Italy unusual places to visit

On the eastern edge of Rome, a little-known route links a medieval village, a castle connected to the notorious Barberini family, and the ancient Latin city that once rivalled early Rome. Part of the Unexpected Itineraries project, it brings together history, nature and architecture within just a few kilometres, all of which are reachable by metro and bus.

You step off the boat and notice what isn’t there. No streetlights waiting for dusk, no glare once the sun drops. On this small Italian island, evenings still end with a torch in hand, and the darkness lifts the Milky Way into sharp focus. Away from the busier Aeolian routes, the island rewards those willing to explore on foot or by boat, through pebble coves, clear seabeds and conservation projects rooted in the Mediterranean itself.

A triangular island in the middle of Lake Bolsena, crowned by a white dome rising above holm oaks and hiding a subterranean chamber linked to Dante, has reopened to visitors. This privately owned island in Italy is not simply a scenic lake excursion. At its core lies an underground chamber once associated with eternal punishment and later used as a prison for clerics accused of heresy.

Picture an island just a few paddle strokes from the beach, with water that changes from turquoise to blue, and a "ghost town" perched on top. Dino Island, off Praia a Mare, is one of the most surprising features of the Calabrian Tyrrhenian Sea: dark cliffs, luminous caves, and a seabed that re

Those arriving in Orbetello find a lagoon town with the open sea only a few steps away. This corner of Tuscany pairs long sandy beaches with rocky coves, backed by shady pine forests and lapped by remarkably clear water.

It looks like Mars, but it's Italy. In a country known for its hills, villages, and picture-perfect beaches, there are places that astound: monumental dunes, clay hills carved by water, barren expanses where the wind dictates its rules. In Italy, there are deserts, not in the climatic sense, but desert landscapes shaped by time, erosion, and history.

Among the most fascinating and ancient underground funerary complexes in the capital are undoubtedly the Catacombs of Priscilla.

Italy’s village heritage feels almost endless. There are medieval hilltop settlements, rugged hamlets clinging to rocky slopes, and graceful lowland towns shaped by centuries of rural life. Among them, a handful stand out for a rather unexpected reason: their layout forms a heart when seen from above.

On 5 April, during the prime-time broadcast of Il Kilimangiaro, the winner of Borgo dei Borghi 2026 was officially announced.

Some twentieth‑century neighbourhoods in Italy have surprisingly rich backstories, and the Village of the Newlyweds, or Villaggio degli Sposi in Bergamo, is one of them. Born as a post‑war workers’ village, it has grown into a quieter residential area with decent transport links and everyday services.

Northern Italy isn’t short of military history. Roman forts, Venetian defences, Austro-Hungarian strongholds.

Italy’s northern edge tapers off in a small Alpine settlement at the head of a narrow valley on the Austrian border.

Italy is home to one of the most welcoming cities in 2026, according to the latest Booking.com Traveller Review Awards.

Vernazza is one of the five villages that make up the Cinque Terre, perched along the Ligurian coast.

Today, only the Great Pyramid of Giza survives of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The rest exist in fragments and legend.

Italy will always be one of Europe’s great city‑break destinations — but the way people explore it is changing.In 2026, travellers are increasingly looking beyond the obvious icons, choosing smaller cities and coastal towns that feel atmospheric, walkable, and deeply Italian, even on a short stay.Fr

Some of Italy’s most romantic places don’t announce themselves loudly, even around Valentine’s Day, when attention gravitates towards the obvious names.

The Aeolian Islands sit off the northern coast of Sicily, scattered across the Tyrrhenian Sea like a chain of volcanic stepping stones.

With the much‑anticipated Winter Olympics on the horizon, northern Italy is suddenly being talked about as one of the world’s best travel destinations for 2026.

Italy is one of the few countries in Europe where millions of people live in the shadow of active volcanoes. For many residents and foreign buyers, the appeal of living near an Italian volcano is obvious: dramatic landscapes, fertile soil, and, in some areas, more affordable homes.

Italy’s big‑name galleries are brilliant, but once you have done the hits, they can feel crowded and predictable.

Italy has around 450 islands, but most travellers only ever set foot on a handful of them. Once you step away from the celebrity favourites, you find places that are still largely the domain of fishermen, hikers and those in the know.

Ischia is one of those places that quietly gets under your skin.

If you take a boat out into the Venice lagoon, there is a small, low island that slips by on the horizon, half‑hidden behind trees and crumbling brick.

Once you have done the classic Murano and Burano loop, the Venetian lagoon starts to open up in more interesting ways.