Peak summer Italy can feel like a tourist whirlwind, but there’s a quieter side waiting to be explored. Skip the crowds and discover Italy’s hidden gems – charming towns brimming with authentic culture, breathtaking views and unspoiled beauty. From medieval villages to coastal escapes, these under-the-radar destinations promise all the allure without the bustle. Plan your next trip around Italy’s best-kept secrets for an unforgettable journey.
Pietrasanta, Lucca
While the northern Italian upper classes are all sunning themselves on the long stretch of sandy bougieness that is Forte dei Marmi in the Lucca region of Tuscany, those with an eye for art are using the hilltop town of Pietrasanta as their cultural base. Just 3km from the coast, but delightfully bereft of the former’s crowds, Pietrasanta’s labyrinthine cobbled streets and piazzas date back to Roman times and it has long been revered by artists due to its proximity to marble quarries. Michelangelo was the first sculptor to recognise the beauty of the local stone – David was hewn from a chunk of Pietrasanta marble – while the likes of Botero, Joan Miró and Henry Moore were all lifelong visitors. The main piazza is stunning, made remarkable by the 13th-century Collegiata di San Martino and the Romanesque-style deconsecrated church, Sant’Agostino, which is now a municipal art gallery. Many local artists have made their home here, giving the town a wonderful bohemian feel, and in the evenings the restaurants spill out into the narrow, cobbled streets, filling the warm summer air with unctuous smells and joyful conversation. Paradis Pietrasanta is a wonderful boutique stay right in the middle of town and is full of Tuscan charm, but it also has a sister property just a few kilometres away on a 100 per cent organic farm set on a nine-hectare estate.
Orta San Giulio, Piedmont
Best known for its baroque and medieval architecture, the charming Piedmontese town of Orta San Giulio is one of the gems of theVerbano-Cusio-Ossola province, replete with a maze of cobbled streets and postcard-perfect views of Lake Orta. About an hour and a half’s drive from Milan, this ancient town dates back to around the 14th or 15th century and has maintained a romantic atmosphere thanks to the picturesque streets and narrow cobbled lanes, flanked by old stone walls. Some call it the Venice of the Piedmont since it boasts a number of little squares which are reminiscent of the campielli of the floating city. The views of the lake are best soaked up from the 15th-century Church of Santa Maria Assunta, where you can scale a broad flight of granite steps up to the Piazza Motta, the central hub of the village. From there you want to make a beeline for the Sacro Monte of Orta, a complex of 16th– and 17th-century chapels nestled in a nature reserve, and then take a breath before looking out onto the magnificent lake.
June is a great time to go as the Cusio Festival of Ancient Music fills the streets with the sounds of medieval melodies. Otherwise, spring hosts Orta in Fiore, a renowned flower market. As for accommodation, the best hotels take pride of place around the banks of the lake, with the imposing Relais & Châteaux Villa Crespi dripping with period charm (and a Michelin-starred restaurant).
Camogli, Liguria
The Italian riviera is best visited either side of August, when the majority of Italians are still desk bound. Nevertheless, places such as the Cinque Terre and Portofino can still be massively oversubscribed, which is why you should instead head to the town the cognoscenti go to –Camogli. For whatever reason, this colourful seaside town has stayed under the tourist radar, perhaps because it has resisted being conquered by the luxury boutiques. The village’s buildings bear peach and apricot-toned façades with trompe l’oeil architectural details, apparently so that local fishermen could identify the town from the sea. All the action happens down on the seafront on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi which, come 5pm, is passeggiata central (the Italians love a little pre-dinner strut). Here you’ll find all the best restaurants (La Camogliese, La Rotonda, and La Piazzetta are perennial favourites, while Da Paolo on the street behind is Michelin-starred). The pick of the hotels is also along here in the shape of the Cenobio dei Dogi, a four-star Ligurian dream with a private beach.
Marina di Pisciotta, Campania
About a two-hour drive from Naples airport is the delightful seaside town of Marina di Pisciotta, a little-known gem of this stretch of Campanian coastline. Connected to its big sister town of Pisciotta (a Unesco World Heritage Site) just a 20-minute walk away, the marina is to this day a busy little fishing port that has managed to retain its working charm while also accommodating for Italians on holiday and the odd tourist. Fishing – mostly for anchovies – is still a significant industry for Marina di Pisciotta, whose fishermen continue to employ an age-old method using handwoven menaica nets that allow the smaller fish to escape, while the larger ones make their way onto your lunch plate. There is a quaint little pebble and sand beach that slides north from the port, but further south is the Le Saline beach at Palinuro which is much more of what you imagine a busy southern Italian beach to be. The Marulivo Hotel high up on the hillside in Pisciotta is the place to stay, with exceptional views of the coastline. It was once a 14th-century monastery and has since been charmingly converted into a boutique hotel.
Sulmona, Abruzzo
While most Italian town recommendations will steer you there in the summer, the town of Sulmona in Abruzzo is most definitely a winter destination. Located two hours from Rome, Sulmona is situated at the foot of the Majella and is best known as the birthplace of the Roman poet, Ovid. Ancient history literally runs through Sulmona in the shape of a beautiful Roman aqueduct. Ovid’s words from works such as Amores still ring in the ears of Sulmona locals and visitors alike – who flock to the town in December for the Ars, Eros, Cibus festival, which sees hundreds of couples gather in Piazza XX Settembre to swear eternal love. It’s a month-long snogfest in order words. Sulmona is also famous for its sweets known as “confetti” aka sugar-coated almonds. You can’t turn around without bumping into someone peddling bags of the colourful treats. There’s even a museum dedicated to them.
Mantua, Lombardy
Fine art and design heads cannot miss a trip to Mantua (also called Mantova) in the Lombardy region. Brimming with Renaissance charm and timeless beauty, Mantua is surrounded by three artificial lakes, thus appearing like an island city. Once home to the powerful Gonzaga family, this Unesco World Heritage Site is famous for its rich history, art and architecture. Begin at the magnificent Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale), a sprawling complex featuring over 500 rooms, courtyards and frescoes by Mantegna in the Camera degli Sposi. Then, head to Palazzo Te, a masterpiece of Renaissance design, adorned with fantastical frescoes and trompe l’œil illusions. Mantua is also a culinary destination: try the famous pumpkin tortelli and sbrisolona cake, two regional specialties. Stroll through Piazza delle Erbe to experience Mantua’s vibrant atmosphere, surrounded by historic shops, the striking Rotonda di San Lorenzo and the Basilica di Sant’Andrea with its unique, barrel-vaulted ceiling. While there are plenty of decent hotels in Mantua, we’d recommend staying about an hour outside of the city at Relais Castello Bevilacqua, a 14th-century castle. Its suites have been decorated in the most ornate period styles you can imagine, in perfect keeping with the Renaissance style of Mantua.
Ryan Thompson is a UK-based menswear and lifestyle writer, whose work has appeared in, among others, the Financial Times, Mr Porter, The Rake and Ape to Gentleman
