Italy's 8 Most Laid-Back Towns

In Italy's most laid-back towns, you don't need an itinerary to set the pace. Days unfold naturally. On the small Isola di San Pietro off Sardinia, Carloforte's Wednesday market inspires casual browsing, with a fresh selection of local food, flowers, and handmade gifts. Castelmezzano, in the Basilicata region, is home to the 2-kilometer Path of the Seven Stones, which follows an ancient farm track past artwork tied to a story of witches, spells, and flight. On the Amalfi Coast, Minori turns its long-standing lemon trade into a daily pleasure, featuring homemade lemon cakes and slushies at Il Limoneto di Marianina and limoncello tastings at a local organic farm. Discover Italy beyond its resorts and tourist attractions in these eight towns.

Atrani

Atrani, located on the Amalfi Coast, is home to the historic San Salvatore de Birecto Church, which dates back to 940 and can be stumbled upon in its dazzling white structure in the main square, Piazza Umberto I. In the same area is ICHÒR - Art Lab & Gallery, where you can pick up some lovely artwork made by the gallery owner, including paintings of Atrani to hang on your wall so the memories live on long after your trip.

Something smells fishy in the best possible way, and it happens to be Le Arcate, a restaurant serving a bounty of seafood, from dishes like grilled catch of the day (usually grouper or amberjack) to spaghetti with clams, mussels, shrimp, and calamari with a fresh cherry tomato sauce. Honestly, what more could you want?

Castelmezzano

Castelmezzano is situated in the Basilicata region of southern Italy and allows you to feel the rhythm of the town, taste its cuisine, and share its history without hordes of visitors to elbow through. Walk the Path of the Seven Stones, which winds along an ancient farm track composed of seven stages, featuring stone artwork from the story's sequences. See the words come alive before you: destinies, enchantment, spell, witches, flight, dance, delirium. A 2-kilometer trail, the mystical journey is worth the long path taken.

A small restaurant with big flavors, Trattoria al Vecchio Scarpone welcomes you into the fold. With antipasto bites sourced locally, such as crusco peppers, meats and cheeses, and ravioli to choose from, this menu is made with love. Of course, there's always room for gelato, especially when the combinations include nocciola and pistachio. Hotfoot over to Caruso Gelateria dal 1956.

Reggello

The sleepy town of Reggello is located in the province of Florence and stands out for its spectacular olive oil production. Gonnelli 1585 - Frantoio di Santa Téa, an olive oil mill and shop, is the holy grail of manufacturers, whipping up authentic and high-quality varieties. Reach out to make a reservation and get ready to sample some, learn about the production process, and take a few bottles home with you.

A delicious focaccia sandwich, slice of pizza, or homemade tart can be found at Profumo di Pane s.r.l., a cozy bakery that's an additional treat for the taste buds. It's also well worth visiting San Pietro a Cascia, a Catholic parish church that is one of the most important Romanesque religious buildings in the Tuscan countryside. Rebuilt in the twelfth century, it became the religious and management center of the territory.

Pitigliano

Pitigliano rests in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma countryside and is known as Little Jerusalem due to its large Jewish community in the 16th century. The Jewish Ghetto is the place to explore its Jewish influences, and there's nothing more traditional than trying a Sfratti, a pastry stick filled with walnut and honey paste from Forno Del Ghetto. Be sure to take a few sticks with you to Fontana delle Sette Cannelle, the Fountain of the Seven Spouts, where the iconic arches stand and fountains spurt water from grand stone mascarons.

Lastly, make your way over to the Museum of Palazzo Orsini, the ancient residence of the Orsini family, lords of the County of Pitigliano, Sovana, and Santa Fiora, and the Salvini Theatre, built in 1823 by the Filodrammatica Ravvivati. Inside you'll discover jewels of the palace and the tower, housing an 18th-century canvas depicting Saint Mary Magdalene.

Cefalù

In northern Sicily, Cefalù lies at the base of a 1,233-foot promontory along the Tyrrhenian Sea, stretches of the coastline as far as the eye can see. A mountain peak that gives you a good look of the coastal beauty is Rocca di Cefalù, an imposing limestone cliff where there are also castle remains, dating back to the 12th-13th centuries. Cool off at Spiaggia Kalura beach thereafter, teeming with pebbles and crystal clear waters which are perfect for snorkelling around the rocks.

Traditional Sicilian cuisine blended with Mediterranean influences is what Triscele Restaurant does best, dishes crafted with fresh, high-quality local ingredients. Cod's heart meatballs, hand-cut tuna tartare, grilled mackerel with seasonal caponata, and saffron cheesecake with passito wine foam and dehydrated capers, a glorious feast is in store at this impressive restaurant.

Carloforte

The only town on the small Isola di San Pietro, just off the southwest coast of Sardinia, Italy, is Carloforte. Its mellow demeanor is reflected in its people and places of interest, so you won't have any trouble experiencing it all without huge crowds to weave through. Mercato del Mercoledì, a market that takes place every Wednesday, is the spot to load up on goodies, from food and household goods to clothing and flowers.

Punta delle Colonne, a rocky cliff that offers panoramic views, is a great way to get an aerial view of the turquoise waters below and the towering column that protrudes from them, even more magnificent under the pink skies of a sunset. Enjoy aperitivos, olives, chips and homemade sauce and an Aperol spritz at Samaketo Coffee House. The bar emits music and good vibes while keeping you shaded underneath the umbrellas at the outdoor tables.

Bevagna

Bevagna is part of the "Borghi più belli d'Italia," an association of small Italian towns of historical and artistic interest. One of its landmarks, Tempio Romano, a Roman temple, dates back to the 2nd century CE and makes for a great photo, with its walls still well-preserved and standing grandly.

Società Agricola Srl Briziarelli is a winery of elegant architecture where you can take a tour of the vineyards, cellar, and barrel room, with a sommelier providing you with a guided tasting of the wines. To refuel after the wine-kissed glow, the meat-laden Scottadito Ristorante di Biagetti Marco awaits. Steaks cooked over a wood fire in rustic digs, expect a memorable meal here.

Minori

Minori is an ancient town renowned for its lemon trade, and its citrus highlights are many. Il Limoneto di Marianina, a family-run roadside garden stop, is a zesty surprise with homemade lemon cakes and slushies to devour, a tangy start to the day.

And when life gives you lemons, it's only right that you continue that path, which can be followed via Sotto i Limoni - Cooking Classes & Lemon Tours, an organic farm that teaches techniques for growing and caring for a lemon tree, how to use lemons in everyday activities, the history of the Amalfi Coast lemon and its cultivation, as well as offering tastings of local products, including fresh lemonade, lemon granita, and limoncello. It's a real journey of the senses. Even the Basilica of Saint Trofimena is butter yellow, a Catholic church where you can take a pew and marvel at the ornate holy statues and paintings.

Italy's Art Of A Slower Rhythm

Close your eyes and savor a nutty gelato from Castelmezzano's Caruso Gelateria dal 1956. Sit amongst Pitigliano's Fountain of the Seven Spouts, the water streaming from the handsome mascarons as you peek at a sunset from the arches. There's no doubt that these relaxed towns in Italy can show you how to live life to the fullest at a slower pace. Vai (go), and have an incredible time.