Beyond Rome and Venice: 15 of Italy's most underrated destinations
Why we love it Seemingly always hunkered beyond outside influence and history, Molise won't wow you with big sights, but feels like an Italy of times gone by, and has haunting landscapes. The region produces good seafood and fish, wine, olive oil and cheese, lamb, cured meats and sausages.
Don't miss Termoli is a dishevelled but attractive fishing town with a walled medieval core on the Adriatic coast. Inland, the ruins of a small Roman trading town at Saepinum are well-preserved and yet virtually unvisited. Guglionesi has a historic centre cluttered with churches.
Essentials Spring and autumn are best; avoid winter, which can be rainy. Bellavista B&B di Charme in Macchiagodena has a country setting with mountain views, restaurant and infinity pool, and makes a good exploration base. See visitmolise.eu
NORTHWEST SICILY
Where Sicily is far from unknown, but most visitors stick to the eastern half. The island's north-west runs from Trapani southwards to coastal cities Marsala and Mazara, and includes rugged inland hill towns and the Egadi Islands.
Why we love it Greeks, Romans, Normans and Spaniards have influenced Sicilian culture, but in the north-west its medieval Islamic heritage is best felt: flat-roofed, whitewashed towns, old forts and use of eggplant, lemons, rice, almonds and raisins in the cuisine.
Don't miss Trapani has a fortified peninsula setting and baroque old town. Fishing port Mazara and wine-producer Marsala have a distinctly North African feel. Inland, Caltagirone is famed for the quality of its ceramics, while hilltop Erice has a brooding medieval atmosphere and Sicily's best marzipan. The Egadi islands offer archaeological sites, whitewashed villages fronting pretty harbours, sea caves and diving on a Roman shipwreck.
VENETO
Where This north-east region that includes Venice shouldn't make this list, except that Venice's visitor millions largely ignore the Veneto's lovely countryside and high mountains, whose snow you can spot from atop Venice's campaniles.
Why we love it There's so much landscape and cultural variety condensed into this small region that you could spend weeks exploring it. Historic towns, although well visited, retain a local atmosphere and have plenty of good museums, cathedrals and other sights.
Don't miss Barge down Brenta Canal from Venice and admire the summer palazzi of the Venetian aristocracy before arriving in culture-dense university and pilgrimage town Padua. Vincenza and Verona are two other worthy historical towns. Further north are the vineyards where prosecco is produced, and further north still the superb Dolomites and chic ski resort Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Essentials Summer is hot, rainy and crowded, and winter chilly, though great if you ski. Al Fagiano Art Hotel in Padua is modestly priced but offers decorative, colourful and slightly risque flair, and has a little courtyard garden. See veneto.eu
BASILICATA
Where A rugged, remote region in the arch of Italy's boot between Calabria (the toe) and Apulia (the heel), notable for short coastlines on both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. It has a population of just 530,000 and ranks 19th out of 20 Italian regions for visitor numbers.
Why we love it This is another, almost otherworldly Italy imprinted with ancient cultures but seemingly bypassed by the Renaissance. Depopulated villages slumber amid ragged but gorgeous landscapes and coastlines.
Don't miss Matera, World Heritage-listed for its cave houses and baroque topping, has recently become tourist-famous, but few visitors stray beyond it. Craco is an eerily abandoned town, medieval Melfi has a fine hilltop setting topped by a ruined castle, Metaponto sits on a lovely coastline and has Greek ruins. Pollino National Park has lush forest and ancient villages.
Essentials April-June is the best option, since it combines warm weather with wildflowers. For something unusual, check into a cave hotel in Matera, whether at top-end Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa or mid-range Caveoso Hotel. See italia.it
CALABRIA
Where In Italy's toe, with long coasts on the nation's east and west sides. Historically one of Italy's poorest regions, Calabria has none of the key towns or big sights that draw international tourists, giving it modest tourist numbers.
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Why we love it This isn't the elegant, sophisticated Italy of movies and romantic novels. Calabria is rough at the edges, provincial and poor, and yet offers the real deal: lovely towns not yet turned to kitsch, friendly locals not yet jaded by tourists, and a culture not homogenised by Italy, let alone Europe.
Don't miss Two coastlines, three national parks, medieval villages, Greek ruins, festival outbursts, endless street life: Calabria is the appealing sum of many small parts. Coastal Tropea is the loveliest city. Badolato, Civita, Gerace and Scilla are striking villages.
Essentials April and October are sweet spots weather wise, and you can also take in many festivals related to Easter or food harvests. Piccolo Grand Hotel in Pizzo is a simple, unpretentious hotel from yesteryear with cheerful colourful rooms overlooking the sea. See calabriastraordinaria.it
VALLE D'AOSTA
Where This north-west region sits in the Alps, with better-known destinations Chamonix (France) and Zermatt (Switzerland) just over the border. It's the country's smallest and least-populated region but has outsized scenery.
Why we love it Superb alpine landscapes, castles clinging to crags, cheerful villages, great hiking trails, interesting French influences. Most visitors come in winter for guaranteed great snow, with resorts that connect across the border offering extravagant – but more modestly priced – skiing.
Don't miss Aosta has Roman and medieval remains and a snow-capped setting. Rock-perched Forte di Bard combines fortifications, an alpine museum and terrific panoramas. Get into Gran Paradiso National Park for scenic hiking and ibex-spotting. The ski season is busy, with Cervinia offering the most ski runs, but Courmayeur the most upmarket.
Essentials Because of the high altitudes and glaciers, the ski season runs from late November to early May. Cervinia has no shortage of luxury and family-run boutique hotels and ski chalets, among them the cool and contemporary Principe delle Nevi, which is ski-in ski-out. See lovevda.it
FIVE OVERLOOKED CITIES IN ITALY
Turin
The former capital of Savoy in the north-west is one of Italy's most attractive big cities, with French-influenced architecture, fine piazzas and boulevards, great cafes and Alps on the horizon. The home of Fiat and other industries also has the wealth for good museums and restaurants, a lively classical music scene, and sophisticated shopping. Don't miss one of the world's best ancient Egyptian collections, a whopping baroque royal palace, and the National Automobile Museum. See turismotorino.org
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Mantua
Ruled for four centuries by the influential Gonzaga family, Mantova in north-central Italy, just south of Verona, is UNESCO-listed for its Renaissance old town, arcaded streets, several fine piazzas and sumptuous palaces, set on the shores of an artificial lake. The massive Palazzo Ducale is draped in luscious frescoes, tapestries and first-class artworks, while Palazzo Te has more magnificent frescoes. Anywhere else and queues would be out the door. See in-lombardia.it
Cremona
If Cremona is known at all it is for its violin making, with many luthiers still carrying on the tradition that reached its height under Antonio Stradivari. The Museo del Violino has its interest, but you'll be delighted by the charming town, which has one of Italy's loveliest central piazzas, its tallest campanile, and a pink 12th-century cathedral. The city 80 kilometres southeast of Milan is also noted for nougat and mustard production. See turismocremona.it
Trento
This north-east city and former independent bishopric is well-kept, cobbled, castle-dominated, and sits on a river surrounded by the Alps. It also has historical chops, an Italian-Germanic fusion culture and a busy summer festival season. Highlights are the Castello del Buonconsiglio and Muse, an interactive science museum that highlights the alpine environment inside a jagged, eye-catching Renzo Piano-designed building. Ride the cable car to Sardagna above the valley to appreciate Trento's glorious location. See trento.info
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Sky News AU
9 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
'I know that my mother always wanted me to visit Australia': HRH Prince Leka II of Albania exclusively opens up about royal duties
My interview with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Leka II of Albania has been over a year in the works. It all began about 18 months ago, when the proclamation of Tasmanian-born Mary Donaldson as Queen of Denmark revived interest in her fairytale meet-cute with Prince Frederik in that Sydney pub all those years ago. Few journalists bothered to mention that decades earlier, another Aussie girl met a Crown Prince in Sydney. Their love story did not end in a proclamation ceremony or fireworks, but decades of exile and upheaval that saw them perpetually moving around the world. The couple had one son, who today serves as the head of the House of Zogu after finally being allowed to return to Albania. On the evening of our Zoom call, I half expect to hear word from the royal household that the call is off and the Crown Prince would need to reschedule or cancel altogether. But five minutes before the scheduled start of our interview, I receive a notification confirming the Crown Prince has already logged on and is in the virtual waiting room. 'I hope that the hour is not inconvenient for you,' he said. The sandy-haired Crown Prince, 43, is speaking from his bright and well-appointed home office inside the royal residence in Tirana. Our interview coincides with high season for tourism in Albania, which is currently one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in Europe. This year alone, thousands of Aussies will visit Albania as part of their European getaways for the first time, most likely unaware of the Crown Prince's family link to Australia. 'Five years ago before the pandemic, we had three million tourists and I think the Ministry of Culture foresees 11 million tourists this year,' Leka II said. 'Albania is a country which is in a transition. 'We're a country which has beautiful beaches - we share the Ionian sea with Greece - and we have the ancient history of all the empires, from the Romans, the Persians, and the Ottomans, to our own dynasties in history.' The history of the monarchy in Albania is a relatively short but tragic tale of a country caught in the crossroads of ideology - first fascism, then communism. Albania was officially proclaimed a monarchy in 1928, at which time Leka II's grandfather acceded to the throne as Zog I, King of the Albanians. In 1939, Zog I and his wife Queen Geraldine were forced into exile with their newborn son Leka I (Leka II's father) after Italy invaded the country and Benito Mussolini barred the King from returning to Albania. After the war, a communist regime was installed and Albania was largely sealed off to the outside world, leaving the royal family effectively stateless. Decades of harsh communist rule under dictator Enver Hoxha followed before the country transitioned to a democracy in 1991. In 2003, the Albanian Parliament passed a law recognising the royal family and granting them a special status, which enabled the family to come home without restoring them in an official capacity. 'It's the first step in giving certain amounts of recognition and allowing us to play a role within a society while being part of the diplomatic life of the society as well,' Leka II said. Today, the southern European country of about 2.7 million people is enjoying a major economic upswing and is eyeing accession into the EU in the coming years. The country now enjoys relative political stability and a building boom is currently transforming the face of Tirana. Of all the non-reigning monarchies in Europe, the Crown Prince has arguably carved out the most compelling role for a hereditary royal living in a modern republic. He enjoys limited recognition within Albania's present political structure and works as an informal roving ambassador for the country abroad. Just weeks ago, Leka II was made an honorary ambassador to the State of Louisiana by Republican Governor Jeff Landry. In 2016, the Albanian government even gave permission for the royal family to use the former Royal Palace – now the president's official residence - for Leka II's wedding to actress Elia Zaharia. The guest list featured a Madame Tussaud's-worthy selection of reigning and non-reigning royals from across Europe, including Queen Sofia of Spain and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. The royal couple divorced last year but continue to co-parent their daughter Princess Geraldine – the presumed heir to the Albanian throne. In recent years, some of the other royal properties have been returned to the family, including the impressive Royal Villa of Durrës in Albania's second largest city. The former summer residence sits atop a hill overlooking the Adriatic Sea but has fallen into ruin after decades of neglect and earthquakes in the area. Restoring the crumbling residences is an 'incredible challenge' for Leka II. So much so that he recently opted to sell the Royal Villa to a businessman who can properly fund the restoration. 'The new owner is a very, very successful businessman, and he's taking up the incredible challenge to rehabilitate, to rebuild the villa, which unfortunately due to the earthquakes and due to mismanagement and being destroyed, really needs that TLC,' he said. While Leka II credits his father Leka I for instilling in him a drive to serve the country, he was equally influenced by his 'very loving' mother Princess Susan. Leka II says he is 'very proud' of his Australian heritage and credits his late mother's Aussie roots for instilling in him both 'openness' and an uncanny ability to 'read the room'. Born Susan Barbara Cullen-Ward in Sydney, Leka II's mother came from a good eastern suburbs family before meeting the exiled Crown Prince of Albania at a dinner party in the mid-1970s. The couple wed in a small civil ceremony in Biarritz in 1975 and lived in exile in Spain, Zimbabwe and finally South Africa, where they welcomed Leka II in 1982. 'My mother was a fourth-generation Australian,' he said. 'I believe - and I'm not certain about this so maybe some verification could be made - that she was a descendent of Banjo Paterson.' Leka II says he hopes to visit Australia soon and reconnect with cousins and relatives from the Cullen and Ward families. 'My cousins are all pushing for me to come and visit hopefully next year,' he said. 'I know that my mother always wanted me to visit Australia.' Leka II was largely raised in exile in South Africa with his parents in what one 1980s feature by The Australian Women's Weekly gently described as 'reduced circumstances'. Growing up, nobody at school knew Leka II's true identity and he only got a sense of his royal lineage when interacting with the Albanian diaspora on holidays to Europe. I ask the Crown Prince whether his relatively normal upbringing was a blessing in some ways. After all, Prince Harry's memoir Spare was a pretty damning account about the pitfalls of growing up as a royal Prince in the media's glare. 'I had a very normal youth as a child, but at the same time, meeting the diaspora I felt the pressures of position,' he said. 'When we finally came back to Albania in 2002, I was really pushed into the deep end.' Sadly, Susan died in 2004 at age 63 from cancer, just two years after the royal family finally returned to Albania. His father Leka I died in 2012 and both are buried in the Mausoleum of the Albanian Royal Family. As Crown Prince, Leka II can be commended for restoring the royal family to prominence in the country through tireless work promoting Albania abroad. It is plausible that this goodwill could lead to a more official role for the family in the future. But Leka II says he is making great effort to ensure his daughter Geraldine, 4, does not grow up fretting over the future of the House of Zogu. 'She's fluent both in English and Albanian and she's a chatterbox in all senses,' he said. 'But it's important that she is given the best education and time will define her role, you can't force someone to become a monarch.'
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The beautiful village known as ‘French Tibet' is more like Nimbin
'Is that, what I think it is?' I ask my partner, as a whiff of something herbal drifts across Saorge's main square. It's early and not much is open, but somewhere in this tiny medieval village, someone is getting high. Perhaps it's purely for medicinal use – the only kind that is legal in France – but it fits with the reputation Saorge has for doing things a little differently. A tiny village of around 400 inhabitants high in the Roya Valley in France's south-eastern Alpes-Maritime region, Saorge is one of five medieval villages that cling to the side of the rugged mountain range that divides Italy and France. It has been nicknamed the French Tibet for its narrow twisting roads and imposing landscape, complete with a Franciscan monastery. It may seem like a world away from modern civilisation, but it's only an hour from the French and Italian rivieras by bus or train. To drive there is possible, but the route is terrifying. On one trip to the village our bus driver suddenly slams on the brakes, puts his head out the window and starts waving his hands and shouting. A small car is coming up the road, blocking the way. Instead of moving into the shoulder, the driver decides to reverse down the winding road, the perilous cliff just centimetres from the side of their car. The bus passengers shake their heads in disbelief. I can't watch. Few of the tourists who crowd into Nice, an hour away, find their way to Saorge. We've been based in the valley for weeks, and each time we come here it's blissfully quiet. Those visitors who do wander the rabbit warren of narrow streets, once part of the critical 16th and 17th century salt route from the coast to the north, find not much more than one or two shops, a cafe and a wine bar. But they will also discover intact medieval architecture, views and the village's long and fascinating history. As well as being one of France's Plus Beaux Villages (most beautiful villages), one of its attractions is the 15th-century parish church of Saint-Sauveur, a baroque masterpiece whose salmon-pink exterior glows against the bright blue summer sky. If your timing is right, you might even hear its bells. The church's master bell-ringer uses a traditional style using both hands and feet. Above the village is the Saorge monastery, home to Franciscan monks for centuries. You can visit the monastery museum to view frescoes, the cloister, the dining room and chapel, or simply wander the sublime working garden that looks out across the peaks and valley. The monastery's other spaces are home to a writers retreat.
The Age
a day ago
- The Age
The beautiful village known as ‘French Tibet' is more like Nimbin
'Is that, what I think it is?' I ask my partner, as a whiff of something herbal drifts across Saorge's main square. It's early and not much is open, but somewhere in this tiny medieval village, someone is getting high. Perhaps it's purely for medicinal use – the only kind that is legal in France – but it fits with the reputation Saorge has for doing things a little differently. A tiny village of around 400 inhabitants high in the Roya Valley in France's south-eastern Alpes-Maritime region, Saorge is one of five medieval villages that cling to the side of the rugged mountain range that divides Italy and France. It has been nicknamed the French Tibet for its narrow twisting roads and imposing landscape, complete with a Franciscan monastery. It may seem like a world away from modern civilisation, but it's only an hour from the French and Italian rivieras by bus or train. To drive there is possible, but the route is terrifying. On one trip to the village our bus driver suddenly slams on the brakes, puts his head out the window and starts waving his hands and shouting. A small car is coming up the road, blocking the way. Instead of moving into the shoulder, the driver decides to reverse down the winding road, the perilous cliff just centimetres from the side of their car. The bus passengers shake their heads in disbelief. I can't watch. Few of the tourists who crowd into Nice, an hour away, find their way to Saorge. We've been based in the valley for weeks, and each time we come here it's blissfully quiet. Those visitors who do wander the rabbit warren of narrow streets, once part of the critical 16th and 17th century salt route from the coast to the north, find not much more than one or two shops, a cafe and a wine bar. But they will also discover intact medieval architecture, views and the village's long and fascinating history. As well as being one of France's Plus Beaux Villages (most beautiful villages), one of its attractions is the 15th-century parish church of Saint-Sauveur, a baroque masterpiece whose salmon-pink exterior glows against the bright blue summer sky. If your timing is right, you might even hear its bells. The church's master bell-ringer uses a traditional style using both hands and feet. Above the village is the Saorge monastery, home to Franciscan monks for centuries. You can visit the monastery museum to view frescoes, the cloister, the dining room and chapel, or simply wander the sublime working garden that looks out across the peaks and valley. The monastery's other spaces are home to a writers retreat.
