The best trip to Italy without crowds: how to see the country not as a tourist, but as a guest
In 2026, Italy will receive a record number of tourists — over 70 million people, according to forecasts. Museums introduce time slots in six months, the narrow streets of Florence and Venice turn into corridors for the flow of people, and a photo against the background of the Duomo in Milan requires strategic planning. But the best trip to Italy is not only in these places. Beyond the main routes there remains a huge, almost untouched country where each region keeps its secrets.
This article is for those who are looking not for the quantity of impressions, but for their quality. We have compiled the routes that will give you the best trip to Italy in 2026!
Val d’Aosta: The Alps and the best trip to Italy without the hype
This tiny region on the border with France and Switzerland remains in the shadow of the Dolomites and Lombardy. Italian, French and the local patois dialect are spoken here. The architecture resembles Savoy more than Rome.
– The SS26 road leading from Aosta to the Grand San Bernard Pass is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. There are almost no tourist buses on it!
– Families engaged in traditional vine weaving still live in the village of Cogne. They will be happy to show the workshop if you knock on the door.
– Fénis Castle, unlike the castles of Lombardy, does not require online booking. You can buy a ticket on the spot.
– In summer, you can walk the Alta Via 2 trail here, avoiding the main shelters and staying at family rifugi. The hostess prepares dinner there according to old recipes.
Contact the Italiatut team! We will help you organize the best trip to Italy in 2026.
Orvieto and its dungeons: Deeper than it looks
The city on the tuff plateau in Umbria is famous for its cathedral. But few people stay here for more than a couple of hours. Meanwhile, kilometers of ancient tunnels have been laid under Orvieto, carved by the Etruscans and expanded in the Middle Ages.
– Descent to Pozzo di San Patrizio. The 62—meter-deep well is not just a landmark, but an engineering masterpiece of the 15th century. It was built to supply the city with water during the siege.
– A personal tour can be arranged at the Museo Claudio Faina private museum. They will show not only exhibits, but also archival records of excavations of the 19th century.
– On the outskirts of the city, at the Podere Le Santore farm, caciotta cheese is produced according to a recipe found in the monastery records of 1723.
– The Sagra del Tartufo Nero festival takes place here in November. Only local merchants come here. Only tables with truffle paste and wine.
If you are planning a trip to Umbria in 2026, ask Italiatut for help!
Lazio beyond Rome: Antiquity without queues
Most people go to Rome to see the Colosseum. And they leave without knowing that 50 km from the capital there are some of the most impressive ruins of Ancient Rome.
– An amphitheater has been preserved in Sutri, carved directly into the tufa. Ancient tragedies are staged here in the summer — without subtitles and simplifications.
– Volchi is an Etruscan necropolis, which is almost never visited by tourists. You can spend a whole day here without meeting a group.
– The Azienda Agricola Casale della Madonna farm in the Chicognarro area produces olive oil of the Raja and Carboncella varieties. They had almost disappeared by the 1980s and were revived by local enthusiasts.
– In the village of Cervara di Roma, houses built of the same stones as the Roman aqueducts have been preserved. Some of them are rented out through private ads.
To create an individual Lazio itinerary outside of the standard programs, contact Italiatut!
Piedmont without wineries: mountains and crafts
Piedmont is associated with Barolo and white truffles, but the northwest of the region has a completely different Italy:
– There are still weavers working in the Valle Maira valley using machines from the 19th century. Their products can be seen in private homes, not in stores.
– In Castelmagno— a village with 91 inhabitants, they produce cheese of the same name with a protected status. Its tasting takes place in the farmer’s cellar, not in the commercial center.
– The Strada del Sale road. Once used to transport salt from Genoa to Piedmont, it is now a route for cyclists and hikers. There are no signs, but there are traces of ancient caravans in the stone.
– In November, the Castagna e Fungo festival takes place in Demonte. Local mushroom pickers share their knowledge about edible and medicinal mushrooms — no lectures, just conversations around the campfire.
Italiatut is ready to help you organize an individual trip!
Sardinia beyond the Costa Smeralda: the island as it is
Most people see Sardinia as luxury yachts and snow-white beaches. But the real soul of the island is in its hinterlands:
– Barbagia is a mountainous area where ancient rituals such as Mamuthones, a masquerade with roots in the pre—Christian era, are still preserved.
– The only bread museum in the world operates in the village of Gavoi, where more than 300 varieties of Sardinian bread are stored, and civraxiu modeling workshops are held every month.
– Gusana Lake, located at an altitude of 900 meters, is surrounded by forests and is almost never crowded — here you can rent a boat and spend the day all alone.
– In Orgosolo, the walls of houses have been covered with political murals since the 1960s, and local artists are still adding new scenes reflecting current events.
If you want to see Sardinia not as a resort, but as a cultural phenomenon, contact the Italiatut team!
How to plan a trip to Italy without crowds in 2026
The main thing is to abandon the logic of the “checklist of attractions” and move on to the logic of “immersion”.
1. Select one region and spend at least 5 days there — this is enough to switch from the status of “tourist” to the status of “guest”.
2. Avoid large hotels in the center: it is better to rent apartments in the suburbs or on a farm through trusted intermediaries.
3. Do not look for restaurants with menus in three languages: where the menu is only in Italian and the portions are for the family, you will find the authentic taste of the region.
The GIDtut team helps travelers build routes based not on popularity, but on meaning. If you don’t know where to start, write to us on Telegram. We will prepare a trip to Italy for you, taking into account your interests: from gastronomy to history, from nature to crafts.
