{"id":20392,"date":"2017-08-17T09:00:58","date_gmt":"2017-08-17T09:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/?p=20392"},"modified":"2019-05-15T18:55:54","modified_gmt":"2019-05-15T18:55:54","slug":"6-cities-northern-italy-visit-everyone-else","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/6-cities-northern-italy-visit-everyone-else\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Cities in Northern Italy to Visit Before Everyone Else Does"},"content":{"rendered":"

For travelers who are willing to dig a little deeper, Italy has countless gorgeous small towns waiting to be explored. We\u2019ve partnered with NYC-based travel blogger Sher from Sher She Goes<\/a> to discover some off-the-beaten-path cities in northern Italy for your next trip!<\/em><\/p>\n

Rome. Venice. Florence. These are the blockbuster Italian cities<\/a> you’ve heard of… and for good reason! They’re busy, bustling and beautiful. But as with many places, the true character and charm of a culture<\/a> can be found in its small towns. After countless trips to Italy, I’ve fallen in love with some of Northern Italy’s hidden gems: little known towns and postcard perfect fishing villages far off the beaten tourist track.<\/p>\n

Here are 6 cities in Northern Italy to consider for your next Italian vacation, whether you like food, history<\/a>, sunshine or antiques. As a bonus – many of these small Italian towns are just a short train ride from the major cities!<\/p>\n

Ravenna<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Northern

Photo by: Sher of @SherSheGoes<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

History and art lovers will adore Ravenna<\/a>. This small town in Northern Italy\u2019s Emilia-Romagna province was once the capital of the Byzantine Empire and is most known for its intricate mosaics, which date back to the 6th century. Ravenna is a quick 90 minute detour on the Venice \u2013 Florence train route and can easily be explored in a day trip. Its quaint town center is best experienced on bike as Ravenna’s various churches and mosaic attractions are slightly spread out throughout the town. For visitors overwhelmed by large summer crowds, Ravenna is a refreshingly quiet and un-touristy destination!<\/p>\n

Parma<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Northern

Photo by: Sher of @SherSheGoes<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Parma is the birthplace of parmesan cheese and parma ham, two of Italy\u2019s most famous culinary exports. Food lovers should head to the city\u2019s countryside for an in-depth tour of local meat and cheese factories and head to the city center for traditional restaurants serving simple, delightful Northern Italian cuisine. Once the home of Renaissance painter Correggio and 20th century conductor Arturo Toscanini, Parma<\/a> today boasts fantastic theatres, museums and opera concerts. Don\u2019t miss out on exploring this quaint riverside city!<\/p>\n

Bologna<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Northern

Photo by: Sher of @SherSheGoes<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Bologna<\/a> makes another excellent pit stop for foodies and is architecturally distinctive for its portici<\/em>, or archways, which extend over 24 miles around the city. This university town remains delightfully low profile to international visitors, but among Italians, Bologna is nicknamed La Grassa <\/em>(meaning The Fat) for its delicious cuisine! When visiting Bologna, prepare to feast on everything from tagliatelle al rag\u00f9<\/em> (pasta bolognese) to tortellini en brodo<\/em> (stuffed pasta in broth) and mortadella<\/em> (baloney). Make sure to save room for dessert too. Bologna’s La Sorbetteria Castiglione has won numerous awards throughout Italy for its gelato and serves up an incredibly decadent dark chocolate scoop! Bologna makes a pleasant day trip from several major Italian cities and lies within easy train access of Milan, Rome, Venice and Florence.<\/p>\n

Lake Maggiore<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Northern

Photo by: Sher of @SherSheGoes<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Lake Maggiore<\/a> is an idyllic lakeside retreat where wealthy Northern Italians once spent their summer vacations. Its picturesque towns still retain a majestic, vintage air and visitors can easily spend a couple nights in the area soaking in all the charm. Three tiny Borromean Islands in the center of the lake are the main draw, boasting enchanting English-style gardens and a sumptuous palace filled with antiques and priceless porcelain. Lake Maggiore is the second largest lake in Italy and its unique climate and position near the Swiss Alps makes it a must for outdoor lovers!<\/p>\n

Bergamo<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Northern

Photo by: Sher of @SherSheGoes<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

This delightful Medieval Italian town is distinctive for its two cities \u2013 it features an ancient hilltop Upper Town and a modern Lower Town connected by funicular. Bergamo<\/a> is a romantic city for lovers, who will enjoy getting lost among its narrow cobblestone streets and people watching on Piazza Vecchia during happy hour. While you\u2019re in town, don\u2019t forget to try casoncelli<\/em>, a local pasta unique to Bergamo which is filled with ground meat and cooked in a butter sage sauce.<\/p>\n

Santa Margherita<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Northern

Photo by: Sher of @SherSheGoes<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Santa Margherita<\/a> is a charming seaside resort on the Italian Riviera. Long overshadowed by more popular neighbors Portofino and Cinque Terre, Santa Margherita remains a delightfully unpretentious resort town. Another benefit of its relatively anonymity? Affordable hotel options<\/a>, especially compared to its glitzy neighbors! Spend your days here relaxing on the beach, exploring the waterfront and dining al fresco. It\u2019s a great idea to make Santa Margherita your base and day trip to other Italian riverfront towns \u2013 Portofino, Cinque Terre, Santa Fruttuoso monastery, Camogli, Rapallo and Genoa are all nearby.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve heard of Rome, Venice and Florence but Italy has many gorgeous small towns waiting to be explored. Here are 6 off-the-beaten-path Italian cities for your next getaway.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"featured_media":20427,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[849,850,223,852,848,851,853],"class_list":["post-20392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-and-culture","tag-bergamo","tag-bologna","tag-italy","tag-lake-maggiore","tag-parma","tag-ravenna","tag-santa-margherita"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n6 Cities in Northern Italy to Visit Before Everyone Else Does | Travelocity.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You\u2019ve heard of Rome, Venice & Florence but Italy has many gorgeous small towns waiting to be explored. 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