Italy’s Quiet Corners: Medieval Towns, Wild Forests and Ancient Stones

Italy’s beauty goes far beyond its famous monuments. In Emilia-Romagna, Brisighella stuns visitors with hills and solitary towers that create a cinematic landscape.
Its medieval heart rewards exploration. The elevated walkway weaving through the old town offers unique vantage points the average tourist never sees.
Sicily’s Via dei Frati gives travellers a chance to disconnect completely. The 54-mile trek across the Madonie mountains is serene and uncrowded, ending each day in villages like Gangi full of charm and warmth.
Basilicata’s Venosa provides a compact but powerful historical experience with Roman ruins, catacombs and a castle. The area around it adds fortress towns like Melfi and Lagopesole to the mix.
Elsewhere, Italy unveils more surprises: the eco-hotel hidden in the Apennines, Cividale’s medieval artistry, Chioggia’s canals and fishing culture, Santo Stefano d’Aveto’s mountain walks, Loazzolo’s sweet wine territory and the Roman remains of Urbs Salvia. This is Italy at its most authentic.