Five beautiful Italian cities that haven’t become theme parks

Hell is other people when you travel. We don’t like other tourists clogging our favourite places, and increasingly nor do the locals. Barcelona, Mallorca, Venice and elsewhere have all been in the news for protesting visitor numbers or attempting to limit them.

But if the pushback is relatively recent, the problems are longstanding. Rome is the latest city to address overcrowding, with entrance fees in place for the Pantheon and proposals to charge for the Trevi Fountain.

Even 30 years ago, when I lived in Rome, I only took visiting friends to see the fountain at night. Any other time was a zoo. The Colosseum was – and is – the same, despite timed ticketing; Piazza Navona, the Sistine Chapel, the Spanish Steps – all now heaving.

Venice and Florence are also overwhelmed. So too numerous other places in Italy and beyond – Amsterdam, Paris, even spots in Switzerland (Lauterbrunnen) and Norway (Trolltunga) you’d think would be safe.

Travel has clearly changed – it’s easier and cheaper, more driven by social media, and more visitors are coming from India and China, which collectively account for around a third of the global population. And, frankly, it’s only going to get worse. How might these places, or even today’s mid-profile destinations, look in 20 years?

Let’s try not to think about it, and instead consider what you can do in the present. For now, here are five of my favourite towns and cities in Italy that are still largely – or entirely – crowd-free.

It’s gratifying to know there are many more, especially in southern Italy. All that’s required, of course, is a little imagination and the willingness, often literally, to go the extra mile or two beyond the known and overwhelmed. Happy hunting.

1. Mantua

Why Mantua should be crowd-free is hard to know, for the rule of the Gonzaga family from 1328 to 1707 attracted painters, and architects who left treasures that are the equal and – in the case of the 500-room Palazzo Ducale – often the superior of anything in more celebrated cities.

Whatever the reason, you can enjoy the city’s intimate (and car-free) medieval heart, a World Heritage Site, in peace, drop into restaurants without booking, and within a few minutes be walking around the park-lined shores of the lakes that almost circle the city.

Stroll these shores, take a boat trip, and join the locals for an aperitivo at Zanzara. Also see the Palazzo Te for the frescoes of Giulio Romano and the churches of Sant’Andrea and La Rotonda. Most of all, though, just enjoy the lack of people.

Getting there

Fly to Verona. Direct trains then run hourly from Verona Porta Nuova to Mantua in 45 minutes.

Staying there

Palazzo Castiglioni (doubles from £235) for a treat, otherwise Hotel del Broletto (from £127).

Eating

For fair prices and regional dishes, visit Osteria dell’ Oca and the simple Tortelli & Friends.

2. Vicenza

Vicenza is not entirely unknown but it’s certainly far more amenable than its two of its biggest neighbours, Venice and Verona.

It’s also smaller and more manageable, with a perfectly formed historic core, but then what would you expect from a city scattered with buildings by Andrea Palladio (1508–1580), one of Europe’s most influential architects?

Many of the master’s works survive, not least the Basilica and Teatro Olimpico, but even without them this would be an urbane little place to explore. Enjoy streets lined with elegant shops, restaurants and cafés, and enough museums, villas and gardens to keep you happy for a weekend or more.

Getting there

Fly to Venice or Verona, which are 45 and 25 minutes respectively by train from Vicenza.

Staying there

Relais Santa Corona (doubles from £126) has elegant three-star rooms while Portico Rosso (doubles from £95) is a quiet B&B 10 minutes’ walk from the centre.

Eating

Visit Al Pestello, in business since 1910, for fairly priced regional specialities.

3. Modena

I went to Modena only because I had to – it’s a long story – but I’m glad the city was forced on me. It turned out to have everything I want from an Italian city except the crowds.

If it’s known at all it’s as Italy’s motor city, with museum and factory visits possible to car and bike manufacturers based nearby, such as Ferrari, Maserati, Bugatti, Ducati and Lamborghini.

But it also has charm, art and culture aplenty, notably several fine museums and one of the great Italian cathedrals, along with the excellent food you’d expect of a city in Emilia-Romagna, one of Italy’s gastronomic heartlands. Don’t miss the Mercato Albinelli, among my favourite Italian food markets.

Getting there

Fly to Bologna and transfer (bologna-airport.it) to the main railway station for the 17-minute connection to Modena.

Staying there

Sant’Eufemia 30 (doubles from £203) offers four pricey but characterful rooms and a great breakfast.

Eating

L’Antica Bottega for lunch; Giusti for dinner; and Francescana for a three-star Michelin blowout.

4. Sulmona

Do you know anyone who’s been to Sulmona? Me neither (myself excluded). It lies at the heart of the Abruzzo, a region with central Italy’s finest scenery, and part of the town’s charm are the mountains that frame the pretty historic core.

If it’s known at all it’s as the birthplace of Ovid and of sugared almonds, or confetti. It has no standout sights, just a series of streets that are a pleasure to wander for their own sake. Visit on a Saturday and the main Piazza Garibaldi is filled with one of Italy’s great markets.

If you have a car, drive east to explore the Maiella, home to some of the finest scenery in Sulmona’s spectacular hinterland. If you find Sulmona empty, you’ll find the Majella emptier still.

Getting there

Fly to Rome then it’s two hours’ drive or 2hr 30mins by train (trenitalia.com) on a scenic line via Tivoli.

Staying there

Hotel Rojan (doubles from £110) is a four-star at the heart of the historic town.

Eating

Try the chitarra, an Abruzzese pasta, with ricotta, pecorino and saffron at Clemente.

5. Camogli

Turin was a tempting city for my fifth unsung destination – and you should definitely visit – but in Camogli I’ve chosen a place that underlines how easy it can be to find alternatives to destinations that have become overrun.

Just up the Ligurian coast from Camogli is Portofino, once a quaint fishing village, now a berth for superyachts and Instagramming day-trippers. A little farther away are the five villages of the Cinque Terre, so busy these days as to be – sadly – beyond the pale.

Camogli, though, is frequented pretty much only by Italians, attracted by its relaxed charm, backdrop of mountains, beautiful promenade, and family-friendly facilities.

Eat, swim and hike the hills and cliff paths; take boat trips and dive, snorkel or whale-watch; attend a concert in the Teatro Sociale; or just join the locals on the waterfront during the evening passeggiata.

Getting there

Fly to Genoa and it’s 40 minutes by train to Camogli from Genoa’s Piazza Principe station.

Staying there

Cenobio dei Dogi (doubles from £146), a four star just off the southern end of the Camogli waterfront.

Eating

Takeaway focaccia and more from Revello or almost any of the restaurants on the promenade: La Camogliese is a good place to start.