10 quiet places in Italy to visit if you love silence

So what are the quiet places to visit in Italy if you love silence? With this list we will try to surprise you, taking you to more collected destinations, immersed in nature, where you can enjoy your trip to Italy in an atmosphere far from the crowds and the extremes of mass tourism. 

Italy, after all, is also this. Sparsely inhabited villages along the hills, unspoiled beaches, churches and monuments lost in the woods. These are picturesque places that will make your trip to Italy exciting and surprising. Ready to hit the road?

he Italian "beautiful summer" can only begin from Santo Stefano Belbo, in the midst of the places of Cesare Pavese who named his most famous collection of novels after that. We are in the Langhe, heart of Piedmont, among very gentle hills and the finest vineyards, in the province of Cuneo but also looking at Monferrato and nearby Asti, quiet places and perfect landscape for those who love to rest their eyes and mind and, no more aperitifs on the beach, sip a glass at sunset of Barolo or Barbaresco.

It is no coincidence that these places inspire great writers: alongside Pavese, who was from Santo Stefano, there are Beppe Fenoglio, a native of Alba, and Giovanni Arpino from Bra, where the family settled from Istria. A look in the surroundings deserves the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Neve, the hilltop villages of Canelli and Barolo, the castle of Serralunga d'Alba and then a stop at the Fontanafredda winery. The right hospitality at the Relais San Maurizio in Santo Stefano Belbo, it hosts the Michelin-starred restaurant "Guido da Costigliole".

Lombardia, Piona in the north of Lake of Como ‒ An oasis of peace about an hour's drive from Milan, home to an abbey with a thousand-year history and a wide, green beach, one of the most usable on all of Lake Como. We are in Piona, a hamlet of Colico, a quiet place very far from the worldliness of the other localities on Lake Como, so private that the bay that characterizes it is called "Laghetto di Piona", as if it were distinct from the rest of the lake.

Based on the community of Cistercian monks, who follow the Benedictine rule and therefore work hard (the bitters for sale at the kiosk are delicious), the Piona Abbey dates back to 1138 and occupies a promontory with a breathtaking view of the Lario. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, but also has a co-patron saint in San Nicola di Bari. In addition to the lake, the place lends itself to excursions to the Lecco Grigne, the scenery that opens up from Monte Legnone is not to be missed. The B&B Residence Abbazia di Piona is the right place to base yourself.

Trentino, Pinzolo ‒ Trentino is always the right choice to unwind and top for those who want a relaxing holiday, the amenity of the landscapes and the echo of the mountains. Pinzolo is in the middle of the large offer and the football clubs who come here in the summer for training are well aware of it. Absolute wonder are the Brenta Dolomites and the panorama that takes your breath away from the Malga Ritorto refuge.

From Pinzolo there are many things to admire, such as the Nardis and Lares waterfalls, the most suggestive, but there is also the possibility of doing lots of physical activity. And we're not talking about skiing, mountain biking or trekking (that's obvious!), but yoga in the open air like in Fai della Paganella. To enjoy wellness to the fullest, the Lefay Resort Dolomiti in Pinzolo is splendid.

Emilia-Romagna, Bobbio ‒ One of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Bobbio is the nerve center of Val Trebbia, so generous with little beaches on the river, coves and luxuriant woods. An ancient and modern place, which in summer offers its best with reviews dedicated to cinema and literature and the beautiful Piazza Duomo as a backdrop, with the medieval Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in the center of the village.

You can start the visit to Bobbio from the "Hunchback Bridge", due to the humpbacked crossing, also called Ponte Vecchio or "Devil's Bridge", for ancient legends. It seems that this is precisely the scenario of the Mona Lisa taken up by Leonardo. However, the heart of Bobbio is the Abbey of San Colombano, who founded it in 614 and who today is the patron saint of this city with ancient roots. However, it can also be modern, as demonstrated by the Mazzolini Collection Museum, housed in a room in the abbey and with works by Carrà, De Chirico, De Pisis, Fontana, Sironi and Giò Pomodoro.

Tuscany, Porto Ercole and the Argentario ‒ Is Tuscany famous for the gentle undulating landscapes of its green hills? For the marvelous cities of art? So to find some peace of mind we take you… to the sea. Yes, because there is a lot of sea in Tuscany and of all types, including the islands. But a quiet corner can also be found here, perhaps because they are exclusive like those at the Argentario portrayed in Francesca Archibugi's latest film "Il Colibrì".

We are near Porto Ercole and in particular we are referring to the two beaches in Le Viste: "Riva del Marchese" and "Le Viste Beach Club". If you want, there is also a piece of free beach but you have to hope for a little luck to find your own spot in the sun. For everyone, the priceless charm that looks towards the islet off the coast of Porto Ercole.

Abruzzo, Tagliacozzo ‒ We go back down the peninsula and back to the mountains. In the Marsica to be precise, places of proud and fairy-tale woods, which give their name to the brown bear of the Apennines. Tagliacozzo is the capital of the area, elevated to the status of city in the year 2000, with the Palazzo Ducale as the main attraction and Piazza dell'Obelisco dominating the historic centre, while Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi hosts the great concerts of the Marsican summer.

A couple of kilometers outside the historic center and here is the hamlet of Little Switzerland, as the name suggests it's a pleasant residential complex entirely centered on relaxation and walks in the woods. a perfect quiet place. In the surroundings there is a flourishing of bike hotels, because here cyclists and motorcyclists find ideal hairpin bends and mountain passes. And if you want a little liveliness in the evening, Tagliacozzo doesn't shy away and the "Midsummer Festival" has been witnessing it for 39 years. In August, a parterre of artists, among others Roberto Vecchioni, Loredana Berté, Massimo Ranieri, Raphael Gualazzi and on the 21st the tour of De Gregori and Venditti arrives there.

Basilicata, Venosa and the Vulture ‒ Carpe diem, amor caecus, aurea mediocritas. How much the great Latin poet Horace is still today in our language and in our thoughts. Venosa could not forget him, here is his native home, the dedicated square, but the whole area of the Archaeological Park is not to be missed, with the 15th century Aragonese Castle and the Museum (entire access to the Park costs 3 euros ). The most evocative place is the Abbey of SS. Trinity, also known as the Unfinished. Remember San Galgano, only that the roof was never built here!

We are in that part of Basilicata known as the Vulture, from the name of the ancient volcano that has been extinct for over 3 million years but which dominates Rionero in Vulture. Area of volcanic lakes, such as the refreshing ones of Monticchio, and mineral waters famous throughout Italy. In these parts, the best refuge for visiting the area is the Country House Villa delle Rose a few minutes' drive from Rionero and Venosa itself.

Calabria, Stilo ‒ A Byzantine enclave in the domain of Magna Graecia. This is how Stilo presents itself, on the heights close to the Ionian coast of Calabria, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and the birthplace of the philosopher Tommaso Campanella. In the valuable artistic variety of its historic center stands the Cattolica, a wonderful example of Byzantine architecture of the tenth century and from whose belvedere you can admire a stupendous view of the Ionian sea. Also worth seeing are the eighteenth-century cathedral, which earthquakes forced to undergo various renovations, and the church and convent of San Domenico.

Around Stilo there is no shortage of naturalistic attractions. The Serre Regional Park is a protected area in the Calabria region, which runs between two mountain ridges with thick woods and impetuous streams, which give life to enchanting waterfalls such as that of Marmarico, in the municipality of Bivongi, and those of Pietra Cupa and Ancinale.

Sicily, Porto Palo di Capo Passero ‒ Scicli, Modica, Ragusa Ibla, Santa Croce di Camerina, you know the places of Montalbano. All very popular and certainly beautiful, which have opened the paths of tourists beyond the Val di Noto and the Sicilian Baroque. But to find a bit of peace we go towards a less crowded sea, in the deep south place that you can visit in Italy (excluding Lampedusa). We are in Porto Palo di Capo Passero.

More reserved than Marzamemi beach to the north, this town in the province of Syracuse immediately catches the eye for the thin arch that separates the Ionian Sea from the Strait of Sicily. The two seas is the most famous beach of Porto Palo di Capo Passero and the perfect point for boat trips and marine activities. The Hotel Vittorio facing the beach and overlooking the island of Capo Passero for relaxation away from the world.

10. Sardinia, Bosa ‒ A quiet summer is certainly possible in Sardinia, whose tourist offer is so high that it is wrong to consider it only for the glamor of the Costa Smeralda or Costa Rei. A corner for those who love slow rhythms is undoubtedly offered by Bosa, famous for the colors and shades of its village between the river (the Temo flows into it) and the sea.

A walk among the colored houses is already worth the price of this corner of Sardinia which faces west, towards the Balearic Islands, and whose foundation dates back to the Phoenician era. Worth seeing are the Malaspina Castle in Serravalle, the Church of Nostra Signora de Sos Regnos Altos and the Ponte Vecchio. Outside Bosa there is the possibility of trekking and birdwatching in the Badde Aggiosu Nature Reserve, if instead you love the sea stretch towards Capo Marrargiu and have a sea bath in Cane Malu or Cala ʼe Moro.

Here are the 10 destinations we have selected, from north to south to enjoy peace and quiet in Italy.

10. Piemonte, Relais nelle Langhe
9. Lombardia, Piona
8. Trentino, Pinzolo e il Parco Adamello-Brenta
7. Emilia-Romagna, Bobbio e la Val Trebbia
6. Toscana, Porto Ercole e lʼArgentario
5. Abruzzo, Tagliacozzo e la Marsica
4. Basilicata, Venosa e il Vulture
3. Calabria, Stilo
2. Sicilia, Porto Palo di Capo Passero
1. Sardegna, Bosa