When people think of Northern Italy, they picture Lake Como, Venice canals and Milanese fashion week. But beyond the polished cityscapes and snow-capped Alpine backdrops, there’s a whole other side: blood-red lakes, submerged villages, bamboo labyrinths and even a vineyard owned by Leonardo da Vinci.
If you’re looking for unusual places to visit in Northern Italy, these six spots are strange, beautiful and brilliantly offbeat – perfect for a long weekend with a twist.
Lake Resia, South Tyrol
Lake Resia (Lago di Resia) is one of the most hauntingly unusual places in Northern Italy. In the 1950s, a hydroelectric dam project flooded the entire village of Curon Venosta, submerging homes and farmland beneath an artificial lake.
All that remains visible is a 14th-century Romanesque bell tower rising eerily from the water – and in winter, when the lake freezes, you can actually walk right up to it across the ice.
The weirdest thing about Lake Resia: before the bells were removed, locals claimed they could still hear them ringing underwater after the village was flooded.
The Vegetal Cathedral, Oltre il Colle (Lombardy)
High in the Seriana Valley near Oltre il Colle, the Cattedrale Vegetale (Vegetal Cathedral) is a living artwork designed by Italian artist Giuliano Mauri. Instead of stone columns, you’ll find towering wooden structures woven from chestnut branches, each cradling a young hornbeam tree that slowly grows to replace its wooden cage.
Over time, the “cathedral” transforms completely – nature quite literally finishing the architecture.
The weirdest thing about the Vegetal Cathedral: the original wooden columns are designed to rot away on purpose, leaving only living trees behind as the final structure.
Labirinto della Masone, Fontanellato
Near Parma, in the elegant countryside of Emilia-Romagna, lies the world’s largest bamboo labyrinth: the Labirinto della Masone. Created by publisher and art collector Franco Maria Ricci, this 7-hectare maze is made from over 200,000 bamboo plants and follows an eight-pointed star layout inspired by Renaissance “ideal cities”.
At its centre sits a neoclassical temple that hosts art exhibitions and cultural events.
The weirdest thing about the Masone Labyrinth: bamboo was chosen because it’s technically a grass – meaning you’re getting gloriously lost in the world’s most sophisticated patch of lawn.
Lake Tovel, Trentino-Alto Adige
Hidden in the Brenta Dolomites in Val di Non, Lake Tovel is one of the most surreal lakes in Northern Italy. Until the 1960s, its waters famously turned crimson red each summer due to a microalgae (Tovellia sanguinea) that reacted to temperature and light.
Today the lake is a glistening turquoise, almost Caribbean in colour, framed by pine forests and dramatic mountain peaks – and you can walk the entire shoreline in about 90 minutes.
The weirdest thing about Lake Tovel: locals once believed the red water was caused by a legendary massacre involving a rejected princess, not algae.
Leonardo’s Vineyard, Milan
Just steps from Santa Maria delle Grazie, home to The Last Supper, you’ll find one of Milan’s most overlooked historical gems: Leonardo da Vinci’s Vineyard (La Vigna di Leonardo). Gifted to him in 1498 by Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan, the vineyard became deeply important to Leonardo, who fought to keep it even during French occupation.
The original grape variety, Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, has been scientifically reidentified and replanted.
The weirdest thing about Leonardo’s Vineyard: in his will, Leonardo left the vineyard to his two favourite pupils rather than a family member.
Grazzano Visconti, Vigolzone
Grazzano Visconti looks medieval – but it’s actually an early 20th-century fantasy village. Built by Giuseppe Visconti di Modrone near Piacenza, it was designed to recreate an idealised neo-Gothic past, complete with crenellated buildings, frescoed façades and a castle that dominates the village skyline.
Today, it’s a curious mix of genuine residents, artisan shops and slightly theatrical historical charm.
The weirdest thing about Grazzano Visconti: the village has its own “official ghost”, Aloisa, said to wander the castle grounds at night in search of lost love.
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