If there’s one thing we can all agree on about Italy, it’s that it always leaves us wanting more. The landscapes, the architecture, the history, the art, the food – how one can board their return flight, we’ll never know. Solution: tack on an extra weekend and go somewhere you’ve never been.
Whether you’re contemplating pushing back your flight or want to explore beyond the most popular cities, here’s how to spend five ultimate weekend breaks across Italy.
1. Discover a secret Italy around Viterbo
The region around the city of Viterbo has (largely) remained under the radar for most visitors. Yet, it holds myriad treasures: fabulous Renaissance castles and gardens, Roman amphitheaters, a mosaic of mountains and olive groves, picturesque villages and dramatic hilltop settlements, and a wealth of Etruscan remains.
Where to stay: At the end of a long pine-lined road and surrounded by olive groves and fields, Tenuta di Paternostro, near Vetralla, offers five chic suites in the heart of a working farm that also offers equine therapy and wellness retreats.
How to get around: Fly into Rome, and Viterbo is about an hour and a half’s drive northwest. Direct trains also run between Rome and Viterbo, about an hour and 40 minutes. It’s a 40-minute drive from Viterbo to Tarquinia.
When to go: Among Tuscia’s traditional festivals, the most famous is the annual procession of the Macchina di Santa Rosa, an illuminated 30m-high (98ft) tower built to honor Viterbo’s patron saint. On the evening of September 3, one hundred men – known as Facchini di Santa Rosa – carry the macchina through the town, a grand spectacle.
What to do
Explore an Etruscan realm of the dead
The Necropoli di Tarquinia (also known as Monterozzi) dates to the 7th century BCE and comprises about 6000 tombs, some 200 of which are adorned with fabulous frescoes. Of the 20 or so tombs open to the public, one of the most beautiful is the Tomba dei Leopardi, with a rich banquet scene complete with dancers and musicians. End your Etruscan adventure at the superb Museo Archeologico Nazionale Tarquiniense in the pretty medieval town of Tarquinia.
Stroll through ravishing Renaissance gardens
In Bagnaia, the Villa Lante’s buildings feel like mere ornaments to the garden, which features fountains, an ingenious water cascade and, at the bottom, a perfectly manicured parterre. In Vignanello, Castello Ruspoli features a beautifully maintained formal garden, first laid out in 1611. The region’s most eccentric 16th-century garden is Bomarzo’s Parco dei Mostri (Park of Monsters), scattered with sculpted animals, ogres, giants and dragons.
Visit Viterbo’s lakes
Of the two volcanic lakes near Viterbo, Bolsena is the larger and offers a wide range of activities – sailing, kayaking, fishing, birdwatching – as well as beautiful villages such as Bolsena, Capodimonte and Montefiascone along its shoreline. Surrounded by the Monti Cimini and a protected nature reserve, Lago di Vico is for nature lovers. Hiking trails thread into the hills around the lake, taking in the wild slopes of Monte Fogliano and Monte Venere.
2. Taste la dolce vita in Lake Garda and Verona
Landscapes range from olive-planted valleys and vineyards to the mountain-flanked waters of lovely Lake Garda. With its mild climate and cool, clear waters, Italy’s largest lake is a paradise for outdoor sports enthusiasts and lovers of what the Italians call far niente (doing nothing). Though best known for its Romeo and Juliet connection, Verona’s historic center also promises pretty cafe-thronged piazzas, a vast Roman Arena and the Museo di Castelvecchio.
Where to stay: Garda’s lakeside towns offer endless accommodation possibilities. In Verona, stay in the historic center for easy access to the Roman Arena and Piazza delle Erbe, like at the gorgeous and historic Due Torri Hotel, a short walk from Juliet’s Balcony.
How to get around: From Verona Airport, you can take a bus or train to Peschiera del Garda, on the shores of the lake. Several bus and ferry lines serve the towns on Lake Garda’s shoreline.
When to go: Verona stages one of Europe’s oldest carnivals, known as the Bacanal del Gnoco, held over the last weekend before Lent. The summer Verona Opera Festival has been making music lovers’ hearts beat faster for over a century. The city shines brightly at Christmas, too, when many festive events take place.
What to do
Cruise around Lake Garda
From most of Garda’s lakeside towns, you can board a boat to cruise across its waters to gorgeous villages like Limone, Malcesine, Sirmione or Bardolino. There are endless possible itineraries, but make sure you include a stop at the privately owned island of Isola del Garda, just offshore of Salò, with its glorious gardens and sumptuous neogothic Venetian villa.
Fall in love with the Sirmione Peninsula
Pretty as a picture and known as the “Pearl of the Lake,” this narrow strip of land on the lake’s southern shore is a magnet for visitors. To avoid the high-summer crowds, explore the resort town of Sirmione out of season, enjoying beautiful lake views, medieval Rocca Scaligera and the impressive Roman-era ruins of the Grotte di Catullo.
Soar above Monte Baldo from Malcesine
Nature lovers and thrill-seekers are in for a treat in Malcesine on Garda’s northeast shore, where you can enjoy the experience of paragliding down to the lake from Monte Baldo. The Malcesine paragliding club rents out equipment and offers tandem paragliding lessons. To get to the takeoff points, some 1800m (5900ft) above the water, ride the cable car up from Malcesine and enjoy the ravishing views.
3. Learn locavore lore in Piedmont
Home of the Slow Food movement and some very famous wines, Piedmont is the perfect place for a gourmet weekend that’s known for its local produce – namely arborio rice, hazelnuts, white truffles and artisanal cheeses. Begin in Turin, Piedmont’s ancient capital with elegant tree-lined boulevards. Then, explore the surrounding region, dotted with beguiling historic towns, prestigious wineries and restaurants that put the farm-to-fork precept into practice.
Where to stay: In Turin, Hotel Roma e Rocca Cavour has been in the same family since 1854 and is just opposite the Porta Nuova train station. Try to get a room overlooking the Piazza Carlo Felice.
How to get around: Turin Airport is in nearby Caselle. Fast trains from Paris and Lyon also run to Turin’s Porta Susa station, and a regular rail service links Turin’s Stazione Porta Nuova with Alba and Bra. Rent a car in Turin to get to local attractions, or to fully appreciate the Italian way of life, slow the pace by riding a Vespa or an electric bike.
When to go: With a wealth of fresh produce on offer in shops and markets (and cooked up in local restaurants), harvest season (August to October) is an exhilarating time to explore Piedmont. Staged in September in even-numbered years, Turin’s Terra Madre Salone del Gusto is a celebration of the Slow Food movement. Also in September, Asti hosts the Festival delle Sagre di Asti, dedicated to fine food and wine; and the Palio di Asti, a frenetic bareback horse race.
What to do
Tour Turin’s Crown of Delights
Known as the Corona di Delizie (Crown of Delights), these grand structures scattered around central Turin date from the 17th and 18th centuries, when the city was the seat of the Dukes of Savoy. Eleven of the 14 main buildings are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the lavish Palazzo Reale in the heart of Turin. Further out from the center, the Villa della Regina in Torino is surrounded by lovely Italian gardens overlooking the city, while the Reggia di Venaria Reale is a baroque pile with gardens worthy of Versailles and exhibits on the Savoy dynasty.
Taste the “King of Wines”
At the Savoy court, Barolo was known as the “King of Wines and the Wine of Kings,” and this regal title still rings true. Bold, full-bodied Barolo is made with Nebbiolo grapes, an ancient variety grown on the sunny hillsides around Langhe, southeast of Bra. This village of ochre-colored houses is dominated by the Castello Falletti, where the Museo del Vino a Barolo gives the lowdown on local viticulture. Arrange tastings and vineyard tours at Barolo’s Agrilab Wine Tasting Tour.
Take the truffle trail in Alba and Asti
Capital of the Langhe region, Alba is famous for its truffles, and its annual fair attracts fans every weekend from October to December. For its part, Alba’s neighbor, Asti – producer of the sparkling white wine – puts on its own truffle fair every November.
4. Explore Italy’s green heart in Umbria
Right in the center of Italy, Umbria is a region of gentle mountains, hilltop towns and lush green valleys laced with centuries-old vineyards and olive groves where local traditions persist – hence the nickname “the green heart of Italy.” Explore towns like its capital Perugia, which holds a host of fine heritage buildings; or Assisi, filled with sites associated with its patron saint, the animal-loving Francis.
Where to stay: From its hilltop perch in Perugia, Sina Brufani’s valley views, frescoed public rooms and subterranean indoor pool (guests can swim over Etruscan ruins) make it an excellent home base.
How to get around: San Francesco d’Assisi Airport is just east of central Perugia. Alternatively, fly to Rome’s Fiumicino airport, from where regular Sulga buses run to Perugia from Terminal C. Trains from Rome to Perugia take around two hours, and trains from Perugia run to Assisi, 25km (15.5 miles) away; and Orvieto, 80km (50 miles) away via Lake Trasimeno.
When to go: Don’t miss the Umbria Jazz Festival, featuring rock, pop and blues as well as jazz; it’s staged in Perugia in July and Orivieto in December. In Gubbio, on May 15, the Corsa dei Ceri (Feast of the Candles) features teams of ceraioli (strong men) carrying imposing stylized wooden candles, crowned with the statue of their patron saint, to the summit of Monte Ingino.
Things to do
Pucker up in Perugia
Perugia is as famous for its 2.8km-long (1.7-mile) city walls and universities as it is for its Baci chocolates. Invented here in 1922, Baci are wrapped in words of love (baci means ‘kisses’ in Italian) and filled with gianduja (a hazelnut-flavored chocolate paste) and a single, whole hazelnut. To get the lowdown on how they’re made, visit Casa del Cioccolato. Perugia’s other wonders are mostly contained in its Old Town: Rocca Paolina, a 16th-century fortress, and the Palazzo dei Priori, home to the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria.
Follow in the footsteps of St Francis in Assisi
Comprising two separate churches, the 13th-century Basilica di San Francesco complex is the crowning glory of Assisi’s UNESCO-listed historic center. The Gothic Basilica Superiore is best known for its celebrated cycle of Giotto frescoes, which depict the life of Francis of Assisi, born here in 1181. The older Basilica Inferiore holds paintings by Cimabue, Pietro Lorenzetti and Simone Martini, as well as the much-venerated Cripta di San Francesco, home to the tomb of St Francis.
Head to Lago Trasimeno
Just 20km (12 miles) northwest of Perugia, Lago Trasimeno offers a wealth of outdoor pursuits, from hiking, horseback riding and cycling to watersports, as well as simply lazing on lakeside beaches. On the shores of the lake, visit the frescoed Palazzo della Corgna and the Rocca del Leone in the charming town of Castiglione del Lago, from where ferries run to Isola Polvese, the largest of the lake’s three islands; Isola Maggiore can be reached from Tuoro sul Trasimeno.
5. Journey around Puglia
The charm of this southernmost corner of the Italian peninsula lies in its traditions and landscapes, with the blues of the sea alternating with the greens of the olive trees, the gold of the wheatfields, the grey of the drystone walls, the red of the earth and the whitewashed glare of the hilltop villages. Don’t miss out on big cities like Lecce, known for its baroque architecture and creamy pastries, and Bari, whose medieval historic center is a dream to wander.
Where to stay: Choose the region’s typical accommodations: trulli or masserie, vast agricultural properties now often converted to accommodate guests, like Trulli del Bosco, where you can sleep, eat or sign up for cooking workshops.
How to get there: Bari’s Karol Wojtyła Airport is around 8km (5 miles) northwest of the center. Outside Puglia’s cities, the best way to get around is by renting a car.
When to go: Summer is a vibrant time in Puglia, with Ostuni’s Festa di Sant’Oronzo in August, but it’s also at its busiest – the beaches are crowded, and the most beautiful villages almost inaccessible in the evenings. If possible, visit during the quieter spring or autumn. Staged near Bari from December 26 to the last Tuesday before Lent, the Putignano Carnival is one of the longest and oldest of such events in Europe.
Things to do
Visit the hilltop villages of central Puglia
With their arches, towers, churches and palaces connected by labyrinths of lanes, the hilltop towns and villages of Puglia’s interior are supremely photogenic, with a relaxed, go-slow air that’s endlessly beguiling. Dazzling white Ostuni is the most magnificent example. Other top spots include Martina Franca, distinguished by its baroque elegance; Cisternino, for its medieval heart and nightlife; Locorotondo, with its circular layout and pitch-roofed houses; and Ceglie Messapica and Carovigno, both with fabulous food scenes.
Wander along the Adriatic coast
The coastline to the southeast of Polignano a Mare softens towards the pretty port of Monopoli, with a host of popular beaches lapped by limpid waters; near Egnazia, you can snorkel above a sunken Roman port. Continuing southeast, rocky areas alternate with long sandy beaches, the most beautiful within the Parco Naturale delle Dune Costiere. The most unspoiled stretch of coast, however, is in the Area Marina Protetta di Torre Guaceto, where the dunes, marshes and crystal-clear waters attract migratory birds, dolphins and turtles.
Feel the heartbeat of Bari’s Old Town
A major port since the Crusades, Bari has preserved its historic heart, the Bari Vecchia. This maze of alleyways, courtyards and medieval squares is an atmospheric place for a wander, with cooking smells wafting from open doorways and locals playing cards at tables set up in the street. Notable buildings include the 12th-century Castello Svevo and the Pugliese-Romanesque Basilica di San Nicola, home to the remains of St Nicholas (aka Father Christmas) and is an important place of pilgrimage.
This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s 100 Weekends in Europe
