Throughout Italy, there are plenty of charming lesser-known villages, however, most art rich cities, like Rome, Florence, Milan, and Venice are full of tourists all year round. Fortunately, there are some splendid exceptions to this rule, and even Forbes has listed what they considered to be some of the best ones. Beautifully cities that, so far, have not been included in the most popular destination and that, for this reason, are even more appealing.
Trento – The capital of the autonomous province of Trento, is one of the largest cities in the Alps and an intriguing destination for all the architecture lovers. In fact, in the picturesque historic center there are medieval and Renaissance buildings such as the richly frescoed Buonconsiglio Castle and Trento Cathedral, but not far from them there are modern ones like Renzo Piano’s MUSE – Museo delle Scienze -, a science museum that’s home to Alpine nature and glacier exhibits, and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto (MART) designed by Mario Botta.
Mantua – Called Mantova in Italian, this city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been European Capital of Gastronomy as well as Italian Capital of Culture. Thus, it is guaranteed that any traveler can find plenty of good reasons to visit it. During the 15th and 16th centuries, thanks to the Gonzaga family, it became an important hub for many artists, and still today there is Renaissance at almost every corner.
Ferrara – The city filled with art by the Este dynasty who ruled it of over 350 years, has also been the city of some of the Renaissance’s most famous women. It was the hometown of arts patron Isabella d’Este, the daughter of Duke Ercole d’Este, and of the Lucrezia Borgia, who broke the glass ceiling of her time holding a prominent political position as governor of Spoleto.
Noto – In the province of Syracuse, this city at the foot of the Iblean Mountains was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. A cradle of Sicilian Baroque architecture, Noto is filled with majestic buildings and churches that, because they are made of limestone, acquire a tawny glow at sunset creating a truly magical atmosphere.