With overtourism increasingly becoming an issue worldwide, it’s becoming more important than ever to turn to smarter alternatives. In the European cities of Barcelona and Venice, overtourism is threatening to overwhelm local life and heritage sites, and while cruise tourism has contributed, budget airlines, social media and short-term rentals all play their part.
Restrictions are slowly being put in place as a counterbalance. In the US, there are entry fees to National Parks and some special attractions, while in Italy, fees have been introduced at hotspots such as Rome’s Trevi Fountain and Pantheon, and Juliet’s House in Verona. In Venice, a day visitor access fee is applied on selected dates and on the Amalfi Coast, the Cinque Terre National Park Card is required for access to some trails, with prices rising on peak days.
While you may not be deterred by the fees, you won’t be alone in being put off by the crowds. Shoulder season travel is one option. But my advice when it comes to avoiding the crowds in Italy is to skip the high-profile attractions and instead seek out attractions and locations that take you deep into Italian culture.
Art and Architecture
Few cities in the world are as densely packed with art treasures as Florence, making it irresistible if you can visit during the shoulder season months or, preferably, winter. An excellent alternative for art enthusiasts is Ravenna on the Adriatic Coast, once the capital of the Western Roman Empire and later the heart of the Byzantine Empire. The city is best known for its UNESCO World Heritage basilicas, filled with extraordinarily intricate mosaics, as well as being home to the tomb of Dante Alighieri.
When it comes to architecture, Venice is admittedly in a league of its own, as much for its big hitting sights like the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica as for its hidden squares, pretty bridges, and mesmerising palaces along the Grand Canal. But the downside is the tourist crowds. By contrast, the quiet towns of Mantua and Vicenza are not only crammed with Renaissance masterpieces but are also living breathing towns where local life is in full swing.
Walking in Italy’s National Parks
The trail that links the five villages of the UNESCO Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera is as pretty as a picture: think terraced vineyards, clusters of pastel-coloured houses and dramatic coastal scenery. But in the summer months, the busiest trails are jam-packed. For spectacular views without the crowds, travel a little further south to the Cilento National Park where the best sea view hikes provide views of old watchtowers, hidden inlets and stunning bays with turquoise water. Follow coastal trails past sea caves and limestone cliffs, pausing for dips in empty beaches only accessible on foot or by boat.
Alternatively, join a group to hike in the remote Abruzzo, a region which comprises three of Italy’s most spectacular national parks, making it one of Europe’s greenest areas.
Vineyard Visits and Wine Tasting
Many of us automatically associate a wine tasting holiday in Italy with Tuscany, not least because Tuscany’s iconic wines, such as Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, are widely exported. If you’ve already experienced Tuscan vineyards and want to explore Italian wines that are less readily available elsewhere, choose a less obvious region of Italy such as Friuli Venezia Giulia where numerous small local wineries are tucked away in the quiet hills bordering Slovenia.
Enjoy slow travel at its best at informal tastings, with wine paired with local produce such as ‘prosciutto di San Daniele’, in the cellars of small family producers.
Where to Find the Best Food in Italy
However long you spend in Italy, I defy you to find an answer to this: the truth is you can find superb food wherever you are in Italy, and every Italian will claim that the food in their region is superior!
You can, however, improve your chances of finding superb food with a couple of small measures. The first and most obvious solution is to side-step the tourism-saturated hotspots in the historic centres of any big city, avoiding menus in multiple languages.
At coastal resorts, head away from the beach strip and ‘restaurants with a view’ and seek out simple trattoria showing shorter menus with regional specialities. Lastly, holiday in regions such as Piedmont or Emilia Romagna where you’ll find a strong focus on local food culture.
Exploring Italy’s Ancient History
Discovering Italy’s ancient past isn’t just a case of visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum. Certainly, those sites are extraordinary, but for a more crowd-free experience, consider swapping Pompeii for Paestum or travelling even further back in time and exploring the ancient Etruscan sites in and around Orvieto. The gorgeous hilltop town has an extraordinary subterranean world, a vast underground network of Etruscan-era caves, wells and tunnels. Of course, the town still attracts tourists but stay a night or two and you’ll find yourself amongst locals.
Seaside Stays
With a total coastline of over 4,500 miles, Italy has plenty of seaside towns to choose from. The Amalfi Coast towns – Amalfi, Sorrento and Positano – are amongst the best known internationally but were certainly not designed for summer crowds. Likewise, Liguria’s pocket-size coastal town of Portofino.
Swap Amalfi and Portofino for Lerici on the Italian Riviera, for the island of Elba or the laidback relaxed atmosphere of Santa Maria della Castellabate in the Cilento region.
Let’s Chat:
Do you actively seek out quieter, less popular destinations? How do you choose where to go? Can you recommend anywhere off-the-beaten track in Italy?
