Italy's Best Kept Secrets for Art Lovers | Art Towns You Have to See

Every year millions of people flock to Florence and Rome to gaze in wonder at their artistic treasures. But as anyone who’s ever made the trip will tell you, this means crowds, queues, and higher prices for accommodation. What if you’re looking for an experience that’s a little more tranquil? Places full of artistic highlights, but not crowds.

Here we’ve put together a list of 10 towns and cities in Italy that fit the bill. A selection of Italy’s lesser known art destinations, where tranquillity reigns supreme and authenticity thrives. Say goodbye to tourist hotspots and hello to quaint streets, local flavours, and unforgettable masterpieces of art.

Discover Italy’s best kept secrets for art lovers!

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The Lesser Known Art Towns in Italy You Have to Yisit

1. PADUA – Famous Giotto’s frescoes

Padua is an old university town, located less than an hour from Venice. Rich in art and architecture, it has two outstanding sights: the stunning Scrovegni Chapel, covered in frescoes by Giotto, and the Byzantine-inspired Basilica di Sant’Antonio, one of the top pilgrimage destinations in Italy, where the remains of Franciscan preacher St. Anthony of Padua are guarded.

To learn about the multilayered history of the town, visit the Civic Museum Eremitani that boasts various archaeological artefacts and an impressive art gallery, with 15th to 18th century paintings, mainly from the Venetian school.

The main historic squares – Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori – are vibrant with life, top spots for aperitivi and socialising. A unique sight: Prato della Valle, an enormous piazza with an island at its centre, surrounded by a canal bordered by statues.

top small towns in italy for art lovers — Padua – Photo credit: Depositphotos.com

2. VICENZA – The city of Palladio

Not far from Padua, you find Vicenza, a wealthy town celebrated for its gorgeous and varied architecture. It’s here that revered architect Andrea Palladio studied and worked, experimenting creatively to give birth to his own style. He’s considered to be one of the most influential architects of the 16th century. His main achievements are still visible in the villas around Veneto, mainly near the town of Vicenza.

Artistic highlights by Palladio in Vicenza include the Teatro Olimpico (the world’s oldest surviving indoor theatre), the Palazzo Chiericati (that hosts the Civic Museum), and the Basilica Palladiana, an impressive grand palace that today hosts art expositions.

Just outisde Vicenza, don’t miss the famous Villa La Rotonda, with its perfect symmetrical proportion is the epitome of Palladio’s architectural style.

3. MANTUA – Renaissance Splendour

Mantua has a truly impressive cultural history. It’s the birthplace of the Roman poet Virgil, was chosen by Shakespeare as one of the settings for ‘Romeo and Juliet’, and by Verdi for his Opera ‘Rigoletto’. The Gonzaga family ruled over the town for three centuries, and filled it with elegant palaces. One for all, the Palazzo Ducale, a vast palace where artworks abound, including a portrait by Rubens, and stunning frescoes, like those by Mantegna that cover the walls of the famous Camera degli Sposi (marital bedroom) with fantastical landscapes and animals.

Its beautiful churches, like the Cathedral and Basilica di Sant’Andrea, designed by Early renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti, complete the wonderlust for art lovers. Definitely one of Italy’s best kept secrets that any art lover has to visit.

* Near Mantua. visit the small town of Sabbioneta, one of the ‘Ideal Cities’ of the Renaissance, a Unesco Heritage site.

4. UDINE – The City of Tiepolo

We are still in northern Italy, in the small Friuli Venezia Giulia region, set between the Adriatic coast and the Alps. Still outside the main tourist trail, Udine boasts a surprisingly varied architecture, from Venetian Gothic style to Renaissance and Neoclassical. The historic centre, with scenic squares like Piazza Libertà and Piazza Matteotti, is a rewarding surprise for the visitors with its beautiful palaces, loggias and statues.

On the hills you have the 16th century castle, that offers great views over the mountains and hosts the Civic Museum and art gallery with works by Caravaggio and Giambattista Tiepolo. Works by 18th artist Tiepolo can be found throughout the city, notably in the Cathedral and the Palazzo Patriarcale.

Art lovers might want to visit also the Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, with a great collection of 20th century Italian painters, plus Picasso and Chagall.

5. SIENA – Delve into the Middle Ages

For a full immersion in Medieval art and architecture, not many places can rival the town of Siena. Located in Tuscany, central Italy, Siena still maintains a distinguished Medieval air, with the stunning Piazza del Campo at its heart, turreted buildings and a Gothic cathedral that is one of Italy’s finest, with masterpieces like the inlaid marble floor and Piccolomini library.

To get to know the Sienese school of paintings, one can visit the intriguing frescoes inside the Palazzo Pubblico and the Pinacoteca with a beautiful collection of Medieval paintings, with masterpieces by Simone Martini and Lorenzetti. With a variety of Walking Tours you can explore Siena and its masterpieces.

– 10 Beautiful Towns to Visit near Siena

6. LUCCA – ‘City of 100 Churches’

A couple of hours drive from Siena, Lucca is a very welcoming town (despite still being completely surrounded by its imposing Renaissance walls!), and it’s known as the ‘city of 100 churches’. Even if you visit just a few, you should definitely explore the 11th century Cathedral of San Martino, an extraordinary example of the local Romanesque style.

Notable churches include San Frediano with its 13th century mosaic and atmospheric interior, and San Michele in Foro with an intricate facade that’s hard not to be impressed by. Lucca is also the birthplace of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, and his house can be visited.

– Top Things to do in Lucca

– Join a Walking Tour to Discover the Best of Lucca

7. ORVIETO – Fabulous Frescoes and Well

Orvieto is a Medieval hill town in Umbria (central Italy), still beyond the main tourist trail, renowned for its Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral. The splendid facade, the frescoed chapels, the windows by Orcagna, and the nearby Museo Opera del Duomo filled with medieval art, will more than satisfy your art tastebuds. Luca Signorelli’s great fresco cycle “The Last Judgement” is a intriguing affair of demons, sinners and fantastic beasts.

In Orvieto you find an unusual sight, to add a bit of adventure to your visit: the Pozzo di San Patrizio, or St. Patrick’s Well. It’s a wondrous structure, with two staircases that never meet, so as you descend (over 200 steps) into the dark abyss you don’t meet the people that are coming up. It dates back to 1527, built during the sack of Rome as a water supply for the town in case of siege.

8. RAVENNA – Byzantine Splendour

Ravenna, one of Italy’s Unesco Heritage sites, is known for its splendid Byzantine mosaics. Located in central Italy, a few kms. from the Adriatic coast, this tranquil town boasts unique masterpieces that are a reminder of its glorious past. Ravenna was in fact capital of the Roman Empire during the 5th century and then of Byzantine Italy until the 8th century AD.

Among the highlights are the religious buildings such as the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, the Archiepiscopal Chapel, the Mausoleum of Theodoric, the Church of San Vitale, decorated with splendid mosaics that were the most significant art forms produced in the Byzantine Empire. They show great artistic skill, including a wonderful blend of Graeco-Roman tradition, Christian iconography and oriental style.

With this Guided Walking Tour of the Mosaic in Ravenna, led by an art expert, you’ll make sure you don’t miss any of the fantastic mosaics with. Admire UNESCO World Heritage monuments and enjoy a rich commentary on art and architecture.

9. LECCE -‘The Florence of the South’

Known as the ‘Florence of the South’, beautiful Lecce welcomes the travellers with its relaxing atmosphere and stunning buildings made with the warm tinted local stone, the so-called ‘Lecce stone’. It’s the main town in the Salento area, right at the southernmost heel of the Italian peninsula.

Much of its architecture is in the highly decorative Baroque style, which flourished in the 17th century. Its churches, with their carved intricate details, the Cathedral and Bishop Palace that enclose the beautiful Piazza Duomo will conquer the heart of every art lover. Lecce also has the remains of a Roman theatre. All of these attractions make Lecce one of Italy’s best kept secrets for art lovers.

– Nearby, don’t miss to visit Galatina, ‘city of art’ that retains its Greek flavour.

Visit 4 Picturesqe Towns in Salento, Apulia: join this popular Guided Tour from Lecce to visit Galatina, Otranto, Santa Maria di Leuca and Gallipoli. A scenic route from the Adriatic to the Ionian Sea, between rocky coasts, small bays and white Caribbean-style beaches.

towns in italy for art lovers — Lecce – Photo credit: Depositphotos.com

10. NOTO – Sicilian Baroque

Noto was built from scratch in the early 18th century, after an earthquake destroyed it. The town was completely redesigned in Baroque style, using the local honey-coloured tufa limestone, so the effect is that of being transported back in time. It’s a Unesco site, and offers a range of buildings that fill the eyes with wonder.

The twin-towered Cathedral dominates the town from the top of its famous staircase. Notable buildings include the magnificent Palazzo Trigona, the San Salvatore seminary, the elaborate Palazzo Ducezio, Santa Chiara Church. A perfect place to explore the sensuous richness and exuberant of Baroque.

Other capitals of Baroque to visit nearby: Modica, Ragusa.

If you’ve enjoyed our list of Italy’s best kept secrets for art lovers, you might want to have a look at our favourite Top 12 Unesco Sites in Italy

Italy’s Best Kept Secrets for Art Lovers