Everyone knows Rome, Florence and Venice. But some of Italy’s most beautiful places are just a short train ride away from the big cities – and most visitors never get there. Lisa has been travelling through Italy for years, and this little quiz is her shortcut to the towns she’d send a friend to.
Not sure where to go in Italy? Pick the city you’re flying into, tell the quiz who’s coming along and what you’re into, and get your personal match – a smaller town that ticks all your boxes. It takes about a minute. Promise.
Italy Travel Quiz by JoyDellaVita
How the quiz works
The Italy Travel Quiz covers eight big Italian cities (Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, Naples, Bologna, Palermo and Bari) and 48 smaller towns around them, from lake villages near Milan to beach towns near Bari. Each town is rated on beaches, nature, history, food, art and wellness. It also counts how easy the town is to reach without a car, and whether it suits solo travellers, couples, families or groups of friends. Your answers decide which one comes out on top.
Why look beyond Italy’s big cities?
Italy is one of the most visited countries in the world, and it shows. In Rome, Florence and Venice, the busiest streets can feel more like a queue than a holiday, and the same handful of sights draw crowds almost all year round. Many Italian cities and regions have started to react, for example with ticketed entry, visitor limits or rules for day trippers. For travellers, that can mean planning ahead, paying more, and still spending a lot of time waiting.
The crowds also change the places themselves. When too many visitors arrive at once, locals get pushed out of their own neighbourhoods, rents rise, and shops that once served the town give way to souvenir stands. It is a big part of why more and more people are asking how to travel in Italy in a way that is kinder to the places they love.
Smaller towns, just as beautiful – sometimes even better
The good news when you are deciding where to go in Italy: you do not have to skip the big cities, and you do not have to give up beauty to avoid the crowds. Italy is full of smaller towns with old centres, great food, local markets and views that are every bit as memorable. In many of them you can find a table at a local trattoria without booking weeks ahead, talk to the people who run the café, and walk through the old town in the evening without a crowd around you.
A few examples of what that can look like: near Rome, Orvieto sits on a cliff of volcanic rock, and Tivoli has gardens and fountains to wander through. Near Florence, Lucca invites you to cycle along its city walls, and Fiesole gives you a view over Florence without the queues. From Venice it is a short hop to Treviso, Padua or the lagoon town of Chioggia. Around Milan, Bergamo and Varenna are an easy escape, and near Bologna you can eat your way through Modena, Parma and Ferrara. In the south, Procida offers a quiet alternative to the busier islands in the Bay of Naples, and Ostuni, Locorotondo and Monopoli show a gentler side of Puglia.
Smaller towns also tend to be easier to get to know. Distances are short, the pace is slower, and you often see more of everyday Italian life: the morning market, the aperitivo hour in the main square, the church bells at noon. That is the side of Italy many visitors are really looking for – and the one the big cities can no longer always offer in high season.
How to travel Italy more responsibly
You do not need to change everything about how you travel. A few small choices already make a difference, both for you and for the places you visit:
- Stay overnight in the smaller town instead of visiting only for a few hours. Overnight guests spend more locally, and you will see the town after the day trippers have left.
- Travel in spring or autumn when you can. The weather is usually pleasant, and both the big cities and the smaller towns are calmer than in July and August.
- Combine a big city with a nearby smaller town. Two or three days in Rome, followed by a few days in Orvieto or Viterbo, is a good balance.
- Eat at family-run places, buy from local shops and markets, and try the regional dishes instead of the same pizza everywhere.
- Use trains and regional buses where you can. Many smaller towns connect well to big cities, and you will not need to hunt for parking.
Ready to find your own favourite? Take the Italy Travel Quiz above, pick the city you are flying into, and see which smaller town it suggests. You might end up liking it more than the big name next door.
FAQ
What is the JoyDellaVita Italy Travel Quiz?
The JoyDellaVita Italy Travel Quiz is a free, one-minute quiz that suggests a smaller Italian town near the big city you are travelling to. You answer five quick questions about who you travel with, what you love and how you want to get around, and the quiz picks the town that fits you best. It is based on years of travelling through Italy and works on your phone, tablet or computer, completely free and without any registration.
Can I visit these towns without a car?
Most of them, yes. If you choose “Train & bus” in the quiz, towns that need a car drop down the list. Each result shows the approximate travel time from the big city.
Are the towns good for families?
Many are. Choose “With kids” and the quiz favours places with easy beaches, flat old towns and things to see that kids enjoy, like Lucca’s city walls or Alberobello’s trulli.
Can I share my result?
Absolutely. Send it via WhatsApp, Facebook or email, or create a ready-made image for your Instagram story or Pinterest.
Is Italy really too crowded?
In the most famous places and in peak season, yes. Rome, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast can be very busy, especially in summer. Away from those hotspots, many Italian towns stay quiet even in high season, and that is exactly what the Italy travel quiz helps you find.
When is the best time to visit smaller Italian towns?
Spring (April to June) and early autumn (September and October) are usually a good choice: pleasant weather, longer opening hours than in winter and fewer visitors than in midsummer. Some beach towns are quiet outside the summer months, so check opening times if you want to swim or eat by the sea.