Italy’s unsung destinations reveal a country that still feels intimate and authentic. Brisighella in Emilia-Romagna sets the tone: as you approach, cliffs bristle with lonely towers and isolated trees, giving the impression of walking into a carefully composed painting.
Within the town, mediaeval passageways twist beneath arches and between stone houses. A unique raised path runs above parts of the old centre, creating hidden corners where you can lean on a railing and look out over the tiled roofs and surrounding hills.
On Sicily, the Via dei Frati leads walkers along a 54-mile path between Caltanissetta and Cefalù. The Madonie mountains loom all around, and the absence of other tourists makes each viewpoint feel personal. Nights spent in villages like Gangi bring home the warmth of local hospitality.
To the east and south, Basilicata’s Venosa showcases ancient Italy on a smaller scale. Roman ruins lie in and around the town, where the poet Horace was born. The castle dominates the centre, while nearby towns such as Melfi and Lagopesole preserve their own fortresses and stories far from crowds.
Elsewhere in this quieter Italy are an unplugged eco-hotel in the Apennines with a river as a swimming pool, the UNESCO-designated Lombard relics of Cividale, Chioggia’s fishing boats and canals, Liguria’s Santo Stefano d’Aveto with its hiking peaks, the vineyards and truffles of Loazzolo, and the Roman amphitheatre and theatre of Urbs Salvia. They make ideal stops for travellers who like their beauty with a sense of discovery.