Far from the queues and ticket booths, another Italy opens up – one of quiet hill towns, mountain refuges and near-forgotten Roman cities. Brisighella in Emilia-Romagna is a striking example, its cliffs and towers offering a cinematic approach that feels straight from an art gallery.
Inside the town, medieval lanes and a distinctive elevated path create a sense of intimacy. The walkway snakes through the old centre, providing small balconies over the life below. It’s easy to spend a day between walks in the hills and slow meals in local trattorias.
On Sicily’s Via dei Frati, the rhythm of travel changes altogether. The 54-mile route from Caltanissetta to Cefalù crosses the Madonie mountains in a series of quiet stages, largely devoid of other walkers. Villages like Gangi greet visitors in the evenings, serving local dishes and wine with effortless generosity.
In Basilicata, Venosa shows how much history can be packed into a compact town. Roman ruins and Jewish catacombs lie close to an impressive castle, while nearby Melfi, Lagopesole and Pietragalla add more castles and palaces to the touring list. It’s a region where even a wrong turn often delivers something memorable.
Elsewhere, there’s a back-to-nature eco-hotel at the end of a dirt track in the Apennines, with a river doubling as a swimming pool and no phone signal at all; Cividale’s medieval streets and Lombard chapel overlooking the Natisone River; Chioggia, a working “little Venice” with canals and fishing boats; mountain trails around Santo Stefano d’Aveto; autumn-tinted vineyards in Loazzolo; and the Roman city of Urbs Salvia, where theatre and amphitheatre stand largely undisturbed. This is Italy at its most relaxed and rewarding.