Listen to “Top 5 Small Cities to visit in Italy” on Spreaker.
The paths to Rome, Florence and Venice are well worn – and rightly so, they are amazing world cities. But, taking the time to seek out Italy’s lesser known cities is something you’ll never regret. Listeners Sofija and Lindsey wanted to know our favorite small Italian cities to visit. It is such a great question that we recorded a whole episode dedicated to uncovering some beauties for you.
Show notes
If you crave medieval streets, a quiet piazza for your aperitivo spritz and easy access to art treasures and history then look to some of the many small Italian cities. Choosing just five for the podcast proved to be quite the challenge so we decided to focus on smaller cities that we may not have mentioned previously and that are close to the main cities for easy access.
The beauty of all of these cities is that they are all wonderfully unique. We chose a Tuscan city that flies under the radar but that is a wonderful alternative for those who crave green outdoor spaces and for families. Close to Venice there is a city of canals with a unique fountain from where wine once flowed. On the lakes, we chose a city that is often used as a transit point but which deserves further exploration. And over in Sicily there’s the city overlooking the Mediterranean that stole my heart. Finally we go to Umbria to a tiny city that packs a big punch. easily accessible from Rome, you step into another world in this walled medieval town.
Thanks to our listeners for this great topic. We plan to record another episode with some more off the beaten path cities that you may want to include in your Italy itinerary. But for now, enjoy discovering these lovely cities of Italy.
For the latest information on travel to Italy including restrictions > click here
Places mentioned in the show
- Lucca – lovely walled Tuscan city with easy access to Florence, Pisa and the coast > read our city guide
- Treviso – pretty city formerly under Venetian rule not far from Venice
- Como – city overlooking the lake of the same name with beautiful cathedral and small piazzas > more info
- Ortigia / Siracusa – ancient and romantic coastal city in Sicily
- Orvieto – hilltop city with gorgeous cathedral and fascinating past
Resources
- Our articles on beautiful Italian cities to visit, as well as lovely towns and villages in Italy
- Listen: to episodes on other less-visited gems – Episode #079 Maremma – Exploring Tuscany’s undiscovered coast, Episode #069 Discovering Sicily’s Aeolian Islands and Episode #065 Uncovering Umbrias towns and villages,
- How to plan a trip to Italy – our article that takes you step by step through trip planning so you can avoid our mistakes
- Italy Travel Planning – our FREE online community where you can ask questions and get inspiration for planning your trip
- Travel shop where you’ll find items mentioned in the show
Transcript
Prefer to read along as you listen? You can download a PDF version of the full transcript of this episode.