Top hidden spots in Italy you must visit

From golden bays on the south coast, to the coffeehouse capital of the country, Carla Grossetti tiptoes around Italy’s boot and beyond to find the places where Italians go to enjoy a mini break.

Rome. Venice. The Amalfi Coast. Florence. Siena. The Cinque Terre. These are just a few of the places we have long loved to visit in Italy. But as this culturally rich country in Southern Europe reopens to tourists, these hotspots are hotting up again, and, in some cases, filled to capacity.

aerial view of Tyrrhenian Sea, Calabria — The rugged coast is fringed by the Tyrrhenian Sea in Calabria.

Luckily, there are areas of Italy that offer conscious travellers less-touristy alternatives. In order to find the places with less crowds and avoid being part of that influx of visitors to the main attractions, travellers must now embrace ‘Alt Italy’. Where all roads lead away from Rome.

Historically, wanderers from around the globe have been lured to Italy for its landmark art, its ancient ruins, its beautiful beaches and, of course, its restaurants serving world-class regional food and wine. There’s no denying that Italy has left an indelible mark on Australian culture and its cuisine, thanks in part to the waves of migrants who have been arriving here since the 1800s.

aerial of blue waters approaching the white-sand beach of Sardinia — Vivid blue waters lap sugar-white sands on the island of Sardinia.

Why travel to Italy’s most underrated places?

Regardless of whether you have family in the mother country or not, you will be welcomed like you do, which at the very least is a great excuse to start planning your next trip to Italy.

Italy scoops up gongs for everything from its gelato to its Mediterranean climate and friendly people. But there are also many under-the-radar regions in Italy that offer all this and then some with the added perk of being crowd-free.

fountain and the Town Hall in Piazza Unità d'Italia (Unity of Italy Square) at the main square of the northern Italian city of Trieste — Historic Trieste is an alternative to Venice with its backwater canals.

From pretty fortress towns in Tuscany to the oh-so-photogenic Trieste located in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, overlooking the Adriatic, we have honed our list of lesser-known places to go in Italy where you can still get the history and hospitality minus the masses.

Sometimes, you will need a professional guide to help point you in the right direction. Other times you can get ahead of the crowds by travelling in the shoulder seasons. Or asking an insider for their hot tips. But whatever you do, know that exploring Alt Italy is all about celebrating those obscure B-Sides that one day might make it into the main mix.

an Italian flag hanging over the facade of Trieste's City Hall — Trieste’s City Hall overlooks a sprawling piazza.

Top hidden places to explore in Italy

1. Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, North-east Italy

While Trieste ticks a lot of our boxes, it is not to be missed for its sleepy backwater canals. The beautiful city is dotted with Roman relics and incredible museums, and visiting here is like going back in time.

Located in the north-east Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and bordered by Slovenia, you’ll find opportunities to visit local markets, taste award-winning regional wine and local foods, and bask on beautiful beaches.

The old world city offers a distinctly Adriatic experience and is a viable alternative to Venice. The waterfront city was once occupied by the Austro-Hungarian empire and, as well as the many examples of neoclassical architecture, that Austrian coffeehouse culture remains, with Trieste bravely billing itself as the coffee capital of Italy.

Miramare Castle, completed in 1860, is located on a promontory at the far end of the city and the electric blue waters around the castle are part of a marine reserve popular with divers.

2. Grottole, Basilicata

Grottole, in beautiful Basilicata, bordering Calabria and Puglia, is the little Italian village that could. Grottole stems from the Latin word cryptolae, meaning ‘caves’ or ‘small grottos’ and the ancient town, pinned onto a hill in the countryside like a glittering brooch, once comprised some 400 caves carved into the hillside.

Remnants from the town’s crumbling past remain and are evident in the many ancient and medieval sites dotted around the historic village, where the caves are now used to store wine or host workshops to make ceramics, which Grottole is famous for.

The sepia-toned city recently gained attention after Airbnb advertised for four people to live in the village over the summer of 2019. During their sabbatical, these temporary citizens volunteered for a group called Wonder Grottole designed to rehabilitate the city’s historic heart.

You too can go to Grottole, which was once part of the ancient Roman Appian Way, to get a taste of vita di campagna (the country life).

aerial view of the Italian village of Grottole in Basilicata — The little Italian village of Grottole is perched on a hill in the countryside of Basilicata.

3. Sardinia

Open Google Earth and punch in Stintino and watch the Earth spin on its axis and settle on Sardinia where you’ll discover the unrelenting green patchwork of empty paddocks and hills surrounded by cerulean seas.

It’s like a pleated green skirt tucked into a blue cardie. No, Sardinia is not exactly a secret. Especially if you do a stint in Stintino in August. But compared to other seaside areas in the Mediterranean, the island is mobbed by Italians so it still feels like a culturally enriching experience.

houses of the holy cross bastion in the historic center of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy — Explore the sherbet-coloured centre of Cagliari, Sardinia.

After a few days of sunning yourself, turn your back on the beach and make a beeline for Barbagia. It’s here you will find the isolated village of Orgosolo, known for its eye-catching depictions of everyday life in murals that have been painted on the village walls since the 1960s.

Sardinia is also where you will discover Gola Di Gorropu (Italy’s Grand Canyon). Keep a lookout for Sa Mama de Gorropu (Sardinia’s version of Bigfoot).

aerial shot of a white-sand beach in Sardinia filled with tourists — Sardinia is the ultimate sun-drenched Mediterranean escape.

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4. Cefalù, Sicily

You’ll find the pretty seaside village of Cefalù chiselled onto the hillside between the Tyrrhenian Sea and Parco delle Madonie in sun-soaked Sicily.

beautiful old harbour with wooden fishing boat in Cefalu, Sicily, Italy. — A fishing boat bobs in the translucent waters of Cefalù’s old harbour.

While the town is known for having waters as translucent as any you’d find in Tahiti, it deserves accolades for its rustic restaurants selling grilled fish on outdoor tables just metres from the sandy shores.

Lower yourself into a prone position after lunch to inhale the scent of the sea and orange trees in bloom, and to enjoy the snatches of Italian opera drifting out over the sea.

boats docked on the seaside village of Cefalù, Sicily — Spend days swimming in sheltered coves and dining in rustic restaurants in the seaside village.

After enjoying an afternoon of swimming in sheltered coves, it’s worth climbing the stairs that lead into the Old Town where you will find Cefalù’s centuries-old cathedral, one of the most outstanding examples of the distinct Arab-Norman architecture.

If you’re going to take a tour, make it an intimate one with a company such as Intrepid Travel who will keep you on the roads less travelled.

a narrow passageway that leads to the ocean in Cefalù, Sicily — A historic archway leads to the electric blue ocean in Cefalù, Sicily.

5. Capo Vaticano, Calabria

You will find the main draws in Capo Vaticano are the unspoiled beaches and sandy coves, which are surrounded by the knobbly knees of towering cliffs that look like they’ve been draped in a green blanket. With everyone else in a rush to be elsewhere, you will escape a lot of the nattering masses when you carve off to Calabria, located in the toe of Italy’s boot.

This region in southern Italy is like the Amalfi Coast, but at a much slower pace, which suits visitors keen to explore its abundant attractions. Foodies, whatever you do, don’t miss Pizzo, the home of Italy’s legendary dessert, tartufo, the hazelnut and chocolate gelato balls filled with molten chocolate.

You can also indulge your sense of wonder in Tropea, on Italy’s secret south coast, which is embroidered onto the cliff ’s edge and replete with baroque palaces, beautiful beaches and locals with tonnes of attitude.

al fresco dining spot perched on a cliff ’s edge in Calabria — Enjoy a slower pace in Capo Vaticano, perched on a cliff’s edge in Calabria.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

5 hidden spots in Italy only Italians know about