No Crowds, Just Character: An Alternative Grand Tour of Italy

Design your own grand tour of Italy and you might start not in Florence or Rome, but in Brisighella. This town in Emilia-Romagna rises among rocky hills, its solitary towers and sparse trees creating a stage-like setting that immediately slows the pace.
Once inside, you’ll find a maze of medieval streets and an elevated walkway that cuts through the town, giving a bird’s-eye view of its rooftops. Brisighella is both charming in itself and an ideal base for exploring the surrounding countryside.
Further south, Sicily’s Via dei Frati offers 54 miles of unplugged discovery. The route from Caltanissetta to Cefalù over the Madonie mountains rarely sees tourists, leaving villages like Gangi to welcome the handful of walkers who pass through with straightforward, unpolished hospitality.
In Basilicata, Venosa acts as a compact textbook of Roman and medieval history, from ruins and catacombs to a powerful castle. The nearby castles at Melfi and Lagopesole and the ducal palace at Pietragalla expand that textbook into a full shelf, with local food and wine providing delicious footnotes.
Add nights at a remote eco-hotel in the Apennines, afternoons exploring Cividale’s Lombard chapel and Devil’s Bridge, mornings in Chioggia’s markets and canals, long hikes around Santo Stefano d’Aveto, tastings in Loazzolo’s vineyards, truffle meals in Campoli Appennino and a heat-filled wander through the Roman city of Urbs Salvia. The result is a grand tour that swaps queues and selfie sticks for genuine encounters.