Holidays in Italy 2026: Hidden regions for those looking for authenticity
Today, there is a growing demand for a conscious, non-tourist holidays in Italy 2026. Travelers want to avoid noise, crowds, and boilerplate routes. If authentic Italy is important to you, this article is for you. The Italiatut team has collected five little-known regions that are rarely mentioned.
Umbria: the heart of Italy without the sea, but with a soul
– Umbria is the “green heart” of the country: hills, forests, volcanic lakes.
– There is no access to the sea, but there are ancient villages and silence.
– Perugia and Assisi are famous, but Todi, Spoleto and Orvieto are almost without tourists.
– The architecture is not “packed” under a glossy facade: cracks and old plaster are visible.
The best time is May or September: warm and without stuffiness.
– Be sure to try the truffle honey and lenticchie di Castelluccio.
– Unique small lentils are grown in the Nereta Valley.
– It is easy to organize a bike route with tastings on farms.
→ Arrange a trip with Italiatut
Campania: The outback, where the real Neapolitan Italy begins
Most of them go to Naples and leave without seeing the province. But there are some of the most touching corners of the country.
– Take a car and drive inland: through the Valle delle Ferriere or to Cilento.
– The beaches in the national park are almost empty even in August.
– The village of Castellabate is under UNESCO protection, but without crowds.
– Fishermen still use lucignoli, single—barrel boats.
– Colatura di alici is prepared according to the Roman recipe — it is a tradition, not a fashion.
– The local dishes are rough, but authentic and full of flavor.
→ The best vacation in the Campaign with Italiatut
Ogliastra (Sardinia): mountains, sea and almost complete solitude
– West Sardinia — yachts and Costa Smeralda. The East is a completely different story.
– Ogliastra remains almost untouched: narrow gorges, crystal coves, villages of up to 1,000 inhabitants.
– Cala Goloritzé beach is a natural monument, accessible only on foot or by boat.
– The SS125 road is one of the most scenic in Europe.
– Ulassai has the only open-air museum in Italy.
– The agriturismo serves casu axeddu cheese and Cannonau wine.
– Dinners are prepared from our own products, without imported substitutes.
→ Get advice on Sardinia on Telegram Italiatut
Trentino without the Dolomites: valleys where time passes more slowly
The Dolomites are crowded, but Trentino has quiet valleys.
– Val di Sole and Val di Fiemme hardly use tourist buses.
– Here Italian is mixed with Ladin and German.
– Lake Molveno — clear water, pebbles, mountains in the reflection.
– In Fiemme, they still cut wood using the a ronco method.
– This method is recognized by UNESCO as an intangible heritage.
– In winter, there are only local routes on the slopes, without queues for the lifts.
→ Check out Italiatut’s tourist rental service
Calabria: not the budget, but the depth
Calabria is often called the “cheap south,” but its value lies in the people.
– The ancient Greek dialect of grecanico and pre-Christian rituals have been preserved here.
– The cities of Gerace and Stilo are not a museum, but living settlements.
– Each dish is the history of the family, each artisan is the heir of generations.
– They speak Greek in Bova and put on ancient performances.
– Peperoncino di Calabria has a protected geographical indication.
– Sagre festivals of one dish are held in summer. They are fed generously and tell family recipes.
How to organize a vacation in Italy 2026?
You need to plan a trip to little-known regions in advance.
There is infrastructure, but there are fewer housing options than in tourist areas.
1. Choose a base city for field trips.
2. Book the villa or the agriturismo no later than March 2026.
3. Specify which roads require prior reservation.
On our GIDtut website, you can find individual routes around Italy. We help you see Italy not as a postcard, but as a living story.
If you are still choosing a destination, write to us on Telegram.
We will prepare a selection of regions according to your interests: gastronomy, architecture, nature, crafts.
