Without a car
Towns you can reach, and then leave, without driving
This is the section we are most confident nobody else can build, because it took checking one town at a time rather than reading it off a map. Most Italian hill towns do need a car. The ones here do not: there is a station you can arrive at, or a place worth sleeping so the day trip stops being a day trip. Where we have not confirmed it, the town is absent rather than marked as unreachable.
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Everything in this room
The best hidden towns with a serious restaurant that you can reach by train in LombardiaLombardia eats well far from the city centre, in river towns, lake towns and Alpine valleys where a kitchen worth booking sits within walking distance of a railway platform. Risotto, lake perch, buckwheat pizzoccheri and cellars of Franciacorta and Valtellina reds, all reachable without a car.
The best towns with a medieval festival that you can reach by train within 90 minutes of PerugiaUmbrian and eastern Tuscan towns within easy rail reach of Perugia, where crossbow contests, flag-throwing and torchlit processions in tufa and sandstone streets fill the calendar from late spring into autumn.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of TerniTowns in the province of Terni you can reach by train, from the steel city in the Nera valley to hill towns above the Tiber and a cathedral on a cliff of volcanic rock.
The best hidden towns with a medieval festival that are worth a night in ToscanaTuscan towns where a summer or autumn re-enactment fills the streets with drums, crossbows and torchlight, and where there is a hotel good enough to justify staying past the last bus. Travertine and tufa, wild boar and Vernaccia, and a calendar that repeats every year.
The best lake towns you can reach by train in PiemonteLake shores in Piemonte where the railway runs close enough to the water that a car is beside the point: granite quays on Maggiore, chestnut woods above Orta, lake fish and risotto served under wisteria, and platforms within walking distance of the boat landing.
The 8 best lake towns worth staying overnight in LombardiaLombardia's lake shores hold their best hours after the day boats leave, when the water goes flat and the terraces along Como, Garda and Iseo fill with people staying the night. These are the shoreline towns with rooms worth booking, from grand lakeside villas to small family hotels a guide has vouched for.
The 10 best hidden hill towns you can reach by train within 90 minutes of TerniInland Umbria and northern Lazio, where hill towns built of grey travertine and volcanic peperino sit above olive terraces and spring water, all of them reachable from Terni by regional train and a short climb on foot.
The best hill towns worth staying overnight within 90 minutes of FirenzeInland Tuscany within easy reach of Florence, where hill towns built of pietra serena and warm brick keep their own restaurants, their own evening passeggiata and hotels that a guidebook has actually stood behind. Good for travellers who would rather wake up in the hills than commute back to the city at dusk.
The best coastal towns you can reach by train in MarcheThe Adriatic railway runs the whole length of the Marche coast, stopping in brick-and-stucco seaside towns where the beach starts a short walk from the platform. Velvet sand, brodetto cooked with local vinegar, and a summer season that stretches into September.
The best coastal towns worth staying overnight in ToscanaThe Tuscan coast runs from the marble-backed beaches of Versilia down through the pine forests of the Maremma to the rocky headlands of the south, and it rewards those who book a room rather than driving back inland at dusk. These are the seaside towns where a guide-vouched hotel makes an overnight stay worth planning around.
Every town in our catalogue you can reach by train, all of them, by regionThe complete list of small Italian towns with a working railway station: every one in our catalogue, grouped by region, so you can plan a trip through Italy without renting a car.
The best hidden beach towns you can reach by train in the province of CosenzaOn the Ionian and Tyrrhenian edges of the province of Cosenza, small Calabrian beach towns with clean bathing water sit within walking distance of their own railway stations, backed by Norman castles, citrus groves and long shingle shores.
The best beach towns worth staying overnight in PugliaPuglia's coast runs from limestone cliffs above the Adriatic to the shallow, pale-sand bays of the Ionian, and the towns along it hold clean bathing water awards alongside hotels a travel guide has vouched for. These are the places to sleep rather than day-trip, with the sea a short walk from breakfast.
The best towns you can reach by train within 45 minutes of VeronaShort train and bus hops out of Verona Porta Nuova reach the southern shore of Lake Garda, the terraced Valpolicella hills and the water-ringed streets of Mantua, all reachable without a car. Vineyards, lake beaches and Renaissance brickwork within an hour of the station.
The best towns you can reach by train within an hour of TrentoValsugana apple orchards, Adige vineyards and the northern shore of Lake Garda, all within an hour of Trento on regional trains that run through the valley floor. Towns with a station, a market and somewhere good to eat lunch.
The best towns you can reach by train within an hour of PaduaThe Veneto plain is laced with regional railway lines, and short hops out of Padua reach thermal spa towns, walled market towns and a lagoon fishing port. Towns with a working station, verified, and a platform you can walk out of straight into the centre.
The best towns you can reach by train within 75 minutes of ParmaThe rail lines running out of Parma cross Po floodplain, Apennine chestnut woods and the Lambrusco hills, reaching towns where the culatello is cured in damp cellars and the balsamic is aged in attics. Station platforms, walkable centres and lunch worth the return fare.
The best towns you can reach by train within 45 minutes of RiminiThe Adriatic railway and the Romagna branch lines run from Rimini through fishing canals, brick hill towns and pinewoods, past piadina counters and sardines on the grill, with every stop within easy reach of the coast road.
The best towns you can reach by train within 90 minutes of PalermoNorthern Sicily by rail, from the Tyrrhenian shoreline east of Palermo to the wheat country and Madonie foothills inland, where towns of pale limestone and tufo sit within easy reach of a station. Almond pastries, sfincione, dark church interiors and mountain air, all without a hire car.
The best towns you can reach by train within two hours of CagliariInland from Cagliari the Campidano plain gives way to limestone hills, nuraghi and vine rows, and the railway keeps going: towns of pale stone where you can arrive by train, eat malloreddus and walk out into cork oak and gorge country.
The best towns you can reach by train within an hour of TriesteThe rail lines running out of Trieste cross Karst limestone, the Isonzo plain and the Collio vineyards, reaching Roman mosaics, a star-shaped fortress town and border squares where Friulian, Slovene and Italian all get spoken over the same glass of ribolla gialla.
The best towns you can reach by train within 45 minutes of BresciaBrescia sits between the vineyards of Franciacorta, the reed beds of Lake Iseo and the olive terraces above Garda, and the regional railway threads through all of it. Slow trains, short rides, walled towns and lake promenades at the far end of the platform.
The best towns in Molise you can reach without a carMolise is the region Italians joke does not exist, and it is the hardest one to see without driving. These are the towns we confirmed you can actually reach by train.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of ViterboNorthern Lazio by rail: volcanic tuff towns, Etruscan tombs and lakeside vineyards in the province of Viterbo, all reachable without a car. Where the trains stop, and what is worth the walk from the station.
The 9 best towns you can get around without steps in LiguriaLiguria's flat towns: seafront promenades, lift-served old quarters and level lanes along the coast from Savona to Sarzana, all recognised nationally for step-free routes and adapted beaches.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of RomaTowns in the province of Roma that can be reached without a car, from the volcanic lake shores north of the city to the Castelli Romani vineyards and the travertine hills to the east. Each one is confirmed reachable by regional train or rail plus local bus.
The best towns worth staying overnight in the province of Bolzano/BozenSouth Tyrolean towns in the province of Bolzano/Bozen where a guide-vouched hotel makes it worth unpacking properly, from the Isarco valley to the Pusteria and the Gardena and Badia sides of the Dolomites.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of TeramoThe Adriatic railway runs the length of the Teramo coast, stopping at sandy resort towns, pinewoods and hill villages within reach of a station. Towns in the province of Teramo you can reach without a car, with brick and stone centres, fish grilled simply, and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from the vineyards inland.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of AvellinoInland Campania reached without a car: hill towns in the province of Avellino on the Irpinia rail lines, with Greco and Aglianico vineyards, chestnut woods and stone-built centres above the Ofanto and Calore valleys.
The best towns worth staying overnight in PiemontePiemonte rewards travellers who sleep where they eat: lake villages, Langhe wine hamlets and stone mountain settlements, each with a hotel a travel guide has vouched for. A guide to the Piemontese towns worth booking a room in rather than passing through.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of CataniaTowns in the province of Catania that can be reached without a car, from the lava-black seafront north of the city to the ceramic hill town inland and the narrow-gauge stops that circle Etna.
The best hidden towns worth staying overnight in CampaniaCampania's coast rewards anyone who books a room instead of a return ferry: lemon terraces above the Tyrrhenian, evening passeggiata in near-empty piazzas, and hotels along the Amalfi Coast and on Capri that guides have vouched for.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of Bolzano/BozenSouth Tyrolean towns reachable by rail, from the Val Pusteria line to the Vinschgau branch. Bilingual market squares, speck and canederli, apple orchards and painted arcades, all without a hire car.
The best hidden towns worth staying overnight in Trentino-Alto Adige/SüdtirolSmall towns in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol with hotels a travel guide has vouched for, so you can stay the night under the Dolomites rather than drive back down the valley. Larch, stone and Speck, with fewer visitors than the resorts.
The 8 best small towns worth staying overnight in LombardiaEight small Lombardy towns, on Lake Como, Lake Garda and up in the Bergamo and Valtellina mountains, where a guide-vouched hotel means you can stay the night instead of racing back to Milan.
The 8 best towns you can reach by train in the province of Verbano-Cusio-OssolaTrains run the length of Lake Maggiore and up the Ossola valleys, which means the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola can be travelled without a car. These are the lakeside and valley towns on the line, from Belgirate to Vogogna, each confirmed reachable by rail.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of SalernoTowns in the province of Salerno reachable without a car, from the Cilento coast to the Vallo di Diano, each one confirmed as served by rail or by a station within easy reach.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of SienaTowns in the province of Siena that can be reached without a car, from the brick-built city itself to the wine hills of Montalcino and Montepulciano, the thermal water at Rapolano Terme and the walled circle of Monteriggioni. Each one on this list we have confirmed is reachable by train and connecting bus.
The best towns you can reach by train in the province of CampobassoMolise's Campobasso province put into reach of the railway: Adriatic beach towns on the coastal line, hill towns above the Trigno and Biferno valleys, and Roman ruins in open pasture, all served by station or connecting bus.
The best hidden towns you can reach by train in the province of CosenzaSmall towns in the province of Cosenza that can be reached without a car, strung along the Ionian and Tyrrhenian railway lines and the mountain track into the Sila. Norman castles above the sea, sandy beaches, citrus groves and stations within walking distance of the old centres.
The best hidden towns you can reach by train in Friuli-Venezia GiuliaSmall towns in Friuli-Venezia Giulia that can be reached without a car, from the Roman mosaics of the Isonzo plain to the stone lanes below the Julian Alps, all on regional railway lines and their short local bus connections.
The best hidden towns you can reach by train in BasilicataBasilicata towns you can reach without a car, from the Ionian beach halts at Nova Siri to the cathedral hill of Acerenza and the Norman churches of Venosa. Each one confirmed as reachable by train or connecting rail bus.
The best hidden towns you can reach by train in SardegnaSardinian towns reachable without a car, from the granite hill country of Gallura to the limestone walls above the Ogliastra coast. Each one is served by rail or by the connecting bus and narrow-gauge lines that stitch the interior together.
The 8 best hidden towns you can reach by train in Trentino-Alto Adige/SüdtirolSmall towns in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol that you can reach by rail alone, from the Valsugana line east of Trento to the Pustertal valley and the Brenner corridor. We have confirmed each is reachable without a car.
The best hidden towns you can reach by train in Emilia-RomagnaSmaller towns in Emilia-Romagna reachable without a car, from the chestnut country of the upper Taro valley to the gypsum hills above Faenza and the balsamic vinegar cellars south of Modena. Each one is on a line, and each sees fewer visitors than the cities on the same tracks.
The best small towns you can reach by train in ToscanaSmall Tuscan towns reachable without a car, from the Maremma coast to the Crete Senesi and the hills above Lucca, each one confirmed to be served by rail or by a bus link from a station.
The 7 best small towns you can reach by train in UmbriaSmall Umbrian towns served by regional trains, from the Nera valley to the hills above the Naia, with stone walls, mineral springs and lentil and truffle cooking. Each is reachable without a car.
The 10 best small towns you can reach by train in LombardiaSmall towns across Lombardia that can be reached without a car, from lakeside stations on Lago di Como and Lago d'Iseo to Alpine valleys and the Valtellina terraces. Each one confirmed reachable by train, bus or ferry.
The best small towns you can reach by train in CampaniaSmall towns in inland Campania and along the Cilento coast that can be reached without a car, from the tufo wine villages of Irpinia to a hillside station above the olive terraces. Each one is served by rail or by a confirmed rail-and-bus link.
The best towns worth staying overnight in the province of NapoliThe province of Napoli rewards anyone who stays after the last hydrofoil leaves: lemon terraces above the Tyrrhenian, tufo houses washed in ochre and lime, volcanic wine from Ischia and mozzarella eaten the morning it was made. These are the towns in the bay with hotels a travel guide has vouched for.
The 8 best towns you can reach by train in the province of CuneoThe province of Cuneo runs from the Langhe vineyards to the Maritime Alps, and the regional railways still stitch it together: single-platform stations in wine towns, a mountain line climbing to the ski slopes, brick-and-stone piazzas within walking distance of the tracks. A list of towns in the province where the train is enough.
The best towns worth staying overnight in the province of PerugiaGreen hills, travertine and pink Subasio stone, wild boar salami and lentils from the high plains: the province of Perugia rewards travellers who stop for the night rather than passing through, and these towns have hotels a guide has vouched for.
The 8 best towns you can reach by train in the province of LuccaThe regional railway through the province of Lucca runs from the Versilia sands up the Serchio valley into the Garfagnana, linking walled towns, marble quarries and hill vineyards without a hire car. Where to get off, and what to eat when you do.
The 6 best towns you can reach by train in the province of MateraAlong the Ionian railway and the Appulo Lucane line, the province of Matera runs from clay gullies and tufa-built hill towns down to sandy pinewood coast, with orecchiette, Senise peppers and Matera bread at the table. These are the towns in the province you can reach without a car.
The 6 best towns you can reach by train in the province of La SpeziaThe eastern Riviera in the province of La Spezia is stitched together by a single railway line that runs through tunnels, past vineyard terraces and out onto pebble coves, with anchovies, sciacchetrà and pesto at the end of it. These are the stops worth getting off at, all reachable without a car.
The 9 best towns you can reach by train in the province of NapoliThe province of Napoli is stitched together by regional rail and the Circumvesuviana, which means volcanic soil, Roman ruins, lemon terraces and fish fried in the morning are all reachable without hiring a car. These are the stops worth getting off at.
The 7 best hidden towns you can reach by train in VenetoVeneto's regional railways run past walled towns on the Po plain, thermal villages under the Euganean Hills and vineyard slopes above Lake Garda. These are the smaller stops, reachable without a car, where fewer travellers get off.
The 6 best towns you can reach by train in the province of UdineFriulian plains, Roman mosaics and Alpine stone, all on the regional railway lines that run north from the Adriatic through Udine and up the Fella valley. Towns in this province where the station is close enough to the centre that a car is optional.
The best small towns you can reach by train in CalabriaCalabria's coastal railways run within sight of the Ionian and Tyrrhenian water for hours, past clifftop castles, bergamot and citrus groves, and hill villages of pale stone above the line. These are small towns along those tracks, each reachable without a car.
The best hill towns worth staying overnight in PugliaInland Puglia, up on the Murgia and the Salento plain, where the houses are whitewashed limestone, the evening passeggiata is a real event and the towns keep hotels good enough to hold you past dinner. Hill settlements for staying rather than stopping.