grappa offers visitors an insight into the potent libation.

This village in the mountains, in the northern part of the country as it extends toward Austria and Switzerland, has all the Alpine charm that one would expect. Located in the Alto Adige region of Italy, it's populated with sturdy houses dotted around hilly streets, but what sets it apart from a typical mountain village is the proliferation of art, specifically murals. Walking around Balbido is like wandering about an open-air art museum, not just for the uniquely preserved homes here, but the wealth of painted walls. 

Saunter round the streets and you will see portrayals of everyday scenes that resonate with the residents of the village — a depiction of a man carrying logs on his back, an ox strolling on a field, workers toiling in fields, men on horseback tearing through open countryside, and other, more abstract artwork that is no less thrilling. The overall experience is incredibly unexpected and immensely rewarding.

It might only take an hour to get from Milan to Bergamo, but the sensibilities between this delightful town and Italy's center of fashion and finance are wildly different. Bergamo is split into two parts, the upper and lower town, or the Città Alta and Città Bassa. To get to the higher part, travelers can board a funicular that climbs a slope in excess of 50 degrees, and that is more than a century old, a refreshingly anachronistic way to get around the city. The upper town is enclosed by sturdy, high Venetian walls, great ramparts for strolling, especially at sunset, and is where to find the pretty main square Piazza Vecchia, the city's pulsing core with its iconic fountain. 

This is also where to find the historic Angelo Mai Library, the tower known as Campanone, which offers spectacular city views, and the dazzling Palazzo Nuovo and Palazzo Vecchio. The lower part of Bergamo is charming, with fine vistas of the upper part, pretty Art Nouveau architecture, and access to the Alta Via delle Grazie walking path, that heads out toward mountains and lakes.

Standing in Piazza Maggiore, a key square in the heart of the old part of this northern Italian city, visitors might feel like they have traveled back in time. All around, medieval buildings present themselves, and combined with the city's vast web of porticoed streets — thoroughfares where the sidewalks sit under colonnades, offering shade and respite in all weather conditions — a deep sense of history pervades any walk around town. These porticoes are of such cultural significance that they appear on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and they will be a constant presence on any expedition around town. 

Visitors will encounter museums that look at the region's archaeological and medieval past, or fine shrines such as the 14th-century Basilica di San Giacomo Maggiore, which mixes Gothic, Renaissance, and Romanesque influences. The university here is also the oldest on the continent, adding more prestige to the city, while the canals that add visual disruption to the cityscape, date to the 12th century.

This pretty town is especially alluring during the colder months, when snow-capped hills and mountains supply a picturesque backdrop. Located southeast of Turin, it sits among the Roero hills, and has a past strongly entwined with the Roman Empire. It's certainly an enjoyable place to wander, with Baroque architecture visible throughout the town's streets and squares, including on the front of the town hall, and the ornate Church of Santa Chiara. 

Another notable building sits high up, on the Monte Guglielmo, the tallest peak of Bra, and is shaped as an octagon with a circular tower on top. Though it might look like the house of an Italian noble, this is actually La Zizzola — House of Braidesi, one of the newest museums in Bra, with a focus on exploring and explaining the past of this alluring town and the area beyond. Bra also plays an important role in the country's food scene, and was the host, in 1997, of Cheese, the first dairy products fair that was staged by the globally famous Slow Food movement. Cheese continues to be celebrated here, with an annual festival on the food now part of Bra's regular calendar.

At the bottom part of Sardinia, a sizeable Italian island that sits in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Cagliari is an amazingly atmospheric town. The first stop here tends to be the Castello, one of the sections of the town, a citadel that sits up on a hill and represents the medieval era preserved to stunning effect. Come here and you will see buildings that look like might crumble, tight alleys where clothes hang out to dry from window rods, or pretty planters that add splashes of greenery, while palaces round out the experience. 

Two watchtowers are not to be missed, constructed in the 14th century and sometimes open for visits — the views from them are magnificent. Also worth dropping by is the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari, an incredible repository of historic treasures, with some astounding stone carvings on display. The city's past is also evident in the Roman amphitheater here, built more than 1,7000 years ago. Cut into the rocky slopes on the side of a hill, it was where gladiators fought back in the day.

Brightly painted buildings stand out along the waterfront of this town that's not far from Portofino, the quaint fishing village that has become a chic seaside getaway. It's an arresting, visually exciting sight, to see the vibrant serenade of tall, tightly packed edifices lining the seafront, huddling around beaches that also fill handsomely during the summer months. Camogli is a village with a strong tradition in the art of clothing production, with weaving, dying of textiles, and the meticulous discipline of creating yarn all commonplace fields of employment. 

Wander around the streets and you will notice a wealth of trompe l'oeil building faces, painted schemes that sometimes recreate pedestals and window shutters. One of the most outstanding places to see is the Basilica Minore di Santa Maria Assunta, located right on the water and next to the port area. What makes it unique is its facade, curving and cutting, all angles and geometry with a soaring tower that is one of Camogli's defining images. As fascinating, Dragonara Castle dates from medieval times and served as a coastal defense outpost.

On the north coast of Sicily, and east of its main town Palermo, the village is dominated by a giant cliff. Known by a number of names over the centuries, it is a destination where the mammoth rock can't be escaped. Rising hundreds of feet into the air, it was home to an ancient temple and today it looms over Cefalù like a sentry. 

Of the manmade attractions here, few compare to the Duomo, the imposing cathedral with twin towers that looks robust enough to double up as a military outpost. The interiors are mouth-watering in their execution, with a huge mosaic of Christ, soaring columns, and intricate stone carvings throughout. Medieval buildings in the village also attest to its long history, and the Palazzo Maria makes for a fantastic photo subject, while Islamic influences in the architecture here are plain to see. There is also plenty of Baroque workmanship, especially around the town's center, which radiates out to streets and squares. And eagle-eyed fans of the show "White Lotus" might recognize the town's beach for scenes that were shot here.

This pretty beach town sits on the edge of a craggy peninsula and is an easy getaway from Rome, reached by car in two hours from the Italian capital. The center of the town certainly has a historic feel to it, with oodles of medieval architecture. Fans of religious buildings are in for a treat, with a healthy assortment of churches here, and the variety among their influences makes each one a visual feast — some showcase the Gothic era, others are notable for the Baroque, Arab, and even French characteristics. 

But a visit here isn't all about the buildings, and travelers will be able to find comfort at some of the town's sumptuous beaches. The largest, and most popular, is Serapo, a broad slash of sand, and deep as well so there is space to unwind. For more natural delights, take some time to explore Parco Naturale Monte Orlando, at the top of the headland with hiking trails and fine water views.

Sitting on the southeastern flank of Lake Como, this town is as much about the water in front as the hills behind it, part of the Orobie mountains. The village has fine Neoclassical architecture throughout and is a beautiful spot to walk around, not just for the buildings, but the setting by the lake. In an earlier incarnation, the village served as a fortified bastion that helped to protect trade routes, and that role is evident on the Azzone Visconti Bridge, a muscular span from the 1300s built with eight arches, and bookended by towers from which troops could defend the bridge. 

Look for the chapel on it, not something that you typically see on a bridge. Another vestige of the Visconti family is the Torre Viscontea, in old Lecco, the only part of a powerful castle with defensive structures that still remains. And for travelers that need to stretch their legs more, hiking in the hills on the outskirts of Lecco is world-class.

One of the Aeolian islands, a strand of isles north of Sicily, Lipari offers a heady mix of culture and relaxation in a beautifully bundled package. The easiest way to get here is by ferry from Sicily, though there are longer ferry rides directly from ports on the mainland. Though the island isn't huge, the best method for exploration is via a scooter — the Aeolian islands are volcanic, and its slopes can be taxing on the legs. 

To get a good sense of the area, head up to Chiesa Vecchia (or Old Church) in the Quattropani part of the island, from where the views are inspiring; you'll see other nearby islands of Filicudi, Panarea, and Stromboli, and the sunsets are to die for. Hikers will also enjoy striking vistas from the top of Monte Chirica, the highest point of Lipari. Be sure to stop at the churches sprinkled around the island, and the Castello di Lipari, where the Bernabò Brea Museum is a gem of archaeological illumination, with Greek artifacts on display. Of the many fabulous beaches, Spiaggia Bianca stands out for the blinding white sand and pumice that contrast with the clear turquoise sea.

This charming Amalfi Coast town may not be as famous at Positano or Ravello, but is equally appealing. Many years ago, the town was called Rheginna Minor, and the name has since evolved to its current moniker. Much like the other Amalfi towns, the most rewarding aspect of a visit is to simply drink in the atmosphere of being on the southern Italian coast, with the fragrant sea air suffusing the experience with a sense of escape. Minori has a lovely core, and even if it has a strong tourism pull, it manages to retain the feel of a fishing village, from the small cottages around town to the narrow, bright lanes. 

The Villa Marittima Roma, tucked into the heart of town, is almost 2,000 years old, a grand home that was used as a summer residence of a Roman noble. The Amalfi Coast is known for its citrus, and Il Sentiero dei Limoni, which translates to the Lemon Path, is a walking track from Minor to neighboring villages, where lemon trees are abundant along the way, and the views of the coast will stick in your memory long after you've left.

Sometimes also known as Lake Misurina, this town in the Dolomites sits next to a small lake and promises visitors beautiful clean air and great hiking nearby. It's a popular winter spot, partly because of its proximity to the skiing haunt Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of the best ski destinations in the world, and also draws Austrians thanks to its proximity to the border with Austria. Some come here for a truly restorative vacation, with the low humidity and crisp atmosphere acting as salves to energize the spirit. The village itself is tiny, in essence, one main road that hugs the lakeshore, with a few smaller roads branching off it, but its Lilliputian stature ensures that visitors get out and about in the surrounding countryside. 

Mountain hiking can be both easy and challenging, with some routes featuring "vie ferrate" (steep trails where cables, ropes, and ladders help hikers navigate the trickier sections), and information boards on some walks describe the area's significance during the sorties and battles of World War II. Misurina is a great jumping-off point for the hike around Tre Cime di Lavaredo, one of the most famous walks in the Dolomites, with three giant shards of rock that erupt from the ground like giant jagged teeth.

Monte Argentario

Tuscany isn't all rolling hills and beautiful pastoral landscapes, as evidenced by this coastal peninsula that is south of Florence and northwest of Rome. On a map, it looks a little unnatural, like a blob tethered to the mainland by a few slim strips of land, but in reality, this is a gorgeous part of the country. Visitors will extol the fine beaches all around the headland, with plenty of places to swim, as well as tucked-away coves that create sublime marine hideaways. A couple of the towns here pull in most of the travelers. 

Porto Santo Stefano, on the northern part of Monte Argentario, has a fine promenade that is a great place for a seaside stroll, and the Fortezza Spagnola (translating to "Spanish Fortress") is a former historic defense armament that now hosts exhibitions. On the southern coast, Porto Ercole is a charming village with tight, winding alleys and the striking Sant'Erasmo church, with Baroque exteriors and a history that reaches back more than 1,500 years. For some relaxation, head to Feniglia, a beach that extends many miles and that connects Monte Argentario to the mainland.

Southern Italy's main city is a chaotic, noisy, wildly energetic place, and recently, that sense of buzz increased when the city's soccer team won the top Italian division title this year for the first time in three decades. Of course, many travelers will know of the city's incredible pizzas — Neapolitan pies are famous the world over — but the city is also revered among Italians for the best coffee in the country, often created in a small metal contraption that looks like an odd teapot. 

Naples might not have the prim, polished look of other cities in the country that lure tourists, but its narrow alleys and sense of urban decay give it a sense of realism and grit that is both refreshing and appealing. Of course, there are also sights to see here, such as the Duomo di Napoli, a grand structure that showcases Gothic influences, and the Castel Sant'Elmo, a hilltop fort that is more than six hundred years old, and that offers up impressive views across the city and beyond.

West of Naples in the Tyrrhenian Sea, this volcanic island, part of the Pontine archipelago, is a great getaway. The first impression is certainly warming to the spirit, with houses daubed in pinks, blues, and reds, and whites sitting near the port, a tableau that defines this as a pretty island escape. The main town certainly has its share of history running through its lanes and alleys, but the urban part quickly cedes to nature, with donkey tracks radiating out from it and into the surrounding countryside and hilly island core. 

Ponza recurs in the mythological stories, including that of Ulysses, and it's been a dominion of Greeks, Romans, and Etruscans, with ancient ruins dotted around its terrain. What draws many visitors is the surfeit of nature, from forested interiors to mysterious caves, from gorgeous curls of beach to sultry, clear turquoise seas. Be sure to spend time at Chaia di Luna, a crescent beach backed by sheer white cliffs, a sight for the ages (and your Instagram feed).

A small island in the Bay of Naples, this charming destination is far less famous than chic Capri, which sits a short distance to the southeast. Procida has a few different sections of interest to a visitor, including an old historic center, a part that is a classic fishing village, and a port. The heart of the island is Piazza Olmo, a central square where lanes branch off, like spokes on a wheel, and from here any point on the island is a short walk away. 

The island's many charms haven't been lost on the country's film industry, and Procida plays hosts to movie and TV crews regularly — a defining scene of the film "Il Postino" takes place on Pozzo Vecchio beach here, a cove of turquoise water backed by high cliffs. For some classic seafront imagery, travelers can wind their way to Marina Corricella, a fishing village where tight alleys, fishing boats, and large nets drying on the docks appear as they have for many centuries.

This old Tuscan village set between Florence and Rome truly inhabits its surroundings — it is built into the rocky landscape. A town that was an important center in the Etruscan period, and, at times, that still feels as though it resides in that era, it is set high up on cliffs, and molded into the natural sediment, with paths that run through quarries. At some point in its history, the village played a strategic defensive role, and ramparts are evidence of such a past, with access into the town via defensive gates. 

These entryways, known as Porta di Sopra and Porta dei Merli, allow visitors to eventually get to the Palazzo Orsini, an impregnable stronghold that withstood advances from the Papal state. Today the fort is open for visitors and is home to an old castle and a museum that traces its rich history. One sight not to miss is the Vie Cave, a web of trails, many above ground but others that are subterranean, used by locals to navigate the area without detection.

Fans of the Italian dessert tiramisù can order a portion here and pay homage to it while taking mouthfuls — it is believed that the sweet treat was invented here. This town on the banks of the river Sile and by the Buranelli Canal, not far from Venice which sits to the south, has fine aged architecture and a pretty waterside setting. This is a great destination for visitors that like to just wander and soak in the atmosphere, and Treviso has lovely gardens and walking arcades, as well as a main drag Via Calmaggiore filled with old-style delicatessens. 

One of the most historic buildings here is the Palazzo dei Trecento, more than 700 years old, and the former seat of local government. Another quintessential stop worth making in this simple, charming destination, is the Pescheria, or fish market, close to the water and a vibrant hub that thrums with the life of commerce.

One of the most famous architects of all time, and whose name is synonymous with a specific type of building design, Andrea Palladio lived from 1508-1580, spending his final years in this town not far west of Venice. While his work is revered throughout the globe, with plenty of examples of it around the country — and there are many imitators of his style dotted around the planet — this town has an amazing wealth of structures designed by him. 

Among the highlights is the Palazzo Iseppo da Porta, designed for a friend of his and notable for its grand facade, split into three parts, and one of his most iconic buildings, the Villa Almerico-Capra, often referred to as Villa La Rotonda, a building that has no obvious front because all four sides are considered facades, a masterpiece of design and creativity. The city even has a walking tour so devotees of this Italian great can plot a route to take in some of his masterpieces.

12 Incredible Underrated Places In Italy

Looking for the best underrated places in Italy ? Italy is filled with so much history, beauty, romance, and, well, great food that many of its towns, cities, and coastlines have been stamped boldly on the tourist map.

However, some areas of the country, like Rome, Cinque Terre, and Lake Garda have become so favored that we have forgotten to look beyond them at the other incredible destinations it has to offer.

In this article, we bring those places into the limelight. We explore Matera, the world’s third oldest city built on an ancient cave system; Trieste, an autonomous city in Italy that doesn’t believe itself to be Italian at all; Bologna, the country’s foodie capital, and much more.

Read on to uncover more of Italy’s ‘hidden gems’, and see what you might be missing out on.

Incredible Underrated Places In Italy

A mere 35 kilometers east of Rome, the prosperous small town of Tivoli impresses with its grand architecture and stunning gardens from ancient Rome to the Renaissance and beyond. Villa Adriana is a 120 hectare Roman complex brimming with ancient yet magnificently preserved structures that give incredible insight into the life of its owner, Roman Emperor Hadrien.

Meanwhile, the 16th century Villa d’Este Palace & Gardens offers an incomparable example of the romanticism of Italy’s traditional architecture and landscaping. Walking through the hilltop town, you’ll happen upon many other delights such as the Rocca Pia fortress and Temple of Vesta, but the best surprise is Villa Gregoriana, a whimsical garden complex with winding paths and hidden grottos. 

Alberobello

Each of Alberobello’s streets is lined with round sugar lump-like white cottages topped with grey cone-shaped roofs, otherwise known as trulli, and whether you’re visiting the local grocery store or a luxury boutique hotel, each trulli looks equally unassuming from the outside.

There’s over 1,500 trulli altogether, creating a unique landscape from above that seems like a more fitting home for fairies and elves than for humans upon first glance, yet a handful of Italians actually do call Alberobello their home.

Although there’s nowhere else in the world like Alberobello, it hasn’t long been on Italy’s tourist trail because it’s located on the heel of Italy, far from the usual spots in the north and west, making it an even more enjoyable place to visit. 

Said to be the world’s third oldest city, Matera is crumbling, well-worn, and has certainly had its fair share of famine, disease and poverty. Yet while its ancient district, Sassi, was abandoned in the 1950’s for its diabolical living conditions, by the 80’s (once the disease had been eradicated) it became a point of interest for those same reasons.

The Sassi district was carved out of the rock upon which the rest of the city is now built, and still today its underground houses are kept just as they were when abandoned now over 70 years ago. Across the Gravina River, the Park of the Rock Churches, a cluster of ancient religious cave dwellings featuring original alters and frescoes, looks like an untouched rockface by day, but by night over 150 caves are lit by candlelight, allowing the hill to glow brightly.

Italy’s Amalfi Coast is dominated by the pretty yet pricey spots like Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi, but there’s much more to this sunshine spot than that. Amalfi’s resort town, Ravello, often flies under the radar because it sits back from the coast, 365 meters above sea level, which may seem like a disadvantage at first, until you realize it offers the best sea views on the coast.

Ravello also has excellent shops, restaurants, hotels, and road access, along with the benefit of a sense of quietude that can’t be found in neighboring towns. Perhaps the most alluring thing about Ravello, however, is the 13th century Villa Rufolo and its magnificent landscaped gardens that offer a stunning extension to the already breathtaking views over the ocean. 

Trieste 

On the Adriatic Coast in the far northeastern corner of Italy, surrounded almost entirely by the Slovenian border, Trieste is a port city that has often described itself as a world of its own, independent of Italy. Perhaps this is why it became a magnet for some of the most notable names in modern literature, including James Joyce and Italo Svevo, who wanted to escape from the distractions of the outside world and write thoughtfully.

From quotations written on walls to statues in piazzas, Trieste’s literary residents are honored throughout the Habsburg-era city defined by its palace-like facades. Yet there’s a rustic side to the city, where quaint streets like Via Torino and Canal Grande are populated with local seafood restaurants, quiet Austrian-style cafes, and market stalls.

Part of the Italian Lakes Region, Lake Iseo is the little sister of the more visited Lake Como, yet despite its size, it offers equal servings of northern Italian charm come summer or winter. Verdant mountains rise steeply from the lake, offering that rare alone-in-the-world feeling that we all sometimes crave.

A number of quaint towns and villages are stacked against the hill, all of which are laden with elegant hotels and restaurants, romantic 20th century villas, and quaint harbors which offer water taxis from one town to another, but Sulzano and San Malasino are amongst the best.

You can even stay on Monte Isola, a tall mountain island in the center of the lake with quiet lanes, pastel-colored homes, and of course, excellent views of the surrounding mountains. 

As the food capital of Italy, Bologna is a city not to be missed by those on a pasta pilgrimage. Many of the country’s most-loved foods, like lasagna and tortellini, were invented in Bologna’s kitchens, and nowhere do they taste better.

Unsurprisingly, the surrounding area is sprinkled with a generous pinch of Michelin-star restaurants, including Osteria Francescana, voted first place in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. The city also has a youthful reputation, despite its historical façade, as it’s home to thousands of students who attend the local university (the oldest university in Europe), giving it that cool, creative edge that you don’t get in Italy’s more touristic cities like Rome or Florence.

Sicily’s coast is studded with traditional fishing towns and villages offering a quiet respite from the tourist hubs, but Cefalù is one of the prettiest of them all. Within an hours’ reach from Palermo, Cefalù is a great spot from which to explore the city, without having to compromise on the option of peace and tranquility — and with Parco delle Madonie on its doorstep too, you can easily get lost in the natural beauty of Sicily’s unique landscape.

From the Piazza Duomo to Piazza Garibaldi and the Old Harbour, every bit of this medieval beach town oozes the kind of southern Italian charm that stole our hearts in The Godfather trilogy.

Ascoli Piceno

Marche is one of the most underrated regions of Italy, defined by its turquoise Adriatic coastline, the valleys of Monti Sibillini National Park, and the beautiful towns and villages steeped in medieval and Roman history. Ascoli Piceno is one of such towns, perfectly positioned between the coast and the national park, offering the best of both worlds for those who want to make the most of what Marche has to offer.

Many Roman ruins remain dotted throughout the town, including a beautiful amphitheater and temple, but most of the town’s structures today nod to its medieval past, something that can’t be disputed when you see its striking tower-filled skyline, dubbing Ascoli the ‘city of a hundred towers’.

Verona is the setting where the tragically romantic love affair between Romeo and Juliet took place, and you can even visit the famous balcony of Juliet’s house, which is now a small Renaissance costume museum. However, there’s so much more to this hopelessly romantic city than its association with a Shakespeare play.

Although Rome’s amphitheater is the biggest in the world, Verona’s isn’t far behind at number three, and whilst almost 2000 years ago it would have held gladiator fights, today it hosts Italy’s current favorite pastime — the Arena Opera Festival. Verona also has its own Roman theatre, as well as a medieval fortified castle, and charming piazzas serving up historical beauty and good food in equal measure.

Italy enjoys a favorable selection of ski towns and resorts thanks to the Dolomites which dominate its northern border, but there’s a few select towns and resorts that seem to steal all the limelight from other, equally worthwhile destinations.

Bormio is one of Italy’s most underrated ski resorts as, not only does it have excellent trails for both beginners and intermediates, it is home to Italy’s biggest summit-to-base run, which involves a finger-tingling 1,787 meter vertical drop.

But that’s not the only trump card Bormio holds; the town also sits on one of the country’s few natural hot springs, and there are three spas featuring outdoor thermal pools that allow you to ease your sore post-ski muscles surrounded by the magic of the snow-peaked mountains.

Overshadowed by the flashy architectural delights in neighboring Florence and Pisa, Siena doesn’t often get the props it deserves. The modest-looking medieval city may not have the ornate palaces and cathedrals that its rivals boast, but that’s not to say it doesn’t have the charm. Besides, Siena offers something neither of its rivals can; a sense of place and community.

While it’s somewhat popular with tourists, Siena still feels very much like you’ve entered a locals-only place that has no connection in the outside world.

Perhaps it’s to do with the fact you enter the city through a gate in the 14th century surrounding wall, or that you walk amongst narrow cobbled streets and down secret alleys marked with coats of arms, or that you’re high up on a hilltop overlooking the rambling Tuscan hills.

Whatever it is, Siena is a special place that you’ll wish you’d spent more time in.

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About the Author: Emily Draper

Originally from the UK, Emily Draper has lived in Chile, with an Amazonian tribe in Peru, in a Wisconsin trailer park, and on a boat in the Mediterranean Sea. Considering herself, and the rest of us, as global citizens, Emily’s mission as a writer and journalist is to expand global consciousness of the fundamental importance of travel, culture, and diversity.

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Italy is crammed full of wonderful places — remnants of an ancient empire in Rome, serene Venetian canals, and Renaissance art in Florence . But if you hope to discover an Italy you won't find in a tourist guidebook, you're going to have to leave the well-trodden path behind. Here are our destination picks for exploring underrated Italy — the places that you really must visit to avoid the crowds.

It should come as no surprise that the city nicknamed La Grassa (the fat one) is a great destination for foodies . If you’re serious about what you put on your plate, then make a beeline for the Atti bakery and the Tamburini delicatessen to buy lunch makings. Take your purchases to Osteria del Sole . Dating from 1465, it’s the oldest bar in town and found in the heart of the Quadrilatero, the city’s atmospheric old town. When it’s time to burn off those calories — or work up an appetite for the next meal — climb one of the city’s medieval towers or hike the covered portico up to the Santuario di Madonna de San Luca.

Meet a tourist hopping on a ferry to one of the islands in the Bay of Naples and chances are they’ll be off to Capri. But our adventurous discoverer should beat the crowds and aim instead for the opposite side of the bay and its smallest island — Procida. There’s a beautiful white sand beach on the island’s north coast, but the pretty village of Marina di Corricella is the main draw. Colorful homes line the stone quayside where fishing boats come and go. Find yourself a table in one of the restaurants and enjoy a long leisurely lunch. If it all looks familiar, you may just have seen it at the movies. Scenes from The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Postman were shot here.

Locorotondo

Relatively few foreign tourists make it to Puglia — the heel of Italy’s boot — and most of those who do only fixate on exploring Alberobello. That’s not entirely unexpected. The town has a high concentration of the quaint, cone-shaped dwellings known as trulli and a liberal scattering of fascinating churches and museums. But the neighboring town of Locorotondo, which is perched on a hilltop surrounding a flat plain, provides the perfect antidote to Alberobello’s crowds. Come to stroll along its narrow alleyways lined with whitewashed, flower-adorned homes. When your feet tire, sit on one of the many terraces and sip the region's famous sparkling white wine while soaking up the view.

Italy’s not short on volcanoes. Mt. Etna and Mt. Vesuvius hog the spotlight, of course. But UNESCO protects the volcanic Aeolian Islands, of which Vulcano and Stromboli are the most well-known. Stromboli’s black sand beaches are a product of past eruptions, but this volcano is almost continually active — spewing small streams of lava down its flanks and puffing ash from its vents. Spend the day swimming and kayaking in the warm waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea before taking a boat trip at dusk to witness this natural spectacle.

Many visitors overlook the city of Turin, which is a real shame. The majestic Alps frame this northern Italian city giving the medieval architecture a gorgeous natural backdrop. In winter, basing yourself in nearby Sestriere gives you access to Italy’s largest ski area, but the city has its own must-sees. The architecturally-magnificent Mole Antonelliana is the most recognizable landmark with porticos rivaled only by those in Bologna. Take a peek at the race track on the roof of the Ligotto factory, where Fiat used to test the cars it manufactured.

The Borromean Islands of Lake Maggiore

Forget Lake Como and escape to Lake Maggiore instead, where you can hop between the three Borromean Islands. The sumptuous palazzo on Isola Bella so enchanted the wife of British King George IV that she demanded the Borromeo family sell her nearby Isola Madre. They refused, incidentally, and she decamped to Como instead. The islands were also once a favorite destination of Ernest Hemingway, but now they fly under the radar with international visitors. Buck the trend and do a bit of low-key island hopping on a boat from Stresa.

In summer, Rimini is one of Italy’s best resorts with miles of sun loungers and beach umbrellas filling the sandy beaches that line the Adriatic coast. Come autumn, however, they shut up shop for the winter. But you’d be unwise to think that a city founded in 268BC would be a one-trick pony. Check out the Arch of Augustus, a city gate standing almost 33 feet tall or the less showy but equally impressive Tiberius Bridge that has spanned the River Marecchia for thousands of years.

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The Most Underrated Places in Italy

With its ancient ruins, carefully preserved cathedrals, and rolling countryside, it’s no wonder Italy tops most travelers’ wish lists. But if the idea of rubbing elbows with hordes of tourists at the Coliseum has you dismissing the country altogether, think again. There are plenty of undiscovered gems ripe for exploring on your next trip if you know where to hop off the beaten path. Here are ten underrated places where adopting la dolce vita is still possible—for now.

Jen has been a staff editor at Architectural Digest, Travel + Leisure, and Martha Stewart Weddings, and her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Afar, and Elle Decor. When she's not snowmobiling in the French Alps or tasting scotch straight from the barrel in Scotland, she's at home in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.

See recent posts by Jennifer Fernandez

Polignano a Mare

Tourists have long followed the Mediterranean’s siren song, but the Adriatic, on Italy’s eastern shore, has its own enticements, namely this whitewashed town with picturesque churches, balcony-studded alleys, and dramatic limestone cliffs. Roll out your towel on the white-pebble beach of Cala Porto, entered through the ruins of a Roman bridge, or explore the azure coves and inlets (Ponte dei Lapilli is a beauty) that surround Polignano a Mare by boat. In the evening, dine on coastal Italian specialties at the cavernous Grotta Palazzese , considered by many to be the most romantic restaurant in the world, then sip an espresso under the stars in the piazza.

Though it’s recently been reinvented with hip restaurants, hotels, and galleries, Matera is the quintessential medieval Italian city. That’s because those have all been built into the hilltop retreat’s legendary sassi, cave dwellings that were once derelict and have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can stay in one of the age-old dwellings thanks to a renaissance of converted hotels, including Il Palazzotto Residence and Sant’Angelo Luxury Resort . Above ground, Matera’s deserted squares and stone-lined alleys are ripe for quiet exploring.

Cefalú

On the surface, the Sicilian town of Cefalú, an hour east of Palermo, looks like nothing more than a quaint harbor where simple pleasures abound. Fresh-caught fish is hauled off rowboats and delivered to restaurants in the town’s historic center, and tanning on a golden beach dotted with blue umbrellas is about as strenuous a day’s work as you can hope for. But streets lined with terra cotta–roofed houses offer a surprise for intrepid types: a Norman cathedral that dates to the 1100s, as well as the fourth-century ruins of Tempio di Diana. After an afternoon spent sight seeing, retire to Hotel Le Calette , a whitewashed oasis overlooking the harbor just outside town.

RELATED: Italy Special: 25 Incredible Hotels

Amalfi is the jewel in Italy’s Mediterranean crown, but three miles inland, Ravello is an under-the-radar gem that deserves a visit in its own right. The medieval hilltop town has all of the Salernian requisites—alfresco cafés, flower-draped terraces, and five-star hotels—plus unparalleled views over the areas fishing villages and archetypal cliffs. Hole up at Palazzo Avino , a restored 12th-century residence with pastel walls and arched windows overlooking the sea. End a day of sunbathing on the hotel’s proprietary platforms with the Michelin-rated tasting menus at Rossellini’s restaurant, then take in chamber music nearby at an outdoor concert venue with the Mediterranean as your backdrop.

Milan draws trendsetters and glitterati for its cutting-edge art and fashion scenes but, about a two-hour drive east, the medieval hill town of Bergamo offers a quiet alternative. Here you’ll find some of the prettiest streets in all of Italy, and perhaps the country’s most picturesque piazza. The city is littered with notable old world monuments, from the ornate marble Capella Corleoni to the ornate frescoed Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which dates back to the 12th-century. Take the funicular up to Citta Alta (otherwise known as High Bergamo, the city’s upper half) or stay grounded with a walk on the 16th-century Venetian walls.

RELATED: 9 Most Charming Towns in Italy

The Italian Lakes Region is an easy trip from Milan and Bergamo. But while Lake Como gets all the fame, Lake Iseo is the place to visit if you want to beat the crowd while enjoying the same sybaritic pleasures. Drop your bags at Riva Lago , a 28-room charmer in the candy-colored village of Sulzano, then hop on a riva to scan the emerald waves. Feeling water logged? The neighboring Franciacorta region is home to a budding sparkling wine industry, and hiking trails abound in the cypress-laden hills. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, choose from a bevy of Michelin-starred restaurants (the iconic Da Vittorio , rustic-chic Due Colombe ) serving the authentic seafood-friendly cuisine of Lombardy.

If Trieste feels more like Vienna than Venice, its neighbor 90 miles to the west, that’s because the city began life as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Since then, it has become a melting pot of sorts, a place where you can savor café culture in Piazza Unità d’Italia and start that novel you’ve been kicking around (after all, it was in Trieste that James Joyce began penning Ulysses, and the city is home to coffee giant Illy), cheer on the boats during the autumnal Barcolana regatta, or simply wander the streets browsing a mix of Greek Orthodox, Belle Époque, and Renaissance architecture as you go. In the old quarter, Roman ruins give way to the brilliant white Miramar Castle, a Hapsburg residence straight out of Germany.

Known for its spoiled wine (vinegar) and fast cars (Ferrari), Modena found itself in the spotlight last year when Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang set part of the second season of their award-winning Netflix series Master of None there. But the camera-friendly town is a fitting if unexpected pick for hipster adulation: Modena, in the heart of Italy’s foodie-beloved Emilia-Romagna region, is home to Osteria Francescana , the number two restaurant in the world, where chef Massimo Bottura churns out the otherworldly pastas captured on the show. You might rub elbows with him at Albinelli , the legendary covered market before touring the city’s roster of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Piazza Grande and il Duomo.

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• Heritage & Culture

18 Underrated Towns In Italy You Have To See

Italy is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, with many famous cities, such as Rome, Venice and Florence. However, these places can get quite expensive and crowded, so to escape the hordes, why to check out one of the many underrated towns in Italy.

Despite the undeniably amazing historical landmarks in the popular cities, these offbeat towns in Italy also pack quite a punch. So, try to visit as many of these underrated destinations as you can to experience some spectacular rewards.

1 Bergamo, Lombardy

Often ignored in favour of nearby Milan, Bergamo is one of the finest towns in the region of Lombardy. This hidden gem is a charming walled city full of winding cobblestone streets and old palaces. It also features Renaissance and Baroque architecture and ancient sites. The city is also the perfect base to explore the surrounding countryside, such as Lake Garda or the town of Mantua.

Also Read:  11 Of The Most Amazing Things To Do In Milan

2 Genoa, Liguria

The undeniably spectacular Cinque Terre all but dominates the Liguria region. However, Genoa, the capital of the region, is just as amazing. Less touristic and more authentic, it has always been a major trading centre and was also the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. The town has many fascinating galleries such as the Palazzo Rosso and the Raccolte Frugone, as well as the largest aquarium in Italy, Acquario di Genoa. It also has some delicious food and is known for its pesto and focaccia bread.

3 Emilia-Romagna

The region known as Emilia-Romagna is one of the most overlooked in Italy. It is filled with lovely small towns that you can explore on foot as well as some truly excellent food. Bologna is often called the Italian food capital and is known for its lasagne and tortellini, while Parma is famous for its cured ham (Prosciutto di Parma) and its cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano). You can also visit Ravenna, which has amazing UNESCO-listed Byzantine mosaics.

4 Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Campania

Most visitors to the Amalfi Coast go directly to the popular seaside towns of Amalfi, Capri, and Positano, overlooking Ravello. Set on a hilltop above the dizzying landscape of the coast, it features some of the best views in the region. Largely traffic-free, this peaceful town is full of amazing gardens and terraces.

Also Read:  How To Spend One Day in Capri, A Mediterranean Idyll

5 Verona, Veneto

Verona is one of the underrated towns in Italy. This historic destination is famous for being the setting for Shakespeare’s tragic love story  Romeo and Juliet . It has beautiful architecture (including the famous Juliet balcony) and a marvellous Roman amphitheatre. You can also visit the nearby Treviso, and its historic walled centre, which is basically like a smaller Venice, minus all the tourists and the frills, or the lovely town of Vicenza.

Located on the Adriatic coast, the Puglia region is full of ancient sites and charming destinations. Often referred to as the “heel of Italy’s boot” its beautiful towns each have something to offer, such as the cone-shaped trulli of Alberobello, long sandy beaches of Gargano, unique and insular Griko culture of Salento, and the Norman fortress of Bari.

7 Herculaneum, Campania

The Ancient Roman city of Pompeii attracts thousands of visitors each year. Perfectly preserved in volcanic ash when the nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD, it offers a unique glimpse into the past. However, just 10 miles to the north is the less well-known town of Herculaneum, which offers the same amazingly preserved sites. Another lesser-known gem is the villa of Oplontis, just outside Pompeii.

Also Read:  Take A Look At 25 Of The Oldest Buildings On The Planet

8 Turin, Piedmont

One of the largest industrial cities in Italy, Turin is nonetheless often overlooked. With a rich culture and history, it has tons of fascinating sites and attractions, including several churches, castles, art galleries, museums, theatres. Don’t miss the famous Turin Shroud at the Egyptian Museum. Turin was once the first capital of unified Italy and is home to the royal house of Savoy.

Located between the Italian peninsula and the North African coastline, the island of Sardinia is a Mediterranean idyll. It has been home to many civilizations over the years, which have all left their mark, from prehistoric stone structures and Roman ruins to medieval castles. Sardinia also has some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy, as well as excellent seafood.

10 Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia

The port city of Trieste was once a cultural hub, though it is now overshadowed by larger cities. Located on the border with Slovenia and near Croatia, it has a fascinating cosmopolitan atmosphere. Be sure to visit the old town, Città Vecchia, with its winding cobblestone streets and medieval homes, the Austrian Quarter, and the 2,000-year-old Roman Theater.

Also Read:  6 Alternative Travel Destinations to Major Tourist Hotspots

11 Pisciotta, Campania

The tiny coastal town of Pisciotta is set in the Cilento National Park. The area is covered with olive groves that stretch out to the sea. Pisciotta has preserved medieval urban plan, complete with ancient stepped alleyways leading to hidden chapels, small piazzas, hilltop castle and small houses built one on top of the other. According to legend, it was founded by Trojan survivors of the fall of Troy.

The charming region of Umbria is quintessentially Italian. Located between Rome and Florence, it is filled with quiet towns and delicious regional cuisine. You can visit the birthplace of San Francesco d’Assisi, the sleepy hill-town of Montefalco, which is known for its red wine, or Castelluccio, the highest village in the Apennine Mountains.

13 Matera, Basilicata

Once one of the poorest towns in Italy, Matera has transformed into a gorgeous destination. Built into a steep-sided canyon, it is known for is ancient honeycomb network of cave dwellings (or “ sassi ”), that have been inhabited for over 12,000 years. Though they were evacuated due to overcrowding in the 1960s, the caves now have cafés, galleries, restaurants and hotels. Matera was also where Mel Gibson’s 2004 The Passion of the Christ was filmed. Matera is set to become the European Capital of Culture in 2019.

Also Read:  11 Delightful Traditional Houses Around The World

14 Ragusa and Cefalù, Sicily

Sicily is one of the most spectacular regions of Italy and is quite popular with tourists. However, even in this region, there are lots of overlooked and underrated towns you have to visit. Don’t miss the historical town of Ragusa in the Hyblaean Mountains, with its many stunning baroque buildings. Also visit Cefalù, one the prettiest islands in the region. This wonderful medieval town is known for its Norman cathedral and picturesque piazzas.

15 Calabria

The southernmost region on Italy’s mainland, Calabria is one of the least visited places in the country, especially by foreign travellers. Sometimes referred to as “the toe of the boot that is Italy,” it is quite popular with Italians on holiday.  Its 800 kilometres of coastline feature tons of glorious beaches. The city of Tropea is truly a hidden gem, filled with picturesque buildings and excellent restaurants.

16 Bolzano, Alto Adige

Located in the South Tyrol province of north Italy (also known as Alto Adige) is the bilingual town of Bolzano. Considered the gateway to the Dolomites mountain range in the Italian Alps, this city is known for its hilly vineyards and its medieval castles. Don’t miss the imposing 13th-century Mareccio Castle, and the Duomo di Bolzano cathedral, as well as the Tyrol Museum of Archaeology which is home to a famous Neolithic mummy called Ötzi.

Also Read: The Best Alpine Ski Resorts In Europe

17 Sperlonga, Lazio

The tiny coastal town of Sperlonga is one of the most picturesque towns in Italy. Overlooking the impossibly blue Tyrrhenian Sea, it has several quiet piazzas, pristine beaches, gardens and old palaces to explore. Also see the Ancient Roman Villa of Tiberius, which houses many amazing statues and sculptures which were found in Tiberius’s stunning dining sea grotto (or “ spelunca ”) below.

18 Le Marche

Located to the east of Umbria is another underrated Italian region. Le Marche has everything – spectacular landscapes, charming towns, and turquoise waters. One of the most important towns in the region is Ascoli Piceno, near the Monti Sibillini National Park. Also visit the walled city of Urbino, the birthplace of famous Renaissance painter Raphael. It is also home to the 15th-century Palazzo Ducale, the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, and the Museo Diocesano Albani.

Are there any other underrated towns in Italy that you would like to visit? If so, be sure to share them in the comments below.

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10 of the Best Hidden Gems in Italy to Visit

• September 29, 2021

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Italy is filled with famous and iconic landmarks that see millions of visitors every day and while those are definitely worth a visit, you may be looking for some hidden gems in this incredible country that are equally worth visiting but may not be as crowded or obvious as the others. If you’re looking for places to add to your itinerary that are off the beaten path, these ten incredible hidden gems in Italy are worth checking out.

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1. The Hot Springs of Saturnia

Saturnia is a small town in the Maremma region of Italy that is known for its incredibly blue water hot springs. The water of the springs has long been said to have healing properties and is well worth the visit. It’s just about a two hour drive from Siena or a three hour drive from Rome and you could easily rent a car in either one of those cities and make a day trip there. It’s recommended to stay overnight though, so you can truly experience the serenity of these beautiful springs.

2. Passo Gardena

The Passo Gardena, or the Gardena Pass, is a breathtaking pass through the Western Dolomites. It’s located in the province of South Tyrol in northeastern Italy and is a beautiful place to visit throughout the year. It’s a great place to watch the sunset and enjoy scenic overlooks or hikes. If you’re able to visit during the winter months you’ll be able to enjoy the views of the snow-capped peaks and participate in skiing or other winter sports. In fact, the Men’s World Cup alpine ski races are held in mid-December on either side of the pass so you know the ski trails you can experience here are world-class.

Because of its proximity to Capri, the island of Procida is frequently overlooked by tourists but it’s well worth a visit. In comparison to the more well-known islands, Procida exudes a more welcoming atmosphere. If you’re interested in visiting this charming fishing village, you can take a ferry from Naples which takes roughly a half hour. Once you arrive, you’ll be able to admire the brightly colored buildings in various hues while you explore and immerse yourself in this small village. The view over Marina di Corricella is one of the highlights of the area, but make sure you spend at least one or two nights visiting Procida so you can experience everything it has to offer.

4. Civita Di Bagnoregio

The suburb of Civita Di Bagnoregio is a suburb of Bagnoregio. It’s only accessible via a small footbridge and is noted for its stunning location overlooking the Tiber river valley. Although this town is magical and safe to visit, its location has caused issues due to erosion and potential foundational instability. Due to this, Civita Di Bagnoregio is known as “The Dying City.” Although it’s not in imminent danger of disappearing anytime soon, visiting the town and seeing it as it is today is a worthwhile experience as its appearance may change in the future thanks to the erosion.

5. San Fruttuoso

This tiny town on the Italian Riviera is home to the area’s largest beach town. Take a stroll along its pebbled sand and marvel at the crystal-clear waters of its famous beach. Follow the small tunnel path to the main streets of the town. To get to the other side of the tunnel, there are also narrow stairs. San Fruttuoso Abbey is steeped in history. This historic site has it all, from a pirate den to a palace. The beach is exclusive and can only be reached by ferry from Portofino. It’s as simple as walking or taking a boat to get there.

6. Brisighella

The small commune of Brisighella is located in the Ravenna province of northeastern Italy. Known for its stunning panoramic views, beautiful churches, impressive castles, and other architectural marvels, this town is worth a one or two night stay. There are also a number of well-known clock towers in the area as well as numerous viewpoints along the way that provide breathtaking views of Brisighella and the surrounding hills. There are several hiking trails in the area which will provide you with stunning views and an exciting opportunity to experience the countryside.

7. Alberobello

The small town of Alberobello is known for its trulli buildings. These white round structures that are topped with grey conical roofs were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996 and have been one of the main draws of the region. You can visit Alberobello today to see these structures in person and you can even step inside some of them as they have been converted into museums or are simply noted as unique trullos. For example, the Trullo Siamese is the only one that has two centrally joined domes.

Rapallo is a small town on the Italian Riviera. If you want to visit a relaxing seaside town that is similar to a resort, this is the place to go. There are many places within Rapallo where you can grab a delicious seafood meal and enjoy it while soaking in the ambiance that the town offers. The buildings are notable for their vibrant colors and unique designs.

Matera is a village in the Italian region of Basilicata. It is well known for its unique cave-like structures that are made from limestone. Once an ancient settlement in Jordan, Matera has been continuously inhabited for more than 30,000 years. One of the most incredible places to visit in Matera is the ancient town of Sassi di Matera, whose dwellings are thought to be some of the first in what is now Italy. This ancient area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

10. Castelluccio, Umbria

The village of Castellucio in Umbria is a picturesque small town that is home to just over 150 inhabitants. It is one of the highest settlements in the Apennines and you can enjoy stunning views not only from the village but along the road you must take to reach it. The plains that surround the town are notable for the bright flowers that bloom every spring that blanket the region in lentils, poppies, daisies, wild orchids, and more. The larger area that surrounds Castelluccio is dotted with small villages, medieval castles and abbeys, and other points of interest that you can explore when you visit.

Video Guide: 10 Hidden Gems in Italy

Travel Resources for Planning a Trip to Italy

To make planning your trip to Italy easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your trip.

Agoda : Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.

CheapOAir : You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!

Kiwi.com : What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “ Nomad ” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.

JetRadar : You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.

Agoda : Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.

Hotellook : They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.

Transportations:  

Airport Transfers :  KiwiTaxi ,  Viator

Train :  EuroRail ,  Trainline  or  RailEurope  

Bus :  Flixbus : Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.

Car Rentals :  AutoEurope ,  EconomyBookings ,  or   GetTransfer  (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)

Bike Rental :  BikesBooking  (Bikes & scooter rentals) 

Transportation Comparison :  Omio  (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)

Tours & Activities :

TakeWalks  (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.

Tiqets : Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.

Musement : They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.

GetYourGuide : A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities

Viator : The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.

Need help planning a trip to the best hidden gems in Italy?

Planning and looking for the best hidden gems in Italy to visit? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!

At  MultiCityTrips , multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a special trip to underrated places and hidden gems in Italy are our specialties.  Contact us  today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can  personalize your multi-city vacations   at the best price.

Don’t want to start from scratch and need some trip inspiration? Check out our  marketplace  for customizable pre-designed packages available right now for many amazing destinations.

To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “ How It Works ” page or check out our video on  “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in  5 Easy Steps”   here.

Have questions for us?  Schedule a FREE Call  with us here or contact one of the travel experts/destination specialists at  [email protected] , call/text us at  (888)223-2316  today.

Private Travel Coaching & Consulting Call

Want to plan and book your upcoming trip yourself? If this is your first time traveling to any of the European destinations or you are new to multi-city, multi-country travel but prefer to manage every part of your trip on your own, this option is for you! 

For just  $150 per hour , our destination expert can answer any questions you might have as you plan and book your dream trip. From assisting with route planning, and destination selection, recommending the best areas or places to stay, the best transportation options, things to do and see, saving tips and so much more! 

Ready to plan your trip with our help? Book your private coaching session with our destination expert now and we’ll confirm your appointment within 24 hours!

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Travel resources for planning your own trip.

To make planning your European trip on your own easier, in addition to what already mentioned in our travel guide, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in any destination using these travel resources:

European River Cruises:

Uniworld River Cruises : The world’s best and most awarded luxury river cruise line—offers itineraries in spectacular destinations throughout Europe, Russia, Egypt, Asia, and Peru. The company’s European fleet features luxurious ships with an average capacity of 120 guests, the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry, enticing shore excursions, world-class gourmet cuisine, impeccable hospitality, and numerous other all-inclusive benefits.

Pre- and Post-cruise/Tour Extensions:  Uniworld curated pre-and post-cruise/tour extensions make it easy to add a few days to the front or back end of your trip while leaving the planning to them

The packages include a variety of hotel options, transfers, and a dedicated destination expert to escort you along the way.

Airport Transfers & Transportations:  

Airport Transfers: GetTransfer offers both airport transfers & car rentals with a personal driver. Other airport transfer options are KiwiTaxi and Viator.

Train :  EuroRail ,  Trainline ,  or  RailEurope are all great sites for train tickets as well as Rail Passes if you would like to add more flexibility to your trip. They are good for most trains throughout Europe. For trains in Italy, we like and recommend ItaliaRail . As for Portugal, you will need to go to the official website for Comboios de Portugal (the Portuguese train company) to book your train tickets when traveling in Portugal.

CarRentals :  AutoEurope ,  EconomyBookings ,  or   GetTransfer  (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)

Bike Rental :  BikesBooking is a great site for bikes & scooter rentals

Travel Insurance:

Travel Guard :  Their comprehensive travel insurance programs, starting at $30, include per-trip & annual plans, coverage for trip cancellation , trip interruption, trip delay, medical expenses, baggage loss & more! Travel Guard provides 24/7-customer service with a personal touch through its World Service Center.

DISCLAIMER : Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links, MultiCityTrips may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Trip by Travel Experts

Need help planning a trip and find the best vacation package for your multi-city trip to Europe? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!

At  MultiCityTrips , multi-city, multi-country European vacations, and complicated itineraries are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize an amazing multi-city trip to your dream destinations in Europe.

Ready for a trip? Check out our planning options and get in touch with us today!

Featured Pre-Designed Packages

These air-inclusive, pre-designed multi-city European vacation packages can be personalized to suit your needs!

9 Nights/ 10 Days Signature Escape to Milan, Lake Como and Venice

9 Nights/ 10 Days Signature Escape to Prague, Vienna and Budapest

6 Nights/7 Days Signature Escape to Amsterdam and Copenhagen

6 Nights/ 7 Days Signature Escape to Lisbon and Barcelona

Schedule a FREE Consultation

Not sure or can’t decide which planning option is right for you? Schedule a free 30-minute call with one of our travel experts to discuss your travel needs today!

8 under-the-radar destinations in Italy to visit before the crowds do

Sure, Rome, Venice and Cinque Terre are all incredible. But the country boasts so much more.

So in case you’re wondering whether travelling off the beaten path in Italy is even possible, the answer is a resounding yes. To prove this, we have 8 destinations that are equal parts far-flung and underrated. And, bonus, they’re all visited on Intrepid’s wide range of tours in Italy .

Check ’em out:

Charming Umbria is quintessentially Italian but without the tourist hordes. Apart from strolling the cobbled streets of its pretty capital and university town of Perugia, visitors to the region have the opportunity to mingle with pilgrims by visiting the birthplace of San Francesco d’Assisi in the World Heritage listed town of the same name, indulge in regional dishes in beautiful and timeless Gubbio which is overlooked by Monte Ingino, a prime spot for truffle hunting, and lose sense of time in tiny Spello which is enclosed by medieval town walls and can be entered by walking through one of the gates dating from Roman times.

Umbrian cuisine is a class all of its own, with a strong reliance on seasonal produce such as mushrooms, asparagus, fava beans and – of course – truffles. And the best part: it’s conveniently located en-route from Venice to Rome .

Umbria is visited on Intrepid’s Umbrian Discovery trip and Italy Experience trip.

READ MORE: A CITY-BY-CITY GUIDE TO ITALY’S BEST EATS

Does Naples belong into this list you may ask? Considering that most travellers only pass through to get to Sorrento or down to the Amalfi Coast, and leave with an insufficient (and often negative) impression, then yes, it does deserve a lot more attention: Italy’s third largest city is loud and chaotic, and crossing the street is not for the faint-hearted. But it is also ancient. In fact, it is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities.

Apart from its claim to fame as the inventor of the pizza (try it at Da Michele), it boasts a huge historical centre in which to get lost, and it is possible to explore a series of ancient caves dating back to the Greco-Roman period, all located right underneath the city’s streets.

Naples is visited on Intrepid’s Rome to Amalfi trip.

Lucca is often and unjustifiably overlooked by travellers in favour of its close-by heavy-hitting neighbours of Florence and Pisa. Both these cities absorb much of the region’s tourist traffic, leaving delightful Lucca to the more intrepid of travellers. Hence, Lucca has retained a very local feel, with locals filling the streets in the afternoon for an aperitivo . Completely enclosed by its city walls, most streets are car free.

Still, both Florence and Pisa are only a short train ride away, making Lucca the perfect base from which to explore Tuscany. The top of the city walls are now home to a walking and cycling path, so it is possible to take in the city skyline by riding or walking the 4km loop. Alternatively, head further afield and ride a bike along the Serchio River.

Lucca is visited on Intrepid’s Best of Italy trip, Rome to Paris trip, and Cycle Tuscany trip.

No doubt you know about Pompeii, the ancient city frozen in time due to the volcanic eruption of nearby Vesuvius in AD 79. Covered in ash and pumice, it was sealed from oxygen and moisture and was therefore perfectly preserved until its rediscovery 1,500 years later.

But what most visitors don’t know is that there is also the modern town of Pompei (only one i) right next to it, a pleasant base from which to explore the ruins and embark on an excursion to the summit of Vesuvius, the very volcano that destroyed the city in the first place. Modern is relative, as the new town was founded in 1891, and has since become a pilgrimage place for Catholics paying homage to Our Lady of the Rosary at the town’s cathedral.

Ancient Pompeii and the summit of Vesuvius are visited on Intrepid’s Rome to Amalfi trip and Amalfi Coast: Hike, Bike & Kayak trip.

Cadenabbia & Lago di Como (Lake Como)

Centrally located in Italy’s Lake District and half-way up the western shore of Lago di Como (Italy’s third largest lake), Cadenabbia is a small community hemmed in by the craggy mountains on one side and the dark blue rippled surface of the lake on the other. Frequent ferry services to Como, Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio make this the perfect spot from which to explore the region, yet allows you to come back to an idyllic and quiet hamlet right on the shores of the lake.

Lago di Como is visited on Intrepid’s Best of Italy trip.

READ MORE: 5 PERFECT DESTINATIONS IN ITALY FOR SOLO TRAVEL

Ragusa and the Val di Noto

Quintessentially Italy, but then again, not like Italy at all, Sicily doesn’t deserve its often raucous reputation. Ragusa is one of the most scenic towns in Sicily, yet is off the radar for most travellers as it is located in the remote Hyblaean Mountains in the south east of this enchanting island. By visiting Ragusa you essentially visit two towns. The upper town (Ragusa Superiore) is home to a stunning cathedral and many fine baroque buildings all built in the 18 th century, after a massive earthquake had levelled the city. Across a deep ravine and one of four bridges you will reach the lower and older town (Ragusa Ibla).

Val di Noto is also home to the town of Noto with yet more masterpieces of beautiful Sicilian Baroque architecture, an architectural style in its own right. One of the region’s specialties and a must-try is Spaghetti ai Ricci (pasta with sea urchin).

Ragusa is visited on Intrepid’s Highlights of Calabria & Sicily trip.

Matera is unlike anything you have seen before. Built into a steep sided canyon carved out by a river, the city looks like it has come straight out of a strange fairy tale, with buildings seemingly built on top of each other, little passageways and staircases opening up to spectacular vistas across the valley, and many of the inhabitants living in ancient caves carved into the side of the canyon walls.

The caves have been inhabited since at least 12,000 years, even though some were evacuated in the 1950s due to overcrowding. It is even possible to stay in cave hotels and eat in cave restaurants, all carved from the soft honey-coloured lime stone of the canyon.

Matera is visited on Intrepid’s Explore Southern Italy trip.

Calabria is Italy’s least visited and most southern mainland region. Often skipped by international travellers, Italians have long ago discovered its multitude of glorious beaches strewn along its 800 km coastline, with the town of Tropea high up on the list of domestic holiday makers. Many people refer to Calabria as the toe of the boot that is Italy, but Italians often call this region ‘the wild Italy’. Visit, and you’ll see why.

Calabria is visited as part on Intrepid’s Highlights of Calabria & Sicily trip.

Ready to get off the beaten path and into Italy’s heart and soul? Check out Intrepid’s range of small group adventures.

Feeling inspired?

Stefan Hellmuth

10 years ago I quit my job as a medical technician in Berlin and became a tour leader for Intrepid. I have never looked back, and have been travelling the world ever since. I am now based in Melbourne and take care of Intrepid’s Europe Product.

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Hidden Gems in Italy You Shouldn’t Miss

As sad as it is to admit, in most cases, the vacation time is not unlimited. The reality is that the huge list of things we want to see and do is way too often crushed by the necessity of prioritizing what we actually have time for. And when it comes to such a remarkable destination as Italy, where the list of A-list places that will take your breath away is not that much smaller than The Great Gatsby, it’s no surprise that a lot of humbler destinations fall into the cracks.

Not because they are in any way lacking, but simply because most people (us included) won’t choose skipping Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, in favor of visiting Ivrea, a small town full of character that most people have never heard of. But if you’ve already been to the Italian cultural capitals 20 times, have seen them through and through, and now look for something slightly different, here are a few interesting options for you to consider.

Top Underrated Italian Cities 

While it might seem like a mistake to start the list with such a big name as Naples, hear us out. After all, the city gets its fair share of international tourists, but it’s not even close to the number of people coming to Rome or Florence. Truth be told, Naples has quite a reputation for being a high-crime destination, too bleak, and too busy for an enjoyable stay. And while the crime thing is nothing more than a stereotype, and it’s safer to visit Naples than Paris if you take basic precautions, it’s true that the city of Naples is hectic, loud, and very alive. The traffic situation there is even worse than in the heart of Rome (yep, it’s possible), the house facades even in the city center are much less polished than you would expect, and some streets are narrow enough to make claustrophobes uncomfortable. But we still think that Naples is one of the must-visit places in Italy.

The thing is that the city doesn’t have the glorified museum vibes and refined beauty you can expect from the tourist-favorite Italy destinations, making a lot of people uneasy when visiting, but Naples feels authentic and true to itself. It’s a place that never puts tourists’ comfort above the convenience of the locals. Well, see for yourself. Neapolitans still live in the treasured buildings nestled in the historical city center. The local churches boasting breathtaking art are not just must-see attractions but functioning houses of God. There are close to no tourist trap restaurants simply because the city is not a touristy place. And while we can’t guarantee that you will fall in love with Naples, don’t skip this destination without giving it a chance. Despite its questionable reputation, the city has a tendency to surprise in the best possible way.

Often overlooked in favor of Milan, which is nestled a 2-hour drive away, the city of Turin is a hidden gem of Northern Italy. This remarkable destination is much less about sights to cross off your must-see list and more about enjoying the subtler things that make Italy so irresistible as a travel destination. Turin boasts stunning architecture, and beautiful baroque palaces, ancient Roman ruins, and churches with amazing interiors are scattered all around the city. And you can explore all these gems without the suffocating crowds of people impatiently waiting to take a selfie rather than appreciating what’s in front of them.

When you visit, you will find that the food is unsurprisingly amazing, the local wines are exquisite, and living Dolce Vita, aka the life of mundane pleasures and beauty, feels incredibly easy in Turin. And if you see a beautiful cobbled piazza when exploring the city, you can go to one of the cafes nearby, order coffee and tiramisu, and let yourself savor everything—the views, the dessert, this moment in time—instead of having to walk a few blocks in a random direction, so you can find some off-street cafes to avoid the overpriced tourist trap venues with bad coffee. And while the places you find this way can turn out to be absolute gems, sometimes it can be very nice to enjoy the things you want here and now.

Charming colorful houses, stunning coastline, clothes hanging on ropes pulled under the windows to dry—this is what Genoa is about. Even though the destination is by no means a small city, it hasn’t lost the charm of one over the years. Apart from the iconic cathedral, the destination doesn’t have many world-famous sights, so most people don’t pay Genoa attention and treat it as a transit stop for an overnight stay on their way to Cinque Terre at best.

But if you have a chance to stay there for a few days, you will surely fall in love with this remarkable place. Imagine exploring stunning Ligurian Hills hiking trails, taking old funiculars to explore the majestic castles up the hill, watching sunsets as you enjoy the best seafood of your life that you got from a small takeaway place by the docks, or losing track of time on one of Genoa’s beaches, ranging from soft golden sand to small pebbles. Sounds great, right? Dedicated sightseers, museum enthusiasts, and people in love with vibrant nightlife destinations will likely find the city lacking, but if you love the atmospheric places that breathe history and you find the idea of losing track of time exploring the narrow streets of the beautiful city more appealing than terrifying, Genoa might be exactly the place for you.

Vietri Sul Mare

The stunning Amalfi Coast is one of the most popular Italian regions, and rightly so. It’s a place where the jaw-dropping beauty of the landscapes will take your breath away, and the air smells like the sea, happiness, and the best homemade lemon ice cream in the world. As we speak, cities such as Positano, Sorrento, and Amalfi welcome hundreds of tourists from all over the world. But while they are all extremely popular choices, if you are looking for a getaway to Amalfi and aren’t afraid to go off the beaten path, consider spending a few days in less-known Vietri Sul Mare, Amalfi Spot for the Italians.

The place has everything the Amalfi Coast is famous for, from the amazing beaches and remarkable natural beauty to very Instagrammable colorful houses and wonderful ceramic shops. What it doesn’t have is the overwhelming number of visitors, as Vietri is one of Amalfi’s best-kept secrets, and you are unlikely to feel like a herring in a barrel even during the peak of the tourist season.

For the most part of the year, the little town of Ivrea is quiet. Nestled just a 40-minute drive from Turin, Ivrea is mostly ignored by globetrotters. Pretty much anywhere else in the world, its beautiful cathedral and majestic 14th-century castle would be a magnet for tourists, but as every second village in Italy can boast something like that, the town remains in the shadow of more famous Italian destinations.

But then January comes, and Ivrea becomes a hot spot in Piedmont, as it houses one of the maddest (we mean it affectionately) festivals in the country: the Battle of the Oranges, the ultimate food fight most children can only dream of. You can treat your inner kid by joining a tribe and taking part in the festivities that last for 3 days, or at least come to enjoy the spectacular show. Apart from the food fight with oranges itself, you can expect lively parades, beautiful floats, and entertainers of all kinds coming from all over the world. And don’t worry; no food is wasted. The oranges used for the grand battles are carefully collected and sent for further processing to be eventually transformed into compost or energy.

And don’t worry, no food is wasted. The oranges used for the grand battles are carefully collected and sent for further processing to be eventually transformed into compost or energy.

Of course, the list is only a small fraction of the underrated Italian gems. We can talk for hours about Brisighella, Val di Non, Cremona, and dozens of other incredible places that so often fly under the radar. But these five cities we’ve highlighted above are a solid start. Italy has a lot to offer for those who dare to venture beyond the beaten path, and we will be happy to show you the best of it.

by Ksenia Zaiceva

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The 12 Most Underrated Cities In Italy To Visit In 2023

• By Christian Brandt
• March 21, 2023

Italy is a country that is known for picturesque coastal villages, cobbled piazzas, and the bustling capital city of Rome. While these sights are certainly not to be missed, they can sometimes overshadow some of the lesser-known and often underrated cities in Italy.

That’s why in this post I would like to introduce the 12 most underrated cities in Italy, which offer a unique experience for those looking for something a bit off the beaten path. From small towns full of charm to larger cities with vibrant atmospheres, these places will offer something for everyone. And in case you didn’t know, I wrote a bunch of other posts where I explore underrated cities in the UK , Germany ,  the Balkans ,  the United States , and many more countries.

But now, let’s get started and explore these beautiful, underrated cities in Italy!

Tucked away in the southern region of Italy is a hidden gem that’s often overlooked; Matera. This underrated city has a unique history and culture, making it one of the most authentic places to visit in Italy.

Matera boasts stunning views from its hilltop location, with beautiful churches and piazzas scattered across the landscape. Here you can wander through narrow alleyways or take a tour of the famous Sassi district – where some homes have been carved directly out of stone.

There are also outdoor markets selling handmade goods, traditional restaurants serving up local delicacies, and quaint cafes situated along cobblestone streets. With so much to experience here, Matera is worth checking out if you’re looking for an unforgettable Italian adventure!

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For those seeking a truly unique Italian experience, Trieste is the perfect destination. This underrated gem in northeastern Italy offers everything from stunning scenery to vibrant culture and delicious cuisine.

Its past as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire still lingers today; look for grand palaces, beautiful Baroque architecture, old fortresses, and grand squares in every corner.

Trieste is also well known for its café culture: take time out at Caffè San Marco (a favorite haunt of famous writers like James Joyce) or Pasticceria Savini (for classic local desserts like sacher torte).

And in case you would like to combine your trip to Trieste with other destinations, head further inland to explore authentic Italian towns such as Gorizia and Udine which lie within easy reach of Trieste. Here you can discover hidden treasures like ancient castles, artisanal wineries, and small family-run restaurants serving up traditional fare.

The old charm and history of Bologna make it a must-see destination for any Italian vacationer. The city was founded by the Etruscans more than 2,500 years ago , and it still retains much of that ancient atmosphere today.

When night falls, Bologna comes alive with music and entertainment at its many lively pubs, clubs, and bars. Whether you want to grab a beer or two at a traditional bistro or dance until dawn at one of the city’s renowned discos, there’s sure to be something here that suits your taste.

And after all the fun ends, enjoy delicious local cuisines such as pasta with their famous ragù alla bolognese (meat sauce) or tortellini al prosciutto e formaggio (ham and cheese-filled pasta).

With so much to offer visitors, it’s quite surprising that this extraordinary Italian city remains mostly under the radar!

4) Alberobello

Alberobello is a unique and underrated city in the heart of Italy. It’s an ancient, stone-built town with narrow lanes and whitewashed trulli houses, which are cone-shaped dwellings that date back to prehistoric times.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site , these trulli are some of the most iconic sites in Alberobello, making it one of the top destinations for travelers who want to experience something truly different.

There’s also plenty of great local Italian food, such as handmade pasta and wood-fired pizzas cooked in traditional brick ovens. Plus, you can find charming restaurants tucked away in hidden alleyways offering al fresco dining experiences under twinkling lights.

Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or a family vacation full of culture, history, and cuisine, Alberobello should be at the top of your list. With its stunning architecture, rich heritage, and endless outdoor activities, this underrated corner of Italy will leave a lasting impression on you.

Located only a short drive away from Pisa, Lucca is an underrated city that offers travelers the perfect balance between modern amenities and historic charm.

Beyond its impressive historical past, Lucca also offers visitors plenty of cultural gems to explore. The city features numerous museums and churches filled with artwork and sculptures dating back centuries.

There are also countless restaurants serving up delicious traditional dishes like pasta al forno and focaccia di Recco. And thanks to its position near the Mediterranean Sea, visitors can enjoy some excellent seafood too!

On top of all this, there are many open parks where you can take peaceful strolls or relax after a busy day sightseeing. Whether you’re looking for a unique place to visit on your next vacation or simply want to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Lucca is sure to provide something special.

The main attractions include the Estense Castle, one of Europe’s most renowned fortresses; the Palazzo dei Diamanti which houses some remarkable artworks; as well as Parco Massari which offers tranquil respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or simply want to explore Ferrara’s rich history and cultural heritage , it’s the perfect destination that promises unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime!

One of Italy’s most underrated cities lies further south – Urbino. This hidden gem is as rich in history and culture as it is stunningly beautiful.

A stroll through the cobblestone streets will reveal breathtaking views of rolling hillsides, lush vineyards, and picturesque villages.

The city also boasts some excellent cultural attractions such as the Ducal Palace, which houses an impressive collection of artworks including paintings by Raphael himself. There are also several museums dedicated to local history and culture, with many interactive exhibits for all ages.

For those looking for more modern entertainment, there are plenty of stylish bars, restaurants, and boutiques dotted throughout the town, offering something for everyone to enjoy during their stay in Urbino.

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8) Ascoli Piceno

This city’s ancient buildings date back centuries, with some structures built during the Roman Empire still standing today . The historic center is filled with narrow cobblestone streets winding through colorful piazzas that are lined with shops and restaurants serving traditional Italian cuisine. On top of all these attractions, there are numerous churches and museums scattered throughout Ascoli Piceno, too.

What’s truly remarkable about visiting this city is how it manages to capture the old-world charm while also embracing modern culture – an ideal combination for anyone seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Orvieto is another one of Italy’s most underrated cities. Located in the heart of Umbria, this small city has so much to offer and should be at the top of your Italian vacation list! The cobblestone streets and stone buildings have remained largely unchanged for centuries, giving travelers a glimpse into past eras as they explore the town.

There are also several underground tunnels worth exploring – built during medieval times – which house old Etruscan tombs and wells. And don’t forget to sample some local wines while you’re here; Orvieto produces some of the best DOC white wines in all of Italy!

With its rich history and mouth-watering cuisine, it’s a wonder that Orvieto remains a hidden gem in Italy – but surely not for long!

10) Ravenna

Ravenna is an underrated city in Italy, tucked away between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountains. It’s a place of great historical significance and yet many people don’t know it exists.

The town center is small but very pleasant with narrow cobbled streets lined with Italian shops and cafes. You’ll also find plenty of outdoor activities in the surroundings such as cycling trails or kayaking trips along canals that lead out into the sea.

In addition to this, there are several cultural attractions including medieval castles, Roman ruins, and even Byzantine fortifications. And if you’re looking for something extra special, take a trip up to San Vitale Church for some breathtaking views over the city skyline!

11) Cremona

Picture a night sky as big and beautiful as an Italian oil painting. A million stars twinkle in the darkness, each one like a diamond on black velvet. At the center of it, all is Cremona – a city that has been overlooked for far too long.

Cremona, situated in the Lombardia region of northern Italy, is often overshadowed by larger cities such as Milan or Rome. But this charming little place has plenty to offer visitors from around the world.

It also boasts stunning architecture from a variety of eras; from Renaissance-era palazzos to soaring baroque churches, there is much to admire here if you take the time to explore.

And then there are the culinary delights: Cremona produces some of Italy’s best meats and cheeses, so be sure not to miss out on sampling them during your visit!

Wander along ancient canals lined with lush trees and blooming flowers; get lost among narrow alleyways filled with unique shops selling handmade crafts – these are just some of the things that make Cremona such an amazing destination.

Mantua is an off-the-beaten-track city in Italy that’s often overlooked by many tourists and travelers. But its historical and cultural attractions make it well worth the visit.

The small city of Mantua sits on a lake, surrounded by beautiful countryside. It has plenty to offer visitors, from ancient churches and palaces to art galleries and museums.

In addition to its many artistic offerings, Mantua is also known for its fantastic cuisine. Its specialty dishes include risi e bisi – rice cooked with peas and pancetta – as well as cappellacci di zucca alla mantovana – pasta filled with pumpkin puree served with butter and sage sauce.

Whether you’re looking for culture or cuisine, Mantua will not disappoint! With its rich history and abundance of attractions, this underrated gem should be at the top of your list when visiting Italy.

Italy is full of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. With so much beauty and culture to explore, it’s easy to overlook some of the country’s less-traveled cities. This list highlights 12 underrated cities that all offer a unique experience for travelers looking for something off the beaten path.

From Mantua’s 16th-century palaces and Cremona’s magnificent churches to Ravenna’s stunning mosaics and Alberobello’s trulli houses, the country has something for everyone. But don’t forget about Matera, Trieste, or Bologna either! Each city offers a unique experience that should not be overlooked.

If you would like to find more underrated places around the world, feel free to check my other blog posts. There you can find the most underrated cities in the UK ,  Germany ,  the Balkans ,  the United States , and many more countries !

And if you are now planning your trip and at the same time want to support Giving Getaway in organizing future charity events, you can do so by using the search widgets or clicking on the ad banners on this website to book your next hotel, flight, rental car, and more.

Every completed booking earns Giving Getaway a commission, 50% of which will be used to organize charity events like the 2021 Christmas gift drive for kids and teenagers in a children’s home in Montenegro.

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Comment Section

I visited Lucca years ago and also wondered its beauty and culture atmosphere.

This is such a great selection – and let me tell you that I’ll go right away with number one on your list: I wanted to visit Matera forever! After reading your introduction, I’ll definitely visit as soon as I can. As a matter of fact, checking your list, I think I’ve been only to Bologna. It’s amazing how many underrated places there are since people tend to go for the big names and famous landmarks.

Your article has convinced me that a week or two in Italy isn’t enough. With so many places to see, I’d need at least a month.

Great list of underrated cities in Italy! I would love to visit Trieste while planning a holiday to Croatia. It is located so close to Croatia. Alberobello looks truly unique with its whitewashed cone shaped buildings. I would love to visit this place someday. I have passed by Bologna but not stopped here. Interesting blog post! 🙂

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Solo Female Travel – Switzerland, Europe and Beyond

BEST HIDDEN GEMS IN ITALY TO VISIT

Italy´s hidden places – underrated places to add to your bucket list.

Are you looking for a hidden gem in Italy t? Without a doubt, Italy is rich in AMAZING places to visit.  Everyone knows destinations like Rome , Milan, Venice, the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre , and Florence in Italy. They are incredible, no doubt about it, but they are also popular and crowded – not just in the summer but also all year round.   But Italy is so much more than just these areas, and if you are looking for some hidden gems, you will find some tips here. 

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Italy is full of exciting & fun cities, amazing architecture, delicious food, beautiful art, incredible religious hamlets, cute streets, and stunning coastal towns. There are so many places that should be on your Italy radar because they are just as beautiful as their more popular counterparts, if not more so.   These hidden gems tend to be cheaper to visit, less crowded, and have a more authentic feel since you will meet more Italians and fewer tourists.

Experience the wonderful hospitality of friendly locals at these off-the-beaten-path travel destinations. 

At the moment, this post focuses on underrated places in Northern and Central Italy as I haven’t visited Southern Italy  yet – I know, what a shame. I am sure this will change soon. Also, I know that “hidden gem posts” can be controversial as none of the places are deserted. To me, hidden gems mean they can be well-known amongst locals, but the big crowds – especially from abroad – have not discovered the place yet, and it is not the main travel destination.

There are also the Venetian walls, Piazza Vecchia, Duomo di Bergamo (the city cathedral), and some lovely little squares and cobblestone streets you can get lost in. Here is my detailed Bergamo post  for more information on this beautiful hidden gem in Italy.

Genoa is one of the most underrated places in Italy, but it’s also the best.  I mean…a waterfall in the city says everything!

It is just a few minutes away from the mountains and Lake Garda . The best way to enjoy Trento is by staying for two nights because you will receive the Trentino Card, giving you free access to almost all the sights and attractions.

• Check out more Trento travel tips here  and find more information on this jewel of Northern Italy.

The most popular of the towers is the medieval Guinigi Tower.  After you climb about 270 steps, you can enjoy some amazing views of the city. While Lucca is not exactly a hidden place in Italy, it is neither overrun, especially compared to other places in Tuscany.

This village is a great alternative to Cinque Terre and a good place to get lost for a few hours or even a day. It gets busier nowadays, but the crowds you have in Cinque Terre are no fun. So, Lerici became one of my personal Cinque Terre highlights and is one of Italy´s top hidden gems.

• Check out my post on day trips from Cinque Terre to find more information on this beautiful gem.

You can combine it with a trip to Lerici as it is small and you can discover the main attractions quite fast. While I surely liked Lerici more (it is bigger), it is a place that deserves a place on this list of hidden gems in Italy.

Lake Sorapis

If you prefer the easier path, there will be more people on it with you. The harder one is a little more off-the-beaten path, and you will see very few people along the way. But whichever trail you choose, it will be worth it. One of the best places to visit in the Dolomites  is Lake Sorapis – a beautiful hidden gem of Italy.

• Please find out more about my hike to Lake Sorapis here.  

You can combine your trip to Pistoia with a visit to nearby Pescia, located between Lucca and Florence – you can easily do both towns in one day. 

With a population of just 20,000, Pescia isn’t very large but has some lovely attractions. Visit the Pescia River, see the Santi Stefano church, some interesting bridges, and the Pescia Cathedral. 

Porto Venere

This is a small place, but there are lots of things to see and do. It will probably only take you a few hours to stroll through this lovely town and take in the sights. Porto Venere is great for anyone who wants to escape the Cinque Terre crowds but still experience the famous colorful beauty of the Ligurian coast and access the beach. Here is my more detailed guide on Portovenere.

It is THE best day trip to take from Cinque Terre, and actually, I think it should be even on your Cinque Terre itinerary.

Santa Margherita

It’s a stunning place to wander the streets. There’s a really nice harbor, a 17 th -century palazzo called the Villa Durazzo. You can enjoy the gardens and a view of the town, and stunning churches like the Chiesa di Santa Margherita d’Antiochia . Make sure you visit the insides of the churches, as they are gorgeous – some of the fanciest I have ever seen.  

You can easily get from here to Portofino and Genoa, but it would be a pity to use it as a base. Santa Margherita is a unique and lovely hidden gem that you should definitely see while visiting Italy.

Padua is quite small, and you could see it within one day, but if you want to stroll the streets and enjoy a lesser-known place in Italy, which is still lively and full of attractions, then Padua is your best option.

CONCLUSION: HIDDEN PLACES IN ITALY

If you visit Italy for the first time, make sure to check out the best travel tips for Italy. Italy is a gorgeous country with so much to offer, so skip the crowds and see its beauty off the beaten path.

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Underrated Italian Towns 2023: Great places to visit or use as base just outside Italy’s overcrowded famous sites

Did everyone get what they wanted for Christmas? No? A paisley tie? A frying pan you hit your husband with? OK, maybe not. I understand. Well, hopefully some of you got one of the best gifts in the world.

A trip to Italy.

Next year is a great time to come. This year Italy was packed to the olive orchards. It took in all those postponed vacations from the previous two Covid-killing years plus new reservations. Today Italy has virtually no travel restrictions. If you do have plans to visit my lovely adopted country, get off the well-trodden quadrangle of Milan-Venice-Florence-Rome.

This is where I come in.

Every year I do a list of Underrated Italian Towns. These are all places I visited this year and highly recommend. Some are little-known bases to explore elsewhere. They are from seven different regions and almost none is on the main tourist route. They likely don’t even sell T-shirts. All have something special to offer. I’ve included links to blogs where I wrote more extensively about them. Because they are so equal in worthiness, I list them in alphabetical order.

Venite (Come).

Alba, Piedmont (pop. 31,500)

If you love Italian wine, particularly Barolo, arguably its most famous, you’ll find your way to Le Langhe. That’s the zone in the southern end of the Piedmont region that’s about the size of New Jersey and home to more than 800 wineries.

Alba is Le Langhe’s capital.

It’s a rich, sparkling clean town with porticoes that remind you of a smaller Turin. The long, cobblestone Via Vittorio Emanuele II takes you past high-end shops such as Rolex, Modus and Falconeri.

Use Alba as a base for exploring wine country. Take your rental car (highly recommended) and explore on your own or organize tours through Consorzio Turistico Langhe Monferrato Roero  at Piazza Risorgimento 2. They can also organize hunts for the area’s famous truffles, those white and black mushrooms that are the highest delicacy of the Italian kitchen – with prices to match.

Come in October when there’s a truffle festival every weekend until mid-November. Truffle hunting season is September to December for white and May to December for the more reasonably priced black. 

How to get there: Drive. You’ll need a car to tour the surrounding wineries. Alba is 35 miles (60 kilometers) from Turin and 90 (150) from Milan. Car rentals in Turin start at about €26 a day. From Milan they start at €23. 

Borgomanero, Piedmont (22,000)

If you want to explore Northern Italy’s superb lake country, consider Borgomanero as your base. It’s six miles (10 kilometers) west of Lake Maggiore and 60 miles (100 kilometers) to Lake Lugano further east. You’ll find few tourists here and none of the schlocky souvenir stands you’ll tire of on the lakes.

What you’ll find is a small, middle-class Italian town where locals hang out at Piazza Mortiti, anchored by Parrocchiale di San Bartolomeo, an orange and yellow Baroque church refurbished in 1680 and looks like a giant gumdrop.

Sites are few but you come for the authenticity. You can visit the Museo Come Eravamo (How We Were), a reconstruction of an Italian peasant home complete with an antique sewing machine and wood stove. You can also venture out of the center to Via Francigena, the ancient road pilgrims have taken from England to Rome since the Middle Ages. Near it you can find the 11th century Chiesa di San Tommaso with its excellent frescoes.

One of the best parts about the town is it’s in Piedmont. As in Alba, Barolo wine is everywhere. Nebbiolo, the grape that makes Barolo, is most restaurants’ table wine. Check out Hostaria Orcobacco for some authentic Piedmontese cuisine.

How to get there: Four daily trains from Milan. The 90-minute trip is €8.15.

Cagliari, Sardinia (155,000) 

In July and August Italians flock to Sardinia like starving cats to a giant bowl of milk. They head to the lovely beaches, particularly Costa Smeralda in the northeast corner. Many ignore Cagliari, Sardinia’s charming capital in the south.

Piazza Yenne is Cagliari’s pulse. It’s surrounded by cute B&Bs, bars and restaurants with outdoor seating under shady trees. Not far is a tall staircase that takes you to Il Castello, a sprawling neighborhood of narrow alleys with every corner having a spectacular panoramic view of the city below and the mountains beyond.

You can’t miss Torre dell’Elefante where the Spanish hanged severed heads of disobedient locals during their occupation in the 14th century. Not far away is the Bastione di Saint Remy, a large terrace with a beautiful view that’s lit up every night for romantic strolls.

Cagliari (pronounced CAUL-gyi-ree) is also ideal for tasting unique Sardi cuisine such as burriccu (donkey), cavallo (horse), porceddu (suckling pig) and roast kid (baby goat). I highly recommend Is Femmines, our favorite restaurant in town.

Try to go when we did during the Festa di Sant’Efisio, a wild parade held every May 1-4. Sant’Efisio has been Cagliari’s patron saint ever since he cured the bubonic plague in the city in 1656. 

How to get there:  RyanAir and Volotea have hour–long flights from Rome starting at 53 euros round trip.

Campobasso, Molise (50,000)

You want a reasonable-sized town off the beaten path but still plenty to do? Come to Campobasso, the capital of Molise, the least-visited region in Italy and its second smallest. How undiscovered is it?

Its tourist office is about the size of a closet. 

Molise is 55 percent mountains and agriculture remains the main source of income. The region experienced huge exoduses after the two World Wars, including the family of Roberto De Niro from the nearby village of Ferrazzano.

Campobasso has not been abandoned. Located 120 miles (193 kilometers) from Rome and 40 miles (70 kilometers) from the Adriatic Sea, Campobasso has a small Centro Storico with all the requisite windy alleys and pathways.

Hang out on tree-lined Piazza Emanuele II next to Palazzo San Giorgio, the beautiful municipal palace. Or go to nearby Piazza Gabriele Pepe and have a glass of Tintilia, Molise’s trademark red wine.

The city is rife with excellent, affordable restaurants such as Osteria28 built in a cave-like building that’s been around since 800 A.D. And be sure to reserve one of the funky rooms in Palazzo Cannavina, a 500-year-old palace.

Campobasso is mostly used as a base for hiking the Tratturi, sheep migration paths that cover 1,860 miles (3,100 kilometers) in Central and Southern Italy and have been around since pre-Roman days. But good luck finding a map.

As I said, it’s the least-visited region in Italy.

How to get there: About a dozen trains a day leave from Roma’s Termini station to Campobasso. The 3 ½-hour trip, with a change at Rocco Ravindola, starts at 16.05 euros. It’s better to rent a car to tour the countryside. The journey without stops is 2 hours, 45 minutes.

Capoliveri, Tuscany (4,000)

In summer many Romans and Tuscans head to Elba, a beach-ringed island 30 miles (50 kilometers) off the coast of Tuscany and Napoleon’s exiled prison home for nine months. Capoliveri is Elba’s most charming village. Located on the southeast end of the island, it’s a collection of pastel-colored buildings connected by narrow alleys with flowers pouring over balcony planters.

A pedestrian street empties into Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, ringed by restaurants and gelaterias. It’s also a jump off to some of Elba’s best beaches, particularly Innamorata beach, 300 meters of golden sand set against a backdrop of tall trees.

After the beach, come hang out in the town situated 170 meters above the sea. Public markets, pubs and wine bars line the streets as do tons of people during peak months of July and August.

Come in late spring or early fall or visit during the hot pausa afternoon when everyone is at the beach. It’s a lovely, quiet Italian village where you can cool off with a cold beer or fruity gelato.

There’s a fierce independence of the people in this former mining town named for Caput Liberum, Latin for the Italian Capo Libero or Free Cape. During the summer, Capoliveri has arguably the island’s best nightlife and while a car is highly recommended on Elba, parking is nearly impossible in Capoliveri at night. Look to take one of the infrequent buses.

The Grape Festival is held in late September-early October where games, music, food stalls and buckets of wine fill the streets.

How to get there: Reach Elba by ferry from the port town of Piombino Marittima. It’s 110 miles (178 kilometers) from Florence, 160 miles (262) from Rome and 240 miles (403) from Milan. I paid 38.70 euros for the 3-hour, 45-minute train ride from Rome to Piombino and 13.50 for the hour-long ferry ride to Elba. Ferries leave hourly and no need to reserve except in August or a summer weekend. You can also fly to Pisa and drive the 70 miles (112 kilometers) to Piombino. 

Grosseto, Tuscany (82,000)

If you’re going the 210 miles (350 kilometers) from Rome to Lucca, home of maybe the most famous city walls in Italy, consider Grosseto as a nice halfway point. We stopped for lunch and plan to make it a destination some day.

Located in the southwest corner of Tuscany, it’s 110 miles (180 kilometers) from Lucca. It’s also a jump-off point for all kinds of outdoor activities. It’s near terrific hiking and climbing in Maremma Natural Park and is only nine miles (15 kilometers) from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Check out the sandy beach at Spiaggia le Marze.

Grosseto is a walled city where inside you take long, quiet walks on narrow roads dating back to 800 A.D. Hang out at Piazza Dante and stare at the Palazzo Aldo Brandeschi, home of Grosseto’s provincial government. It looks like a four-story medieval castle despite being rebuilt in 1921.

The city is so picturesque it was used in scenes in “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”

Grosseto is famous for its bread, particularly schiaccia (oven-baked bread in oil). The local cattle are used in the making of Tuscany’s famous Florentine steaks.

How to get there: Numerous daily trains go direct from Rome to Grosseto. The two-hour trip starts at €13.50. The 3-3 1/2-hour ride from Florence starts at €17.40.

Isola Bella, Piedmont (40)

That’s right, population 40. That’s all who live on this island 400 meters off the shores of Stresa in Lake Maggiore. Isola Bella is the closest place to a tourist trap on this list and I apologize ahead of time. But not many who visit this beautiful  lake and hang out in tranquil but crowded Stresa ever take the ferry over.

It’s worth a couple hours to hang out. Walk the windy pathways, climb the narrow staircases and look at the spectacular views of the cobalt lake and the palm trees swaying on shore. During the summer, elaborate gardens dating back to the 16th century are open atop the palace.

This island was just a big rock until 1632 when the Borromeos, a family of Milan nobles, bought it and its two nearby sister islands, Madre and Superiore. They built a huge palace which became the place to see and be seen in 17th century Milanese circles.

It thankfully does not have many schlocky souvenir shops or overpriced restaurants. I highly recommend sitting outside with a cold craft beer at Lemontree, a funky bar decorated with rock posters.

How to get there: Numerous direct trains daily from Milan to Stresa. The trip takes about one hour for 8.60 euros. Ferries leave from Stresa’s dock. The five-minute ride is €2-4.

La Spezia, Liguria (94,000)

Sometimes Italian cities are great to visit merely as a base to see someplace else. Take La Spezia, a pleasant port town on the Gulf of La Spezia and only nine miles (15 kilometers) from Riomaggiore, the southernmost town of the Cinque Terre. 

Avoid the crowds and the prices of Cinque Terre hotels and B&Bs and find a room in La Spezia. Or just stop off on your way back to exhale from your long hike or claustrophobia. Sit on the picturesque port and have a glass of Pigato, Liguria’s famous white wine made from the Vermentino grape. 

Liguria is home to Italy’s largest naval base but it’s also a great place to hang out. Its Centro Storico has the ubiquitous windy alleys lined with little, inexpensive trattorias serving up some of the best regional garb in Liguria. Dal Pescatori, a local institution on the port, has great seafood at about half the price you’ll find in Cinque Terre.

Most importantly, it has a convenient train station that takes you up and down Cinque Terre.

How to get there: Trains leave about every 30 minutes from Florence. The 2-hour, 20-minute ride starts at €14.40. Frequent trains leave from Milan. The four-hour ride starts at €21.

Picinisco, Lazio (1,200)

We just returned from assignment here in November and can’t wait to return. Picinisco is a small agricultural village situated at 2,625 feet a Frisbee throw from Abruzzo National Park. Go to Piazza Ernesto Capocci, the town center, and stare down at the vast patchwork of farmland below.

Known primarily as one of Italy’s two immigrant pipelines to Scotland, Picinisco is the center of Valle di Comino, a region of farms producing olives, wine, livestock and arguably the best Pecorino cheese in Italy. English travel writer D.H. Lawrence loved the tranquility so much he wrote part of “The Lost Girl” in a farmhouse that you can visit. They renamed it Casa Lawrence.

Stay at Villa Inglese, a 100-year-old Art Nouveau building turned B&B where seasoned English chef Ben Hirst produces mouthwatering meals using all local ingredients. 

How to get there: Rent a car. The closest train station is at Cassino 18 miles (30 kilometers) away. Rental cars in Rome start at about €25 a day.

Vietri sul Mare, Campania (7,800)

Vietri sul Mare is to the Amalfi Coast what La Spezia is to Cinque Terre. In fact, Vietri is known as The Gateway to the Amalfi. It’s the southernmost town of the string of pearls along the sea. Like the others, Vietri also has cliffside balconies overlooking the Tyrrhenian, windy alleys and fantastic seafood.

It just doesn’t have the big name or the crowds. However, still avoid it in July and August and on weekends. Weekdays in the offseason are ideal. We went for Valentine’s Day and it was the perfect romantic, Italian getaway.

Vietri is one of Italy’s ceramics capitals. Ceramics are everywhere. You can buy everything from salt and pepper shakers to entire table sets. You can even buy them during a visit to the huge Ceramica Artistica Solimene factory.

The food is excellent. Located only 30 miles southeast of Naples, pizza’s birthplace, you get true Neapolitan pizza in Vietri. Locals all head to Da Giufe’ for the best local variety. For seafood, dine on the sea at Dal Pescatore where you can see the day’s catches in a glass display case.

How to get there: Vietri sul Mare is a 3-hour, 20-minute train ride from Rome, including a short changeover in Salerno. Price is about 30 euros.

Happy Holidays, John: Only been to one of those so your tips are appreciated. That’s the beauty of Italy: Each big city is surrounded by small gems. Well, here with family in Vegas, tally for questions about Italy still rests at zero. We’ll see!

I dont see anything listed for Sicily, Basillicata, or Puglia. Any suggestions for those areas? I have read your previous blogs on Sicily. we will be there 5 or 6 weeks beginning end of March (as of right now).

I’ll check some out. Vietri is wonderful. Calabria and Puglia have many wonderful small villages. I visit these areas often. Molise and Abruzzo are on my list to explore. So many areas in Italy to see. I hope to cover all from north to south.

Great article and helpful thank you for sharing, as a photographer I am so happy to see someone give a credit to the photographer, nice work Marina. Happy Hollidays to both of you.

Thank you for sharing your wisdom! I’ll be getting back out there soon!

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Visit These 10 Underrated Places In Italy This Summer

Planning a summer vacation? Skip Italy’s gorgeous cities and visit these underrated places instead.

Being a bucket-list getaway for many tourists around the world, Italy gets extremely busy in summer because it's the most popular time to explore the country. Its vibrant cities, incredible food scene, and fascinating history attract millions of visitors every year. Once in the country, people exploring for the first time will definitely see why it is one of the best destinations around the world to spend a summer vacation .

However, Italy is home to plenty of places that rarely see tourists yet are worth visiting. Some of the hidden gems are home to spectacular vineyards, delicious restaurants, gorgeous castles, and historic churches. Planning a summer vacation? Skip Italy’s gorgeous cities and visit these underrated places instead.

The places to stay recommended in this list are based on research regarding each Italy's underrated tourist destination. Each accommodation has a rating of above 8.0, thanks to the fantastic reviews of previous guests who commend them for their outstanding services and amenities. The hotels are designed to meet the needs of various travelers and are definitely perfect for summer travel.

Related: 10 Best Beach Towns In Italy With The Prettiest Views

The Poet Hotel

Hotel villa durrueli resort & spa, hotel excelsior san marco, sangallo palace, qc terme monte bianco spa and resort, the foscarini, orta paradise 26, portovenere: a medieval fishing village.

Located in the stunning region of Liguria, Portovenere is a medieval fishing village and one of the underrated places one can visit in the summer. While many travelers pay more attention to Cinque Terre, the most beautiful town in Italy, this village offers an incredible chance to discover a unique side of the country. Vacationers will have a lot of fun activities to enjoy in summer, including strolling through the gorgeous streets and alleys, visiting the Church of San Lorenzo , and spending time at the breathtaking harbor.

Via Roma, 139, 19100 La Spezia, La Spezia

Traveling from Cinque Terre? Portovenere makes a perfect day trip from the town.

Ischia: An Incredible Day Trip From Naples

While Ischia is a favorite summer travel destination among Italians, it is not yet recognized by international tourists, making it one of the hidden travel gems in Italy . Located an hour-ferry-ride away from Naples, the island, which is among the smallest, is home to one of the most beautiful castles in the world, pristine beaches for a perfect summer experience, and multiple thermal spas that offer a wide range of relaxing treatments. Ischia is also more affordable compared to the neighboring tourist spots. Top places to visit include Castello Aragonese, Giardini la Mortella, and Maronti Beach .

Traversa V Mirabella 27, 80077 Ischia, Naples

Ponza: Visit The Largest Of The Pontine Islands

In love with snorkeling, trying some of the most delicious seafood, gazing at breathtaking sunsets, and enjoying the island breeze? Ponza, the largest of the Pontine Islands, has a lot of fun summer experiences awaiting. Its incredibly relaxed vibe makes it an excellent weekend getaway for vacationers of all types. It is known for its crystal-clear waters and impressive stretches of sand, including Spiaggia di Frontone, Cala Feola, and Chiaia di Luna .

Via Sottocampo Piano terra, 04027 Ponza, Latina

Travelers can only explore Ponza by boat, and they can rent them in many places across the island. The cost ranges between $76 and $86. By boating, one will get a chance to explore the island from a different viewpoint and take in some of its most breathtaking views.

Staying in Rome, the capital of Italy? Well, Ponza is a perfect day trip from the historic city. One can take a train from the Roma Termini station to the Anzio Colonial Station . The trip will take about an hour and cost about $5. Upon arriving at Anzio Colonial Station, one can stroll to Anzio Port to board a ferry to Ponza Island.

Bergamo: “The Most Beautiful Place On Earth”

Situated in the Lombardy region, Bergamo is famous for being incredibly stunning, and some people consider it the most beautiful place on earth, including Stendhal, a 19th-century French writer. The charming town has spectacular views and some of the most spectacular winding streets lined with gorgeous buildings. It is enclosed by Venetian walls, which were constructed in the 15th century to protect it from invasion. During this time, the Republic of Venice was under the city’s control. The walls took 27 years to construct.

Summer is the best time to explore Bergamo since there are a lot of fun things to explore, including traveling back in time in the city's old town and festivals such as the Summer Dance Festival .

Piazzale Della Repubblica 6, 24122 Bergamo, Bergamo

Summer is a perfect time to enjoy some of the best trips from Bergamo, including Venice and Milan, as they are only a short distance away, reachable via a train ride.

Related: Architectural Masterpiece: Here's Why You Should Visit The Italian City Of Bergamo

Val Di Noto: Explore Some Of The Most Charming Baroque Towns

Val di Noto is one of the perfect destinations for summer travel , thanks to its seaside charm. Located in the southeastern side of Sicily, the area is home to incredible Baroque towns and beaches, which have increased its popularity over the years. But it is still among the most underrated places in Italy because many international travelers are still not aware of or rarely make it to this spot. Its Baroque towns, which were all designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are its main attraction. The towns are among the most beautiful in Italy and include Noto, Catania, Ragusa Ibla, Scicli, Modica, Caltagirone, Palazzolo Acreide, and Militello in Val di Catania .

Vico Cosenza 9, 96017 Noto, Sicily

Umbria: A Perfect Alternative To Tuscany

Want to have a taste of Italy’s countryside? Umbria is a perfect option for unforgettable summer travel. While its neighbor, Tuscany, gets more attention, the region is definitely worth visiting, thanks to its stunning medieval hill towns, fantastic culinary scene, and vibrant wine culture. So, vacationers who'd love to explore the charm of Tuscany but with fewer crowds and at lower travel costs should plan a visit to Umbria, The Green Heart of Italy, a cheaper alternative to Tuscany . In summer, visitors can try some of its most delicious dishes, hunting, and wine tasting.

Via L Masi 9, 06121 Perugia, Perugia

Related: Planning A Visit To Umbria? Here Are 10 Things To See In Italy's Green Heart

Courmayeur: An Excellent Destination For Sports And Nature Enthusiasts

Adventurous tourists will enjoy spending their summer vacation in Courmayeur, a charming mountain town with a lot to offer. Located in the northwest tip of the country, one of the charming small towns in Italy offers numerous outdoor adventures, which can keep both children and adults busy in summer. It is home to some of the most impressive trails, leading vacationers to breathtaking views. Visiting Courmayeur gives you an incredible chance to hike and get to the summit of the iconic Mount Blanc . Rafting, hydrospeeding, and rock climbing are some of the fun summer activities not to miss in this gorgeous mountain town.

Route Mont Blanc 28, 11010 Pré-Saint-Didier, Aosta

Book 5 Days Mont Blanc 4810mt Climb with Acclimatization , and get an opportunity to explore Mont Blanc, one of the world’s most famous mountains and the highest peak in the Alps.

Parma: Famous For Producing Parmesan Cheese

Skip Rome and visit one of Italy's best-hidden travel gems, Parma, a perfect tourist destination for foodies. Brimming with charming streets and a culinary scene to die for, this town is one underrated spot that summer vacationers will definitely obsess over! It is situated in the Emilia-Romagna, Parma gets pretty heated in summer, but it is still the best time to explore the area. One can have fun visiting the Hundred Lakes, which boasts one of the most impressive landscapes in the country. Some of the most striking sights not to miss in Parma include the Palazzo della Pilotta and the Cathedral of Parma .

Minors International

Viale Paolo Borsellino 31, 43122 Parma, Parma

Treviso: Italy’s Friendliest Town

While the nearby Venice (located a 40-minute-train ride away) is one of the most iconic destinations in Italy, Treviso is a perfect alternative for tourists looking for fewer crowds and less summer heat. Home to about 81,000 residents, the town is brimming with gorgeous parks, rivers, and canals. There are plenty of fun summer activities, including kayaking through the canals and waterways, exploring its incredible food scene, shopping in the city center, and exploring the art galleries, museums, and churches.

Via Terraglio, 4, 31021 Mogliano Veneto, Veneto

Want to have a unique Italian vacation without crowds? Treviso is a bucket list destination to visit over Venice. It also makes a perfect day trip from the city, as it's reachable in half an hour via a train ride. Treviso comes with an incredible cultural charm and a completely different atmosphere that one won't find in Venice.

Lake Orta: An Incredible Hidden Gem In Northwest Of Milan

Northern Italy is home to some of the most beautiful lakes in the world , including Lake Como, home to some of the best experiences , Lake Garda, and Lake Maggiore. But Lake Orta, though smaller and underrated, is a bucket-list destination not to miss in summer. It is definitely one of Italy's most stunning lakes and is surrounded by some of the country's most beautiful towns and attractions. One of the top spots to visit is the Isola San Giulio , which is located right in the heart of Lake Orta.

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Best places to visit in italy.

Tourists and travel experts have long agreed that Italy is a special place, so much so that the country has become a de facto bucket list destination for just about everyone. Famous for its incredible food, rich historical sites, highly regarded art, charming small towns and picturesque cities, countrysides and coastlines, it's safe to say Italy's offerings are unmatched. U.S. News rounded up the best places to visit in Italy considering a number of factors, from affordability and seasonality to sights and crowds, to help you decide exactly where to go. Have a favorite destination in Italy? Cast your vote below to influence next year's ranking.

Amalfi Coast

Cinque terre, tuscany, italy.

A standard stop on many European vacation itineraries , Rome is not to be missed. Italy’s capital city is a globally renowned cultural and historical powerhouse, boasting everything from ancient ruins and tranquil parks to Michelin-starred restaurants. Here, you'll find the most important relic from the Roman Empire (the Colosseum), some of Michelangelo's greatest works (in the Sistine Chapel), an 18th century Baroque-style fountain (the Trevi Fountain) and, of course, the center of Catholicism (Vatican City). Other can’t-miss tourist attractions in the Eternal City include the Pantheon, the Roman Forum and St. Peter’s Basilica, the world’s largest church.

Situated in the scenic Tuscan valley, Florence woos travelers with old-world avenues leading to picturesque piazzas big and small. While you're soaking up the city's splendor, make sure to stop by the Piazza del Duomo, where the breathtaking Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral is located, and the romantic Ponte Vecchio, a 14th century bridge overlooking the Arno River. Once central to the Renaissance movement, Florence also offers art aficionados the opportunity to see famous pieces by Michelangelo and other iconic artists of that period. As an added bonus, Florence is ideal for a daytrip to the Chianti wine region.

The journey to the cliff-side Amalfi Coast involves heart-stopping, hairpin turns on narrow roads, but travelers agree this is part of the fun. The region covers more than 30 miles of coastline and is home to 13 colorful seaside towns, each with its own story. Positano and Amalfi are the most popular, housing numerous hotels and sights. While here, hike, relax on the beach and eat to your heart's content (there are multiple Michelin-starred restaurants along the Amalfi Coast). For something more off-the-beaten-path, set your sights on Atrani. This humble fishing village boasts medieval whitewashed architecture, winding alleys and authentic Italian charm.

There are few destinations in the world that are quite like Venice. Its uniqueness can largely be attributed to the canals that run through this northern Italian city like roads, carrying water taxis and buses in addition to its fleet of famous gondolas. As such, there is a palpable bustle here that may surprise some first-timers. For a relaxing Venice vacation, seek out the smaller streets and canals away from the busy Grand Canal and St. Mark's Square. Just be sure to stroll across Rialto Bridge and tour the grand St. Mark’s Basilica at least once.

Cinque Terre, located on Italy's northern Ligurian coast, is made up of five picturesque towns – Manarola, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia and Riomaggiore. Manarola, the region’s oldest town, boasts scenic vineyards, olive groves and a centuries-old bell tower. Meanwhile, Vernazza, often considered one of Italy’s most beautiful villages, is well-known for its picture-perfect houses and grand medieval castle. The Cinque Terre offers an abundance of exciting activities, from boat tours and hiking to cooking classes and wine tastings. While here, don’t forget to save time for exploring the cliff-side Footpath Monterosso trail, a beautiful hiking path connecting Vernazza and Monterosso.

For centuries, this small island off the coast of southern Italy has attracted plenty of famous faces, from emperors to movie stars, due to its gorgeous scenery. Some of Capri's most amazing sights are best seen by boat, including the Faraglioni rock formations and the Blue Grotto, where sunlight turns the water into an unbelievably vivid shade of blue. On land, the Gardens of Augustus and Villa Jovis, an imperial palace, also provide spectacular views. Meanwhile, in the town center, visitors will find high-end shops and restaurants where they can relax after a long day of sightseeing.

Considered the land of the sirens in Greek mythology, Sorrento continues to lure people with its charm and stunning views. Here, vacationers can explore enchanting piazzas or relax near the water before watching the sun set behind the cliffs. Plus, lemons are big in Sorrento – both in size and in popularity – and the area is known as one of the best places in the world to taste authentic limoncello, a lemon-flavored liquor. It's also the perfect base for daytrips and boat tours to nearby Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and other popular Italian locales.

Italy's second-largest city is best known for its high fashion, playing host to Milan Fashion Week each winter and home to iconic fashion houses including Giorgio Armani, Prada and Versace. Visitors can peruse such high-end brands at the dazzling Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade. But Milan's architecture (including the Gothic Milan Cathedral and grand Teatro alla Scala opera house) and sites like Castello Sforzesco (which holds nearly 10 museums and exhibitions) are worth a visit on their own. What's more, the city is incredibly walkable, so feel free to explore on foot – with or without designer stilettos.   

Located about 30 miles from Verona, Lake Garda tends to be more approachable and wallet-friendly (if a bit more touristy) than Lake Como. Activities in this recreational hot spot include swimming and windsurfing, as well as hiking and taking a funicular to Mount Baldo. Lake Garda also attracts families with Gardaland Resort, which includes themed hotels as well as an amusement park, water park and aquarium. If you're looking to get away from the crowds, go beyond the main tourist sites to the quieter northern side of the lake, where you'll find the highest mountains and tucked-away towns.

If you're looking for Italy without the crowds, Tuscany is really all it's cracked up to be. Italy's famous countryside offers travelers spectacular landscapes dotted with romantic villas and castles equipped with wineries and superb restaurants. Don’t miss out on a visit to the walled city of San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its medieval towers. What's more, Tuscan locales like Pisa (which offers much more than its leaning tower) and Siena are an easy drive from top destinations such as Bologna and Cinque Terre, perfect for daytrippers who don't want to stay in one place for too long.

Assisi, a medieval town with religious connections, sits on a hilltop in the lush landscapes of Umbria, just more than 100 miles north of Rome. This peaceful town's biggest draws are its sights dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, one of Italy's patron saints, including the Basilica of San Francesco, which houses his tomb as well as colorful frescos, and The Woods of San Francesco. Beyond its religious heritage, Assisi is worth a visit for its picturesque streets and sweeping views, while its location also makes it ideal for a truffle hunting excursion or wine tasting tour.

As the location of several ancient Greek legends, Sicily has an almost mythical quality. Once you visit for yourself, you'll see why so many writers were inspired by this island, which happens to be the largest in the Mediterranean. Be enchanted by Sicily's crystal-clear waters and golden beaches. Marvel at Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, or try hiking up it in summer or skiing down it in winter. Also save time for taking in the many cultures that have called this island home at its various cathedrals and archaeological sites.

This former Roman city in southern Italy is equal parts chilling and impressive. Pompeii was left almost completely intact after it was buried in ash after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Its astonishingly well-preserved ruins now provide present-day visitors a glimpse into what life was like during ancient times. True history buffs might also enjoy a trip to nearby Herculaneum, another city that was preserved by the same eruption, while more adventurous explorers should consider hiking to the top of Mount Vesuvius for jaw-dropping panoramas of the Bay of Naples and the Sorrento Peninsula.

Best known for its Shakespeare ties, Verona appeals to fans of "Romeo and Juliet" with themed tours of the sights that allegedly inspired the play. But there is more to this city than its literary link. Verona, located about 15 miles east of Lake Garda, is also home to several impressive attractions and historic buildings (the whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, after all). Travelers won't want to miss the Arena di Verona, a first-century Roman amphitheater that is still in use, and Giardino Giusti, a beautifully sculpted Renaissance garden.

Sardinia provides the best of both worlds. Costa Smeralda is all about luxury, with its lush beaches and coves overlooking yacht-filled waters. And away from all of the glitz and glamour of Costa Smeralda, you'll find a more laid-back side of the island, including small medieval towns where Sardinians still practice sheepherding and wear traditional clothing. What's more, Sardinia features several ancient ruins, such as UNESCO World Heritage-listed Su Nuraxi di Barumini.

If you really want to treat yourself on your next vacation, Lake Como is where you want to be. Here, opulent villas and hotels line the shores and sandy beaches beckon to sun seekers. You'll see sleek sailboats and speedboats coasting in the middle of the lake, which is the perfect place to admire the region's surrounding hills. Meanwhile, for a lesson in luxury, tour one of the region’s grand villas; top picks among travelers include Villa Melzi d’Eril, Villa Carlotta and Villa Balbianello. Later, check out the Como Cathedral, a magnificent structure boasting Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architectural styles.

The small, crescent-shaped village of Portofino is known as a vacation hot spot for the rich and famous. The water surrounding Portofino is often filled with yachts and is great for swimming and diving. Plus, the area's beauty and tranquil atmosphere make it an excellent place to unwind. When travelers need a break from relaxing, they can venture just outside of Portofino to check out historical sites like Castello Brown, an ancient military fortress with incredible views of the Marina di Portofino, and Abbazia di San Fruttuoso, a 10th century monastery that can only be reached by foot or ferry.

Thought to have been inhabited 12,000 years ago, Matera is one of the world's oldest continually occupied towns. Located in the Basilicata region in southern Italy, just west of Puglia, Matera's distinguishing features are its sassi (cave dwellings), which were inhabited until the 1950s. While here, look out for the many viewpoints, called belvederes, for a glimpse of the breathtaking cliffside. Visit Sasso Caveoso for the Casa Grotta cave house (inhabited until 1957) and the Santa Maria de Idris, a rupestrian church carved from the rocky landscape. Meanwhile, in Sasso Barisano – the oldest part of the city – you'll find modern comforts like hotels, restaurants and shops.

There are several reasons why Bologna, the capital of northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, is often called "la dotta, la grassa e la rossa" ("the learned, the fat and the red"). For one, it's home to the oldest university in Europe, the University of Bologna. The city is also a food lover's dream thanks to its world-renowned cuisine, which includes Italian staples like tortellini and lasagna Bolognese. Bologna even features a gelato university and the food-themed amusement park, FICO Eataly World. Plus, the city boasts an array of terra cotta-roofed medieval buildings, including a pair of leaning towers.

Located in the northwest corner of Italy, Turin is the perfect city break brimming with grand architecture, museums and delightful cuisine. Must-visit attractions include Mole Antonelliana (a former synagogue turned into a cinema museum), the 16th-century Royal Palace of Turin and the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum). Once you've toured the top sights, settle into local life by enjoying the city's riverside parks, street markets, football games and historic cafes. At the latter, you'll find unique coffee blends and decadent chocolate, as well as elaborate aperitif hours. On the long list of things Turin does right, you can find these three items at the top.   

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I've been to 107 countries. Italy and Mexico are great, but these 5 underrated destinations should be on your travel radar.

Posted: April 10, 2024 | Last updated: April 10, 2024

• I've visited 107 countries, and I recommend these 5 that can be overlooked for more popular places. 
• Estonia is a European dream, and Namibia is one of my favorite places in the world . 
• Costa Rica is popular but not as packed with tourists as some similarly beautiful places nearby. 

This year, travelers are looking to visit more under-the-radar destinations than popular ones — in part to dodge crowds and in part to save money.

Some are specifically looking for "travel dupes," a term for destinations similar to popular spots that are often cheaper with fewer crowds.

And, as someone who's been to 107 countries , I can tell you each region of the world has an often overlooked country that may offer a more rewarding experience than a more well-known place. These more under-the-radar destinations are often less crowded, and your dollar just might go further.

Popular travel destinations like Italy, France, and Mexico are great picks — but consider visiting these alternative options to the more popular choices in the region.

Estonia is a European dream.

I was immediately captivated by the fairy-tale appearance of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia.

Walking the cobblestoned streets within the fortress-like walls of the old city transported me back to medieval times.

The city is small enough to explore on foot, and there's plenty to entertain history and architecture enthusiasts. Enjoying a coffee or a beer in the Town Hall Square while people watching is a highlight of my European travels.

Although many people visit Tallinn as a day trip from Helsinki, which is a two-hour ferry ride away, it's worth staying here for a few days and heading into the Estonian countryside. The roads are often quite empty and incredibly peaceful.

I enjoyed Estonia so much that I returned twice more in the 18 months after my first visit.

I've enjoyed visiting Oman, a country in the Middle East.

Dubai gets a lot of attention for its luxurious travel opportunities , and many know Qatar because it recently hosted the World Cup, but nearby Oman should not be skipped.

After all, Oman's capital, Muscat, provides an excellent gateway to the country.

A stroll along the beautiful Corniche will take you along the water and by the bustling Grand Bazaar. For those who love hikes, there are plenty of options in Oman, including several easily accessible trails in Muscat that offer great city views.

Better still, the amazing Wadi Shab is less than two hours from the capital city and is one of the best hikes I've ever experienced . The trail takes you through narrow gorges and across streams and ends with a surreal swim through incredible caves.

It's an experience so breathtaking I'd expected it to be packed with tourists, but it wasn't when we visited. We only saw a handful of people, which allowed us to really enjoy our trip.

I've seen many parts of Africa, but Namibia may just be my favorite spot.

I have been fortunate to go on safaris in Kenya , Botswana, and Tanzania, but Namibia is my favorite travel destination of the bunch.

While there, we rented a campervan and did a self-drive tour of the country, allowing us to explore independently. Yet again, we avoided the crowds and the campsites were usually just us and local animals.

Waking up to the sounds of monkeys, elephants, and even lions was a special treat, especially knowing we were safe inside our campervan.

In addition to the wildlife, there's a lot to explore in Namibia, including colossal dunes, which we hiked up and surfed down —undoubtedly the trip highlight for my children.

Sri Lanka showcases a lot of what Asia landscapes have to offer.

Asia has some beautiful beaches, but Sri Lanka has beaches and tea plantations, mountains, rocks, waterfalls, and more.

We visited Sri Lanka last year and hired a driver and guide who showcased the diverse landscapes of this island country. The food was terrific and extremely cheap — our family of four was fed for less than $10 on most occasions.

The locals I interacted with were incredibly friendly and the island is also small enough to allow for in-depth exploration in a relatively short time.

Costa Rica is an excellent place to visit in Central America.

Growing up in Texas, my wife has been to Mexico many times since the state shares a border with the country. But to explore somewhere new, smaller, and in the same region, we chose to have our honeymoon in Costa Rica .

Although it's still popular, Costa Rica offers an authentic travel experience as I feel it has yet to be overrun by tourists. Like the other countries on this list, it has a diverse landscape, from white-sand beaches to rainforests to volcanoes, so there's plenty to do.

We also visited during the rainy season, so we took advantage of low crowds , low prices, and often received upgrades — and, as a bonus, it rarely rained!

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On Location: Shot All Over Italy, Netflix's 'Ripley' Takes Us to Capri, Atrani, and More

By Emily Zemler

Ripley , Steve Zaillian’s eight-episode adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel The Talented Mr. Ripley , takes its protagonist on a jet-setting tour of Italy . After the titular con man (Andrew Scott) is hired by a wealthy New York socialite to bring his son Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) back from Europe, Tom finds himself immersed in a precarious game of cat and mouse with the Italian police when he takes on Dickie’s identity to access his money. The story takes Tom from Manhattan to Italy, where he spends time in Atrani , Rome , Naples , San Remo, Palermo, and Venice . The series shot in many of the real places, including the real seaside town that takes over for the novel’s fictional setting of Mongibello.

Ripley follows the titular Tom (Andrew Scott) as he assumes the identity of a wealthy friend.

No real train stations were used in the making of the series, with production designer David Gropman building a composite in a hall at the Esposizione Universale Roma.

“The model for the book is Positano,” Ripley production designer David Gropman explains of the popular coastal resort town, which is known for its steep, winding streets and vibrantly colored houses. “Patricia Highsmith used a different name for it, but it’s definitely Positano. The Hotel Miramare is a real hotel in Positano, but we shot it all in Atrani because Steve fell in love with Atrani.”

Due to pandemic delays, Gropman spent nearly two years in Italy between scouting and filming. Ripley was shot largely on location, with some sets built on soundstages. The episodes were filmed entirely in black and white as a reference to the cinema of the time period, and there was an emphasis on showcasing Italy’s impressive architecture. “It’s just all around you,” Gropman notes. “To be able to shoot in these wonderful buildings was an amazing experience.”

In total, Gropman estimates that Ripley was filmed in more than 200 locations in Italy and New York. Here he explains some of the key sets.

Where the beloved 1999 movie adaptation was filmed largely in Ischia, the series is set in Atrani and films there as well as San Remo, Rome, and more.

Where did you film in New York City?

It gets harder and harder to do a period piece in New York City, so we scouted everywhere from Harlem to the Lower East Side . We ended up in Chinatown on Madison Street, which is just below the Manhattan Bridge, for Tom’s apartment. We used Mechanics Alley, which Tom walks through after he gets off the subway and feels he’s being followed. The antique store was in the West Village. It’s an empty space. The shipyard [where Dickie’s father works] was at the [Brooklyn] Navy Yard in an old warehouse space.

What locations did you use in Atrani?

The piazza [Piazzetta Umberto]. The exterior of Marge’s house. The beautiful beach. One of my favorite locations is the little post office, which was really a garage with strange proportions that just felt so right to me. I love the fact that it’s sitting in a little tunnel that runs through the town square. We also didn’t think we were going to put the bus stop [where Tom gets off] in Atrani. If you know the Amalfi coast at all, there's one two-lane road that runs through all of it, so being able to control traffic for the few scenes we had was not easy. But you get this fantastic view when Tom’s on the road looking back down into the square.

Positano's Hotel Miramare was used as a model for Ripley's hotel in Atrani, the interior of which was actually a private home. The exterior was an entrance to a convent.

Where was your version of the real-life Hotel Miramare?

The exterior was an entrance to a convent in Atrani and the interior was a private home we stripped out and made into the hotel. It had that beautiful room on the corner, where Tom stays, and it looks out to the sea and to Dickie’s house.

Was Dickie’s house an actual villa?

It was actually a villa in Capri , Villa Torricella. We looked at a lot of possible villas and palazzi. We had seen something in Ischia, where [ The Talented Mr. Ripley ] film was shot. But Steve had been in Capri for the film festival a number of times and noticed this villa and was so taken with it. There are three different factions of a family that live in the house, so the parts of the villa were broken up. We had to negotiate with all the different families to get permission to use the different parts of the house to put together Dickie’s house.

Laura Kiniry

Blane Bachelor

Stacey Lastoe

Where did you shoot the pivotal scene between Tom and Dickie that takes place in San Remo?

We shot the water scenes and the beach of San Remo in Anzio, although most of the boat sequence was shot in a swimming pool that was on the property of our special effects coordinator.

Water scenes and the beach of Atrani were filmed in Anzio, a fishing port.

When he gets to Rome, Tom checks into the Hotel Excelsior. Did you shoot in the real hotel?

We shot the Hotel Excelsior in three different places and none of them was the Hotel Excelsior . We shot the exterior at the Hassler Roma . We shot the interior at the The Plaza [in New York City.] The scenes with the front desk were in the ballroom where we built the [check-in] counter. And we shot Tom and [Dickie’s rich school friend who becomes Tom’s rival] Freddie’s suites at Palazzo Ruspoli in Rome, which is from the 16th century. There are quite a few hotels on Tom’s journey and none of them was one simple location. His hotel room in Palermo was in Rome, with the exterior in Palermo. In the script the Hotel Bolivar had a different name, but we found a hotel with an amazing flight of stairs up to it with a sign at the top that said Hotel Bolivar, so we used it, although those rooms were shot at a house in Rome.

Caravaggio’s paintings appear throughout the series. Were any of them real?

When Tom is in Palermo he goes to a little chapel, the Oratory of Saint Lawrence and it had a painting by Caravaggio [ Nativity with Saints Lawrence and Francis of Assisi ], which was stolen. It was replaced with a replica, so that’s what you see in the series. The only real Caravaggio we filmed was in Naples.

At the end of the series, Tom goes to live in Venice. How did you find the right palazzo for his house?

A number of years ago, I did a film called Casanova with Heath Ledger and became pretty familiar with all of the palazzi in Venice. I had that particular one, Palazzo Contarini Polignac , earmarked when I read this script, although we looked at a lot.

Many amazing flights of stairs are featured in the series.

Ripley was not originally going to stay at a Hotel Bolivar in the script, which was changed once this sign atop a flight of stairs was found.

Were there any challenging locations to find?

We couldn’t shoot in any actual train stations or on any actual train platforms. We never entertained pursuing Rome Termini [in Rome] because logistically it would have been practically impossible. And although the spectacular architecture is intact, everything from modern customs booths and turnstiles to advertising kiosks would have been a big obstacle. We could use the EUR, the Esposizione Universale Roma, which is this kind of city created by the government in hopes of hosting the 1942 World Fair. We turned their big meeting hall into the station. We used another of their buildings as the bank in Rome where Tom goes. The Naples train station didn’t actually open until 1960, so we had to cheat that in an empty, grand hospital from the late ’30s.

Did you spend time anywhere while in Italy that you would recommend?

Hotel Locarno is my favorite hotel in Rome. We moved into an apartment, but we started out and ended up there. To eat: Restaurant L’Arcangelo , Carter Oblio , Marzapane , and Nevi di Latte Gelateria . To see: Museo Nazionale Romano , Musei Capitolini , and Papal Basilica Saint Mary Major .

Ripley is now streaming on Netflix.

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7 Most Underrated Tourist Destinations In America, Ranked

When planning your summer vacation or spring break road trips, it’s easy to find popular tourist destinations across the United States. Sure, you could choose to visit one of the more popular spots like Vegas, New York City, or San Francisco, but those places are busy and full of other tourists looking for the same experience as you. These destinations tend to be crowded, expensive, and not very relaxing. America is full of beautiful sights and great places to visit, so to help you find those hidden gems, we’re breaking down some of the most underrated tourist destinations in the U.S.

With international travel being in higher demand, and costing more than ever, why not save some money and explore America instead? But which tourist destinations are the perfect hidden gems? StudyFinds did the research, consulting 11 travel and tourism sites in an effort to bring you the most underrated tourist destinations in the U.S. Our list comprises the seven most frequently listed destinations from across these sites. Do you feel we missed one? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!

The List:The Most Underrated Tourist Destinations in the U.S. to Visit Next

1. block island, rhode island.

Topping the list of the most underrated tourist destinations in the U.S. is Block Island, Rhode Island. Block Island is one of the most beautiful and natural places on the East Coast . The town is full of sights, trails, and beaches . As CNN explains, 40 percent of the island is comprised of wildlife refuges and other natural areas.

Be aware that if you’re looking for all-inclusive resort-style accommodations, then you’ll want to look elsewhere. A decades-long focus on land conservation makes Block Island a protected area for rare migratory birds and a great place to relax on vacation , notes Going . Although Block Island is a less popular destination than some of the surrounding areas such as Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, it’s by no means a hidden vacation spot. Plenty of vacationers are aware of Block Island, so you’ll still want to book your summer getaway a few months ahead of time.

As Way to Stay notes, Block Island remains a hidden gem for now, but that’s quickly changing. The natural sights of Block Island are by far the biggest attraction for urban travelers. If you’re looking for a quiet, serene vacation spot to escape busy city life, then you’ll definitely want to consider a trip here. Enjoy outdoor activities during the day before heading out to visit one of the many amazing restaurants and bars.

2. Florence, Oregon

The second place on the list takes us back across to the other side of the country to the West Coast in Florence, Oregon. Travelers rave about the beauty of Oregon’s coast and Florence is one of the hidden gems of that region, writes Jetsetting Fools . Florence’s population is under 10,000 but that’s part of the charm of this small coastal town situated along the Siuslaw River on the Pacific coast.

Florence is undoubtedly one of the best places to experience Oregon’s stunning coastline without all the crowds , notes Way to Stay . The weather tends to be a little too cool to swim or sunbathe. Still, Florence offers a population of sea lions, birds, and whales for you to soak in as you stroll and explore the natural coastal areas. You’ll also find Oregon Dunes Natural Recreation Area as well as Sea Lion Cave in Florence, so you won’t have to worry about running out of gorgeous sights to see or places to explore during your vacation.

One of the other main attractions in Florence is the Heceta Head Lighthouse where you’ll certainly want to stop and capture a few memorable photos. The lighthouse was built in 1894 and is situated on a rocky cliff, making it a must-visit destination while in Florence, highlights Going . Aside from the coastline, Florence also boasts a quaint, historic town center complete with a boardwalk and places to visit. If you’re looking for a way to explore Oregon’s coast without the crowds or hustle and bustle of the bigger cities, Florence is a great place to start.

3. St. Augustine, Florida

The next stop on our road trip to the most underrated tourist destinations in America takes us to St. Augustine, Florida. Of course, Florida is full of excellent tourist destinations with plenty of attractions, but St. Augustine tends to fly under most traveler’s radars, says My Global Viewpoint . Many travelers choose other destinations around Florida such as Orlando and Miami, but St. Augustine’s rich history makes it a lovely destination for a peaceful, warm-weather getaway .

St. Augustine is the oldest city in the U.S. , according to Time magazine . Dating back to 1565 when it was settled by the Spanish, St. Augustine is the country’s oldest continuously occupied European settlement. You’ll love the Spanish architecture that lines the streets, transporting you to a different era of history. With a small population of around 16,000, St. Augustine features two beaches and an abundance of outdoor activities to enjoy.

You definitely won’t run out of fun things to do and sights to see in St. Augustine. If the Spanish architecture caught your attention, then be sure to check out the marble Bridge of Lions that connects Anastasia Island and downtown St. Augustine, writes Way to Stay . St. Augustine isn’t just for adults looking to immerse themselves in historic sights, either. Of course, there are the beaches, but you can also check out the original Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum . If you’re into ghost stories , be sure to visit the Old St. Johns County Jail which is said to be haunted by former inmates. There’s truly something unique for everyone in your family to enjoy in St. Augustine.

4. Buffalo, New York

Winging its way into the fourth spot on the list of the most underrated destinations across the U.S. is none other than Buffalo, New York. You might hear “Buffalo” and think about the crippling snow storms you’ve likely heard about on the nightly news, but throughout the warm summer months, Buffalo is a great place to spend a relaxing vacation . Buffalo was once a struggling city that saw citizens fleeing to other parts of the state and country, but this beautiful, historic city is on the rise again, hitting its stride in a big way, notes Lonely Planet .

Buffalo was once a “boomtown” located at the confluence of the Great Lakes and Erie Canal, but the city was rather quiet throughout the 20th century, explains CNN . However, as the city starts to awaken once again, travelers are rediscovering the well-preserved architecture and historic sights such as the Art Deco City Hall, Victorian glasshouses at the botanical gardens, and a plethora of canalside entertainment and shopping . Not to mention, Niagara Falls is just a short drive up the road from Buffalo.

Travel Off Path recommends Buffalo as a great vacation base for exploring the surrounding areas of Western New York. Other than Niagara Falls, you’ll have quick access to the Finger Lakes region of Western New York as well as a variety of wineries and vineyards to explore. Foodies will love visiting in July as Buffalo is also home to one of the country’s largest two-day food festivals . There’s no doubt that Buffalo is an underrated city with plenty to offer tourists looking for a unique destination.

5. Cleveland, Ohio

Rocking its way into the fifth spot on the list of the most underrated tourist destinations in the U.S. is Cleveland, Ohio. Located on the banks of Lake Erie, Cleveland was pivotal in the building of America. The city has seen many ups and downs over the years, but today, the city is revitalized and offers plenty to see and do on vacation, notes Jetsetting Fools . Of course, there’s the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , but Cleveland also features plenty of museums and restaurants to enjoy as well.

One stroll through the downtown area and you’ll quickly realize that Cleveland is a beautiful city with plenty of entertainment options. As Reader’s Digest notes, the city offers similar attractions to New York City without the exorbitant pricing of “The Big Apple.” Enjoy one of Cleveland’s affordable museums such as the Natural History Museum or the Cleveland Art Museum as well as one of the destination dining spots such as Little Italy.

Cleveland is also a great sports destination, boasting teams across the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and Major League Baseball (MLB). The Browns, Cavaliers, and Guardians (formerly the Indians) have all been competitive in recent years and all three are historically relevant teams in their respective sports. As Huff Post explains, Cleveland also features impressive street art and famous Polish food . And, fans of the classic holiday movie “A Christmas Story” can visit Ralphie’s house which has been preserved to look as it did in the movie and transformed into a museum.

6. Greenville, South Carolina

Located just over the border from North Carolina in the northwest corner of South Carolina, Greenville is a gorgeous city at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains . As Lonely Planet describes, Greenville is equal parts natural escape, walkable downtown, foodie haven, and caffeine capital of South Carolina . Greenville is the biggest city in Upstate South Carolina but it’s not too big to where it’s overcrowded and not too small to limit your dining, drinking, and entertainment options.

Greenville strikes a balance between a bustling city and a quaint, small Southern town. Huff Post agrees that Greenville is a hidden treasure that boasts a vibrant restaurant and brewery scene . Enjoy lunch and dinner at any one of the incredible restaurants located across the downtown area. From there, take a stroll through downtown and absorb the natural landscape with sights such as Falls Park on the Reedy River.

Reader’s Digest calls Greenville a “spring break-style destination without the crowds or high prices.” Falls Park on the Reedy is certainly one of the reasons for the town’s relaxing atmosphere. The park features riverside gardens, a suspension bridge, and beautiful waterfall views. Again, all of this is located in the immediate downtown area. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, take a hike or a bike ride around the 22-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail which connects parks and the downtown area with nearby Travelers Rest, South Carolina.

7. Asheville, North Carolina

The final stop on the list of the most underrated tourist destinations in the U.S. takes us roughly 70 miles North of Greenville into the mountains of Western North Carolina in Asheville. Asheville mixes big-city vibes with cool outdoor activities , explains My Global Viewpoint . Downtown features a blend of indie shops, craft breweries , and amazing restaurants while the Blue Ridge Mountains offer a plethora of outdoor activities such as hiking trails, bike paths, waterfalls, and river tubing.

Time agrees that Asheville should be a top choice for anyone looking to explore the South. You’ll get the best of many worlds here. Over the past couple of decades, the city underwent a bit of a renaissance, transforming into one of the best craft beer cities in America as a variety of breweries set up shop in the mountain town. There are plenty of historic attractions including the infamous Biltmore Estate located on the outskirts of downtown.

As Madelyn on the Move notes, to take advantage of everything Asheville has to offer, you’ll want to visit in the summer or fall. The scenery across the mountains during the fall is spectacular. Although Asheville is considered a hidden gem, tourists from all over start flocking to the mountains in October to witness some of the most beautiful foliage in the country . Driving on the Parkway in the fall is truly breathtaking. And, for anyone visiting around Christmas, the Biltmore Estate is a must-see attraction during the holidays.

• Jetsetting Fools
• Madelyne on the Move
• Reader’s Digest
• My Global Viewpoint
• Way to Stay
• Travel Off Path
• Lonely Planet

Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This article may contain affiliate links in which we receive a commission if you make a purchase.

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This Iconic Kitchenware Brand Launches Culinary Trips That Include Harvesting Oysters in Normandy and Olive Oil Tasting in Marseille

The food-focused journeys will immerse travelers in French culinary traditions.

Chalffy/Getty Images/Courtesy of Sur La Table

Hungry for adventures? Sur La Table, the national retailer of cookware and bakeware, is entering the travel industry by launching a series of trips to immerse travelers in the culinary traditions of France. The Seattle-based company partnered with Academic Travel Abroad Inc., a decades-old cultural and educational travel provider, to host two curated itineraries in September and October, with more journeys coming up in 2025.

“At Sur La Table, we’re constantly looking for new ways to engage with our customers that bring to life our passion for cooking and celebrating cuisine from around the world,” Meredith Abbot, culinary director and trip expert at Sur La Table, told Travel+Leisure, noting that the partnership will allow the company to “take our signature cooking programming to the most iconic culinary destinations for a fully immersive trip.”

Hemis/Alamy/Courtesy of Sur La Table

Cooking classes, visits to local markets, food tours, and workshops with artisans will be some of the experiences included in the hyper-local itineraries. The first trip will take place from Sept. 1 until Sept. 8 and will introduce travelers to the gastronomic culture of Northwestern France. From learning to harvest mussels and oysters in the Bay of Biscay to making crepes in the historic port city of Saint-Malo, smoking salmon, and visiting the picture-perfect island of Mont Saint-Michel (at low tide, of course), this week-long trip will whisk travelers to some of the most beautiful corners of Brittany and Normandy. 

The second culinary journey, A Taste of Provence and the French Riviera will take place in Marseille and Nice from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6. Guests will try their hand at preparing classic Bouillabaisse seafood soup with a local chef, will learn all about sea salt production in the small village of Salins de Giraud, and will cook a classic Niçois meal with fresh produce from a local organic farm. Another highlight of this trip is a private tour of the Maison Empereur, the oldest specialty store in France. 

Both trips will include hands-on experiences and lectures so travelers leave with a better understanding of the history and culture of these distinct culinary regions. Groups will cap at 25 people, and rates start at $7,995, excluding flights. 

In a press release, Sur La Table said that its 2025 itineraries will include Paris and the South of Italy.

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25 of Our Readers’ Favorite New York City Restaurants

We asked, you answered: Here are the restaurants our dining-obsessed readers would rank the best in the city.

The Grand Central Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal is popular with readers. Credit... Benjamin Norman for The New York Times

Supported by

By Nikita Richardson

Nikita Richardson, an editor for Food, writes the “ Where to Eat: New York City ” newsletter.

• April 11, 2024

Last week, we shared Pete Wells’s revised list of the 100 best restaurants in New York City . Our restaurant-loving readers had notes, to the tune of more than 600 comments. So we gave them another chance to tell us all about their favorite restaurants , and received nearly 900 responses — many effusive in their praise. (Side note: Have you all considered becoming food writers?)

Many readers aligned with Pete: Some agreed that there’s no restaurant quite like Le Bernardin (No. 3), and Gramercy Tavern (No. 33) remains a perennial favorite 30 years later. Some felt strongly that Shukette (No. 71) and M. Wells (No. 83) deserved a higher ranking. But by and large, readers suggested restaurants that may not be on critics’ lists, but remain deeply special to them. Below are 25 of our favorite submissions, which have been edited and condensed.

Memories of Past Meals

Gennaro , Upper West Side

I feel like I’m eating in Italy circa 1975 every time I go to Gennaro. The fava bean salad is tangy; the homemade pasta con le Sarde whisks me to Sicily; and calves liver? Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh, and did I mention that you can hear yourself talk?

— Maria Lissandrello, Upper East Side

A&A Bake & Doubles Shop, Bedford-Stuyvesant

When I lived in Bed-Stuy in the 2010s, I would line up there early, because the star attraction was sold out by 9 a.m. That would be the doubles — sublime, every time. The baras are more chewy than crisp, but that’s all the better to hold the channa, which is beautifully soft and slightly sloppy (a good thing!). Then there’s the pepper sauce. It’s the perfect topping, fiery and sweet. Food apart, there’s also the community that somehow forms when Indo-Carribbean aunties and uncles, students, bipsters, hipsters and whoever else has found their way to Bed-Stuy and A&A. They jostle, sigh and yet wait patiently until one of the servers says, “What you gettin’, darlin’?”

— Bix Gabriel, Jackson Heights

Kashkar Cafe , Brighton Beach

As a broke and overworked line cook in my 20s, I used to ride the Q train to Brighton Beach on days off. I prided myself on being a cook with abilities and a work ethic that could stand up to the city’s best — but the food at Kashkar was different. It was Uzbek-Uyghur, and at the time I had no idea what that meant. Lamb plov, dumpling soup, a simple eggplant salad — if I made them 100 times over, they’d never be as soulful.

— Peter Zinn, Portland, Maine

Premium Sweets and Restaurant, Jackson Heights

Between Covid and archaic immigration policies, I’ve been unable to go home to Bangladesh for years. Home is my family, my friends and the food. Try as I may to replicate most of the flavors, some dishes are out of the purview of my studio home kitchen. Whether it be a simple paratha and aloo bhaji, or an intricate, adroitly made kacchi biryani, Premium has it all. A warm meal, made with the love I grew up with, served in a language that helps me break causality and be home for a good hour and back.

— A. Nafis Arafat, Upper East Side

The Neighborhood Staples

The Freakin’ Rican , Astoria

It’s not only the food that makes this place so remarkable , it’s the community it brings and its ability to turn pork chops and white rice into a delicious trip down memory lane. The chef is top-notch and dedicated to perfecting his craft, a homage to Puerto Rican food, but is also personable and treats everyone eating like family.

— Marisol Salaman, Astoria

Mama Yoshi Mini Mart , Ridgewood

This is the only favorite restaurant I have ever had because it has opened me up to comfort food that I never knew I couldn’t live without. Everyone loves the chicken katsu sandwiches — a crispy chicken cutlet bigger than a human head on a comparably tiny bun — and the Spam breakfast burritos, but their grab-and-go section is my favorite in the city. It’s stocked with baskets of affordable food like fresh onigiri, macaroni salad with the correct amount of mayo, housemade pickles and more.

— Lu Levin, Ridgewood

Alison , East Harlem

A sweet neighborhood spot with an extensive wine list and diverse menu. The kofta lamb kebab with feta and avocado spread is not to be missed. I’ve been 100 times and would go 100 more.

— Kate Bernardoni, Upper East Side

Jake’s Steakhouse , Fieldston

The crown jewel is any steak, but with Jake’s Style, the blue cheese just melts in your mouth. The sides taste doubly amazing, specifically the creamed spinach and croquettes. To add the cherry on top, they have the best homemade steak sauce and even sell their neighbor Lloyd’s famous carrot cake.

— Daisy Nuñez, Soundview

G’s Coffee Shop, Inwood

This small diner and lotto shop in Inwood actually seems interested not only in the food, but in the people it serves, too. I have never seen a neighborhood more devoted to — and defined by — one single restaurant than this.

— Benjamin VanWagoner, Inwood

Q Rico Restaurant, South Bronx

A Michelin experience for blue-collar prices. We left satiated with admiration and respect. A meal my young kids will remember. The cassava dish was fantastic.

— Risa Sibbit, Grand Concourse historic district

Menus That Truly Stand Out

Sabry’s Seafood , Astoria

Fresh fish and a lively assortment based on what’s in the fish market that day. The most amazing pita bread baked on the premises with eggplant, hummus and tahini, unparalleled as appetizers. Watch that bread as it becomes addictive! Sardines, smelts, ask for a preparation customized to you and you will get it. The staff is lovely and friendly, and Sabry is there in the open kitchen. Have traditional Egyptian tea with mint to finish an amazing meal!

— Nancy ElNaggar, Forest Hills

Archer & Goat , Central Harlem

The unique fusion of flavors from Latin America and Southeast Asia set the restaurant apart. Who doesn’t love an arepa topped with chicken vindaloo? Looking forward to a summer evening in their back patio with the string lights, a fancy mezcal cocktail and some Pirulo playing.

— Anderson de Andrade, Harlem

HAGS , East Village

Telly Justice and Camille Lindsley have one of the most creative and queer restaurant spaces New York City has ever seen. HAGS brings in queer chefs, artists and workers to learn the trade, and they are given free rein to experiment, create and shine. The seasonal tasting menu by Chef Telly is unlike anything I have ever tasted. Who knew tempeh could be so grand? They also provide a weekly pay-what-you-can meal. Imagine Eleven Madison Park vibes in cardboard containers.

— Michael Fellows, Downtown Brooklyn

Win Son , Williamsburg

I don’t plan to wind up on death row, but if I ever have to choose a final meal, the last thing I ever eat would be the tián miàntuán (with peanuts and cilantro, of course).

— Benjamin Schindel, Baltimore

The Repeat Customers

Inga’s Bar , Brooklyn Heights

Since it opened , we’ve celebrated everything there — from birthdays to New Year’s Eve, and it hits no matter the occasion or non-occasion. The burger, the monkfish and everything in between. It’s exactly the right balance between fancy and comfortable.

— Jane Merrill, Clinton Hill

Frankies Spuntino , Carroll Gardens

There is no better meal in New York City than the fennel salad, followed by the sausage and cavatelli, then the prunes and mascarpone for dessert with cocktails, wine or coffee along the way.

— Brie Ashley, Bay Ridge

Sofreh , Prospect Heights

I have been to Sofreh five times and have never had a single bite that I wasn’t obsessed with. Chef Nasim is usually walking around making conversation, which adds to the inviting feel. The perfect restaurant in my opinion.

— Kayla Wadwa-Hansel, Prospect Lefferts Gardens

The (Relatively) Well-Kept Secrets

Fuska House Food Cart , Jackson Heights

This food cart is so fire. I had never had Bengali food before my friend introduced me to this spot. On a busy street in Jackson Heights a line of food trucks all sell the same dish : fuchka pani puri , a crispy spherical shell filled with chickpeas, potato, onions, egg and a variety of delicious Bengali spices. It’s crispy, $7 for a tray of 7 and comes with a cup of tamarind sauce for dipping. The cart also sells cups of hot chai, which is a perfect beverage for this street food delight.

— Halley Gerber, Flatbush

Cheburechnaya , Rego Park

This restaurant showcases the breadth and diversity of Bukharan Jewish food with its Silk Route influences in a lively, no-frills setting. Rich soups, flaky cheburek pastries and skewered meats arrive fresh off the grill — and it’s all kosher. Many large parties come for celebrations and since it’s B.Y.O.B., it’s fun to watch the bottles of vodka pile up on the celebrants’ tables.

— Joshua Waxman, Glen Rock, N.J.

Tia Pol , Chelsea

I’ve never seen this hidden gem on any buzzy restaurant lists, but it is such an authentic, wonderful slice of Spanish cuisine in West Chelsea. Every plate — despite mostly standard tapas fare — is elevated thanks to the quality of the ingredients. The space makes you feel as if you’d been transported to another time and place. Which is what New York City dining is all about, right?

— Rachel Jablon, Upper East Side

Paul’s da Burger Joint , East Village

I have never brought anyone, from anywhere in the world, to Paul’s without them being astonished by how great the burger is or the gritty old-school New York City vibe of the place. It’s the kind of New York “dive” real New Yorkers wax nostalgic about when they talk about places that don’t exist anymore. Except it does. And it’s awesome.

— Deanna Wallach, Bedford-Stuyvesant

They’re Classics for a Reason

Raoul’s , SoHo

The only place I order steak. The best dirty martini. Love the bartenders and Eddie at the door. If I return from summer and I’m bummed to be back in the grind, I go to Raoul’s and I’m back!

— Erin Crandall Phillips, West Village

Cafe Luxembourg , Upper West Side

Cafe Luxembourg is the crown jewel of the Upper West Side. This neighborhood has seen dozens of food and drink establishments come and go in the 25 years I have lived here. Despite the challenges the city has faced — Sept. 11, the 2008 financial crisis, Covid— Cafe Lux has remained a beacon of excellent dining. This is how you run a restaurant. It is my happy place.

— Bruce Weinstein, Upper West Side

Grand Central Oyster Bar , Midtown Manhattan

There’s a comfortable spot for everyone who comes through the classic doorway. My father would stop for a cup of oyster chowder before commuting home to Scarsdale in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Now my husband and I go there to meet friends, celebrate and take in the historic setting.

— Barbara Potter, Upper West Side

La Bonbonniere , West Village

This is a classic New York City diner. So greasy. So good. They once kept a bottle of real maple syrup in their fridge for us even though we only came around once a week.

— Kevin Hertzog, Guilford, N.Y.

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Nikita Richardson is an editor in the Food section of The Times. More about Nikita Richardson

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