Italy as a tourist destination excels in pretty much every area, from art cities to mountain adventure. The country’s great attractions, like Venice and the Amalfi Coast, are rightly celebrated. But with the increasingly-publicised problems of overtourism, travellers might understandably be questioning where they will enjoy and where they ought to go.
Why not pick a win-win strategy for travel in Italy in 2025 and head deep off the beaten track? You’ll experience the pleasure of discovering new, gorgeous places in Italy and immersing yourself in local culture, the satisfaction of responsible travel, and a welcome from destinations which actually want visitors. Not to mention the bragging rights from visiting places of which your acquaintances haven’t heard.
Overseas visitors who spend time in Italy’s smaller, less-visited destinations are the Holy Grail for Italy and its tourism industry (my report on Italy’s tourism solutions from this year’s World Travel Market: Don’t mention overtourism! Why Italy still wants you). So going off the standard tourist trail is the ideal way to please yourself and everyone else at the same time.
Here are my picks for off-the-beaten-track delights in 2025, all places I’ve visited and enjoyed, most of them very recently. All these destinations are established enough as attractions that they have a choice of places to stay in and places to eat at, and some degree of infrastructure, so you can be sure of a comfortable stay. They are mostly small in size, huge in charm and not on most foreign tourists’ radar.
You could spend a week, immerse yourself in local atmosphere and explore the area. Or you could combine one of these towns/villages/islands in a two-centre break with a bigger, busier destination nearby. Or include one or more of my suggestions in a tour exploring a region or coastline.
Enjoy browsing, and good luck with your holiday planning. Happy travels in 2025!
Brisighella: fairy-tale film-set charms
Brisighella in Emilia-Romagna might be the most beautiful Italian settlement you (probably) haven’t heard of. With a clock tower and a castle on pinnacles above the town and a unique arcaded walkway designed for donkeys, Brisighella is memorably scenic. With a choice handful of places to eat and stay, this is a destination of dreams.
> My guide to beautiful Brisighella
Favignana: dusty island charms
Favignana, in the Egadi islands (Sicily), is one of Italy’s most easily-accessible smaller islands. With a cheerful, unpretentious character, it’s popular mostly with Italian holiday-makers. Explore the unique and weird quarried landscape by bike, visit an ‘impossible’ garden, enjoy rocky coves and turquoise sea. Favignana combines well with its departure port Trapani, or with further-off-the-beaten-track island Marettimo, a quieter haven (see my budget itinerary suggestions).
> My guide to fantastical Favignana
Asolo: a hundred horizons
Dreamy hill town Asolo, in the Veneto, is called the City of a Hundred Horizons. Gorgeous views of hills, trees and villas, handsome prosperous streets and unspoiled historic atmosphere await visitors making this journey into the Prosecco hills. One of the most civilised destinations in all Italy.
Conversano: surprising Netflix discovery
I visited Conversano after seeing this quaint inland town featured in a Puglia-set Netflix series. And I was very grateful for their choice of location. Conversano is a haven of peace compared with Puglia’s famous nearby tourist honeypots. Attractive old buildings, little museums and a real sense of history make this an authentic little treasure of a destination.
> My guide to captivating Conversano
Cesenatico: seaside variety
I visited on the strength of a photo and a museum listing. Cesenatico (Emilia-Romagna) isn’t exactly off the beaten track; it’s a popular seaside resort. However it’s not large or particularly well-known outside its regular sun-worshipping visitors. Yes, there’s a long sandy beach with all the facilities. But Cesenatico’s real charm is its historic centre, along the sides of a wide picturesque canal lined with historic sailing vessels belonging to its excellent maritime museum. A great destination for a beach holiday with added cultural charms.
> My guide to charming Cesenatico
Portogruaro: a Veneto secret
I had no idea till I visited in early 2024 just how delightful Portogruaro is. This low-key town in the northern Veneto has romantic waterside views, Venetian architecture, a great archaeological museum and excellent food and drink. Combine it with historic neighbour Concordia Sagittaria, and head out to the colourful old town and modern seaside resort of Caorle.
> My guide to picturesque Portogruaro
More suggestions for 2025
For a bigger choice of Italian off-the-beaten-track destinations, try my Italy Destinations A-Z page. Browse through and click on anywhere that you haven’t heard of, or which appeals from my brief description. Or try my starter inspiration page: Where to go in Italy.
Looking for more suggestions? Here are a few extra ideas for 2025:
A less-touristed town
Treviso is a charming town in the Veneto region with its own airport (‘Venice Treviso), good transport connections and a charming and authentic atmosphere. You’ve probably heard it described in terms like ‘a little Venice’ – it’s not, Treviso is a nice destination in its own right, with its own character. Drink local Prosecco, enjoy local tiramisu, ramble the lanes, admire the canals and discover the art. Read my guide to tempting Treviso
More islands
Nothing says summer to me more than arriving on one of Italy’s beautiful islands. Swimming, hiking, diving, boating, sunbathing, eating, museum-visiting, relaxing … each island has so much to offer and each has its own magic. Read my guide to Italy’s beguiling smaller islands
Italy’s Cultural Capital 2025
Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2025 is the Sicilian town of Agrigento: Agrigento 2025. Famous for its Valley of the Temples, this ancient town is a great place to learn about Sicily’s ancient Greek history, a vivid visual lesson. The historic centre of town, when I visited 15 years ago, still felt like a living piece of Sicily’s more recent past, and really worth exploring in its own right, its lanes and crumbling buildings feeling like they could be Sicily at any point over the last few centuries. My guide to Agrigento
Jubilee Year in Rome
A reason to visit Rome, or a reason to avoid it, depending on your faith and preferences, 2025 is a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church, and millions of pilgrims will flock to Rome and process through four Holy Doors. Large-scale development projects have been taking place for months so if everything is finished the city may be looking refreshed and shiny. Rome is expected to be very busy, and accommodation availability and pricing may reflect that, if as many extra visitors as expected visit Italy’s capital and the Vatican City. Jubilee 2025 / My guide to Rome
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