Destinations

19 Beautiful Small Towns in Italy to Plan Your Next Trip Around

From Sicilian seaside escapes to Tuscan hamlets.

July 29, 2021

When visiting Europe, most travelers make a beeline for famous cities—but small towns in Italy are where we look for the country’s dreamiest getaways. With few locals, and often fewer travelers, they offer quintessential Italian charm without the crowds. From sleepy Sicilian seaside escapes to postcard-perfect Tuscan hamlets, we’ve rounded up the 19 most beautiful small towns in Italy to plan your next trip around. Added bonus: most of them are within day-tripping distance of a major city, so you can still get that Rome or Milan experience, too.

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Getty
Portofino, Liguria
Population: 366
The coastal town of Portofino is one of the most beautiful European ports to sail into. It also has a wealth of excellent hotels like the Hotel Splendido and the Grand Hotel Miramare, plus great shopping, and of course, that radiant coastline. Even better? It's less than an hour's drive to the port city of Genoa (aka, the birthplace of pesto and focaccia).
Getty
Alberobello, Puglia
Population: 10,482
The main draw of Alberobello, a small town near Bari in Puglia, is its characteristic trulli: cone-shaped, white-tipped houses that look as if they’ve been perpetually dusted by snow. Thanks to this distinctive feature, the town was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Pro tip: Head up to Piazza del Popolo, where the Belvedere Trulli lookout offers spectacular views of the entire town.

Getty
Castelluccio, Umbria
Population: <150
Located atop a steep hill 5,000 feet above sea level, Castellucio is the highest—and arguably most beautiful—village in the Apennine Mountain Range. The town is backed by snow-capped mountains on one side, and on the other, verdant plains that blossom with red poppies, violets, and rapeseed in the spring. Sadly, a 2016 earthquake rendered the village virtually uninhabitable, but some remaining residents have re-opened shops and restaurants that are currently open to visitors.
Getty
Cefalù, Sicily
Population: 13,994
Located just an hour’s drive from Palermo, the medieval town of Cefalù is so postcard-pretty that many movies have been filmed here, including the much-loved Cinema Paradiso. Highlights include exploring the town’s many mosaic-adorned cathedrals, walking along its picturesque lungomare (seafront promenade), and catching the sunset from the towering La Rocca.

Getty
Pietrapertosa, Basilicata
Population: 937
Pietrapertosa is one of the most dramatic towns in all of Italy—it's carved into bare rock on the side of a mountain, and boasts an elevation of 3,500 feet. The town itself is beautiful, filled with ancient ruins and a ninth century Saracen castle—but the highlight of any visit is a ride on Il Volo dell'Angelo. It’s said to be the world’s highest zipline, and gives you an unbeatable aerial view over the entire town and its surroundings.
Getty
Sorrento, Campania
Population: 15,956
Despite the lack of a beach, tourists love Sorrento, which straddles the dramatic, rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean. The old town makes a great base for exploring surrounding areas—the Amalfi Coast to the East, Pompeii to the North, and the island of Capri offshore.

Getty
Polignano a Mare, Apulia
Population: 17,491
On a limestone cliff that slices into the ocean, the tiny town of Polignano a Mare—known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic"—is one of the most romantic spots in all of Puglia. Spend a day exploring its sandy bays and inlets via boat, or simply get lost in the town's winding, whitewashed streets.
Getty
Taormina, Sicily
Population: 10,514
There’s something especially dreamy about Taormina, a clifftop town on the island of Sicily. The views of Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea hypnotize, and the ancient ruins and cafe-lined streets will keep you occupied. But we wouldn't blame you if you were to check into the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo and never leave the room.

Getty
Praiano, Campania
Population: 2,008
Also along the Amalfi Coast, lies the town of Praiano (close to Positano), which is packed with beautiful beaches like Marina di Praia and Gavitella—and culture to boot. Come here for stunning ancient churches, towers, and sacred sculptures.
Getty
Sperlonga, Lazio
Population: 3,117
Sperlonga was the former hideaway of many Roman emperors, and it’s no wonder: The tiny town’s pristine beaches, rich greenery, and proximity to Rome—just an hour by train—make it the perfect weekend escape. The town also has an excellent museum, the Museo Archeologico di Sperlonga, which is set among the ancient ruins of Emperor Tiberius’ old villa. The Torre Truglia, located at the tip of the promontory on which Sperlonga is built, boasts the best views in town.

Getty
Saluzzo, Piedmont
Population: 17,342
Just an hour’s drive south of Turin, you’ll find the sleepy medieval town of Saluzzo—a pretty sweep of red-tiled rooftops, bell towers, and ancient spires backed by the snow-capped Cottian Alps. Highlights include La Castiglia, a 14th-century castle, and the Casa Cavassa, a Renaissance palazzo-turned-museum that’s home to some spectacular gold-leaf paintings and frescoes.
Getty
Vernazza, Liguria
Population: 764
Vernazza is the steepest and loveliest of the Cinque Terre villages. Its streets are lined with signature candy-colored houses and enough gelaterias to do your own tasting tour, while the town itself slopes down to a small, sandy beach and Cinque Terre's only natural harbor. Though sea views pop at every turn, you’ll find the most impressive vistas at Belforte, an iconic seafood restaurant inside an 11th-century castle at the tip of the harbor.

Getty
Belluno, Veneto
Population: 35,505
Perched on high bluffs above the Piave River and backed by the snowcapped Dolomites, Belluno is easily one of Northern Italy’s prettiest small towns. Besides its gorgeous 360-degree views, you’ll find a charming historical town center packed with Renaissance-era buildings, palazzi, and Romanesque churches. As an added bonus, it’s just a little over an hour’s drive from mainland Venice.
Getty
Monte Isola, Lombardy
Population: 1,646
Located on an island of the same name, the town of Monte Isola sits in the middle of one of Italy’s prettiest lakes, Lake Iseo. To get there, you’ll need to drive an hour and a half from Milan, then take a 20-minute ferry ride across the lake from the town of Iseo—but it’s well worth the effort. The quaint town boasts many excellent trattorias, lakeside cafés, cozy B&Bs, and the beautiful Madonna della Ceriola chapel, nestled at the summit of the island.

Getty
Collodi, Tuscany
Population: 1,218
Carved into the side of a hill in Tuscany between Florence and Pisa, you’ll find Collodi: a gorgeous medieval village famous for being the home of Pinocchio (or more accurately, its creator, Carlo Collodi). Don’t leave without stopping by Pinocchio Park, home to the tallest wooden Pinocchio statue in the world, and nearby Garzoni Gardens, filled with Renaissance statues, ornate fountains, and lush bamboo groves.
Getty
Positano, Salerno
Population: 3,942
You wouldn’t know it from the amount of tourists in the high season, but the population of Positano is well under 5,000 people. Yet the cliffside village on the south of the Amalfi Coast is one that lingers in the imagination. John Steinbeck wrote for Harper’s Bazaar after visiting in 1953, “Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.” Spend your days here boating to discover blue grottos and hiking past groves of round, juicy Sorrento lemons. Make sure to pay a visit to the domed Church of Santa Maria Assunta, too, to find a black Byzantine Madonna icon from the 13th Century.

Getty
Pacentro, Abruzzo
Population: 1,139
Floating on a plateau deep in the Apennine Mountain Range, Pacentro is like a little city in the sky. The preserved medieval village dates back to the 8th or 9th century, and still sits 2,133 ft above sea level in the Majella National Park. Its natural surroundings are integrated into the town, too: One of its hallmarks is its clear and crisp water, which comes from local springs and the snow-melt of nearby mountains, and local white stone is used by area artisans to make terracotta figurines.
Getty
San Gimignano, Siena
Population: 7,780
There are few villages with a skyline as iconic as that of San Gimignano—its 13 medieval tower houses rise from the ground like a prescient New York City. The historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is encircled by a stone wall, within which visitors will find many examples of Romanesque and Gothic architecture; outside, sloping hillsides are covered in groves of olive trees. (Did we mention the town is known for its gelato?)

Getty
Brisighella, Ravenna
Population: 7,629
Located between Renaissance cities Ravenna and Florence, Brisighella is known as the village on three hills—on the first, there is a 14th century castle, la Rocca, on the second, an 18th century church sanctuary, the Monticino, and on a third, a clock yower from the 19th century. The province to which Brisighella belongs, Emilia-Romagna, is renowned for its gastronomic traditions. Here, you’ll find forgotten fruits such as the pera Volpina, a firm pear variety related to the wild pear tree, which cooks wonderfully. Other local specialties include Sangiovese wines, Conciato cheese ripened in chalky caves, and pork from the local Mora Romagnola pig breed. After your gluttonous adventures, take a load off in the local thermal baths, another popular attraction.