Dolce Vita away from the crowds: 5 unknown regions for a spring holiday

Crowds in Rome, entry to Venice and traffic jams around Lake Garda. Italy is booming this spring. Five tips off the beaten track.

When the first warm winds blow over the boot, Italy awakens from hibernation. It is the time of blossoming lemon trees, the first cappuccino outdoors and mild evenings. But the much-quoted dolce vita is much easier to find where there are no tour buses piling up and no groups of tourists roaming the streets.

1st Le Marche (The Marches): Tuscany for explorers

Wedged between the Adriatic Sea and the still snow-covered peaks of the Apennines, Le Marche offers everything that has made neighbouring Tuscany world-famous - just without the hustle and bustle. In spring, the rolling hills are covered in a lush green colour, dotted with bright yellow broom bushes.

• The highlight: The Renaissance city of Urbino, whose intact historic centre is quite rightly a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The moment: A glass of ice-cold Verdicchio wine on a sleepy piazza while the evening sun bathes the medieval façades in warm terracotta.

More info: Marche Tourism official

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2 Friuli-Venezia Giulia: The melting pot in the north-east

Where Austria, Slovenia and Italy meet, a cultural and culinary density is created that is unrivalled. Friuli is austere, elegant and, especially in spring, has a raw, unadorned beauty.

• The highlight: Trieste. The melancholy harbour town captivates with its grandiose, imperial coffee houses and sweeping views of the deep blue sea.
• The moment: A hike through the karst mountains when the first wildflowers sprout, topped off with a break in a traditional „Osmiza“ with air-dried ham and palatable house wine.

More info: Friuli Venezia Giulia Tourism official

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3 Molise: Italy's best-kept secret

Even many Italians like to joke that Molise doesn't even exist. A stroke of luck for anyone in search of tranquillity. This tiny region south of Abruzzo is a retreat far from the modern pace, characterised by ancient pastoral paths and defiant mountain villages.

• The highlight: The ancient Roman provincial town of Altilia Sepino, often referred to as the „little Pompeii“ - with the subtle difference that you usually have the ruins all to yourself here.
• The moment: The warm, unagitated encounters with locals who are genuinely happy to meet strangers, accompanied by handmade pasta and the intense olive oil of the region.

More info: Molise Tourism official

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4. the Cilento: the wild sister of the Amalfi Coast

Just two hours' drive south of deafening Naples, another world begins. The Cilento is wilder, more archaic and more unspoilt than the glamorous Amalfi Coast. Rugged cliffs alternate with hidden bays and a wooded, hilly hinterland.

• The highlight: The mighty Greek temples of Paestum, which are surrounded by a glowing sea of red poppies in spring.
• The moment: The scent of wild fennel and sea salt in your nose as you sit on the terrace in the small fishing village of Castellabate and enjoy freshly caught fish.

More info: Campania Turismo official

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5. basilicata: between rocks and two seas

For a long time, the region on the „instep“ of the Italian boot was considered a poorhouse, but today it is a fascinating landscape. Deep gorges, rugged cliffs and two tranquil coastlines on the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas make it the perfect spring destination for individualists.

• The highlight: Matera. The city of the Sassi (cave settlements) takes your breath away and is best explored in spring, before the oppressive summer heat hits the stone alleyways.
• The moment: A road trip along the empty, winding country roads through the Lucanian Dolomites, where a new, spectacular panorama awaits around every bend.

More info: Basilicata Turismo officiall

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