Away from the queues, Italy can feel surprisingly wild. In Emilia-Romagna, the first glimpse of Brisighella shows rocky heights and towers that could easily serve as backdrops for a historical film. The landscape alone sets it apart.
Brisighella’s medieval core enhances that impression. A raised path runs above parts of the town, creating sheltered spots that look out over alleys and rooftops. The surrounding hills offer walking routes where you might meet more birds than people.
Sicily’s Via dei Frati takes the idea of solitude further still. Over 54 miles between Caltanissetta and Cefalù, hikers cross the Madonie mountains in near silence. Each evening’s stay in villages such as Gangi becomes a small cultural exchange, built on smiles and shared meals rather than shared language.
Basilicata’s Venosa, birthplace of Horace, is quiet yet packed with significance. Roman ruins, Jewish catacombs and a fortress-like castle tell overlapping stories. Nearby Melfi, Lagopesole and Pietragalla add their own fortified silhouettes and noble residences to the scene.
Elsewhere, Italy reveals more unexpected corners: an eco-hotel without phone signal deep in the Apennines; Cividale with its Lombard chapel and turquoise river; Chioggia’s network of canals, museum of Adriatic zoology and coastal beaches; Santo Stefano d’Aveto’s mountain trails and modest but hearty meals; Loazzolo’s sweet wines and autumn colours; Campoli Appennino’s ravines, waterfalls and bear sanctuary; and Urbs Salvia’s sun-baked Roman cityscape. These are the kinds of places where history and nature speak more loudly than traffic.