Off-the-Beaten-Track Italy

Sign designation for Uno dei Borghi più belli d'Italia / The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy

Most tourists go to Italy to see the big cities: Rome, Venice, Florence, maybe Milan. If they are Rick Steves fans, they want to go to Liguria’s Cinque Terre. If they love the sea and don’t mind death-defying drives, they’ll go to the Amalfi Coast. Some folks find themselves in Cortona because they’ve read Frances Mayes’ book, Under the Tuscan Sun.

And all those places are fine. Beautiful, historic, breathtaking, worth seeing. But there is so much more to Italy. And that’s where the association Borghi piu belli d’italia comes in.

Linda & Tim happy in Introdacqua, Italy Uno dei Borghi più belli d'Italia

Anversa degli Abruzzi / Adopt-A-Sheep

Established in 2001 with the blessing of The National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI), “the most beautiful villages of Italy” is dedicated to promoting the small villages and towns that best represent the authentic, traditional Italy, respecting and, in some cases, reveling in their local culture and traditions. These can include the arts, cuisine, viniculture, historical structures, relationship with the land, etc. ANCI recognizes that fantastic art, culture, traditions and landscapes exist not only in the major cities, but throughout the entire country, and it hopes to draw travelers to these lesser-known areas and help them flourish.

Castel del Monte, Italy’s “Little Tibet,” features majestic mountains and sweeping valleys

Here’s what villages need to have to qualify for the designation “Borghi più belli d’italia”:

• An historical borough can have no more than 2,000 residents and an entire municipality that cannot exceed 15,000 in population.

• The borough must be home to relevant architectural, certified either by the municipality itself or by the local representative of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities. It is essential that the borough consists mainly of historical buildings.

• The borough must be vetted and declared authentic and must commit, in case of acceptance, to maintain its appearance.

At present, there are 244 villages and small cities throughout Italy with this designation. The ones starred are the ones we’ve visited – and will continue to include on our tours – just in Abruzzo! Don’t worry, we’ll get to the other ones in time!

March in Pettorano sul Gizio, Abruzzo, Italy.

First of all, let’s get one thing straight. Your Italy and our Italia are not the same thing. Italy is a soft drug peddled in predictable packages, such as hills in the sunset, olive groves, lemon trees, white wine, and raven-haired girls. Italia, on the other hand, is a maze. . . Italy is the only workshop in the world that can turn out both Botticellis and Berlusconis. ― Beppe Severgnini

Here are the 23 borghi pui belli d’italia in the region of Abruzzo... come and visit them with us soon!

1. Abbateggio

2. *Anversa degli Abruzzi

3. Bugnara

4. Caramanico Terme

5. *Castel del Monte

6. *Castelli

7. Citta Sant’Angelo

8. *Civitella del Tronto

9. *Introdacqua

10. Navelli

11. Opi

12. *Pacentro

13. Penne

14. *Pettorana sul Gizio

15. Pretoro

16. Rocca San Giovanni

17. *Santo Stefano di Sessanio

18. *Scanno

19. Tagliacozzo

20. *Villalago

21. Pietracamela

22. *Pescocostanzo

23. *Guardiagrele

Buon viaggio!