Somewhat simplistically touted as “the new Puglia”, Calabria has
around 800km of pristine coastline, touching both the Ionian and
Tyrrhenian seas from its position as the “toe” of Italy. At the
narrowest point, Sicily is only 2km away, and there’s an
extraordinary overnight train (which briefly boards a ferry) to
transport you all the way to Catania overland. First-timers should
consider the picturesque coastal town of Tropea, or one of the few
luxury hotels such as Praia Art Resort,
Villa Paola and Baia del Sole. Aside from postcard-perfect
beaches, the main draw here is the vibrant cuisine: this is the
home of ‘nduja (spicy sausage paste), bergamot (the citrus fruit
that flavours Earl Grey tea, and one that sneaks into many
Calabrian dishes) and prickly pears, as well as excellent seafood,
rustic home cooking and some of the spiciest dishes in Italy
(thanks to the ubiquitous red chilli pepper).

Gearing up for the 2026 Winter Olympics, all eyes are on Cortina
d’Ampezzo and the surrounding area, which is paving the way for
sustainable, year-round tourism in the Dolomite mountain range. With the focus being
on wholesome outdoor pursuits, you can take your pick from mountain
biking, paragliding, horse riding, wild swimming and hiking through
miles of luscious green pastures and forests. A little too
Heidi-esque for you? Don’t worry; the region is also home to one of
the highest densities of Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe,
plus a clutch of new wellness-first eco-spas (hello, Forestis and Hotel de Len).

The southern Italian city of Napoli has never been more alive
with potential. First up, there’s a pizza renaissance going on,
with Concettina ai Tre Santi bringing new visitors to the
Sanità neighbourhood, and a smattering of other fine-dining spots
reimagining the humble Neapolitan pie. Then, there are the cool art
hotels – such as charming Atelier Ines, conveniently just over the road
from Concettina ai Tre Santi, and maximalist Casa d’Anna – which add yet more reason to
include Naples on your summer itinerary. My Brilliant Friend
(available on Amazon Prime and HBO), the TV adaptation of Elena
Ferrante’s best-selling Neapolitan series, which paints a bleak yet
intoxicating image of the city during the 50s and 60s, makes good
background watching.

In January, these two neighbouring cities in Lombardy took over the joint mantle of Italy’s
cities of culture. What this means for anyone planning a trip there
this year is a jam-packed calendar of light shows, theatre
performances, art exhibitions and more. Summer highlights include
the annual 1000 Miglia vintage car race, from 13 to 17 June, and
Bergamo’s Donizetti Night, on 3 June. Brescia’s Teatro Grande will
open its new season with a high-budget performance of Madama
Butterfly on 20 July.

Swerve Venice’s tourist hotspots this summer and head to the
island of Giudecca instead. The old industrial quarter of the
floating city (and where most Venetians still live), Giudecca’s
warehouses and boatyards have been transformed into cool new
hotels, restaurants and art spaces, which together make up the
Giudecca Art District. Trendy factories-turned-art galleries
include Galleria Michela Rizzo and Spazio Punch.
Stay at the budget-but-boujie Generator Venice, or push the boat out
(literally; you have to take a private launch to get there) with
Belmond Hotel Cipriani. If you do stray over
the Grand Canal, it’s worth braving the crowds to visit the Edmondo
Bacci exhibition at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, which runs
until 18 September.

Give the Amalfi Coast stomping grounds of Positano, Sorrento and
Ravello a miss – at least during the peak
summer season – and venture one coastline further south towards the
Bay of Cilento. You’ll know when you’ve arrived: fake plastic lemon
bowers are replaced by great swathes of real citrus groves and
gridlocked roads make way for sleepy hamlets and uncrowded beaches.
It’s a deeply mythological land – the setting for parts of Virgil’s
Aeneid – and the towns of Paestum, Agropoli and Velia still have
Greek and Roman ruins to explore. Most of the bay has been a
national park since the 1990s, which has protected it from
sprawling towns and unregulated tourism.

It may be Italy, but Sardinia’s rugged coastline, distinctive
cuisine, regional dialect and ancient customs feel a world away
from the mainland. It’s been more than 50 years since the Aga Khan
colonised the Costa Smerelda as an ultra-luxury yachting
destination, and the manicured coastline is changing its tune a
little, with the onus today being less on golf courses and shopping
centres and more on secluded wellness retreats and rustic
farm-to-fork guesthouses (we’re looking at you, Domu Antiga). Away from the Emerald Coast,
Sardinia’s more remote areas are ripe for long coastal walk, days
on the beach and mountain hikes. Venture to the less-crowded west
coast, where the cobbled city of Alghero is filled with Catalan
gothic buildings, while, slightly further north, the Costa
Paradiso, as the name suggests, is magical. Further north still,
visit the lunar landscape and nomadic hippie community of Cala
Grande (aka Moon Valley), and the shallow turquoise waters of
Spiaggia Rena Bianca.

Umbria – the only landlocked Italian region not to border
another country – is the slow, calming, pastoral antidote to
Tuscany’s glut of opulent Renaissance churches and frescoes. That
said, the regional capital of Perugia is not lacking in cultural
clout. A new Gustav Klimt exhibition in the city’s Emotion Hall
over the summer is this year’s hot-ticket event, alongside the
post-refurb reopening of Galleria
Nazionale dell’Umbria, to coincide with the fifth centenary of
early Renaissance master Pietro Perugino’s death. Reschio Castle, a
magnificent hotel and riding school, has brought a touch of luxury
to an otherwise understated area.

Wanting to swerve the overcrowded waterways of Venice? Head to
Emilia Romagna’s canal city, which locals call “Piccola Venezia”
(Little Venice). Colourful, gritty and steeped in its own maritime
heritage, Chioggia is only 25km south of Venice, and dates back to
Byzantine times. Other offbeat reasons to visit Emilia Romagna
include the epic 390km journey along the Road of Dante by vintage train and a Banksy exhibition in Bologna (until 6 August). Food
lovers who’ve not yet explored the region should make a beeline for
Parma, which was recently named a Creative city for Gastronomy by
Unesco.

Days drift into weeks on the ultra-remote Aeolians, an
archipelago of seven volcanic islands named after the mythical god
of the winds. Unless you happen to possess a private helicopter or
yacht, getting here requires a slow ferry ride from Palermo, or a
slightly faster one from Milazzo. The upside? No day-trippers, and
so few visitors that you’ll still find magnificent pebbly beaches
to yourself in the middle of August. Panarea is the most glamorous
of the isles, while the little-developed Filicudi and Alicudi only
got electricity within living memory. Two of the hottest hotels,
Capofaro and
Hotel Signum, are both found on Salina.