Italian tourism authorities are attempting to maneuver vacationers away from the over-crowded customer hotspots – listed below are their 10 beneficial ‘off the crushed observe’ locations.
A brand new programme, referred to as ‘Luminous Locations’, has topped 10 Italian cities and cities as sustainable tourism locations for 2026.
The mission by Go to Italy goals to drive sustainable tourism within the ‘99 % of Italy’.
The programme – which goals to assist redistribute tourism to Italian locations past the itineraries of Venice, Florence or the Amalfi Coast – is a response to overtourism and mass tourism. It’s the primary 12 months of a mission spearheaded by Go to Italy, an unbiased cultural platform and company selling tourism all through the nation.
READ ALSO: Seven villages added to Italy’s ‘most stunning’ listing
The ten locations are chosen for his or her “extra balanced, aware and sustainable tourism mannequin” which is analysed via tourism knowledge and native insurance policies, in response to Go to Italy. The choice course of is predicated on six standards, starting from the place having a cohesive narrative id to environmental protections.
These are the ten ‘Luminous Locations’ for 2026:
1. Arezzo, Tuscany
Usually ignored in favour of extra well-known Tuscan cities, Arezzo has every little thing from designer purchasing to medieval jousting tournaments. You may recognise a few of Arezzo’s streets and landmarks from Roberto Benigni’s Oscar-winning movie La Vita è Bella (Life is Stunning).
READ ALSO: Why Arezzo ought to be the following city you go to in Tuscany
2. Castelsaraceno, Basilicata
Located between two nationwide parks, Castelsaraceno is a house base for journey and nature exploration. Most understand it for its heart-pounding bridge, the world’s longest so-called ponte tibetano, which suspends you 80 metres above an Apennine valley.
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3. Monreale, Sicily
This small city close to Palermo is residence to a UNESCO-listed cathedral which exemplifies how Arab, Norman and Byzantine cultures overlapped in northern Sicily virtually a thousand years in the past.
4. Viterbo, Lazio
This well-preserved medieval city is a well-liked weekend journey for Romans, it being simply an hour and a half’s drive and boasting the area’s greatest pure thermal baths.
READ ALSO: 16 various locations to go to in Lazio aside from Rome
5. Cingoli, Marche
These within the know love the lesser-known Marche area alongside Italy’s Adriatic coast. The city of Cingoli is named the area’s balcone (balcony) due to its hilltop views, from which you’ll absorb a panorama of the ocean and even spot Croatia within the distance.
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6. Oratino, Molise
Perched on a cliff overlooking the Biferno valley is the medieval city of Oratino, greatest recognized for its music, sculpture and stonecraft traditions. It’s the right place to begin exploring Molise, the second smallest and second least populous Italian area that’s nonetheless undiscovered by the lots.
7. Genova, Liguria
The most important metropolis to obtain the ‘luminous’ designation, Genova, or Genoa, is the capital of Liguria and an essential port in northern Italy. Dealing with the Mediterranean and flanked by the Apennine mountains, the city panorama blends trendy and historic structure; a part of the historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage website.
8. Livigno, Lombardy
Situated excessive within the Italian Alps, Livigno has made headlines lately as one of many host cities of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. For those who’re a fan of snowboarding, you’re little doubt conversant in the city, which presents beautiful views and a variety of runs for skiers and snowboarders of all talents, in addition to the ‘Mega Enjoyable Park 2’ terrain park.
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9. Borutta, Sardinia
Situated inland within the province of Sassari, Borutta is a tranquil place the place you will discover archaeology, spirituality and rural landscapes. Its image is the San Pietro di Sorres church, now a Benedictine monastery, which is a prized instance of Pisan Romanesque structure.
10. Gerace, Calabria
If the identify ‘Gerace’ sounds acquainted, that’s as a result of you could have seen it on the I Borghi più belli d’Italia (‘probably the most stunning villages in Italy’) listing. The picturesque village is vertically located on a excessive cliff close to the southern Calabrian coast. It’s recognized for its medieval structure, comparable to the traditional metropolis gate, Porta del Sole, and for its distinguished namesake wine.
