ROME – Italy is a tourism superstar. And yet, despite being one of the most photographed countries in the world, once you venture beyond the usual suspects — Venice, Rome, Capri and the Amalfi Coast — hundreds of historic villages remain largely unknown to the wider online audience.
Yes, even in the age of overtourism, there are still beautiful places waiting to be discovered. Here, then, are some of the gems that, mysteriously, seem not to have even earned a photograph from hyperactive influencers, yet are well worth a visit: Monte Grimano Terme in the Marche, Monteverde in Campania, and Presicce and Bovino in Puglia. Fifteen destinations in all to add to your list for a trip around Italy.
These places have finally been given their moment in the spotlight thanks to a new study by experts at MPB, an online platform specialising in second-hand photography and video equipment. They analysed 381 villages recognised by the association I Borghi più belli d’Italia (“Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages”) to identify the country’s most overlooked destinations.
By comparing Google search interest with photographic data from Wikimedia and Flickr — including the number and diversity of photographers documenting each destination — the study pinpointed the 15 Italian villages that receive the least visual attention online despite their beauty.
Monte Grimano Terme ranks first as Italy’s most overlooked village, with a score of 79.5 out of 100. The higher the score, the lower the village’s current online visibility in terms of searches and images.
Surrounded by the rolling hills of the historic Montefeltro area, Monte Grimano Terme has no geotagged images on Wikimedia, no photographic results on Flickr and receives just 100 Google searches worldwide each month. Despite its thermal springs and historic architecture, the village is perhaps the clearest example of an Italian destination recognised for its beauty yet, mysteriously, still largely invisible online.
Castelponzone, in Lombardy, is tied for second place with a score of 79.2 out of 100. Once a fortified village in the Po Valley, its historic streets and rural architecture have little presence on the main photography platforms, despite their distinctive charm.
So which region is most overlooked by photographers and influencers? The answer is definitely Calabria. It has more villages in the top 15 “most invisible” destinations than any other region. Three Calabrian villages make the list: Aiello Calabro is tied for second place with a score of 79.2 out of 100, while Aieta ranks eighth and Buonvicino fifteenth.
The three destinations span very different landscapes, from hilltop settlements to striking mountain and coastal scenery, showing how some of Calabria’s lesser-known historic villages remain well away from the spotlight.
Puglia and Lazio also feature prominently, with three villages each in the top 15. Lazio is represented by Capranica Prenestina (joint fifth), Boville Ernica (ninth) and Orvinio (13th), while Bovino (10th), Presicce-Acquarica (12th) and Alberona (14th) make Puglia one of the regions with the highest concentration of little-known villages.
Further south, San Marco d’Alunzio in Sicily ranks 11th. Perched above the Tyrrhenian coast and known for its numerous historic churches, the village has just 10 geotagged images on Wikimedia.
The translation of this article was reviewed by a Language Service Provider