Italy’s quiet corners offer experiences that feel worlds away from busy landmark cities. In Emilia-Romagna’s Brisighella, the approach alone is unforgettable: jagged hills rise abruptly, topped with lonely towers and wind-bent trees, creating a scene worthy of an old master’s brush.
Brisighella’s medieval centre is equally atmospheric. Visitors can wander cobbled passages or stroll along an elevated path that reveals the town from unexpected angles. It’s the sort of place where you might spend an afternoon doing nothing more than sipping coffee and watching shadows move along stone walls.
Sicily’s Via dei Frati presents a more strenuous but equally peaceful adventure. The route between Caltanissetta and Cefalù spans 54 miles of mountain trails, often completely empty of tourists. Villages like Gangi provide simple accommodation, hearty meals and a warm welcome that transcends language barriers.
Basilicata’s Venosa, with its Roman ruins, catacombs and solid castle, shows another quiet face of Italy. The surrounding region hosts a string of under-visited castles and historic buildings in towns such as Melfi, Lagopesole and Pietragalla. It’s a landscape where almost any detour rewards you with unexpected history and excellent food.
Tucked elsewhere in the country, travellers will find a riverside eco-hotel without phone reception, Cividale’s UNESCO-listed Longobard chapel, Chioggia’s network of canals and a zoology museum, the mountain trails and simple dishes of Santo Stefano d’Aveto, the vineyards and hazelnut groves around Loazzolo, and the sun-baked Roman ruins of Urbs Salvia. Together they form a quiet, deeply satisfying portrait of Italy for those willing to wander.