Italians traditionally holiday on the coast, but when summer crowds swell, they escape to inland towns such as Rota d’Imagna, Castel del Piano, Alberobello and Orvieto. These are the four hidden gems where Magari bases its journeys – offering immersive regional experiences far from the rush.
The coast. Always the coast.
Summer in Italy means sand between your toes and sun on your shoulders. Sardinia’s turquoise coves, the Amalfi cliffs tumbling into the sea, the Adriatic shores of Puglia stretching on forever and filling up from Rimini to Vieste – these are the destinations that call Italians back year after year.
Ferragosto, Italy’s mid‑August bank holiday, began as an ancient Roman celebration of rest. But today, it’s a time for summer breaks: Milanese head for Lake Garda and Lake Como for a weekend of water and sun, while Tuscany and Sicily lure in visitors with their wine, olive groves and food that’s as unforgettable as the scenery.
And it’s easy to see why. These places are genuinely beautiful – the beaches feel untouched, the food stops you in your tracks, and the history speaks for itself.
But when the beaches are full, and Ferragosto is in full swing, many Italians want to escape their escape – so where do they go? That’s exactly where Magari’s four hidden gems come in.
These are the quieter corners Italians retreat to when they want space – towns that visitors on a Magari tour get to linger in, taste, and truly experience.
For Tony Flanagan, Magari’s Director of Sales and long-time lover of Italy’s quieter corners, that slower rhythm is exactly the point:
“In a fast-paced world, what can be better than taking the time to immerse yourself in a beautiful region of Italy to enjoy enchanting, one-of-a-kind experiences. We want individuals to slow down to a local pace of life to discover hidden gems of tucked away medieval villages, and a local way of life. That’s what our goal is with every one of our clients on a Magari tour.”
While much of Lombardy’s summer attention falls on Lake Como and Garda (and rightly so!), the Valle Imagna remains wonderfully overlooked. It sits in the Bergamasque Pre-Alps, between Bergamo and Como, green and serene.
This is where Magari bases our Essence of Lombardy tour.
As Tony explains, those moments often come from the places travellers might never think to look for on their own:
“In the spring and autumn months when the weather is favourable for exploring, our expert local guides take our small groups to places they may not have found by themselves to meet locals, be immersed in local traditions of wine, olive and bread making and explore unknown areas.”
The Miramonti Resort Hotel & Spa is a privately run four-star hotel set right in the hillside village of Rota d’Imagna. The family owners are serious about hospitality – creating a relaxed, welcoming stay that blends genuine warmth with a connection to the local community. Most rooms have private balconies with views across the valley, and the spa has an indoor pool that extends out onto a terrace.
And let’s not forget the restaurant, which turns local produce into meals that show the region at its best – every bite a connection to the land you’ve just stepped into.
On Day 1, after arriving in Milan, we head straight to Cascina Caretto, a 17th-century family-run vineyard. Three generations of the Lamberti family host you across 25 hectares of vines, with Franciacorta DOCG and Curtefranca whites poured alongside.
From there, your week flows past: a private boat cruise on Lake Iseo, a guided stroll through Bergamo’s Città Alta, and a wine tasting at Castello di Grumello. If you’re wondering what to do in Bergamo, simply exploring the city is an incredible experience – cobblestoned, walled, and named Italy’s cultural capital in 2023. Magari includes a superb lunch in a historic eatery that specialises in serving ancient regional recipes.
There’s also a visit to the Cornabusa Sanctuary – a candlelit cave church on the slopes of Monte Albenza that Pope John XXIII visited regularly, and something genuinely special: a pasta-making demonstration from hotel owner Giampiero and his Mama, in the hotel’s own kitchen.
You’ll learn to make casoncelli, a sweet-and-savoury half-moon stuffed pasta, passed down through generations, accompanied, naturally, by a glass of local wine.
How the tour unfolds: Wine estate tours, olive oil and cheese tastings, guided days in Siena and Orvieto, and a coastal seafood lunch – all from one base in the southern Tuscan hills
Ask “What is in Tuscany?” and the list stretches from Florence and Siena to the vineyards of Chianti, the hills of Val d’Orcia, and towns like Montepulciano, all threaded together by Renaissance art, food, and centuries of history.
But head south to smaller towns like Castel del Piano, and Tuscany changes pace. This is where Magari bases its Secluded Tuscany tour – off the tourist trail, yet close to everything worth seeing.
At Grand Hotel Impero, a former manor house set in its own gardens on the edge of Castel del Piano, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. The salmon-pink façade leads into light, simple interiors, and the restaurant, popular with locals and beyond, focuses on seasonal produce from the surrounding area.
Rooms look out over the gardens or towards the mountains, and there’s a spa on hand when you fancy a slower afternoon.
What to do in Tuscany? With Magari, the answer is easy.
You’ll explore Montepulciano and visit the Bindella Wine Estate, where eight generations of family winemaking continue among Tuscany’s cypress-lined hills. In Seggiano, award-winning artisan Mirko guides you through an olive oil tasting with flavours you won’t forget, explaining the journey from grove to bottle.
Then a half-day in Siena brings a guided walk through Piazza del Campo, the Gothic-Romanesque Siena Cathedral, and cobbled streets that have barely changed in centuries.
The week also includes a day trip to Orvieto, a seafood lunch in Castiglione della Pescaia, a cheese tasting at a working artisan farm, and a visit to the Renaissance gem of Pienza – all explored from the same base.
You avoid staying in over-touristed Siena or Florence, but you still experience the iconic towns – with a guide who knows them properly, at a pace that suits. You’re settled somewhere quiet and genuinely beautiful, and the itinerary brings the best of Tuscany to you.
Puglia is known for its Adriatic coast, baroque towns, and endless olive groves – but Alberobello is something else. Its whitewashed, cone-roofed trulli crowd the historic districts of Rione Monti and Aia Piccola, many still used as homes or family businesses.
UNESCO-listed and utterly unique, Alberobello is where Magari bases its Puglia Unwrapped tour.
It’s these kinds of experiences that bring Italy to life for Magari travellers, Tony says:
“In Puglia, take part in an exclusive outdoor pasta making session amongst the sun-dappled fruit trees, and watch mozzarella being prepared from centuries-old recipes at a family-run masseria farm. Or enjoy the freshest seafood lunch at a ‘locals-only’ osteria in Monopoli, witness the ancient candle-lit shrine of Cornabusa Cave Sanctuary on Lombardy’s Monte Albenza, or visit the centuries-old labyrinth tunnels of Orvieto.”
With Magari, you stay somewhere truly unique. Instead of a hotel, you have your own trullo – a traditional Puglian stone house with a conical roof – lovingly restored by Charming Trulli, a family-run group who know the village inside out. No two are the same, and yours will have rustic stone floors and vaulted arches, alongside modern comforts. A hotel with charm can’t compare – this is a piece of living history, all yours for the week.
The week is one of Magari’s most immersive. It opens with a guided walk through Alberobello’s historic districts and a welcome dinner at a local trattoria within walking distance of your trullo. From there, the itinerary builds.
You’ll then take a vintage Fiat through the gorgeous Puglian landscape before arriving at a family orchard where pasta is made around a rustic farm table under the fruit trees. Lunch follows, with ingredients picked that morning from the same garden.
There’s mozzarella-making at a family dairy farm – Nonna and Mama demonstrating a process passed down through generations exclusively for Magari guests.
Next, a guided day in Matera explores the ancient cave city, followed by the baroque streets of Lecce, the whitewashed hilltop town of Ostuni, and the coastal cliffs of Polignano a Mare. Take in the sea views, and enjoy a long seafood lunch at a locals-only osteria in Monopoli – the kind with a small blue door and no menu, but absolutely phenomenal food.
The week closes with a visit to Cantina Masseria Torricella, a family-owned organic winery, and a farewell dinner at the estate itself – out among the vines.
Orvieto sits dramatically on a shelf of volcanic rock above the Paglia valley. Once a key stop between Rome and Florence, its streets still tell the story. Earthy wines, truffles, and timeless food make the region quietly extraordinary – and it appears on both Magari’s Secluded Tuscany and Heart of Umbria tours. That tells you something.
The guided Duomo visit is unmissable. The Gothic façade is a marvel, carved with 14th-century biblical reliefs that reward looking at slowly. Inside the Cappella di San Brizio are frescoes by Luca Signorelli, which you won’t easily forget – they even influenced Michelangelo.
After that, lunch at a restaurant carved directly into the volcanic rock, Il Labirinto, where owners Alessandra and Maurizio serve honest Umbrian dishes like umbricelli, hand-pulled pasta, in an atmosphere that’s completely authentic. And directly from the restaurant, you descend into the ancient Etruscan catacombs beneath the building. Tunnels cut by hand into the rock face, thousands of years old, accessed through a restaurant kitchen of all places!
Where to buy Orvieto wine? In Orvieto itself, obviously – and on a Magari tour, you have time to do exactly that. Orvieto Classico is a dry white with centuries of history in every sip.
Pick up a few bottles while you still can – and check out our guide to La Vendemmia for all you need to know about bringing wine back from Italy.
Yes, beaches will always draw summer crowds, yes, Ferragosto will always fill the Italian coast, and yes, Tuscany will always rank among the most visited regions in the world – for good reason. But there’s another Italy most travellers never see.
Magari takes you there.
Rota d’Imagna. Castel del Piano. Alberobello. Orvieto.
Four towns most travellers drive past; four experiences that stay with you long after you’ve left.
For Tony, those moments are exactly what make a Magari journey unforgettable:
“When our clients return home after their Magari small group tour, these are the memories we want them to have.”
Ready to explore beyond the guidebook? Browse Magari’s Italian package tours and discover the Italy most tourists miss. Be the first to hear about upcoming tours – sign up for the Magari newsletter and get in touch to start planning your escape.
https://www.magaritours.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Modica-chocolate-slection-92098464-123RF-500x667.jpg
Bowls of handcrafted Modica chocolates line a stall - a rainbow of flavors and textures
Read More
https://www.magaritours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/438676327_122145191696119404_7149789704513336790_n-e1724855079409-500x316.jpg
Half-moon shaped ravioli of casoncelli
Read More
https://www.magaritours.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Assissi-narrow-street-Perugia-in-Umbria-95900757-123RF-500x750.jpg
A peaceful backstreet in Assisi’s old town, lined with shuttered houses and flower pots beneath the Umbrian sky.
Read More
We're here to help
