Europe? She’s pretty, and plenty of the prettiest places of all can be found in Italy. No wonder then that recently, 13 more villages were added to the list of the country’s ‘most beautiful’ list, including a Roman-era settlement and a ravine-side walled town.
The non-profit, which first began assessing these spots back in 2002, was founded by a group of mayors and is named I Borghi più belli d’Italia (‘Italy’s most beautiful villages’).
But now, they’re expanding their horizons – to the roads. ‘Le Strade più belle d’Italia’ translates to ‘the most beautiful roads in Italy’, and is a brand-new certification that’ll be granted to 100 routes that pass through particularly glorious landscapes and have historic and culinary attractions en route.
Each road sits within a protected zone where cultural and natural heritage are preserved, and signage will mark out where these certified roads start and end.
Recommended: These are the most scenic road trips in Europe.
Information boards will direct travellers to all the highlights which are dotted around the roads, like olive mills, vineyards and cheese farms, and it’s all set to be funded by a mixture of public and private bodies – car manufacturers, agricultural businesses and tourism organisations can sponsor particular roads, for example.
So, what’s the motivation behind all this? Well, according to Dolcevia, agriculture forms not only the foundation of the country’s beloved cuisine, but also of its landscape. Farmers are key to looking after Italy’s countryside with their work not only preserving heritage but also the ecosystems at play.
The rise of rural tourism is an enticing opportunity as it presents a chance for income in historic, lesser-known areas. This attitude was also behind the launch of Italy’s brilliant vintage tourist trains which we reported on back in 2023 – read more about those here, and have a look at our roundup of Italy’s prettiest towns and villages here.
When in Italy
At Time Out, Amiamo l’Italia! That’s why we’ve compiled local guides on everything from the best islands to visit to the best beaches, the best hotels, things to do and places to go. Read all about it on our Time Out Italy hub.
Did you see that one of the biggest Caravaggio shows in history is on in Rome until July?
Plus: These are Europe’s greatest places, according to TIME.
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