Last Updated 18 mins ago
Home to some of the world’s most iconic sights, from the Roman Colosseum to the floating city of Venice, it’s no wonder Italy is among the most sought-after destinations for 2025.
As dreamy as Vespa rides through cobbled lanes and lemon gelato may sound, traveling to Italy rarely doesn’t come with exorbitant costs: as the country deals with the surge in demand, prices are also rising rapidly in response.
Lucky for budget-conscious tourists, not all of Italy is as pricey as Amalfi or as crowded as a jam-packed Portofino: there are 3 offbeat Italian towns exuding ancientness that cost only a small fraction to visit compared to their counterparts.
This Is Italy’s Top 3 Towns Right Now
According to new research published by Telepass, Italy’s electronic toll collection system, there are 3 small towns in Italy stealing the limelight right now as travelers look for more authentic, cheaper alternatives to the overtouristed hotspots.
Leading in searches for summertime vacations in the preceding year, Tropea, in the very south of Italy, has seen an uptick in popularity for the months of July and August, with an average of 148,300 monthly searches.
It is followed by Alberobello, an up-and-coming destination in the overlooked Puglia, logging in 129,000 searches per month and rounding out the top three; we have Civita di Bagnoregio in the central region, with 112,900 clicks.
So what makes them special, and how much exactly do they cost to visit?
Let’s start with charming Civita:
Civita di Bagnoregio
Considered by many the ‘dying city’ of Italy due to its small and aging population of only 11 people, Civita di Bagnoregio is probably the closest you can get to a medieval settlement that’s fully retained its character with minimal interference from the outside world.
Perched on a prominent hill, it is attached to the larger commune of Bagnoregio, with around 3,550 inhabitants, and in a way, it serves as the town’s main attraction, accessible only via a pedestrian bridge, and costing only €3 to visit:
Some of the most important structures in the citadel include the Santa Maria gate, built by the Etruscans, the San Donato Church, dating back to the 7th century, and the family-run Alma Civita restaurant, one of only a handful around, housed in a medieval dwelling.
If you’re staying in town, there are guesthouses in availability with overnight rates starting as low as $68 in the lead-up to the peak season: check out Civita B&B, equipped with a restaurant serving traditional Tuscan food and with views of the main square.
Alberobello
The most postcard-perfect village in Puglia (or Apulia), in the southeastern corner of the Italian peninsula, Alberobello is easily recognized by its centuries-old, conical-roofed stone huts, known locally as trulli, and temperate climate.
Naturally, the best way to explore Alberobello is just walking around at random and getting lost in the maze of cobbled streets lined with unique whitewashed houses, and the best thing is, this is not another open-air museum devoid of actual life:
You see, locals still live in these trulli, and as much as Europe seems to love nostalgia, most have been refurbished and adapted for life in the 21st-century: old on the outside, modern once you cross the threshold.
You can even stay in your own trullo with two bedrooms and breakfast included for $115, and even if that’s already incredibly-cheap for a historic building in Italy, if you’re a tighter budget, a trullo-inspired hotel will still only set you back by $68.
Tropea
Located at the foot of Italy’s boot, Tropea is a one-of-a-kind Mediterranean town distinguished from the rest by its seaside cliffs topped with pastel-colored houses and fine, golden-sand beaches lapped by teal-colored waters.
It is primarily a leisure destination, packed with inexpensive guesthouses, which surprisingly cost as cheap as $26-a-night to book––check out Mare Grande––and locally-owned, authentic restaurants where you can get fresh seafood for a small fraction of the Amalfi prices.
Tropea is highly sought-after for the picture-perfect cliff-bordered beach, but culture-wise, it’s no different from the rest of Italy in the sense that it oozes Old World charm: legend has it the town was founded by Greek hero Hercules himself, returning from the Strait of Gibraltar.
Mythology aside, it plays host to well-preserved medieval monuments, including a 12th-century Norman cathedral and the scenic Santa Maria dell’Isola monastery, perched on a rocky outcrop facing the ancient sea.
Looking for more off-the-beaten-path gems to explore in Italy in the coming year?
Check out Brixen, a side of Italy you probably didn’t know existed and that will blow your mind as much as this triad of fast-rising towns.
Happy reading.
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