With its fascinating ancient ruins that have survived for millennia, stunning cities that look like open-air museums, and incredible cuisine, Italy is on the bucket list of millions of travelers headed for the Old Continent in 2026.
La dolce vita comes at a price, though, and at times, an eye-watering one: between shelling out around $223 a night for hotels in Milan and dropping a whopping $285 in daily expenses in Amalfi, you’d better have some extra dough if you’re chasing the big-name hotspots.
Oh, did we mention the crowds?
Good luck dragging yourself out of bed at 5 a.m. to snag a clean shot of the Trevi Fountain, only to find a line of Instagrammers who beat you to it.
Fortunately for budget-conscious, crowd-wary travelers, not all of Italy is one big, hectic tourist playground. If you’re looking for “normal” prices, less chaos, and most importantly, authenticity, these 5 lesser-known gems are your best bet for enjoying Italy without breaking the bank:
Udine
An elegant small city in northeastern Italy, Udine is best known for its stately Piazza della Libertà, framed by Venetian-era architecture. Most notably, the Gothic, pink-and-white-marble Loggia del Lionello and the striking Clock Tower overlooking the square.
Largely ignored by tourists, it has a picture-perfect Historic Center cut through with cobblestone lanes, and peppered with family-owned trattorie serving regional delicacies: you truly haven’t been to Udine until you’ve tried Osteria Al Marinaio’s frico con polenta.
On the culture front, don’t miss out on Udine Castle, home to several art galleries, and the cathedral. Austere on the outside, yet a richly decorated Baroque gem once you cross the main portal, it is one of the most impressive churches to be found on this corner of Italy.
Average Prices In Udine, Italy
Vicenza
One of the most beautiful, yet criminally underrated destinations in Italy, Vicenza has the Old World flair of Venice (minus the canals), world-class museums that hold their own against Rome’s, and a food scene that could give Naples a run for its money, except it’s not completely overrun.
Every tour of Vicenza starts at Piazza dei Signori, with its slim, tall Torre Bissara, standing at about 269 ft high, and arcaded Basilica Palladiana, a UNESCO-listed palazzo designed by renowned architect Andrea Palladio in the 16th century.
After you’ve filled your phone storage snapping pics of every corner, grab some hearty Veneto-style pasta and local wine at Osteria Il Cursore, then end the day with a stroll through the fountain-dotted, tree-lined Giardini Salvi, the most serene urban park in town.
Average Prices In Vicenza, Italy
Perugia
The capital of Umbria, a culture-rich region in central Italy away from the usual crowds, Perugia is nothing short of the quintessential Italian city: picture imposing walls, stone-paved streets, and centuries-old townhouses that have barely registered the passing of time.
The Priori Palace, built between 1293 and 1443 to house the “Priori”—ten men elected from the city’s main guilds to govern it—is the defining landmark, with its Hogwarts-like vaulted hallways, frescoed chapels, and carved window frames.
Nearby stands the Fontana Maggiore, a 13th-century fountain carved with biblical scenes. As for the town’s Duomo, it isn’t nearly as ornate as those in Milan or Florence, but it’s absolutely worth a look for its ribbed vaults and sturdy columns.
Average Prices In Perugia, Italy
Lecce
Nicknamed ‘Florence of the South‘ due to its impressive collection of Renaissance and Baroque monuments, Lecce is a hidden treasure of the increasingly trendy Puglia region that’s still relatively untouched.
At the center of town, the delicately sculpted Basilica di Santa Croce boasts impressive sculptures and a rose window, while the nearby Roman amphitheater, partially unearthed after centuries beneath Lecce’s ocher-colored edifices, tells vivid tales of legendary civilizations past.
Beyond strolling around Lecce’s timeless alleyways, and soaking up its ancient heritage, you have to try pasticciotto, Lecce’s signature treat: a shortcrust, crumbly pastry filled with warm custard, it’s best had fresh out of the oven at Caffè Alvino, on the atmospheric Piazza Sant’Oronzo.
Average Prices In Lecce, Italy
Scicli
Set at the southern end of Sicily’s UNESCO-listed Val di Noto, Scicli has all the island’s postcard-perfect ingredients: winding medieval streets, lavish churches, and charming piazze, but without the Taormina crowds.
A walk along Via Francesco Mormina Penna leads you past opulent palazzi, Baroque chapels, and laid-back cafés. The street runs beside a dry canal that only fills during heavy rain, and it forms the elegant centerpiece of Scicli’s Old Town.
Other must-sees include Palazzo Beneventano, considered one of Sicily’s finest Baroque buildings, and uphill, overlooking the sun-splashed town, Chiesa di San Matteo, an abandoned church doubling as a viewpoint. Come during sunset to catch a magical Scicli glowing golden.
Average Prices In Scicli, Italy
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