- Visiting Italy in the off-season offers unique experiences and fewer crowds.
- Seasonal foods such as mushrooms and chestnuts replace summer foods such as tomatoes.
- Hidden gems and local festivals offer a distinct cultural experience in autumn and winter.
If you visit Italy in the off-seasonyou probably won’t eat tomatoes.
This is according to Maria Nuzzolillo, an Italian native of San Lupo who created a tour company called Vita Villaggi with her husband, Dan, specifically for under-the-radar destinations in Italy.
“Italians are very seasonal,” she said. “In the fall and winter, you’ll be eating mushrooms, chestnuts, walnuts, and the delicacies around the holidays—things you wouldn’t be able to taste in July.”
Besides avoiding crowds, visiting Italy outside of summer, the peak season, will give you a different view of the country.
“The deciduous trees will lose their leaves,” she said. “In the vineyards, the vines will go from bright green leaves to subtle orange and yellow.”
Nuzzolillo said Italy’s hidden gem destinations are the most charming places in the country in autumn and winter. Autumn is the tourism sector’s shoulder seasonwhile winter is the off-season.
“You can participate in the harvests and festivals. You can go pick fruit and taste the local specialties without the tourist veil,” Nuzzolillo said. “The beauty of Italy, especially when it’s off the beaten path, is that even though towns may be half a mile apart, each has its own unique take on the holidays and fall.”
Nuzzolillo shared with Business Insider her favorite places in Italy that you’ve probably never heard of — and why you should visit in the fall or winter.