Italy Off The Beaten Path

  Abbey of San Antimo near Montalcino
by Beausoleil
 
  • Abbey of San Antimo near Montalcino
      Abbey of San Antimo near Montalcino
    by Beausoleil
  •   Off The Beaten Path
    by euzkadi
  • Isola di Murano (Entrance Range Rear) Light
      Isola di Murano (Entrance Range Rear)...
    by grandmaR
  • The View,Castello di Torrechiara, June 2010
      The View,Castello di Torrechiara, June...
    by von.otter
  • Holy light over Crete Senesi (Nov 2010)
      Holy light over Crete Senesi (Nov 2010)
    by Trekki
 

Most Viewed Off The Beaten Path in Italy

51.

Outside Rome   Rome

Outside Rome, Rome

 130 Reviews  Regional trains are actually pretty affordable in Italy. If you're planning to make a one-day trip outside of Rome, go to the Trenitalia site and see for yourself! You can go to Florence from 14.31... 

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52.

Back Street Canals   Venice

Back Street Canals, Venice

 123 Reviews  People are always saying "part of the charm of Venice is just wandering and getting lost." Well...I do agree with the wandering part but have a solution for the "getting lost" part. I found a... 

 See All 841 Off The Beaten Path in Venice

53.

The Lake District: Como, Maggiore, Iseo, Lugano ...   Milan

The Lake District: Como, Maggiore, Iseo, Lugano ..., Milan

 21 Reviews  The city of Como on the shores of Lake Como is an easy day trip from Milan - a 45 minute train journey from Milano Cadorna station, with trains running regularly throughout the day and late into the... 

 See All 181 Off The Beaten Path in Milan

54.

Lago di Garda & surroundings of the town   Verona

Lago di Garda & surroundings of the town, Verona

 39 Reviews  These are some typical views of the castle and the water side. People could be horrific in the summer. The whole peninsula brings them to the point and nowhere to turn but go back. The town is not big... 

 See All 154 Off The Beaten Path in Verona

55.

Villas and houses   Pompeii

Villas and houses, Pompeii

 23 Reviews  Close to the Casa di Caio Giulio Polibio there is the Fullonica di Fabio Ululirtemulo. It has got two wonderful paintings showing Roman legends: on the right yuo can see Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius;... 

 See All 64 Off The Beaten Path in Pompeii

56.

Excursions   Bologna

Excursions, Bologna

 5 Reviews  perfect for a day trip from Bologna, only 40/60 min by train and you arrive in the town center...or half an hour by car...the best way to visit Ferrara is by bike inthis website you can find address... 

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57.

Excursions   Pisa

Excursions, Pisa

 21 Reviews   When you are in Pisa for a longer time it might be nice on one of your daytrips to visit the "Ponte della Maddalana" in Borgo a Mozzano. In the photo you can see the Maddalena's bridge or also... 

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58.

Old cafeterias   Torino

Old cafeterias, Torino

 4 Reviews  The most famous Cafe in Torino.. locates in Galleria Subalpina near Piazza Castello. The place itself is very beautiful.. worth a visit.. Baratti & Milano is wellknown for their fine coffee, delicious... 

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59.

palazzi   Genoa

palazzi, Genoa

 15 Reviews  Also known as Palazzo del Principe, this building would be one of the pearls of Genova's if it wasn't so hidden, without even an inscription or a sign, close to the Principe railway station. This... 

 See All 52 Off The Beaten Path in Genoa

60.

Sinagoga ebraica   Trieste

Sinagoga ebraica, Trieste

 5 Reviews  Trieste had four beautiful ancient temples, all of which were destoyed. Above the doors of the temple there are the symbols of the Jewish community : a crown, the breastplate of Aron, palms and a... 

 See All 104 Off The Beaten Path in Trieste

61.

Piazza del Campo   Siena

Piazza del Campo, Siena

 8 Reviews  From the campanile you have the best view down to Piazza del Campo, that is devided into 9 parts by stripes in the pavement, as 9 districts of Siena built their council here in Palazzo Publico 

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62.

The International Puppet Museum   Palermo

The International Puppet Museum, Palermo

 2 Reviews  We were not able to find a puppet show to attend and so this became the next best thing. This is a remarkable exhibit of a preserved "popular tradition". There are hundreds of marionettes & hand... 

 See All 29 Off The Beaten Path in Palermo

63.

Excursions   Rimini

Excursions, Rimini

 4 Reviews  You can catch a regular bus from outside rimimni train station to San Marino. San Marino is a village on top of a mountain with 200 souvenir shops that sell weapons mainly. No wonder the Italians... 

 See All 14 Off The Beaten Path in Rimini

64.

Border Italy/Switzerland   Como

Border Italy/Switzerland, Como

 5 Reviews  From Como it is easy to take the train to either Lugano or Bellinzona in Switzerland. They are both beautiful places and worth a visit. Bellinzona Since 2000 the three castles, Castelgrande,... 

 See All 41 Off The Beaten Path in Como

65.

Villa Olmo Parco   Lago di Como

Villa Olmo Parco, Lago di Como

 3 Reviews  There are many little passageways in the park behind the Villa. I spent an afternoon just wandering the little seldom-tred paths. Here is one of the parks lovely little secrets. 1) A little stream... 

 See All 41 Off The Beaten Path in Lago di Como

66.

Islands   La Spezia

Islands, La Spezia

 2 Reviews  I had the chance to visit the nearby islands with a local guy I had met at a club and found it simply enchanting. In a seculed beach he was able to ride the "baloney pony' until he could not stand it... 

 See All 22 Off The Beaten Path in La Spezia

67.

San Giorgio   Portofino

San Giorgio, Portofino

 6 Reviews  The interior of San Giorgio is nice , but not very special, in comparison with plenty of other churches in Italy. The church was almost completely destroyed in WW II and reconstructed afterwards. 

 See All 14 Off The Beaten Path in Portofino

68.

Levanto   Liguria

Levanto, Liguria

 4 Reviews  Nervi is a place I saw first , when I passed by in the train to Genua, and all the coastline was lighted, including the 2 small castellos and so decided to go there with Chiara the other day. Nervi... 

 See All 29 Off The Beaten Path in Liguria

69.

Ancient Rome   Rome

Ancient Rome, Rome

 87 Reviews  One of the best preserved ancient structures in Rome, the Pyramid of Caius Cestius was built in 12 BC as a tomb for Caius Cestius. It was modelled after pyramid tombs in Nubia, which was attacked by... 

 See All 889 Off The Beaten Path in Rome

70.

Isola Burano   Venice

Isola Burano, Venice

 91 Reviews  The second stop on our cruise was the island of Burano, which is located about 8 km north of Venice. If Murano is known all around the world for its glass production, Burano is almost as famous for... 

 See All 841 Off The Beaten Path in Venice

71.

Shopping or Fashion District   Milan

Shopping or Fashion District, Milan

 9 Reviews  Secondhand best shopping in Milan by Docks Dora... an old factory partially renewed to host a great secondhand store for trousers, shirts, jackets & many other stuff ... it deserves a quick visit even... 

 See All 181 Off The Beaten Path in Milan

72.

The hidden little gems of the town   Verona

The hidden little gems of the town, Verona

 28 Reviews  The bust of Felice Cavallotti, 1842-1898, stands on the wall in the passage of Scaliger palace. He was Italian politician, poet and dramatic. In 1860 and 1866 he faught with the Garibaldi Corps.... 

 See All 154 Off The Beaten Path in Verona

73.

Ancient Shops and Products   Pompeii

Ancient Shops and Products, Pompeii

 14 Reviews  From Herculaneum Gate, also known as the Saliniensis or the “Salt Gate”, the Street of Tombs begins. This was discovered during the first excavations in the city (1763-1838) and constitutes a complete... 

 See All 64 Off The Beaten Path in Pompeii

74.

San Luca church   Bologna

San Luca church, Bologna

 4 Reviews  Leave the city behind by following the longest uninterrupted arcade in the world up into the hills to the San Luca Monastery. The arcade starts at Porta Saragozza and winds its way across roads and... 

 See All 46 Off The Beaten Path in Bologna

75.

More than Campo dei Miracoli   Pisa

More than Campo dei Miracoli, Pisa

 46 Reviews  Besides the Medicis which ruled Pisa after it lost to Florence in 1406, these Tuscan cities share one more thing - the Arno river. While the Arno looks romantic in Florence, it takes on a rather... 

 See All 123 Off The Beaten Path in Pisa

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

The Island of Ischia.

by Maurizioago

Ischia is an island in the Thyrrenian Sea. It is the largest and the most populated island in the Gulf of Naples. It has an area of 47 sq km. (18 sq mi.). Ischia is located only 33,3 km. far from Naples.This island is much frequented as a health and vacation resort. Ischia has lots thermal springs. Many hotels on the islands have pools with thermal water and offer various kinds of cures; see massages and mud baths.On Ischia there are some sights to see; including the ancient Aragonese Castle in Ischia Porto, several museums and gardens.

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Rocca Sanvitale (in Fontanellato).

by Maurizioago

This castle belonged to the dukes Sanvitale from 1386 to 1948. The building of Rocca Sanvitale begun in 1124 and was completed in the XVI century.Several interesting rooms are open to visitors. There is a dining room with two big still life paintings. Another room has several portraits of Sanvitale family members. The castle has also a billiard room.In the lower part of the castle there is a room decorated with frescoes painted by Parmigianino; he was a famous painter who lived in the XVI century.One of the towers hosts a camera obscura. Fontanellato is only 20 km. far from Parma.

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Asolo.

by Maurizioago

Asolo is a well preserved Medieval town located some 15 km from Bassano del Grappa.It is overlooked by a fortress (Rocca), has an ancient castle (now a theatre and cafe-restaurant); a cathedral and a City Museum. Unfortunately this is open only on saturday and sunday.Asolo was chosen as a living place by several artist, like the poet Robert Browning, the actress Eleonora Duse and the writer-traveller Freya Stark.

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The Oliero Caves.

by Maurizioago

If you happen to be in Bassano del Grappa I would suggest to do a daytrip to Valstagna to spend some time at a beautiful park. Inside there are some caves. One of these has various stallatites to see. You'll go inside with a small boat and there is a guide who gives you a good explanation about this cave and other info on the matter. This small cave is home of the so-called "human fish" or proteus. This is a white-pink reptil that was brought there long ago in order to see if it was able for this kind of being to survive and reproduce. The experiment was succesful. Nowadays there are some proteus into the cave. We didn't see them, but we watched a documentary about caves at the Museum of Speleology and Carsism outside the park.Inside the park there are some facilities as a cafe-restaurant, toilettes and a pic nic area. To go to the Oliero Caves you have to take the train from Bassano del...

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Santarcangelo di Romagna.

by Maurizioago

Santarcangelo di Romagna is a beautiful village some 10 km far from Rimini. It has a fortress (Rocca), built in 1386 (there was a previous one); enlarged and modified after a century. Near and below the fortress you can stroll though the Medieval area of the village with a network of narrow cobbled streets and nice houses. The "modern" area has lots of shops and cafes to rest a bit.This village has also a couple of museums. A museum of buttons. With a large display of buttons from various ages and an archaeological museum.You can go to Santarcangelo from Rimini by bus. Take n. 9 or 91.

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Pompeii

by traveldave

The city of Pompeii was founded under the slopes of Mount Vesuvius in southern Italy near present-day Naples. It was a wealthy and powerful city until the volcanic Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. During the two-day eruption, the entire city, as well as the nearby city of Herculaneum, was buried under 13 to 20 feet (four to six meters) of pumice ash. Two thousand out of a total population of 20,000 died. Afterward, the city was abandoned by the survivors and then remained undiscovered until its accidental rediscovery in 1599.After Pompeii was buried in 79 A.D., it remained undiscovered for 1,500 years. However, excavation did not start until 1748. Archeologists discovered the bodies of people and animals, along with well-preserved houses, temples, works of art, and everyday objects. The most important objects became part of the royal collection, and were eventually transferred to the...

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The Pompeii Forum

by traveldave

The Pompeii Forum is the main central square and oldest part of the city. It is one of the most photographed places among the ruins for its view of broken columns in the foreground with a backdrop of Mount Vesuvius, the destroyer of the city. (Mount Vesuvius can just be seen in the distance by enlarging the picture).The Pompeii Forum is a long open space that is surrounded by the ruins of markets and civic and religious buildings. It had been ringed by colonnades, but only a few of the broken columns remain today. The Temple of Jupiter dominated the north end of the Pompeii Forum. It had been constructed on a ten-foot (three-meter) platform above the level of the square's pavement. The Macellum, a hall for the sale of foodstuffs, takes up the northeast corner. The east side was made up of a series of public buildings, including the Shrine of the Lares, the Temple of Vaspasian, and the...

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The Isle of Capri

by traveldave

The Isle of Capri is a mountainous island that rises out of the waters of the Gulf of Naples, just off the Sorrentine Peninsula and south of Naples. The highest point on the four-square-mile (ten-square-kilometer) island is 1,932-foot (589-meter) Monte Solaro. The Isle of Capri has drawn visitors since ancient Roman times, when the emperors used the island as a summer retreat. Augustus Caesar built his Sea Palace on the island, and Emperor Tiberius built a series of villas, the most noteworthy being the Villa Jovis, one of the best-preserved Roman villas in Italy.There are two towns on the island. The largest is Capri, with a population of about 7,200. Anacapri is a small village that is high on the slopes of Monte Solaro, and is popular with visitors from the mainland for its spectacular views over the Gulf of Naples and the nearby Italian coast.The island attracts many visitors from...

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The Faraglioni Rocks

by traveldave

The Faraglioni Rocks rise out ot the waters of the Bay of Naples, just off the Tragara Point on southeastern coast of Capri. The Faraglioni Rocks are a popular attraction on the island due to the photographic opportunities they offer. Boat cruises around the bases of the rocks can also be taken. Each of the three craggy pinnacles is named. The Faraglioni di Terra is attached to the main island by a short isthmus, and rises to a height of 365 feet (111 meters). The middle rock is called the Faraglioni di Mezzo. It is 265 feet (81 meters) tall, and features a natural arch at its base that a small boat can be taken through. The outermost rock is called the Faraglioni di Scopolo (but is sometimes called the Faraglioni di Fuori). Its height is 354 feet (105 meters). A lizard called the blue-tinted lizard is found only on the Faraglioni di Scopolo, so it must have one of the most restricted...

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UNESCO

by galanthus

Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with „The Last Supper“ by Leonardo da VinciHistoric Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura.Historic Centre of FlorenceVenice and its LagoonHistoric Centre of SienaVatican CityArchaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre AnnunziataCity of Verona

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Off The Beaten Path: Cities in Italy
  1. Rome Off The Beaten Path
  2. Venice Off The Beaten Path
  3. Florence Off The Beaten Path
  4. Milan Off The Beaten Path
  5. Verona Off The Beaten Path
  6. Pompeii Off The Beaten Path
  7. Bologna Off The Beaten Path
  8. Pisa Off The Beaten Path
  9. Sorrento Off The Beaten Path
  10. Torino Off The Beaten Path
  11. Genoa Off The Beaten Path
  12. Trieste Off The Beaten Path
  13. Bergamo Off The Beaten Path
  14. Naples Off The Beaten Path
  15. Siena Off The Beaten Path
  16. Palermo Off The Beaten Path
  17. Lucca Off The Beaten Path
  18. Padova Off The Beaten Path
  19. Positano Off The Beaten Path
  20. Ravenna Off The Beaten Path
  21. Vicenza Off The Beaten Path
  22. Rimini Off The Beaten Path
  23. Capri Off The Beaten Path
  24. Como Off The Beaten Path
  25. Taormina Off The Beaten Path
  26. Bari Off The Beaten Path
  27. San Gimignano Off The Beaten Path
  28. Catania Off The Beaten Path
  29. Modena Off The Beaten Path
  30. Lago di Garda Off The Beaten Path
  31. Amalfi Off The Beaten Path
  32. Treviso Off The Beaten Path
  33. Riomaggiore Off The Beaten Path
  34. Monterosso al Mare Off The Beaten Path
  35. Alghero Off The Beaten Path
  36. Orvieto Off The Beaten Path
  37. Ferrara Off The Beaten Path
  38. Assisi Off The Beaten Path
  39. Parma Off The Beaten Path
  40. Stresa Off The Beaten Path
  41. Sirmione Off The Beaten Path
  42. Bellagio Off The Beaten Path
  43. Livigno Off The Beaten Path
  44. Siracusa Off The Beaten Path
  45. Bolzano Off The Beaten Path
  46. Lago di Como Off The Beaten Path
  47. Trento Off The Beaten Path
  48. Manarola Off The Beaten Path
  49. Burano Off The Beaten Path

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Veneto Off The Beaten Path  Lazio Off The Beaten Path  Tuscany Off The Beaten Path  Lombardy Off The Beaten Path  Campania Off The Beaten Path  Emilia-Romagna Off The Beaten Path  Sicilia Off The Beaten Path  Liguria Off The Beaten Path  Piemonte Off The Beaten Path  Friuli-Venezia Giulia Off The Beaten Path  Trentino-Alto Adige Off The Beaten Path  Umbria Off The Beaten Path  Puglia Off The Beaten Path  Sardegna Off The Beaten Path  Marche Off The Beaten Path 

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Questions and Answers

SandiM profile photo

Q:  For my 3rd trip to Italy, my mother and I are on a tight budget (food-wise). On previous visits, I'd simply select a recommended... 

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A: Sandi, I'm no expert on Italian eating but eating from each menu section would be an incredible feat. We always order a starter OR a dessert and then we order either a... 

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