Italy could also be one in every of Europe’s most visited locations, however after 20 years dwelling within the bel paese, I’ve found loads of good-looking, culture- and history-rich corners that stay blissfully out of the tourism highlight. My experiences of those lesser-known locales have been formed by epic resort stays—from Tuscan seaside retreats and transformed nation monasteries to character-filled palazzi For Afar’s newest installment of Inns We Love, I’ve chosen seven of one of the best accommodations throughout Italy for these vacationers in search of a quieter aspect of the nation.
Baglio Occhipinti
- Location: Ragusa, Sicily
- Why we like it: A chic countryside retreat with nice meals
- From $182
- Ebook now
In Italy, the identify Occhipinti is synonymous with excellent wines and heat hospitality within the Ragusa countryside. Arianna Occhipinti, of the well-known wine household, carved out a brand new path for the corporate with biodynamic wines, whereas her architect sister Fausta Occhipinti created Baglio Occhipinti, a Seventeenth-century farmhouse turned retreat on a 25-acre wine property. Right here amid the olive groves and vines, visitor rooms in stone buildings are styled with interval furnishings and modern design items. The farmhouse embraces a slower tempo of life, with leisurely breakfasts that includes a cornucopia of estate-grown fruit and native baked items, poolside aperitivi, and six-course dinners—all showcasing homegrown seasonal substances.
Borgo Tre
- Location: Torri del Benaco, Veneto
- Why we like it: A hillside retreat away from the crowds of Lake Garda
- From $803
- Ebook now
Set on a quiet hillside a few mile from a lot of the accommodations alongside Lago di Garda, Borgo Tre is an 18th-century farmhouse remastered as a serene design retreat. With simply 4 suites with fireplaces (two extra debut in 2025), the resort is surrounded by olive and lemon groves, with panoramic views of the lake and hills. Borgo Tre is full of the work of native artisans and craftspeople, from the graceful stone flooring to the linen bedding. Hike into the countryside, sail to the close by Isola del Garda, or simply hand around in the resort’s Finnish sauna or heated pool.
Casa Newton
- Location: Pienza, Tuscany
- Why we like it: A tranquil forest setting with iconic views of Tuscany
- From $503
- Ebook now
Within the UNESCO-protected Val d’Orcia, Casa Newton is ready on a winery on the sting of a forest. The mid-Nineteenth-century property was remodeled by Swiss architect Antonie Bertherat-Kioes, who channels Nineteen Seventies Milan within the 9 rooms and two suites. Within the public areas, iconic design items, together with Pierre Jeanneret chairs, sit subsequent to work by Lucio Fontana and Ed Ruscha, whereas the rooms function custom-designed mid-century furnishings, richly hued tiles, and partitions coated in Venetian material. A backyard space and pool face views of the Val d’Orcia’s rolling hills. The onsite restaurant, Il Cervo, serves Tuscan classics, whereas the Fabbrica vineyard makes natural wines and grappa.
Resort Interno Marche
- Location: Tolentino, Le Marche
- Why we like it: An immersive encounter with Italian design
- From $173
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Within the untrammeled area of Le Marche, Interno Marche is an homage to Italian design. Franco Moschini, former president of Italian furnishings firm Poltrona Frau, remodeled the Artwork Nouveau-style Villa Gabrielli right into a resort with 30 visitor rooms. He employed Cristiana Antonini and Claudio Tombolini of Tolentino-based Ora Studio, who crammed interiors with {custom} items by the best minds in Twentieth- and Twenty first-century Italian design. Count on works from Michele De Lucchi, Marc Newson, Studio Nendo, and legends like Gae Aulenti and Vico Magistretti. Highlights embrace a Poltrona Frau Vainness Truthful armchair, and Gio Ponti’s gravity-defying Superleggera chair—so mild it famously bounced when tossed from a fourth-floor window.
La Roqqa
- Location: Porto Ercole, Tuscany
- Why we like it: A design-forward hideaway close to a captivating marina
- Loyalty program: SLH Membership (Small Luxurious Inns of the World)
- From $503
- Ebook now
For hundreds of years, Porto Ercole has been a discreet getaway for the yachting crowd. The tiny marina is the gateway to a Baroque city the place Caravaggio supposedly took his final steps. And now, the brand new La Roqqa is upping the ante on fashionable resort stays on this picturesque spot. Swedish hospitality group Erqole took over a Fifties-era resort, and with the assistance of Milan’s Palomba Serafini Associati reimagined the interiors with a mix of Tuscan appeal and retro Sixties Dolce Vita design. Within the lounges, eating places, and 55 visitor rooms you’ll discover items by Gio Ponti, Vietri Scotto, Gaetano Pesce, and Flos, amongst different large names in Italian design.
Company have panoramic views of Porto Ercole from the mezzanine terrace and rooftop. Higher but, stroll just a few steps out of the resort and also you’re within the historic city and marina. La Roqqa can whisk sun- and sand-loving company to the non-public seaside retreat Isolotto Seaside Membership, a fast drive or a 10-minute stroll from the resort.
Palazzo Margherita
Bernalda is the Italy you’ve at all times imagined—a one-road hilltop city the place everybody goes to the identical three cafes each morning, and returns once more each evening. It’s a dwelling time capsule of the Sixties, which is what enchanted movie director Francis Ford Coppola when he first visited his ancestral homeland. In 2004, he purchased Palazzo Margherita, and with designer Jacques Grange, he resurrected the Nineteenth-century villa, the place he hosted his daughter Sofia’s marriage ceremony in 2011.
By 2012, Coppola and Grange had remodeled the villa right into a nine-room boutique resort, mixing Italian nation appeal with a splash of silver display screen glamour. The splendid suites, all individually designed, function hand-painted frescoes, Murano chandeliers, and tile and marble flooring. The resort’s lounge shares a library of artwork home films curated by Coppola, together with 300 Italian titles, and there’s a program of night screenings. As soon as every week, the courtyard hosts a communal feast for company that feels just like the final days of Babylon, whereas the bottom ground Cinecittà Bar options black-and-white photographs of movie stars and appears out onto Bernalda’s principal piazza. See Afar’s full record of prime accommodations in Italy.
Vocabolo Moscatelli
- Location: Umbertide, Umbria
- Why we like it: A backyard oasis in a former monastery
- From $427
- Ebook now
Set on the border of Tuscany and Umbria, Vocabolo Moscatelli is a secluded inexperienced paradise set on 2.5 acres. The previous Seventeenth-century monastery maintains an austere but fashionable vibe in its 12 rooms and suites: historic stone partitions are the backdrop for items by native artisans (like iron mattress frames by Emanuele Lispi), whereas bogs are lined with Cotto Etrusco tiles. The terrace suites function stylish Paola Lenti out of doors furnishings and have teardrop-shaped bathtubs for 2. For the sybarites, the garden-facing spa suite on the bottom ground has a hammam and out of doors Jacuzzi. After its setting, Vocabolo Moscatelli’s subsequent finest function is the travertine-lined pool. On the onsite restaurant, chef Lorenzo Catoni presents a every day altering menu that options regional veggies and heirloom fruit from native farmers, some grown within the resort’s backyard.
