20 Best Italian Towns to Visit (Beyond Major Cities)
Italy’s small towns are some of Europe’s best-kept secrets. Here are 20 worth your trip.
1. Manarola, Cinque Terre
Pastel cliff village + hiking trails + sea + wine
2. Positano, Amalfi Coast
Cliff village + chic + Sirenuse + Positano steps
3. Polignano a Mare, Puglia
Cliffside + Lama Monachile beach + caves + sea
4. Matera, Basilicata
Cave dwellings + 9,000 years inhabited + UNESCO + Mel Gibson Passion filmed here
5. San Gimignano, Tuscany
Medieval towers + Vernaccia wine + gelato + Tuscan hills
6. Civita di Bagnoregio, Lazio
Dying town on rock + footbridge only + atmospheric
7. Castelluccio, Umbria
Wildflower fields + mountain valley + pasta-making town
8. Bellagio, Lake Como
Lakeside elegant + George Clooney’s town + Villa del Balbianello
9. Portofino, Liguria
Tiny harbor + luxury + Riviera + dolce vita
10. Atrani, Amalfi Coast
Smaller than Amalfi + authentic + walking distance
11. Alberobello, Puglia
Trulli stone houses + UNESCO + magical conical roofs
12. Pienza, Tuscany
Renaissance ideal city + pecorino cheese + cypress views
13. Vernazza, Cinque Terre
Harbor + pastel + most-photographed Cinque Terre
14. Ravello, Amalfi Coast
High above the coast + Villa Cimbrone + music festival
15. Orvieto, Umbria
Hilltop + Duomo + underground caves + day from Rome
16. Volterra, Tuscany
Etruscan + alabaster workshops + medieval + Twilight movie
17. Lucca, Tuscany
Walled city + Renaissance ramparts + bicycle around walls
18. Spello, Umbria
Flower-decorated stone streets + Roman walls + summer in bloom
19. Otranto, Puglia
Adriatic coast + Aragonese castle + clear water
20. Trani, Puglia
Cathedral on the sea + Romanesque + Adriatic