The Dolomites

The Dolomites are a mountain range in the northern Italian Alps, which extend along the region of Trentino-Alto Adige.

The area was part of Austria until World War I and feels distinctly different from the rest of the country.

Urbino: A Splendid Renaissance Town

The small hilltop town of Urbino,

—nestled in the Marche between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea—was one of the most significant cultural centers of the Renaissance in the 15th century.

Alberobello: A Fairy-Tale Village

This magical town is situated among the picturesque olive groves and vineyards of Puglia.  Alberobello was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996 for its trulli, whitewashed dwellings capped with conical roofs.

Matera: Cavemen of the Sassi

Situated in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, the Sassi, Italian for “stones,” has been continuously occupied by human settlements from the Paleolithic age.

Piedmont: The Wine Region

On the western side of the Alps lies the wine region of Piedmont, comprising five wine-growing areas and the Castle of Grinzane Cavour.

The region was inscribed as a World Heritage site for its ancient and authentic tradition of winemaking in the beautifully cultivated lands

Vicenza: Spectacular Palladian Architecture

The Veneto region of northeast Italy is the country’s most culturally diverse region. Most tourists head to the floating city of Venice or the trading city of Verona, made famous by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Val di Noto: Risen From the Ruins

While many tourists flock to Taormina and Palermo while in Sicily, the quiet region of Val di Noto in the southeast, popularized by the Italian TV series Inspector Montalbano, combines a modern gastronomic scene and sophisticated boutique hotels with an air of old-world charm.