Italian villages

Can people still live in a village with no roads, where the sea is the only way in and night is properly dark?On the south-western side of Stromboli, that is everyday life. One village is cut off by steep slopes and volcanic rock, so no cars, no scooters, no constant background noise.

Condé Nast Traveler has included a quiet spot on Italy’s Amalfi Coast in its 2026 list of the 20 most beautiful towns in the world.

On Lake Como, there is a place where the sound of motorboats fades away, and only the water remains. The steep slopes shape the scene: houses clinging to the rock, narrow lanes, old mule tracks and a gorge where two streams meet before plunging towards the lake. The result is a striking orrido – a steep, narrow ravine – with a waterfall dropping for more than 200 metres and a stone bridge reached via a long staircase. It is a break along the road between Como and Bellagio, with a lesser-known extra just above the village: Onzanigo and the Val de Tuf.

On the Amalfi Coast, there is a place that manages to avoid the crowds, even on warm weekends. An authentic fishing village at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site has crystal-clear water, a slower pace of life and prices that can be more affordable than expected. Just when it seems every corner of the coast is already familiar, this coastal spot comes as a surprise: there are spacious, well-kept free beaches and seafood cooking centred on the day’s catch.

Taking part in the €1 mountain homes scheme can appeal to anyone hoping to buy a property at a very low price and turn it into a mountain retreat suited to their own needs. Italy has many mountain locations where it may be possible to create a quiet base for the symbolic price of €1.

In the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines lies a village that draws thousands of visitors each summer in search of something increasingly hard to find: cooler weather. It sits 1,020 metres above sea level in the province of Modena and is known as the “Pearl of the Apennines”. The title is not simply a local nickname. The Touring Club Italiano has awarded it the prestigious Bandiera Arancione (Orange Flag), recognising the quality of its natural surroundings and visitor services.

Sardinia is often reduced to its beaches, yet the island’s smaller towns are where the detail lives: medieval lanes, fishing harbours, local wine, island ferries and archaeological sites sitting a short drive from the coast. The best villages to visit in Sardinia are spread widely, so it pays t

Walking among stone walls, towers rising above the hills, and cobbled lanes that seem frozen in time is an experience Italy does particularly well. The most beautiful medieval villages in Italy tell the story of an era shaped by castles, Romanesque churches and communities perched high up for protection, places that have since become popular travel destinations.

A reopened flight route, a surname spotted on the village bell tower, a recipe scribbled in pencil: sometimes that is all it takes to trigger a return ticket.

Sicily has islands that still manage to surprise visitors because, despite being well known, they have not given in to the pressure of full-capacity tourism at all costs. They are Lipari, Panarea, Stromboli, Favignana and Ustica. The sea remains centre stage, there is plenty to do, and the atmosphere still follows local rhythms that have been lost elsewhere. Which islands bring together summer relaxation, sport and entertainment without going over the top? Here are five destinations that put authenticity first.

Can a small cup of coffee change the fate of a borgo, a historic village? In Sardinia, three young women have turned an everyday gesture into a collective invitation to put down roots again in places many had stopped believing in.

Restoring abandoned properties has become one of the most pressing priorities for many Sicilian municipalities, which have long been dealing with depopulation and the decline of their historic building stock. The €1 houses in Sicily scheme has provided a response to these challenges, turning crumbling homes into genuine opportunities for Italian and international buyers.

There is only one place in the country that can claim the title of Italy’s only car-free town. No traffic lights, no engines idling, no delivery vans edging through narrow lanes.

Sicily is dotted with small historic centres that sit on cliffs, hide behind medieval walls or spill gently towards the sea.

Caorle immediately stands out for its historic center of pastel-colored houses overlooking the sea, a unique cylindrical bell tower in Italy, and a waterfront transformed into an open-air art gallery. For summer, this Veneto town also boasts two golden beaches, while its seafood cuisine is also worth considering.

The warm season is just around the corner, and the countdown to Italy’s most popular destinations has already begun. Yet there is another side to the country: small villages that still preserve their scents, views and atmosphere, capable of surprising even in high season, if you arrive just a little earlier than everyone else. Here are ten villages chosen for summer, set between the sea, lakes and mountains, linked by a common thread: authenticity, striking scenery and a welcoming spirit that encourages you to slow down.

From the Piedmont hills to the shores of Lake Garda, to the Emilian Apennines, the heritage of medieval villages is rich and surprising. Northern Italy's medieval villages are among the most fascinating destinations for those seeking a weekend getaway immersed in history, art, and evocative landscapes.

Italy isn't just about great art cities and famous villages: there's another geography made up of tiny towns where the houses can be counted on one hand and life flows very quietly. These are the smallest villages in Italy, places where it only takes a few minutes to walk through the entire town. In these tiny villages with very few inhabitants, every house has a story, every alley holds a memory, and every elder is a sort of living archive of traditions, dialects, and legends.

A train ticket, a window seat, and the moment the scenery shifts without warning: sea gives way to hills, then to a ridge of houses clinging to pale tuff rock.In Campania, many historic villages are easily reached by train, with short local bus connections where needed, making them ideal for a slow

Italy has a knack for hiding its best cards. Beyond Rome, Florence and Venice, there are incredible places in Italy that feel lifted straight out of a historical novel: alpine lakes that once turned red, Moorish revival castles, lava-carved gorges and abandoned hilltop towns.

High above the Valtiberina in eastern Tuscany sits a hilltop town where history isn’t boxed away in a museum but written into the streets and skyline.

Milan and the big lakes tend to steal the spotlight. But Lombardy has far more up its sleeve. Beyond the headline names, there’s a patchwork of villages with castles rising straight out of the water, footpaths clinging to cliffs between mountains and lakes, grand villas with vast gardens, and old-school spa towns where slowing down feels natural. Explore lesser-known yet unmissable villages in Lombardy that deserve a spot on your holiday wish list.

Condé Nast Traveler rounded up 20 of the most beautiful small towns in Italy, the sort of places that tempt you to swap big-ticket cities for something slower and more atmospheric. We've pulled out six of the best small towns in Italy that capture very different sides of the country: Riviera po

The "South Working Sicilia" plan represents an ambitious challenge to transform the region from a land of emigration to a land of attraction. With concrete financial support of €30,000 and clear rules, Sicily is ready to lead the smart working revolution in Italy. Let's discover the details of the IRFIS announcement, which allocates significant resources to encourage the return of talent and the attraction of smart workers to the island.