I have visited all 20 regions in Italy. Skip the big cities and head to one of these 4 charming small towns instead.

As much as I love visiting new places, it never takes more than a twist of the arm to get back to Italy.

I have visited every Italian regionmost at least twice. As I’ve had the great privilege of exploring Italy more deeply, I’ve also become a little jaded by the main hotspots and come to love the classic Italian small-town charm more.

Don’t get me wrong: those big cities like Rome and Florence are iconic for a reason. But every time I return to them, I find myself frustrated by the overpriced food and the crowds so rampant that I find myself holding on to my bag for dear life.

When you come to visit small towns in ItalyHowever, if you are one of the few tourists, you can get a taste of the daily lives of the locals, which – in my opinion – creates a more meaningful and personal experience.

So if you want to get out of the big cities and have an unforgettable experience, head to one of these cities.

Pizzo has a lot of local charm and delicious desserts

Tropea in Calabria has become quite a popular beach destination in recent years, and for good reason. The coasts of Calabria are some of the most picturesque in all of Italy, with rocky white marbled sand and a sea so blue they might as well look like a postcard.

As much as I love Tropea, it’s often packed with tourists, so if you’re looking for a beach town in Calabria that still retains the local charm, nearby Pizzo should do the trick.

However, it’s not just the beaches that make Pizzo such a great place. Pizzo is home to the tartufo di Pizzo, a decadent dessert filled with chocolate gelato coated in cocoa powder. You can try one at Gelateria Dante, the famous sweet shop that created it.

As you walk around, you can also visit artisan markets selling hand-painted ceramics, and visit a trattoria to try ‘nduja’, a spicy salami typical of the Calabria region.

Torre di Palme is a gem hidden in Marche

If you ask an Italian about the most underrated region in Italythey could call it Marche.

Located in central Italy, Marche has a little bit of everything: rolling mountains and vineyards, immaculate coastlines and medieval villages full of castles.

Of the many towns I visited in the region, Torre di Palme – or ‘Tower of the Palms’ – offers a perfect mix of Marche’s best offerings. This medieval village is located high above the sea, so much so that it has been called the ‘balcony of the Adriatic’.

True to its name, Torre di Palme is indeed full of palm trees, adding a tropical feel to the historic cobbled streets. While you’re here, be sure to try Olive all’ascolana, a fried, meat-stuffed olive, one of the most common dishes in the Marche region.

My favorite part of Tuscany is a small Scottish enclave

When I saw Scottish flags around Barga, a small one town in Tuscanymy interest was immediately aroused.

I heard that many Italians left Barga for Scotland in the early 20th century, but over time many of them returned and married the two cultures in Tuscany.

Although Barga is known as ‘Italy’s most Scottish town’, it still feels distinctly Tuscan – even though it is not unusual to see fish and chips on a menu or hear a Scottish accent, as my guide had when I walked through Bagni di Lucca.

I recommend visiting the Duomo di San Cristoforo, the city’s main Roman Catholic church, which offers panoramic views of the rolling hills of Tuscany. And if you fancy some vino, Podere Concori is one of mine favorite wineries in the country.

Termoli is a charming beach town in one of Italy’s less explored regions

Did you know that there is an “Italian region that doesn’t exist?” Well, not really, but that’s what the locals will tell you when you mention Molise, one of the smallest and least visited regions in the country.

Molise was the last region I visited, and although I was tempted to visit the region’s capital, Campobasso, it was high summer and I was longing for water. So I looked at a map and saw a place called Termoli.

Although I entered Termoli without knowing anything, I quickly fell in love. It’s a small beach town with less than 35,000 inhabitants and the most convenient place in the country to catch a ferry to the beautiful Tremiti Islands.

Food-wise, Termoli is also home to some of the best gelato I’ve had in the country. You can also try the typical Molisana cuisine here, such as caciocavallo cheese and fusilli pasta.

For a bit of history while you’re in the city, head to Castello di Svevo, an ancient castle just off the city’s main beach. Only in Italy could you laze on a beach chair with a spritz in hand and look up and see a castle.

This story was originally published on April 9, 2026 and last updated on September 9, 2026.