Five alternative Italian cities to consider instead of Rome

There’s no denying Rome’s clout as a tourist destination — but Italy has plenty of equally exciting city break destinations that don’t have the same the same level of crowds.

We’ve rounded up five destinations that all deliver on dazzling architecture, excellent cuisine and breathtaking backdrops – but they also have breathing room.

Our picks include Italy’s ultimate foodie city, where some of its most revered pasta dishes were created, and the former capital that has a surprise up its sleeve: a world-class Egyptian museum.

Venture south along the coast from Rome and you’ll discover a vibrant destination beneath a volcano that’s home to quite possibly the best pizza you’ll ever eat. And on the opposite coast is a city so beautiful it’s tantamount to a work of art.

Or if you like your sightseeing landmarks to be within easy walking distance of each other, we know just the place to go.

Read on and discover how Italy’s magic doesn’t start and end in the capital. Plus where to stay in each of these alternative cities.

1. Bologna

Bologna has earned a reputation as the food capital of Italy, where some of the world’s most-loved pasta dishes were invented. Though contrary to popular belief, it’s not the birthplace of Spaghetti Bolognese and traditional restaurants here won’t serve it.

Dishes that do have their origins in Bologna include tagliatelle al ragù (pasta ribbons served with a meat ragù), tortellini (stuffed pasta rings), and lasagne (never with meatballs).

There are plenty of options for enjoying them — the city center is home to over 700 restaurants — and lots of interesting ways to build an appetite, including the steep 2.4 mile walk up to the Unesco-listed San Luca Basilica, which is connected to the city by the world’s longest portico, comprising 666 arches. You can also climb Bologna’s Clock Tower in Piazza Maggiore.

In Bologna’s grand central square you’ll find the Basilica di San Petronio (one of Europe’s largest churches). And it’s well worth exploring the Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio, once the historic seat of the university and now home to the Anatomical Theatre and the historic Archiginnasio Library.

Al Cambio is the spot for standard-setting lasagna, while Da Cesari is a classic trattoria (casual eatery) that pairs authentic dishes with tasty local wines.

How to get there: Bologna is located at the foot of the Apennine Mountains in northern Italy. Many overseas visitors fly first to Rome or Milan, then take a high-speed train (two hours from the former, one hour from the latter).

Where to stay: Grand Hotel Majestic già Baglioni (rooms from $350) is an elegant, five-star property a short walk from Piazza Maggiore, offering 106 rooms with antique furnishings.

Read more: The best hotels in Rome for nights in historic palaces and lavish city hideaways

2. Turin

Turin’s most recognizable landmark is the Mole Antonelliana, a remarkable 550-foot-tall brick tower designed in 1863 as a synagogue, now home to the National Museum of Cinema and a great place to orient yourself from above. Take the transparent elevator to the observation deck at the top for breathtaking views of the Alpine backdrop, and the elegant skyline of a city that functioned as Italy’s first capital from 1861 to 1865.

Venture to Piazza Castello, Turin’s historic heart, and you might begin to wonder whether it should be reconsidered for its former role: this vast pedestrian square with its beautiful porticoes and majestic buildings oozes grandeur. At one end is Palazzo Reale di Torino, the family seat of the House of Savoy, which since the 15th century has held the Shroud of Turin, believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus.

The relic is kept in a climate-controlled case in the Turin Cathedral next door, and is only occasionally displayed. However, you can learn more at the nearby Museum of the Shroud.

More relics can be viewed at the world-class Egyptian Museum, which houses the most important collection of Egyptian antiquities outside of Cairo. On display are more than 30,000 artifacts.

To chew over what you’ve seen, book into Ristorante Consorzio for authentic Piedmontese cooking. Think meat-filled agnolotti pasta and 30-month-old Parmigiano Reggiano, or beef cheeks braised with wine and celeriac cream.

How to get there: Turin is in northwest Italy in the foothills of the Alps. Most overseas visitors fly to Milan and take a high-speed train from there, with a journey time of just one hour.

Where to stay: Principi di Piemonte (rooms from $300) features eye-catching Art Deco interiors and puts you within easy walking distance of the city’s sights.

Read more: The 12 best ski resorts in Italy for holidays in 2026

3. Naples

Naples is Italy at its most gloriously chaotic and intense. Here, traffic rules feel optional and the streets are scruffy and perpetually decorated with hanging laundry, yet it remains one of the country’s most rewarding city-break destinations. It’s home to arguably the best pizza you’ll ever eat (it’s the birthplace of the margherita) and a Unesco-listed historic center. Plus, it’s watched over by one of the world’s most famous volcanoes, Mount Vesuvius.

The key is to embrace the full-throttle bedlam and enjoy getting lost in the confusing lanes (a taxi is never far away if you give up re-orientating).

Start off on Spaccanapoli, a long, straight street buzzing with scooters that bisects the center, which is a labyrinth of churches, espresso bars and artisanal workshops, from tailors to cheesemakers.

Make your way to the Naples National Archaeological Museum, where you can catch your breath as you take in one of Italy’s greatest collections of artifacts, including mosaics and everyday objects preserved from Pompeii and Herculaneum, which were destroyed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD.

After a stroll along the waterfront promenade, the Lungomare Caracciolo di Napoli, with its views of Vesuvius and the magnificent Bay of Naples, visit convivial L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele for a slice of gold-standard Neapolitan pizza. There are three choices on the menu: margherita (tomato and mozzarella), margherita doppia mozzarella (double cheese), or marinara (tomato, oregano and garlic). They’re served soft and hot, with fresh ingredients, and eaten with a knife and fork. Traveling solo? You’ll make friends here.

How to get there: There are seasonal non-stop long-haul flights to Naples International Airport, but many fly to Rome and take a high-speed train south. Journey time is one hour 10 minutes.

Great place to stay: At Grand Hotel Vesuvio (rooms from $300) the service is impeccable and the views of Vesuvius are outstanding.

Read more: Naples remains a city in love with the beautiful game

4. Lecce

Welcome to the “Florence of the South.”

Lecce, which nestles in Puglia between the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea, enchants with monuments dating back to Roman times, such as the Roman amphitheater in Piazza Sant’Oronzo, and dazzling, Baroque buildings fashioned from local pietra leccese, a limestone that glows golden in the afternoon light.

Head to Piazza del Duomo, one of Italy’s most elegant urban spaces, and you’ll be surrounded by this honey-hued architecture, with the Cathedral of Maria Santissima Assunta being the most eye-catching example. Climb its 236ft-tall bell tower for stunning panoramic views before strolling for five minutes to Piazzetta Santa Croce.

This space is anchored by the decadently ornate Basilica di Santa Croce, which has an exuberant facade theatrically carved with saints and animals.

After digesting the architecture, head to restaurant Alle Due Corti to digest regional specialities, such as orecchiette with turnip tops (cime di rapa), the local signature pasta dish, and fava bean puree with wild chicory.

How to get there: Fly to Rome or Milan and take a high-speed train south (journey time five to nine hours), or fly to Bari and take the train from there (one and a half hours).

Where to stay: Patria Palace Hotel (rooms from $250) puts you in the middle of Lecce’s Baroque splendor — it sits right opposite Santa Croce.

Read more: 7 of the best small towns and villages to visit in Tuscany

5. Ravenna

Ravenna delivers one of Italy’s most fascinating cultural experiences — all within a flat, compact, walkable historic center. In fact, the headline sights are clustered within a 10 to 15-minute stroll of each other.

One is the 6th-century Basilica di San Vitale, which has a plain red-brick exterior, but a jaw-dropping, lavish interior that’s filled with color and light.

Walk slowly among the ornate columns to take in the jewel-toned Byzantine mosaics depicting biblical scenes and imperial figures such as Justinian I and Empress Theodora.

Nearby is the 5th-century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, where some of the oldest mosaics in the Western world extend up the walls and arches and across the ceilings. The intensely decorative tiling depicts flowers, stars, and biblical figures such as Saint Lawrence, the apostles and evangelists, and Christ dressed in gold and purple and seated among sheep. The atmosphere is serene and moving.

Another immersion into Ravenna’s mosaic traditions awaits nearby at the 6th-century Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, which features mesmerizingly detailed friezes of saints and martyrs.

Keep the historical vibe going on the food front with a visit to candlelit Ca’ de Ven in the Old Town.

How to get there: Ravenna is in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. Fly to Rome, Milan, or Venice, then take a train. Journey times vary between two and four hours.

Where to stay: Palazzo Bezzi Hotel (rooms from $200) is close to the showstopping sights and features smart rooms with free wifi, a spa with a Turkish bath and a sun terrace.

Read more: Best cheap hotels in Rome with central locations and beautiful budget rooms