Italy was clearly much missed during Covid. Post-pandemic, it’s quickly returned to its tourist numbers of 2019 and visitors continue to rush back. , and (even with ) are particularly jammed.
But, happily, there are still spots with a fraction of the visitors of these main hubs and tourist favourites, beautiful towns in the midst of cinematic countryside; even more alluring in their relative solitude. Here are 15 of the most spectacular and unexpected towns to put on your radar, whether you are an art buff, a gourmand or a nature lover. Each is its own special kind of paradise.
Most travellers zoom up to Cortona, made famous in the film , and leave this tiny village to the lucky insiders. But it’s more than worth a stop: the settlement is an ode to medieval planning, with a perfect elliptical shape and streets arranged in neat concentric circles. Centrally located, the town has always had an unbeatable strategic position and was long a pawn in the rivalry between Siena and Florence.
Don’t miss the 13th-century church of San Francesco, a beautiful little chapel with a limestone and travertine facade, and the ruins of a Medici castle located near the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Querce, designed by heavyweight art historian Giorgio Vasari. A visit to Il Goccino is a must to try the handmade pasta and steak from the local Chianina breed. Those with a sweet tooth should try the unforgettable bitter chocolate gelato at C’era Una Volta (Via Rosini 20).
Stay: Set in a 16th.