Where to Go in Italy to Avoid the Crowds: 8 Alternatives

Italy attracts travelers with its cultural heritage, natural beauty, historic city centers, islands, and cuisine. Because of this popularity, Venice, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast are overflowing with tourists during peak season, which makes life difficult for both locals and visitors. You can start exploring the country by visiting lesser-known destinations with their own history, cuisine, and unique charm. Lonely Planet recently published a selection of such destinations.

In this article, we’ll tell you which cities, lakes, and coastlines to choose instead of the tourist hotspots—and what to see there.

Planning to explore Italy beyond the popular tourist routes?

A travel guide from the Visit World portal will help you plan an itinerary through the country’s lesser-known cities, lakes, and coastlines.

Alternatives to Italy’s Popular Destinations: 8 Options

Instead of Italy’s crowded tourist spots, consider lesser-known cities, lakes, and coastlines with similar charms. Treviso has canals like Venice, Lucca has preserved its Renaissance city walls and Tuscan cuisine, and Lerici and Cetara offer seaside getaways on the Ligurian and Amalfi coasts. Below is a list of “popular destination—alternative” pairs:

• Venice → Treviso.
• Florence → Lucca.
• Lake Garda → Lake Iseo.
• Cinque Terre → Lerici.
• Taormina → Schicli.
• San Gimignano → Urbino.
• Alberobello → Locorotondo.
• Positano → Cetara.

Find out more about the most affordable destinations for a budget-friendly winter vacation by following the link.

Treviso and Lake Iseo instead of Venice and Lake Garda

Instead of Venice, you can visit Treviso, often called “Little Venice” because of its 15th-century canals in the historic center. There are no gondolas or vaporettos here, but there are cobblestone streets, Piazza dei Signori, the 13th-century Gothic Church of San Niccolò with its frescoes, the Duomo, the Luigi Bailo Museum of 20th-century art, and the Salce collection of advertising materials in the former Church of Santa Margherita.


Treviso / Photo: The Telegraph

Lake Iseo lies roughly halfway between Lake Garda and Lake Como and stretches from Sarnico and Iseo to Lovera. In the center of the lake, against the backdrop of the Alps, lies Monte Isola, whose name means “mountain island.” Around the lake, there are trails for hiking, mountain biking, and via ferrata, and you can go hang gliding. On the water, you can swim, enjoy water sports, or take a boat tour.

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Lucca and Urbino Instead of Florence and San Gimignano

Lucca is chosen over Florence because of its Renaissance-era city walls. The city was once the fortified capital of the medieval Republic of Lucca. Here, be sure to visit Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, which retains the elliptical shape of the long-gone Roman amphitheater, and the 13th–15th-century Cathedral of San Martino. It houses the Volto Santo, an 8th- or 9th-century wooden sculpture of Christ—the oldest wooden sculpture in the Western world.


Lucca / Photo: GetYourGuide

Urbino is a good alternative for those who had planned to visit San Gimignano. The city’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and towering over it is the 15th-century Palazzo Ducale, built for Duke Federico da Montefeltro. The palace houses the National Gallery of the Marche, featuring works by Piero della Francesca, Titian, and Raphael, including his “Portrait of a Young Woman.” Raphael was born in Urbino. After visiting the gallery, take a stroll through the pedestrian-friendly city center, explore the churches with their frescoes, and climb up to the Albornoz Fortress to enjoy the views.

The world’s best hotels in 2026—listed here.

Lerici and Cetara Instead of Cinque Terre and Positano

For a beach vacation, instead of Cinque Terre, you can choose Lerici on the shores of the Gulf of La Spezia, also known as the Gulf of Poets. Public and paid beaches line the main promenade, and a pedestrian tunnel beneath San Giorgio Castle leads to La Caletta Bay with its sandy beaches. The promenade from the village of San Terenzo offers views of the Ligurian hills, the sea, and the castle.


Lerici / Photo: Mindtrip

Cetara on the Amalfi Coast has retained the atmosphere of a fishing village and is less bustling than Positano or Amalfi. Hiking trails wind through the hills and along the coast, and there are public beaches for relaxation. Most of the main beach is occupied by private beach clubs, which charge a fee for entry and umbrella rental.

See also: Tourist Taxes in Europe 2026. How Much Do You Pay Extra for a Vacation?

Sichili and Locorotondo Instead of Taormina and Alberobello

Sichili is an alternative to Taormina for lovers of historic architecture. After the 1693 earthquake, the town was rebuilt in the Sicilian Baroque style, just like the neighboring towns of Ragusa, Noto, and Modica. Must-see sights here include the Palazzo Beneventano with its grotesque stone carvings, the Church of San Bartolomeo, the Chiafura cave dwellings—inhabited until the 1950s—and the A Rutta ri Ron Carmelo Museum. Sampieri Beach, with its 2-kilometer stretch of golden sand, is a 10-minute drive away.


Locorotondo / Photo: Adobe Stock

Locorotondo, located in the Itria Valley in Apulia, is listed among Italy’s most beautiful villages, the Borghi più Belli d’Italia. The name translates to “round place”: a compact, circular historic center with narrow alleys and whitewashed houses rises above the plains. The town’s main attraction is the Chiesa Madre di San Giorgio Martire, whose dome and bell tower stand out clearly against the sky.

About the world’s best culinary tours—read this article.

What to try in Italy’s lesser-known cities?

Gastronomy is a compelling reason to choose these cities. Tiramisu was invented in Treviso; in Cetari, they prepare the anchovy sauce colatura di alici; and Modica, neighboring Shikli, is known for its coarse-grained chocolate. Near Lake Iseo, they produce Franciacorta sparkling wine, and Locorotondo boasts a white wine with DOC designation. Here’s what you should try in each location:

• Treviso: Prosecco or a spritz with cicchetti (Venetian tapas) and tiramisu.
• Lucca: tordelli lucchese—pasta stuffed with beef or pork, soaked bread, pine nuts, raisins, and spices, served with a meat ragù.
• Lake Iseo: Franciacorta, which is made using the bottle-fermentation method, like champagne, giving the wine a fresh, dry taste.
• Urbino: crescia sfogliata—a flaky, flat pastry with a filling.
• Modica: cioccolato di Modica with a grainy texture, made using traditional methods.
• Locorotondo: DOC white wine paired with orecchiette con cime di rapa—ear-shaped pasta with turnip greens.
• Cetara: dishes featuring anchovies and red tuna, spaghetti with colatura di alici—a sweet-and-salty, whiskey-colored sauce.

We wrote about the world’s best restaurants in 2026 according to TripAdvisor in a previous article.

Tips for Traveling to Italy’s Lesser-Known Cities

Before your trip, it’s worth considering a few practical details: parking rules, local holiday dates, beach types, and inter-city travel logistics. Some locations serve as convenient bases for day trips, while in others it’s best to book tastings in advance to avoid fines and unnecessary hassle. We’ve compiled the main tips in a list:

1. In Lucca, park your car outside the city walls to avoid hefty fines.
2. Book tastings in advance at the wineries on the hills surrounding Lucca, nestled among olive groves and vineyards.
3. From Treviso, it’s convenient to head to Padua, in the Prosecco region, or to Venice, which is 40 km away.
4. Visit Urbino on the first weekend of September to catch the Festa dell’Aquilone—a kite festival featuring team competitions in a park outside the city and parades in the center.
5. Boat tours depart from the pier on Lerici Square, taking you around the bay to Porto Venere, the island of Palmaria, and the Cinque Terre.
6. Arrive early in the morning for the free sections of the beach in Cetari.
7. For Cetari’s pebble beaches, bring water shoes—especially for children—to prevent slipping.
8. Near Locorotondo, stay at one of the trulli hotels in the surrounding area and use it as a base for exploring the Itria Valley.

Important! Traveling through Italy’s lesser-known towns requires careful route planning, logistics, and location selection. The travel guide from the Visit World portal will help you plan your itinerary and combine exploring the country with off-the-beaten-path destinations like Treviso, Lucca, or Cetari.

Get your travel guide on the Visit World portal and plan your vacation in Italy in advance!

Reminder! Earlier, we wrote about 10 hidden gems around the world worth visiting in 2027.

Photo: Getty Images

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