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It has become all too common to reduce Italy to an overtouristy and overhyped country.
Between the Roman Colosseum, the winding Venetian canals lined with gondolas, and the selfie hub of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the ungodly sight of shoulder-to-shoulder crowds is unavoidable.
That’s not to say that this applies to the entire country, you know. past the usual Instagram hotspots.
You only have to go a little bit off the beaten track in Italy to discover that these doom and gloom claims are blown out of proportion.
Sure, the world-famous sights are packed with hordes of tourists, but if you take a little detour to the hilltop village that hasn’t yet been featured in a Hollywood blockbuster, you’ll discover what’s on the other side of the world. dolce vita cliche.
With this in mind, here are the ones hand-picked by Travel Off Path 5 undiscovered destinations in Italy to visit in 2026:
Cividale del Friuli
Tucked into the green hills of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy’s northeasternmost region, Cividale del Friuli is a picturesque riverside municipality best known for its imposing stone bridge and well-preserved historic core.
The said crossing, called the Devil’s Bridge, spans a beautiful alpine stream so clear that you can see the rocks at the bottom.
The church towers and pastel-colored mansions that cling to the sides of the ravine only add to the timeless feel of the place, and if your heart usually skips a beat as soon as you cross an ornate gate into a maze of cobbled, medieval streets frozen in time, you might occasionally go into cardiac arrest.
Old Town Cividale is honestly one of the most beautiful in Italywith winding streets leading to secret courtyards, romantic fountain squares and ancient churches of Roman origins hiding opulent Baroque interiors – and the best part? Not a single camera flash can be heard.
Looking for that wow factor?
See the Lombard Temple of Santa Maria in Valle, one of the best-preserved examples of early medieval architecture in Italy. It’s part of it UNESCO’s ‘Longbards in Italy’ heritage portfolio, and the mix of indigenous Lombard, classical and 8th century sculpture is unique in character.
Portovenere
You’ve probably heard of Cinque Terre, Italy’s quintet of train-connected colorful villages that get overrun by TikTok influencers in the summer, but what if we told you that you don’t have to march through the maddening crowds of Monterosso or Riomaggiore to experience the irresistible charm of Liguria?
Before you reach Cinque Terre, Portovenere is a kind of foreword, with the same pastel skinny buildings, stacked on top of each other, a clifftop church built on a bare rock above the sea, and a medieval fortress overlooking a picturesque harbour.
The church, probably the main attraction here, has a distinctly Ligurian ‘striped’ appearance, with alternating light and dark marble slats for the facade.
Oh, and the view over the deeply romantic Gulf of Poets? You can easily rival the most expensive panoramic terrace in Manarola, and it’s not like there will be a dozen other selfie-takers photobombing your perfect Mediterranean summer moment.
You see, you don’t even have to wait in line for hours to get here, nor do you have to pay $15 for a watered-down Aperol Spritz just for a photo.
The coolest part is that Portovenere is a short 5 minutes boat ride to Palmaria Islanda slice of Mediterranean paradise, crisscrossed by hiking trails and surrounded by secluded pebble beaches without the hustle and bustle of Cinque Terre. Simply the perfect day away.
Cremona
About a 50-minute train ride from Milan, Cremona is an unusual Italian town whose local fame has a lot to do with violins and delicious food. Right, fair enough, it has a beautiful old towntoo, but we’ll get to that in a moment
For the music lovers among us, Cremona is probably the top destination you’ll want to visit in Italy: the local Violin Museum is not just a (proud) exhibition of the world’s most historic violins, but a tribute to the city’s world-famous luthiers: we’re talking Stradivari, Guarneri and others.
There are still many traditional workshops near the museum, so you can watch craftsmen at work and if you are passionate enough about the craft, you can even book musical tours.
I have to be honest, I’m not the biggest violin nerd out there, but I do love a good old pasta, and Cremona deserves a spot here because of its tortelli cremonesi only.
Square packages of handmade pasta filled with ricottaand sometimes even grated Grana Padano cheese, it is without a doubt the tastiest local variation of ravioli you will try anywhere in Northern Italy. You don’t have to look far for it: every cremonesi trattoria serves it in an authentic way.
Oh, and did we mention that the Duomo of Cremona is a beautiful Romanesque-Gothic ensemble with a beautifully sculpted main portal? Or that the 12th-century baptistery, octagonal in shape and lined with medieval frescoes, rivals even that of Florence in beauty?
Perhaps you should also know that medieval Torrazzo still exists one of the tallest brick bell towers in Europeand you can climb it for panoramic views of the city… yeah, we think you’re sold on the idea of going.
Lecce
Speaking of Florence, you might want to swap it for the so-called Florence of the South if maddening crowds aren’t your thing:
Located in the often overlooked region of Puglia, which will soon host transatlantic flights direct from JFK, Lecce is incredibly rich in Baroque and Renaissance architecture, and if you’re a Rome lover, its ancient Roman allure leaves nothing to be desired.
The Baroque masterpiece near here, Basilica of Santa Croce, is a surviving treasure from the Middle Ages with a subtly sculpted facade and a solemn, yet impressive interior.
Equally majestic is the neighboring Duomo glowing Renaissance soul that’s hard to ignore.
Don’t get us wrong, this is no Cupola di Brunelleschi, so keep your expectations realistic if you’re already in awe of Florence’s striking red dome, but there’s something about the towering bell tower, opulent façade and golden stone of Lecce Cathedral that will make your gaze linger a little longer than usual.
Enough about the churches. In the heart of the ocher paths and labyrinthine center of the city, Lecce boasts perhaps one of the most unique public squares in all of Italy:
Piazza Sant’Oronzo is built on the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheaterParts of which are still visible around the elliptical shape of the square, and having a coffee in one of the many cafes in the area, and enjoying the historical layers around you, that’s just different.
Oh, needless to say, the busloads of tourists to the Colosseum don’t come all the way here.
Alghero
Who said you have to fight your way through an invisible mass of bodies on Barcelona’s Las Ramblas to enjoy the centuries-old Catalan atmosphere?
As strange as it may seem – believe us, we’ve been all over Europe by now and seen our fair share of cultural anomalies – this little coastal town called Alghero, located on the northwestern coast of Sardinia, is as an extension of Catalonia in Italy.
You read that correctly.
Alghero was actually settled by Catalans in the 14th century, after a Catalan king, Peter IV, stormed Sardinia and took over much of the island. Although the Italians would slowly reconquer the territory over the centuries, Alghero remained staunchly Catalan.
It was populated by settlers from the southwesternmost edge of Iberia, and developed as a strong Catalan outpost from 1354 to 1720. Of course, it is now part of Italy like the rest of Sardinia, but don’t be shocked if you hear a hint of Catalan spoken by a nonno in a tabaccheria.
Moreover, everywhere in the city, you will clearly find Catalan-Gothic buildings therein particular the cathedral, an ancient sandstone wonder with typical Iberian pointed arches, and the quiet cloisters of the Franciscan-built Chiesa di San Francesco.
Let’s make one thing clear: this isn’t Barcelona’s Sagrada Família, so you may have high expectations if you’re looking for Gaudí-level drama, but if all you want is honey-colored buildings, coral accents, and a sea-backed skyline, then unassuming, laid-back Alghero is your destination.
