Italy is a gorgeous country all around, but there are a few places that we consider absolute must sees…especially if you’ve already checked out most of the more popular tourist towns and attractions. Here are some different spots to consider visiting.

Lecce

The Barqoue toen of Lecce has been dubbed the “Florence of the South”. Unlike many of the more popular tourist areas, Lecce is a normal living and working town, not just a museum town. It’s a great place to visit to see the Italian life in its more natural, full glory.

Matera

The town of Matera is known as “la Città Sotterranea” (the Subterranean City), because the ancient town was built with underground dwellings. The stone houses carved into the rock are still present for viewing, and there are hotels in the area that seek to replicate the cave like experience for your stays today. The town is in such amazing and ancient looking condition, that it was the chosen location to film the movie Passion of the Christ.

Naples

Naples is one of the busiest metropolitan cities in the country, and is the capital of the Campania area of the Southern region. A lot of your favorite Italian foods were created in this area and they still their cuisine very seriously, so if food is one of your driving interests in Italy than Naples is the place to be. It also has a busy nightlife if going out is on the agenda.

Cisternino

The countryside of Puglia is covered in olive trees, and actually produces more than 40 percent of all the olive oil in Italy. There are nice hotels in the area, and places that you can watch the olive oil making process, do tastings, and of course purchase some of your own to take with you.

Cinque Terre

The name Cinque Terre means “five lands”, as the area is made up of the five villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Monterosso and Corniglia. The area has gorgeous expansive views and lots of hiking trails to get out of town and view the water, cliffs, and gorgeous scenery. One trail called The Blue Trail actually links all five of the villages together and is family friendly.

Paestum

Paestum is a town of fifth century Greek temples that are still preserved. It’s a great historical spot that does not collect the sorts of crowds that other areas like Pompeii for example do. It’s a little more off the path but no less fascinating.

Rome

Rome was once the capital of the Roman Empire, and now as the capital of Italy it’s the spot where the government is headquartered. For more than 2,500 years Rome has important for religious, political, and power reasons. Rome is of course where Vatican City is located. Rome retains tons of its historic elements, but it is also a modern town in many ways so there is so much to see that you could stay there exploring for months at a time.