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For some Fodorites, seeing the "real" Italy involves heading for the hills or the coast, in search of small cities and towns. We've compiled a few of their favorites. Feel free to weigh in on the following aptly titled thread, "Favorite Small Towns in Italy."


Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna
"Ferrara is a lovely town: interesting cathedral, Castello Estense with moat, a number of palazzi, some with frescoes (Palazzo Schifanoia)." more...

Bergamo, Lombardy (photo, right)
"Even the narrow crowded streets couldn't disguise the allure of Bergamo's Citta Alta...around almost every corner there was a little square complete with fountain or statue." more...

Castelrotto, Dolomites
"The German speaking town of Castelrotto is a good family base for hanging in the mountains. A huge alpine meadow, Alpe di Siusi, is nearby and fabulous for hiking/walking." more...

Lerici, The Italian Riviera
"We stayed in Lerici several years ago and really enjoyed it. It has lovely beaches, a nice town, lovely church and is a good jumping off spot." more...

Casole d'Elsa, Tuscany
"I think what is ideal is a town that has small shops and a restaurant or two, big enough to have a fairly active culture, but small enough so that staying there for a week you'll get a sense of that culture. We've stayed in Casole d'Elsa twice and find it perfectly suited for our needs." more...

San Quirico, Tuscany
"San Quirico has three nice trattorias, and a cafe/bar where young & old congregate, and plenty of people strolling around at night - walking the dog, walking off dinner, etc." more...

Gallipoli, Basilicata
"A restaurant in this quaint fishing village provided us with some of the freshest and tastiest fish dishes that we've had during our trip." more...

Dozza, Emilia-Romagna
"(Dozza) was such a surprising, improbable combination of a traditional looking medieval town and a unique offbeat art site. I was just amazed by it." more...

Matera, Basilicata
"Our favorite meal in Matera was at Oi Marì, set in a magnificent series of caves dug into the hillside. It was interesting to imagine that at one point, these rooms housed families and even stables of animals, all living together." more...

Assisi, Umbria
"The basilica in Assisi, for me, was one of THE unique spots in Italy - a confluence of religion (in its best sense), art, history, and beauty." more...

San Chirico, Basilicata
"San Chirico remains the same with steep stone winding stairs throughout the village and a piazza at the bottom where eveyone shows up for vino or caffe."