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Italy is beautiful, historic, and compelling – and home to more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country. Plus, with a rich culture, fabulous cuisine, stunning landscapes, and glorious weather, it has something for everyone.
The only difficulty in visiting such a dazzling and diverse country is that it can be tricky to choose which destinations to visit; do you want to stroll around ancient cities, relax amongst rolling hills, kick back on the beach, or explore captivating coastal towns? Perhaps you’d prefer to stay in one area and really get to know a place – or take a whistlestop tour and see as much as possible.
Whatever your preference, an escorted tour with Cosmos can help you get the most out of your trip. Everything is arranged for you, from transport to hotels to sightseeing, giving you peace of mind and allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the travel experience.
Plus, while you can see many of Italy’s most famous sights, you can discover less travelled areas too – from the remote corners of Umbria to quietly pretty Puglian towns. Exploring places that remain unknown to many tourists can show you a different side of Italy. You can sightsee like a local: wandering cobblestone streets, sipping espresso, and learning about each region’s unique culture and history.
So, to get you inspired to explore some of Italy’s hidden gems, here are eight must-see spots.
1. Bolgheri, Tuscany
If you’re passionate about Italian food and wine, there’s a good chance you’ve always wanted to visit Tuscany. This rural region is known for sensational landscapes, rustic charm, and mouthwatering red wine. While historic hilltop towns like San Gimignano and Volterra are always busy, medieval Bolgheri has managed to slip under the radar. A cypress tree-lined road takes you to this tranquil village, where an enchanting entrance will lure you in.
With a characterful Old Town and dramatic red-brick castle, Bolgheri looks like it’s fallen from the pages of a fairy tale. During Cosmos’s eight-day Gourmet Tuscany tour, you’ll visit wine cellars to taste Bolgheri’s famously delicious Super Tuscan reds. Based in Montecatini, you’re perfectly placed to explore Tuscany’s many other gastronomic hotspots. You’ll travel through vineyards and olive groves, visit wine shops and restaurants, join a cooking lesson, and feast upon a dizzying range of local gourmet food and drink.
2. Orvieto, Umbria
Of Umbria’s gorgeous hill towns, Orvieto is one of the most striking and mysterious settlements, and isn’t half as well-known as it should be. Sitting majestically above a valley, on a sheer ledge of lava stone, Orvieto is steeped in history and charisma. The streets are virtually traffic-free and perfect for strolling, the colourful cathedral is breathtaking, and the local crisp white wines are some of Italy’s best. Beneath the city is a hidden underground world: a maze of man-made caves, tunnels, and cellars.
To explore Orvieto and many more magnificent towns and cities, why not join Cosmos’s Splendours of Italy tour? Over nine days, you’ll travel to many of Italy’s most famous cities, including Rome, Siena, Florence, and Venice, admiring the magnificent architecture, ancient ruins, and world-class art. Go wine tasting in Greve, explore San Gimignano’s medieval squares, take a gondola ride in Venice, and admire the remarkable St. Peter’s Basilica and square in Vatican City.
3. Gallipoli, Puglia
Located in the heel of the Italian boot, far from most tourist hotspots, Puglia is one of Italy’s least-explored regions, and packed with hidden gems. One of the most beautiful and tranquil has to be Gallipoli, an ancient Greek city on an island in the glittering blue Ionian Sea. Gallipoli means ‘beautiful city’, and the name couldn’t be more apt. The Old Town has inviting squares, winding streets, and a gorgeous golden beach where you can swim in crystal-clear waters.
During Cosmos’s eight-day Puglia tour, you’ll visit Gallipoli, where you can wander its historic streets and learn about its underground olive press. The region’s most famous sights are also on the agenda – including the beautiful port of Bari, the intriguing Castellana Grotte limestone caves, and the conical-roofed Trulli houses of Alberobello. In lovely Lecce, you can admire Baroque buildings and intricate churches; while, in Naples, you can savour authentic Napoli pizza and espresso coffee.
4. Erice, Sicily
As the largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily’s charms are well known – but it still has a few secrets. Perched precariously on a mountain top, 750 metres above sea level, Erice is one such hidden gem. Visiting this beautifully preserved medieval town feels like stepping back in time. You can learn all about its unique history as you lose yourself in the cobblestone alleys, visit the ancient churches, and admire the grand fortifications.
From this unique vantage point, you can also enjoy breathtaking views of the sparkling blue sea, the port town of Trapani, and the sweeping valleys below. During Cosmos’s eight-day Sicily tour, you’ll take a cable car ride up to Erice, and the views as you soar through the sky are utterly sensational. If you’re interested in history, you’ll also love exploring the ancient Greek temples in Selinunte and Agrigento, as well as the Roman Villa at Casale, which is famous for its striking mosaics.
5. Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna
Florence and Rome may be viewed as the high points of Italian art and architecture, but many towns have almost as much going for them – without the throngs of tourists. The small city of Ravenna might be unassuming today, but for three centuries, it was the capital of the Western Roman Empire. Jam-packed with history and culture, it boasts basilicas, mausoleums, and tombs, as well as one of the world’s most impressive collections of early Christian mosaic artwork.
Cosmos’s nine-day Shrines Of Northern Italy and Rome tour takes you to Ravenna’s majestic masterpieces – but that’s the tip of the iceberg. This fascinating faith-based tour ventures to Milan, where you’ll visit the St Ambrose Basilica and Gothic Duomo. In elegant Turin, you can learn about the famous Holy Shroud, while in beautiful Padua, a sightseeing tour and free time await. You’ll have two days in Rome too, touring the four main Basilicas, and visiting Castel Gandolfo, the peaceful Papal summer residence.
6. Assisi, Umbria
Deep in the undulating Umbrian hills is one of Italy’s most captivating towns. Assisi is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world’s best-preserved medieval towns. Boasting priceless art, ancient buildings, and picture-postcard charm, the town is known for spreading the Franciscan Order, and today, remains a pilgrimage site. When you first glimpse the town, sprawled above wooded hills, it’s difficult not to feel a sense of magic and wonder.
But Assisi is just one of the lesser-known spots on Cosmos’s Best of Italy tour. This 14-day tour takes you to the country’s best sights, from the lakes of the far north to the sunny south coast. Kicking off in Rome, you’ll travel to Sorrento and the dreamy island of Capri, before exploring ancient Pompeii. Venice and Verona are next, then it’s time to head to Lake Maggiore, arguably the prettiest of the Italian Lakes. You’ll also visit the Cinque Terre, explore Tuscany and Florence, and delve into the very heart of Italian culture.
7. Cisternino, Puglia
Another Puglian town that’s managed to slip under the tourist radar is Cisternino. Surrounded by rolling hills and green valleys, the views from this whitewashed town are spellbinding. But exploring the streets themselves is just as magical. Cisternino is known for its small squares, narrow alleys, and pristine white homes decorated with colourful flowers – but also its food. As the sun sets, the restaurants, bars, and gelateries around the piazza fill up with locals looking for a feast.
Cisternino is most famous for its barbecued meat, particularly bombette (little parcels filled with mince, ham, and cheese). If you fancy yourself a foodie, why not book yourself onto Cosmos’s eight-day Gourmet Puglia tour? Visiting towns and cities like Bari, Martina Franca, and coastal Lecce, you’ll sample a range of local delights. Enjoy freshly made orecchiette pasta, cured meats, local cheeses, sweet pastries, and sip Primitivo wine. Then, acquire a taste for different olive oils on a tour of an olive farm.
8. Cascia, Umbria
Also in Umbria, in a remote and mountainous part of the province of Perugia, is Cascia. This beautiful small town has an important place in Catholic Christianity; it’s the birthplace of Saint Rita, born in Cascia in 1381. Today, a sense of mysticism and spirituality still pervades the town, and pilgrims flock here to pray at the Basilica of Saint Rita. Cascia is also widely known for its cuisine, and slow food is the order of the day. Some delicious local produce includes saffron, truffles, legumes, spelt, and salami.
On Cosmos’s Spiritual Highlights Of Italy tour, Cascia is one of many religious locations on the itinerary. In Rome, you’ll visit the major Basilicas, the Scala Sancta, and Castel Gandolfo. You’ll also head to the East Coast to learn about modern-day saints, tour magnificent basilicas, and visit the Shrine of Monte Sant’Angelo. But this fabulous faith-based tour takes you to Bosnia and Herzegovina too. You’ll have three days in Medjugorje, a pilgrimage site where the Virgin Mary appeared to six teens in 1981.
Final thoughts…
While Italy is home to many world-famous destinations and attractions, all kinds of wonderful places have managed to avoid mass tourism.
From tranquil villages in rural Umbria to sun-drenched coastal towns in Puglia, these lesser-known places reveal a different side of Italy.
And, on a Cosmos tour, everything is sorted for you. With expert guides to show you around, and transport and accommodation prearranged, you can sit back and relax, knowing you’re seeing all the ‘must-see’ sights, as well as a selection of hidden gems.
Have you been to any of these destinations – or heard of them? Are you tempted to go on an escorted tour? We’d love to hear about your travel experiences in the comments below.
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