Italian mountain villages off the beaten path.
Less-touristed mountain villages in Italy, for travelers seeking fewer crowds but all the beauty.
Sellano's Tibetan-style suspension bridge — the highest in Europe — opened in 2024 and immediately gave this Umbrian village a reason to exist on itineraries it had never appeared on before. That kind of specific, unexpected draw runs through all 132 picks here, from the medieval castle above Saint-Pierre in the Aosta Valley to Napoleon-honoured Clusone in Val Seriana and the Val Grande-edged lanes of Vogogna in Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.
Brienno
This tiny hamlet sits directly on the western shore of Lake Como in Lombardy, with a concentration of churches and a handful of cafés and restaurants that ou…
Clusone
Particularly photogenic small town in Lombardy's Val Seriana, Clusone sits along the River Serio in mountain country with scenic viewpoints and a compact his…
Vogogna
This photogenic village in the Val d'Ossola, Piedmont, sits at the water's edge with mountain terrain rising behind it, partly within the Val Grande National…
Campagna
This pocket-sized town in the Picentini Mountains of Campania's Salerno province, Campagna has an unusual density of churches and cafés for its size, set aga…
Saint-Pierre
A medieval castle rises dramatically above this compact Alpine valley village in Italy's Aosta Valley, where snow-dusted terraced hillsides, a lively café sc…
Sellano
A tiny Umbrian village in the Vigi valley, Sellano is listed among I Borghi più belli d'Italia and since 2024 has been connected to the Castello di Montesant…
Cascia
A pocket-sized mountain village in the remote southeastern corner of Umbria, Cascia holds an unusual concentration of churches for its size and a handful of…
Kastelruth
Photogenic village in the South Tyrolean Dolomites, Kastelruth sits at around 1,000 metres elevation near the Seiser Alm alpine meadow and is a recognised me…
Campertogno
Particularly photogenic hamlet in the Valsesia valley of Piedmont, Campertogno sits in mountain terrain with a striking number of churches for a settlement t…
Valsolda
This photogenic cluster of villages on the shores of Lake Lugano in Lombardy, Valsolda sits on the Swiss border with mountain terrain rising behind it.
Boccioleto
A pocket-sized mountain hamlet in Piedmont's Vercelli province, Boccioleto sits alongside the water with an unusual concentration of churches for a settlemen…
Montieri
This compact Tuscan hill village in the Colline Metallifere, Montieri sits in mountain terrain and holds a 14th-century church of Santi Michele e Paolo conta…
Gurro
This tiny Piedmontese hamlet in the mountains above Lake Maggiore claims a remarkable origin story: according to local legend, Scottish soldiers fleeing the…
Nesso
A particularly photogenic village on the eastern shore of Lake Como, roughly halfway between the towns of Como and Bellagio, with a little but real café and…
Pescina
This compact Abruzzo hill town of orange-roofed stone buildings, with church towers rising above the rooflines and sweeping views across a broad valley towar…
Omegna
At the northernmost tip of Lago d'Orta in Piedmont, Omegna sits directly on the water with a lakeside boulevard where a street market runs every Thursday mor…
Macugnaga
High in the Italian Alps at the foot of Monte Rosa's dramatic east face, Macugnaga is a tiny mountain village in Piedmont offering skiing in winter and hikin…
Fiumalbo
This small Emilian village in the Modena Apennines holds membership in I Borghi più belli d'Italia — Italy's register of its most beautiful villages — and dr…
Cetara
Colatura di alici — a pungent, amber fish sauce pressed from anchovies — has been produced in this little Amalfi Coast village in Campania for centuries, and…
Bezzecca
A compact Alpine village in Trentino's Valle di Ledro, where terracotta-roofed houses cluster around a yellow-façaded church, forested peaks rise on all side…
Sondrio
Walkable wine-country town at the heart of the Valtellina valley in Lombardy, Sondrio serves as the provincial capital and was named Alpine Town of the Year…
Pagnona
Pocket-sized Lombardy hamlet in the Alta Valvarrone, north of Lecco, Pagnona is the birthplace of the artist Luigi Tagliaferri and has a handful of historic…
Pieve Tesino
Birthplace of Alcide De Gasperi — Italy's first post-war prime minister, born here on 3 April 1881 — this small mountain village in Trentino sits at the geog…
Rosazza
This tiny Piedmontese hamlet in the Valle Cervo sits in mountain terrain along the water, with a striking number of churches for its size and strong scenic a…
Castel di Sangro
This compact town in Abruzzo's L'Aquila province, Castel di Sangro sits along the Sangro river with a central core of cafés and restaurants and a photogenic…
Muro Lucano
A pocket-sized Basilicata hill town in southern Italy's Potenza province, Muro Lucano rises dramatically on a rocky spur, its pale stone buildings climbing t…
Pella
Sitting on the western shore of Lake Orta in Piedmont, this compact village in the Province of Novara offers waterfront views, mountain country close by, and…
Cossogno
This modest Piedmontese hamlet sits within reach of Val Grande National Park, with scenic viewpoints in the surrounding terrain and an unusually high number…
Fiera di Primiero
This little Trentino village in the Dolomites sits on the water and packs an unusual number of cafés, restaurants, and churches into a very compact footprint…
Alagna Valsesia
This compact alpine village in Piedmont's Valsesia valley, Alagna Valsesia sits at the foot of Monte Rosa — the second-highest peak in the Alps — and is inte…
Castiglione di Garfagnana
This medieval walled village in Tuscany's Garfagnana valley, Castiglione di Garfagnana sits above the river Esarulo and holds an unusual number of churches f…
Ulassai
Colorful multi-story houses crowd a steep hillside beneath dramatic limestone crags in this little Sardinian village, surrounded by forested upland country w…
Argegno
This tiny Lake Como village on the western shore sits where the River Telo meets the lake, and the waters just offshore mark the deepest point of any lake in…
Ormea
Little village in the Ligurian Alps near the Piedmont-Liguria border, Ormea sits on the Tanaro river with mountain terrain close on all sides and a concentra…
Pennabilli
A modest village in the Montefeltro area of Emilia-Romagna, Pennabilli holds an unusually dense cluster of churches for its size, a handful of cafés and rest…
Contigliano
A small village in Lazio's wine-growing Rieti province, Contigliano sits close to the mountains and near water, with scenic surroundings and a strong photogr…
Seravezza
This compact Tuscan town sits where the Apuan Alps meet the Versilia plain, offering mountain scenery, scenic viewpoints, and a compact centre with cafés and…
Villadossola
This compact town in Piedmont's Val d'Ossola, Villadossola sits at the mouth of the Valle Antrona and alongside the Toce river, with mountains close on sever…
Castelsantangelo sul Nera
This pocket-sized mountain hamlet in the Marche region of Italy sits at the headwaters of the Nera River, where the Valnerina valley begins.
Castel San Pietro Romano
Small hilltop village east of Rome recognised among Italy's most beautiful villages and, since 2019, named the most beautiful village in the Mediterranean —…
Montemezzo
A tiny lakeside hamlet in Lombardy's Province of Como, Montemezzo sits at the northern end of Lake Como with mountain terrain close by and vineyards in the s…
Triora
This modest mountain village in Liguria near the French border, Triora is listed among Italy's most beautiful villages and draws visitors with its dramatic h…
Pignola
Known locally as "il paese dei portali" — the town of doorways — Pignola is a small mountain town in Basilicata's Potenza province, where the historic centre…
Rivello
A compact hillside village in Basilicata, Rivello stacks white and stone houses with terracotta roofs up a forested ridge, with a church tower crowning the u…
Garzeno
A pocket-sized Lake Como-area village in Lombardy with a striking number of churches for its size, vineyards in the immediate surroundings, and scenic viewpo…
Brentonico
A snow-dusted Trentino village in the uplands above Lake Garda, where a tall stone bell tower rises above compact Alpine houses backed by forested slopes, wi…
Solofra
Solofra, a little town in Campania's Avellino province, is one of Italy's four main centres for leather tanning and processing, set in the valley of the Irno…
Morano Calabro
A particularly photogenic hill town in Calabria's Pollino National Park, Morano Calabro is listed among I Borghi più belli d'Italia — Italy's most beautiful…
Opi
This tiny hamlet in the Abruzzo region of central Italy sits within the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise, offering mountain scenery and multiple scen…
Ceres
A compact Italian mountain town in the forested valleys northwest of Turin, where red-tile buildings cluster among dense green hillsides, a church tower rise…
Bardonecchia
This small mountain town in Piedmont's upper Susa Valley, Bardonecchia is a winter sports base with two ski areas — Colomion-Les Arnauds-Melezet and Jafferau…
Civitanova del Sannio
This compact hillside village in Molise's upland interior, its terracotta-roofed stone houses climbing toward a central church tower, backed by forested lime…
Santa Maria Maggiore
This modest mountain village in Valle Vigezzo, Piedmont, Santa Maria Maggiore sits on the narrow-gauge Vigezzina railway that runs through the Italian Alps b…
Antey-Saint-André
This compact Alpine village in Italy's Aosta Valley, seen here spread across a green mountain valley floor with forested slopes rising on all sides, offering…
Scanno
A modest Abruzzo village with a strong photographic reputation, Scanno sits beside a lake in the mountains of the L'Aquila province, partly within the bounda…
Averara
This small mountain hamlet in Lombardy's Val Averara, a side valley of the Val Brembana, with a striking number of churches for its size and the Mora stream…
Cagli
Small town in the Marche region of central Italy, Cagli sits alongside the Burano river with an unusually dense concentration of churches for its size and a…
Cividale del Friuli
Founded by Julius Caesar as Forum Iulii — the name that eventually gave the entire Friuli region its identity — Cividale del Friuli later became the capital…
Arcidosso
This small Tuscan village on the slopes of Monte Amiata, Arcidosso draws visitors year-round with access to skiing in winter and mountain trails in summer, a…
Ostana
This compact hamlet in Piedmont's Valle Po, Ostana sits on the south-facing slopes of the valley beneath the dramatic mass of the Monviso mountain group.
Campodolcino
Mountain village in Lombardy's Val San Giacomo, Campodolcino sits on the road linking Chiavenna to the Spluga Pass and the Swiss border.
Stenico
This pocket-sized Trentino village set in a broad Alpine valley of terraced orchards and forested ridges, with several historic churches, nearby scenic viewp…
Genoni
This tiny Sardinian village in the Sarcidano subregion, dominated by the plateau hill of Santu Antine, with natural, landscape, and archaeological points of…
Sauris
High in the mountains of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sauris is a small Italian village that doubles as one of the region's German-speaking linguistic islands — a…
Pontelandolfo
A compact hilltop village in Campania's Sannio Hills, Pontelandolfo offers cobbled streets climbing toward a medieval round tower, colorful stone-built house…
Pescasseroli
Mountain village in Abruzzo and the main base for the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, Pescasseroli draws visitors year-round as both a summer and wi…
San Severino Marche
This little town in the Marche region of central Italy carries an unusual concentration of historic churches for its size, set within a heritage-dense street…
Piuro
On 4 September 1618, a catastrophic landslide completely buried the village of Piuro — then part of the Three Leagues — killing between 1,000 and 2,500 peopl…
Fara in Sabina
A compact stone village crowning a green hillside in Lazio's Sabina uplands, with a church tower rising above terracotta rooftops and layered mountain ridges…
Diamante
This pocket-sized coastal town on Calabria's Tyrrhenian shore, Diamante lends its name to the Diamante citron, a variety still grown in the region.
Sassello
Tiny village in the northern Ligurian Apennines with an unusual number of churches for its size and a handful of cafés and restaurants, Sassello sits within…
Valle Mosso
A compact Piedmontese town of terracotta rooftops and a prominent clock tower, set against forested mountain ridges with a tall viaduct visible beyond, offer…
Buccheri
This little Sicilian village in the Iblean Mountains is the highest settlement in the Syracuse area, with several historic churches and a handful of cafés an…
Premia
This tiny thermal spa village in the mountains of Piedmont's Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province, Premia sits in the Valle Antigorio, a branch of the Val d'Ossola,…
Fobello
Fobello, a small village in Piedmont's Valsesia valley, is the birthplace of both Vincenzo Lancia (1881–1937) and his son Gianni Lancia (1924–2014), the auto…
Olginate
A pocket-sized Lombardy town on the water south of Lecco, Olginate sits within the Parco dell'Adda Nord and the Lario Orientale – Valle San Martino mountain…
Sorano
Built on a tuff outcrop above the Lente River, this medieval hill village in southern Tuscany sits in mountain wine country with scenic views across the surr…
Cuveglio
A compact Lombardy valley town spread across a green basin beneath densely forested mountains, Cuveglio offers a relaxed base for exploring the Varese upland…
Demonte
The 15th-century fresco artist Giovanni Baleison was born in this modest Piedmontese village in the Valle Stura di Demonte, southwest of Cuneo.
Lanusei
This compact Sardinian hill town serves as co-capital of the Province of Ogliastra alongside Tortolì, sitting in mountain terrain with scenic surroundings an…
Novalesa
Novalesa Abbey, a Benedictine monastery founded in 726 and strategically positioned to control the Via Francigena, anchors this modest Piedmontese hamlet nea…
Capracotta
One of the highest-elevation villages in central Italy, Capracotta sits in the mountains of Molise and holds several historic churches for a settlement of it…
Ripatransone
This small hilltop village in the Marche region of central Italy holds an unusual number of churches for its size, alongside a real café and restaurant scene.
Padula
The Certosa di San Lorenzo, one of Italy's largest monasteries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the main draw in this compact Campanian village in the Va…
Vallerano
This small Lazio village in the Province of Viterbo holds several historic churches for its size, including the 17th-century Sanctuary of the Madonna del Rus…
Caiazzo
A compact Campanian town on the right bank of the Volturno river, Caiazzo has a compact central core with cafés and restaurants alongside scenic views of the…
Crodo
A small village in Piedmont's Valle Antigorio with a disproportionate number of churches and a handful of cafés and restaurants for its size, Crodo sits alon…
Formazza
A little mountain village on the Swiss border in Piedmont's far north, Formazza was founded by the Walser people and retains a Walser German-speaking communi…
Pieve di Teco
Small Ligurian village in the mountains of the Province of Imperia, Pieve di Teco earned a place in the official register of Italy's most beautiful villages…
Villetta Barrea
A small mountain village in Abruzzo's province of L'Aquila, Villetta Barrea sits on Lake Barrea within the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, with the…
Osilo
This modest Sardinian village near Sassari holds an unusual number of churches for its size, alongside a castle and a modest but real café and restaurant scene.
San Marco d'Alunzio
A small Sicilian hill village on the north coast of Sicily, San Marco d'Alunzio holds a striking number of churches for its size and is listed among I Borghi…
Poppi
Poppi Castle, dating to the 12th century, anchors this small Tuscan hill town in the Province of Arezzo, listed among Italy's most beautiful villages.
Garessio
This pocket-sized Piedmontese village in the Ligurian Alps known for its mineral water, Aqua San Bernardo, which drew spa visitors at the turn of the twentie…
Lierna
This small village on the eastern shore of Lake Como in Lombardy, Lierna sits directly at the water with scenic views across the lake and a handful of cafés…
Rezzago
This tiny Lombardy hamlet in mountain country northeast of Como, Rezzago holds a disproportionate number of churches and cafés for its size, with scenic view…
Borbona
This tiny village in Lazio's Rieti province sits along the upper valley of the Velino river, close to the Abruzzo border and the mountain ridges that mark th…
Esino Lario
A mountain village in the Grigna mountains above Lake Como, Esino Lario sits within the Regional Northern Grigna Park at high elevation in a sunny basin know…
Aielli
A compact village on the plain of the former Lake Fucino in Abruzzo's Marsica area, Aielli sits in mountain terrain and traces its recorded history to 1280.
Ascoli Satriano
This little Apulian town in the province of Foggia with an unusual concentration of churches for its size and a café and restaurant scene in its compact centre.
San Paolo Cervo
Tiny Piedmontese hamlet of stone buildings and a tall arched villa rising through dense forested hillsides, San Paolo Cervo rewards visitors seeking mountain…
Tavagnasco
Small village in Piedmont's Dora Baltea valley, north of Turin, Tavagnasco sits on the river with mountain terrain close by and vineyards in the surrounding…
Cittaducale
Founded in 1308 by King Charles II of Anjou, Cittaducale is a small town in the Rieti province of Lazio — historically part of Abruzzo for over six centuries…
Montegrosso Pian Latte
This compact cluster of white and terracotta-roofed stone houses rises on a forested hillside in Liguria's Imperia province, with a church tower at its heart…
Atina
A small village in Frosinone province, Lazio, with several historic churches and a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.
Genga
This little comune in the Marche region of Ancona is best known as the ancestral home of the della Genga noble family, whose most famous member was Pope Leo…
Venafro
Venafro is a small Molise town with ancient roots stretching back to the Samnite people, who fought Rome here during the Samnite Wars of the 3rd century BC.
Lipari
The largest of the seven Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea off northern Sicily, Lipari is the main gateway to the archipelago and the administrative cent…
Prizzi
This small Sicilian hill town in the upper valley of the River Sosio, Prizzi sits high in the mountains south of Palermo and holds an unusual number of histo…
Vendrogno
This small hamlet above Lake Como, now part of Bellano in Lombardy's Lecco province, sits in wine-growing country with scenic views toward the lake and surro…
Usseglio
A compact mountain village in the Valli di Lanzo northwest of Turin, Usseglio sits in the Valle di Viù on the border with France and holds an unusual number…
Cesara
A compact Italian village in Piedmont's lake-and-mountain country, Cesara centres on a colonnaded municipio facing a modest piazza, with densely forested hil…
Castiglione di Sicilia
This compact Sicilian village in mountain terrain above Catania holds an unusually high number of churches for its size, a handful of cafés and restaurants,…
Cassino
Cassino, a town in southern Lazio at the foot of Monte Cairo, is defined by two things: the Abbey of Montecassino, founded by St.
Visso
This small village in the Marche region of central Italy serves as the seat of Monti Sibillini National Park, placing it at the edge of mountain terrain with…
Antrodoco
A pocket-sized Lazio village in the mountains of the Rieti province, Antrodoco sits at the water's edge and holds several historic churches for a settlement…
Montella
Small mountain town in Campania's Avellino province, Montella sits within the Monti Picentini regional park and is known for its IGP-certified chestnuts and…
Civate
A small Lombardy town on the shores of Lago di Annone, Civate sits at the foot of Monte Cornizzolo with mountain viewpoints close at hand and a centre with c…
Bienno
Tiny Val Camonica town in the Brescia province of Lombardy, Bienno sits in mountain terrain with a café and restaurant scene and a concentration of historic…
Carema
Carema red wine defines this tiny Piedmontese village near the border with the Aosta Valley, where vineyards cling to rocky slopes above the settlement.
Bolotana
A compact Sardinian village in the Province of Nuoro with several historic churches and a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.
Bard, Aosta Valley
Fort Bard, a 19th-century fortified complex built by the House of Savoy on a rocky prominence above the village, now houses the Museum of the Alps and hosts…
Laerru
Compact Sardinian village of terracotta-roofed stone houses spread across upland country in the Anglona region, with several historic churches for its size a…
Bidonì
This compact Sardinian hamlet in the Barigadu region sits beside the Tirso river in mountain terrain, with an unusual number of churches for a settlement of…
Troina
Proclaimed the first capital of the County of Sicily by the Norman leader Roger I in 1062, Troina is a small mountain town in Sicily's Nebrodi Park, in the p…
Modolo
This tiny Sardinian hamlet in the Province of Oristano sits at the water's edge with vineyards in the immediate surroundings and scenic views in the wider la…
Gemonio
This compact Lombardy village in the Province of Varese sits close to the water and mountains, with a striking number of churches for its size and a handful…
Navelli
Saffron has defined Navelli for centuries — this compact hilltop village in Abruzzo's Gran Sasso massif produces the DOP-certified L'Aquila saffron, among th…
Fabriano
Handmade paper production has defined Fabriano for centuries, earning this Apennine town in the Marche region a place on UNESCO's Creative Cities network und…
Silanus
This small Sardinian village in the Province of Nuoro sits directly on the water and carries a disproportionate number of historic churches and cafés for its…
Sonnino
Pocket-sized hill town in Lazio's Latina province, Sonnino sits in mountain terrain amid wine-growing country and holds a notable concentration of historic c…
Arvier
A compact Alpine village in Italy's Valle d'Aosta, Arvier sits beside the river amid terraced vineyards, with several churches, a handful of local restaurant…