When? No in Rome.
With the cooler weather approaching, the tourist season in Italy is winding down, leaving the kingdom’s worth of hidden gems open to discerning travelers. less crowded conditionsShares a travel expert.
The best places to see on the boot during fall and winter are the vibrant but lesser-known towns miles away from major cities and tourist attractions like the Amalfi Coast, according to Maria Nuzzolillo, who travels with those interested in her home region of Campania. Like to share. Visitor.
“You get a chance to participate in harvests and festivals. You can go fruit picking without the tourist veil and taste local specialties,” Nuzzolilo, from the small town of San Lupo. Told Business Insider,
“The beauty of Italy, especially if it’s off the beaten path, is that even though the cities are half a mile apart from each other, each city has its own unique experience during the holidays and fall.”
She strongly urges visitors to head to her woods rather than the usual hotspots, where “things are aimed at pleasing the masses.”
Nuzzillo starts his list with the anonymous town of Benevento in the Sangiovese wine country, “about an hour’s drive” from the Amalfi Coast, which can be very sleepy in the off-season.
“Benevento is a lovely little town with a UNESCO heritage church – the Church of Santa Sophia – and a Roman theatre, which is still used today for special events such as the opera,” explains Prof.
“It has a wonderful pedestrian-only area, where shops and restaurants are open all year round, summer or winter.”
Nuzzolillo suggests using Benevento as a base to visit the many charming villages known for their autumn festivals that are within driving distance. He said there is a rental car service in the city.
She recommends starting an hour north in Cusano Mutri – “a little hidden town famous for its porcini mushrooms.” It even has a month-long festival for the fungus.
It’s also close to Castello Medieval, a Middle Ages fortress and a dream for hiking and horseback riding.
History and culture lovers will also enjoy Sant’Agata, located about an hour west of Benevento.
“The historic center has 20 churches from different periods and thus different architecture and art,” Nuzzolilo said. He noted that the area is known for “special” pretzel-style pastries called enfrenula.
As for where to stock up on Italian delicacies, some of the best Torrone, a Christmas favourite, can be found in San Marco, 25 minutes north-east of Benevento.
“There are all kinds of bakeries all over Italy that make it,” he said. “But in our area, there are small family-owned mom-and-pop shops that make very high-quality artisan dishes for the holidays.”
“We go to San Marco for the torrone,” admits the local, who prides her home of San Lupo for its exclusive cultivation of beans.
