That Italy has some of the finest cities in Europe, you already know. That it has blockbuster smaller towns, which aren't full of fellow tourists, you might not. The 12 towns here enjoy everything that Italy is good at — incredible art, top-notch food, and beautiful countryside views — but on a smaller scale, with populations under 10,000. As visitors flock back to the major cities, here's how you can find a more intimate kind of dolce vita.
Anghiari, Tuscany
This hilltop Tuscan town on the border of Umbria is overshadowed by the region's showstopper destinations — in fact, it's best known for the 1440 battle between Florence and Milan that took place on the plain beneath the town. Despite being lesser-known, however, Anghiari is up there with Italy's loveliest destinations: a walled town high on a bluff, with pedestrianized alleyways roller coastering up and down the hillside, and crammed with grand palazzi and art-filled churches.
