Get your free Ultimate Guide to Citizenship & Residency Programs in 2026 here: https://guide.alepalombo.com/ — If you ask anyone about moving to Italy, you’ll hear the same cities: Rome, Florence, Milan. But Italy has nearly 8,000 municipalities, and most people only ever see a handful of them. The reality is that some of the best places to live in Italy are completely overlooked — even by Italians. In this video, I break down eight hidden cities that offer an incredible quality of life without the crowds, the pricing, or the tourist infrastructure. For each one, I cover property prices, who it actually works for, and the honest trade-offs you need to consider before making a move. 00:00 – Intro 01:00 – Why Italy’s hidden cities exist 01:34 – Trieste: the Central European hybrid 03:10 – Who Trieste is for (and the wind problem) 03:15 – Lucca: the walled Tuscan city 04:07 – Who Lucca is for 04:13 – Lecce: the Florence of the South 05:17 – Who Lecce is for (and tax angle) 06:28 – Mantova: the Renaissance city nobody knows 07:16 – Who Mantova is for 07:55 – Ascoli Piceno: authentic Italy 08:41 – Who Ascoli is for 08:55 – Orvieto: the city on the cliff 09:38 – Who Orvieto is for 09:51 – Bergamo: hidden in plain sight 11:06 – Who Bergamo is for 11:22 – Turin: Italy’s most underrated big city 14:19 – Who Turin is for (and who it’s not) 15:07 – Summary: which city fits which profile 16:14 – The honest reality about all of them 16:45 – Rules before relocating to Italy 17:14 – Final thoughts For more content like this subscribe to my Substack here: https://palombo.substack.com/ Follow me on social media: → X: https://x.com/thealepalombo → LinkedIn: / alessandropalombo #Italy #HiddenGems #ExpatLife #DigitalNomad #GlobalLiving #Residency #PlanB #SovereignIndividual
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I moved from the US to Torino 7 years ago and absolutely love it! As an Italian learner, I find the people incredibly friendly and patient.
Ma che c'entra piazza del popolo di Roma con quella di Ascoli?😅
Perugia is an hidden gem too
My sister moved to Bergamo in 2012 to be with her husband who is from the city, & it is an incredibly beautiful place…. a really special city … but I wouldn’t call it “overlooked” anymore. Ever since the 2016 expo, it has become more and more popular…. and while it does deserve the love, Città Alta has become incredibly crowded during the day, especially during the weekends…. I do agree that it is a fantastic place to live, though Another great city is Brescia, not far from Bergamo & Verona
Please make a list of the best mountain towns — in the Alps and the Dolomites — as well as the best seaside towns, both with a focus on retirees, peaceful living, and avoiding hordes of tourists.
Piazza del Popolo in Ascoli Piceno is not the one being shown in the video. It's totally different! 😂
Trieste 🤩
This has to be the best summary of Italian options that I’ve seen on YouTube. Extremely well researched and complete. Thank you so much!
As a guy from Turin I was betting to see it up there 😂
I would suggest Salerno too. IMHO it has the best sea promenade in Europe. Amalfi Coast and Cilento Coast are two gems (un-hidden the first, hidden the second). High Speed trains bring you quickly everywhere in the north. Napoli is 1 hour if you need a big city. Rome is 2 hours away
what about Sicilian and Sardinan cities? There are cities and mid sized towns in both regions where quality if life is very high.
Italy is the most beautiful country in the world, with the best lifestyle. Too bed the economic situation has been not so great, as a foreigner it is difficult to find a job, and many young Italians have left the country as well. But the life there, oh my God- beauty wherever you look. I adore the small hidden “coline” and the tavernas where can you eat the best food there is. The language, the art, the architecture, the nature, the people enjoying lives- everything is great in Italy. I am sorry I had to leave after finishing my studies.
Great list! However, I’m surprised Ferrara didn’t make the cut alongside Lucca. 🏰🚲 While Lucca is beautiful, Ferrara is a true Renaissance powerhouse that deserves a spot on any "hidden gem" list. Here is why it's a must-see: UNESCO World Heritage: Ferrara has been officially recognized by UNESCO since 1995 for being the first "modern" city in Europe. The Walls: It features 9 kilometers of spectacular ancient fortifications. It’s a massive "green ring" where you can walk or cycle through history and nature. Bicycle Capital: It’s arguably the most bike-friendly city in Italy, giving it a unique, quiet, and authentic atmosphere. Royal Food: The culinary tradition here is legendary—you can’t leave without trying the Cappellacci di zucca or their famous Coppia bread. If you like Lucca for its walls, you will absolutely fall in love with Ferrara's monumental beauty and vast green spaces. It definitely belongs in the "top 8" conversation! 🇮🇹✨
I live in Turin in one of the neighborhoods mentioned. I tend to think that if it were in any other country than Italy, it would get a lot of tourists. In many ways, it is a great place to live. The big problem we have with it is that the people here are often indecisive and not open about what they really think - in other words, they are stereotypically Turinese.
O M G NO WAY U MENTIONED MANTOVA NONODY EVER TALK ABOUT MY CITY TYYYYY🇮🇹❤️🔥
I love Trieste and Bergamo, everything is just right. I would add Salerno, a wonderful city with a new airport. Naples 1 hour away, the Greek ruins of Paestum and the incredible palace of Caserta are easy access by train. If you go in December for the Festa de la Luce you will be amazed & enchanted. All three of these cities are fairly priced, all have great food. Thanks for your video.
My sister lived in Lucca 25 years ago. Great small city
We, the Bourbons of the Kingdom of Naples, like our areas...Naples, Capri, Ischia, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, etc. 😉👌
Nice selection of cities. I've visited a few of these: Trieste, Bergamo, Lucca, AP. We've also enjoyed our time in L'Aquila and Bassano del Grappa. Good tip about visiting in the winter!
Modena. It has completely changed over the last forty years and is now a lovely place to live.