Italy could also be certainly one of Europe’s most visited destinations, but after twenty years living within the bel paese, I’ve discovered loads of handsome, culture- and history-rich corners that remain blissfully out of the tourism highlight. My experiences of those 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 chosen seven of one of the best hotels across Italy for those travelers looking for a quieter side of the country.
Baglio Occhipinti
- Location: Ragusa, Sicily
- Why we find it irresistible: A sublime countryside retreat with great food
- From $182
- Book now
In Italy, the name Occhipinti is synonymous with superb wines and warm hospitality within the Ragusa countryside. Arianna Occhipinti, of the famous wine family, carved out a recent path for the corporate with biodynamic wines, while her architect sister Fausta Occhipinti created Baglio Occhipinti, a Seventeenth-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 native baked goods, poolside aperitivi, and six-course dinners—all showcasing homegrown seasonal ingredients.
Borgo Tre
- Location: Torri del Benaco, Veneto
- Why we find it irresistible: A hillside retreat away from the crowds of Lake Garda
- From $803
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Set on a quiet hillside a few mile from a lot of the hotels along Lago di Garda, Borgo Tre is an 18th-century farmhouse remastered as a serene design retreat. With just 4 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 stuffed with the work of local artisans and craftspeople, from the graceful stone floors to the linen bedding. Hike into the countryside, sail to the nearby Isola del Garda, or simply hand around in the hotel’s Finnish sauna or heated pool.
Casa Newton
- Location: Pienza, Tuscany
- Why we find it irresistible: A tranquil forest setting with iconic views of Tuscany
- From $503
- Book now
Within the UNESCO-protected Val d’Orcia, Casa Newton is ready on a vineyard on the sting of a forest. The mid-Nineteenth-century estate was transformed by Swiss architect Antonie Bertherat-Kioes, who channels Seventies Milan within the nine rooms and two suites. In the general 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 partitions 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
- Location: Tolentino, Le Marche
- Why we find it irresistible: An immersive encounter with Italian design
- From $173
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Within 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 right 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 best minds in Twentieth- and Twenty first-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
- Location: Porto Ercole, Tuscany
- Why we find it irresistible: A design-forward hideaway near an enthralling marina
- Loyalty program: SLH Club (Small Luxury Hotels of the World)
- From $503
- Book now
For hundreds of years, 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 brand new La Roqqa is upping the ante on stylish hotel stays on this picturesque spot. Swedish hospitality group Erqole took over a Fifties-era hotel, and with the assistance of Milan’s Palomba Serafini Associati reimagined the interiors with a mix of Tuscan charm and retro Sixties Dolce Vita design. Within the lounges, restaurants, and 55 guest rooms you’ll find pieces by Gio Ponti, Vietri Scotto, Gaetano Pesce, and Flos, amongst other big names in Italian design.
Guests have panoramic views of Porto Ercole from the mezzanine terrace and rooftop. Higher yet, walk a number of steps out of the hotel and also you’re within the historic town and marina. La Roqqa can whisk sun- and sand-loving guests to the private seaside retreat Isolotto Beach Club, a fast drive or a 10-minute walk from the hotel.
Palazzo Margherita
Bernalda is the Italy you’ve all the time imagined—a one-road hilltop town where everyone goes to the identical three cafes every morning, and returns again every night. It’s a living time capsule of the Sixties, 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 Nineteenth-century villa, where he hosted his daughter Sofia’s wedding in 2011.
By 2012, Coppola and Grange had transformed the villa right into a nine-room boutique hotel, mixing Italian country charm with a splash of silver screen glamour. The splendid 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 per week, the courtyard hosts a communal ceremonial dinner for guests that looks like the last days of Babylon, while the bottom floor Cinecittà Bar features black-and-white photos of film stars and appears out onto Bernalda’s important piazza. See Afar’s full list of top hotels in Italy.
Vocabolo Moscatelli
- Location: Umbertide, Umbria
- Why we find it irresistible: 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 previous Seventeenth-century monastery maintains an austere yet stylish vibe in its 12 rooms and suites: ancient stone partitions 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 2. For the sybarites, the garden-facing spa suite on the bottom floor has a hammam and outdoor Jacuzzi. After its setting, Vocabolo Moscatelli’s next best feature is the travertine-lined pool. On the onsite restaurant, chef Lorenzo Catoni offers a every day changing menu that features regional veggies and heirloom fruit from local farmers, some grown within the hotel’s garden.
