Top 10 Hidden Gems Things to do in Italy, Italy

December 20, 2021 Frederic Celentano

Coordinates: 43°N 12°E / 43°N 12°E / 43; 12
Restaurants in Italy

1. Catacombe di San Gennaro

Via di Capodimonte 13, 80100, Naples Italy +39 081 744 3714 [email protected] http://www.catacombedinapoli.it/
Excellent
80%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 4,755 reviews

Catacombe di San Gennaro

Around the origin of our Catacombs much has been discussed, they were simpleburial and never were quarries or underground ways; the first note of the monumentis repeated since the death of St. Agrippino our bishop in the II century, when hisbody was buried there in a noble tomb. Many miracles the saint operated by thetomb, so it became a place of reverence and neapolitan wished to be buried in thatplace.

Reviewed By sharonv923

We visited the catacombs found in the Sanita area of Naples with anticipation - never been in catacombs before. This is a social enterprise run by a foundation that uses the proceeds to fund extra services for the young people of the area which is deprived. It's fantastic to see a group use an asset so well for the benefit of the community and, while the tour is totally worth the entry fee, it's nice to know that the ticket price benefits others. The tour is engaging and well delivered. The history and stories related are accessible. Our guide was excellent - well informed and great at answering questions. The catacombs are Christian and pre-Christian, and very atmospheric. Highly recommended.

2. Val d'Orcia

Italy http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1026
Excellent
90%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 423 reviews

Val d'Orcia

Reviewed By SJWilson - Rome, Italy

Here’s a nice, winding, country walk we did from Gallina to Montichiello in beautiful Val d’Orcia, which you can do if the Orcia is pretty dry and is easy to cross. There’s nothing much in Gallina, but you might be in an agriturismo nearby, you never know, there are so many. All references to Google maps! Right, so walk straight up Via del Colombaio with the local church there on your left. Keep going up, cross the road that curves back right towards the industrial area, and follow the country track round to your right, passing a ruined house to your left. Follow the track all the way up to a nice-looking agriturismo called Locanda in Tuscany and turn left there along the country road between fields, heading towards another agriturismo called La Rimbecca, passing the driveway in front of you up to agriturismo Poder Nuovo and turning right. Yes, lots of agriturismos round here! Walk up to Rimbecca, another nice looking place, head right towards the main gate, then cut left across the car park, where you’ll find a nice long, straight tree-arched alley running down left, probably once the original driveway, and walk straight down it towards the River Orcia. Follow the curve of the road left, passing what looks like an old mill on your right, and you’ll come to the river bank. We did the walk in summer, so there wasn’t much river, just a few large puddles. Climb down into the riverbed and head left, after about 200 metres on the opposite bank you should see an exit point. We had to paddle across one of the puddles, very refreshing on the toes. About 10 metres up this track you’ll find two paths heading left, both going in the direction you want, the first running closer to the river, the second skirting the trees. Take your pick! They meet up near the river, where you continue along the main path and at a certain point, on the right, you’ll find another long straight path heading up towards the main road, Strada Provincial 53 and, yes, another agriturismo/farm called Le Checche. Cross the road and head up past the farm, the road curving round right behind it, then curving back left as you follow it up towards Villa Il Tiglio and a lovely property called Casanova, with a beautiful plump blonde horse and his sheep mates in residence if you want to say hello and nobody objects. But the main road passes under these properties, with a small body of water on your left, following a really lovely country path, my favourite of the day. You’ll come to a bend with a driveway to a house on your right, follow the bend round left and you’ll see a road heading right that goes up past two very nice little properties, highly covetable. After the second of these, when we were there, the actual road seems to vanish into a field with a hedgerow on your right, and the path should continue up to the right of that hedgerow, on the other side. But we found it pretty overgrown, so carried on up the fields with the hedgerow to our right, to the road that passes Aurora Festival on the right, where a nice lady refilled our water flasks. Continue straight on, till you pass Agriturismo Fonte Senesi on your left. Take the second road on your left, which leads down towards the main road, Strada Provinciale 88. Then all you have to do is follow that up as it evolves into Viale Marino Cappelli, which curves round left and leads you up to the main gate into the lovely little town of Montichiello! It was a very very hot day when we walked there so we immediately stopped at the nice little garden bar on the right just before arriving at the gate and had some very welcome cold beer and ice-cream.

3. Il Sentiero Degli Dei

Nocelle Fraz, Positano Italy https://www.facebook.com/Il-Sentiero-Degli-Dei-380740149027250/
Excellent
84%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 2,817 reviews

Il Sentiero Degli Dei

Reviewed By moot1 - Bristol, United Kingdom

I've wanted to do this walk for years ,and finally I got the chance. I was not disappointed. We were blessed with beautiful sunny February weather. It takes a fair bit of travelling from Sorrento, but the walk was actually easier and quicker than I'd thought. We walked the route from Nocelle back towards Positano. We used the sunflower guide which I highly recommend. We took the higher route - where the path goes off to the right by a house with a cross in the garden - the signage takes you to the lower route at this point, but apparently the higher route is more spectacular which makes sense, and it was certainly very lovely! The cafe at the end of the route is basic but has a beautiful view too so a good place to stop off before doing the steps down to the road, which was definitely the more tiring bit of the walk. We caught the bus back to Sorrento from a stop at the bottom of the steps rather than in Positano.

4. Galleria Borbonica

Vico del Grottone 4 Zona Piazza Plebiscito, 80132, Naples Italy +39 081 764 5808 [email protected] http://www.galleriaborbonica.com/it/home/
Excellent
84%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 8,535 reviews

Galleria Borbonica

Enchanting scenery that unfolds to the eyes of visitors, a secret place full of history and magic atmosphere.An emotional journey that conducts visitors in the new section of the underground of Naples. It is situated in Vico del Grottone 4, from to 150 mt. to Plebiscito Square. Until a few years ago it wasa veterinary laboratory, now is the entrance of the Bourbon Tunnel. A staircase with 8 ramps, 33 yards deep descending into the belly of Chiaia. The second entry is in Via Domenico Morelli,40, through the crosswalk of “Quick parking”.The Tunnel was built in 1853 by Ferdinand II of Bourbon, who, concerned about the outbreak of rebellion, he asked for an escape from the Royal Palace to the barrack in Via della Pace, now Via Morelli. The work was uncompleted and, during the second World War, was used by residents of the area as a military hospital, later becoming the Hall Judicial Deposit.The war left its mark even in the subsoil. That’s way there are handwrite, folding beds, messages of wish and desolation of those who lived it and still maintains its memory. Along the tunnel thereare also the evidences, 530 meters, where visitors can discover the history of real life. Through the spacious streets, it’s easy reachable the network of tunnels and cisterns of seventeenth-century,large buildings, where worked the "pozzari", the only connoisseur of Naples underground.The show is stunning, but that's not finished. On Via Morelli appear statues dating back to fascist period and many cars and motorcycles, abandoned for years, freed from piles of rubbish, arranged and illuminated ad hoc for the route.Nothing is left to chance, even lighting, perfectly integrated with the path of the visitors.Since today everything is possible to visit. Five years ago the scenery was completely different.Rubbish, degradation, wastes of all kinds covered the reliquaries.

Reviewed By 924silvioc

Excellent tour, an amazing place to visit and a snapshot of life in Naples during WWII Lots of thanks to Lorena for the excellent explanation

5. Spiaggia di Talmone

Localita' Porto Cuncato, Palau, Sardinia Italy http://www.sardegnaturismo.it/it/punto-di-interesse/spiaggia-di-talmone
Excellent
81%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 151 reviews

Spiaggia di Talmone

6. Macchina di Santa Rosa

Viterbo Italy +39 0761 3481 http://www.macchinasantarosa.it/
Excellent
86%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
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Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 727 reviews

Macchina di Santa Rosa

7. Palazzo Conte Federico

Piazza Conte Federico 2, 90134, Palermo, Sicily Italy +39 091 651 1881 [email protected] http://www.contefederico.com
Excellent
89%
Good
10%
Satisfactory
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5.0 based on 787 reviews

Palazzo Conte Federico

The palazzo is in the center of the old city only a few steps away from the Norman Palace. the Cathedral and the Market Ballarò. The oldest part of the palace is an Arab-Norman Tower of the 12th century. You can observe verious architectural styles, high painted ceilings of the 15th century, baroque ceiling frescoes by Vito D'Anna and Gaspare Serenario, various collections and original furniture. Since Count Federico's family, which can be followed back to the Hohenstaufen Emperor Friedrich II, has lived in this palace for centuries, the personal atmosphere makes a visit to this historical building a unique experience.

Reviewed By debm224

Small group tours with a member of the Federico family, who have lived in this fascinating historic building for many generations. A Norman tower from the original Palermo city wall is incorporated into the palazzo, and the history of the city is demonstrated with examples from renovations and additions. This is also a family home, with the cat’s climbing frame, portable heaters etc sitting alongside old treasures. We were welcomed by one of the sons, who was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic to share the family history - it was a highlight of our visit to Palermo.

8. Parco Naturale Regionale di Porto Venere

Via Garibaldi, 9, 19025, La Spezia Italy +39 0187 794823 http://www.parconaturaleportovenere.it/
Excellent
80%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 850 reviews

Parco Naturale Regionale di Porto Venere

9. Acetaia Giuseppe Giusti

Strada Quattro Ville 52, 41123, Modena Italy +39 059 840135 [email protected] http://www.giusti.it
Excellent
87%
Good
12%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
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Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 491 reviews

Acetaia Giuseppe Giusti

Acetaia giusti is the oldest producer of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, founded in 1605. Nowadays, the company is run by the 17th generation of the Giusti family. A history of more than 400 years full of awards received during the World Exhibitions of the late ‘800s. Among them: the 14 gold medals and the Coat of Arms of the Royal House of Savoia that now characterize the labels of our bottles. The Giusti Balsamic Vinegar collections are available in the most exclusive restaurants and shops in Italy and worldwide.

Reviewed By Jetter500

Lovely little museum, shows history of family of producers and the balsamic vinegar is made, with tour around storage barrels area. Then to the tasting. Tasted a big selection of various ages and pedigrees which really helped me understand the subtle differences. Very worthwhile trip, just wish I could have brought more home. Plus they provided a gorgeous pannetone for us to share.

10. Podere La Marronaia- Sosta Alle Colonne

Via Martiri di Citerna 2 Podere le Colonne, 53037, San Gimignano Italy +39 0577 907265 [email protected] http://www.marronaia.com
Excellent
93%
Good
3%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 647 reviews

Podere La Marronaia- Sosta Alle Colonne

Podere la Marronaia, a family story behind a bottle. Podere la Marronaia is a small familyrunned farm involved in the biodynamic method of cultivation of grapes and olives. Podere la Marronaia produces white, red and rosè wines and extra virgin olive oil. Wine and olive oil tastings are possible as well as farm visit.

Reviewed By durango2x - Wall Township, United States

the experience was wonderful, the staff(( Family ) wine tasting fresh homemade food , the charming family dogs , all perfect ….would recommend to family and friends …..Can't wait to go back

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