The 7 Best Hotels in Italy for Getting Off the Beaten Path

Italy may be one of Europe’s most visited destinations, but after two decades living in the bel paese, I’ve discovered plenty of handsome, culture- and history-rich corners that remain blissfully out of the tourism spotlight. My experiences of these lesser-known locales have been shaped by epic hotel stays—from Tuscan beach retreats and converted country monasteries to character-filled palazzi For Afar’s latest installment of Hotels We Love, I’ve selected seven of the best hotels across Italy for those travelers seeking a quieter side of the country.

Baglio Occhipinti

Photo by Antonio Principato/Baglio Occhipinti

• Location: Ragusa, Sicily
• Why we love it: An elegant countryside retreat with great food
• From $182
• Book now

In Italy, the name Occhipinti is synonymous with superb wines and warm hospitality in the Ragusa countryside. Arianna Occhipinti, of the famous wine family, carved out a new path for the company with biodynamic wines, while her architect sister Fausta Occhipinti created Baglio Occhipinti, a 17th-century farmhouse turned retreat on a 25-acre wine estate. Here amid the olive groves and vines, guest rooms in stone buildings are styled with period furniture and contemporary design pieces. The farmhouse embraces a slower pace of life, with leisurely breakfasts featuring a cornucopia of estate-grown fruit and local baked goods, poolside aperitivi, and six-course dinners—all showcasing homegrown seasonal ingredients.

Borgo Tre

Photo by Georg Roske/Borgo Tre

• Location: Torri del Benaco, Veneto
• Why we love it: A hillside retreat away from the crowds of Lake Garda
• From $803
• Book now

Set on a quiet hillside about a mile from most of the hotels along Lago di Garda, Borgo Tre is an 18th-century farmhouse remastered as a serene design retreat. With just four suites with fireplaces (two more debut in 2025), the hotel is surrounded by olive and lemon groves, with panoramic views of the lake and hills. Borgo Tre is filled with the work of local artisans and craftspeople, from the smooth stone floors to the linen bedding. Hike into the countryside, sail to the nearby Isola del Garda, or just hang out in the hotel’s Finnish sauna or heated pool.

Casa Newton

Courtesy of Casa Newton

• Location: Pienza, Tuscany
• Why we love it: A tranquil forest setting with iconic views of Tuscany
• From $503
• Book now

In the UNESCO-protected Val d’Orcia, Casa Newton is set on a vineyard on the edge of a forest. The mid-19th-century estate was transformed by Swiss architect Antonie Bertherat-Kioes, who channels 1970s Milan in the nine rooms and two suites. In the public spaces, iconic design pieces, including Pierre Jeanneret chairs, sit next to paintings by Lucio Fontana and Ed Ruscha, while the rooms feature custom-designed mid-century furniture, richly hued tiles, and walls covered in Venetian fabric. A garden area and pool face views of the Val d’Orcia’s rolling hills. The onsite restaurant, Il Cervo, serves Tuscan classics, while the Fabbrica winery makes organic wines and grappa.

Hotel Interno Marche

Courtesy of Hotel Interno Marche

• Location: Tolentino, Le Marche
• Why we love it: An immersive encounter with Italian design
• From $173
• Book now

In the untrammeled region of Le Marche, Interno Marche is an homage to Italian design. Franco Moschini, former president of Italian furniture company Poltrona Frau, transformed the Art Nouveau-style Villa Gabrielli into a hotel with 30 guest rooms. He hired Cristiana Antonini and Claudio Tombolini of Tolentino-based Ora Studio, who filled interiors with custom pieces by the greatest minds in 20th- and 21st-century Italian design. Expect works from Michele De Lucchi, Marc Newson, Studio Nendo, and legends like Gae Aulenti and Vico Magistretti. Highlights include a Poltrona Frau Vanity Fair armchair, and Gio Ponti’s gravity-defying Superleggera chair—so light it famously bounced when tossed from a fourth-floor window.

La Roqqa

Photo by Alessandro Moggi/La Roqqa

• Location: Porto Ercole, Tuscany
• Why we love it: A design-forward hideaway near a charming marina
• Loyalty program: SLH Club (Small Luxury Hotels of the World)
• From $503
• Book now

For centuries, Porto Ercole has been a discreet getaway for the yachting crowd. The tiny marina is the gateway to a Baroque town where Caravaggio supposedly took his last steps. And now, the new La Roqqa is upping the ante on stylish hotel stays in this picturesque spot. Swedish hospitality group Erqole took over a 1950s-era hotel, and with the help of Milan’s Palomba Serafini Associati reimagined the interiors with a blend of Tuscan charm and retro 1960s Dolce Vita design. In the lounges, restaurants, and 55 guest rooms you’ll find pieces by Gio Ponti, Vietri Scotto, Gaetano Pesce, and Flos, among other big names in Italian design.

Guests have panoramic views of Porto Ercole from the mezzanine terrace and rooftop. Better yet, walk a few steps out of the hotel and you’re in the historic town and marina. La Roqqa can whisk sun- and sand-loving guests to the private seaside retreat Isolotto Beach Club, a quick drive or a 10-minute walk from the hotel.

Palazzo Margherita

Courtesy of Palazzo Margherita

Bernalda is the Italy you’ve always imagined—a one-road hilltop town where everyone goes to the same three cafes every morning, and returns again every night. It’s a living time capsule of the 1960s, which is what enchanted film director Francis Ford Coppola when he first visited his ancestral homeland. In 2004, he bought Palazzo Margherita, and with designer Jacques Grange, he resurrected the 19th-century villa, where he hosted his daughter Sofia’s wedding in 2011.

By 2012, Coppola and Grange had transformed the villa into a nine-room boutique hotel, blending Italian country charm with a dash of silver screen glamour. The sumptuous suites, all individually designed, feature hand-painted frescoes, Murano chandeliers, and tile and marble floors. The hotel’s lounge stocks a library of art house movies curated by Coppola, including 300 Italian titles, and there’s a program of evening screenings. Once a week, the courtyard hosts a communal dinner party for guests that feels like the last days of Babylon, while the ground floor Cinecittà Bar features black-and-white photos of film stars and looks out onto Bernalda’s main piazza. See Afar’s full list of top hotels in Italy.

Vocabolo Moscatelli

Courtesy of the Aficionados

• Location: Umbertide, Umbria
• Why we love it: A garden oasis in a former monastery
• From $427
• Book now

Set on the border of Tuscany and Umbria, Vocabolo Moscatelli is a secluded green paradise set on 2.5 acres. The former 17th-century monastery maintains an austere yet stylish vibe in its 12 rooms and suites: ancient stone walls are the backdrop for pieces by local artisans (like iron bed frames by Emanuele Lispi), while bathrooms are lined with Cotto Etrusco tiles. The terrace suites feature chic Paola Lenti outdoor furniture and have teardrop-shaped bathtubs for two. For the sybarites, the garden-facing spa suite on the ground floor has a hammam and outdoor Jacuzzi. After its setting, Vocabolo Moscatelli’s next best feature is the travertine-lined pool. At the onsite restaurant, chef Lorenzo Catoni offers a daily changing menu that features regional veggies and heirloom fruit from local farmers, some grown in the hotel’s garden.