Beyond the Obvious: Lesser-Known Places to Add to Italy & Croatia Itineraries

Italy and Croatia are filled with famous places that deserve their reputations. Rome, Tuscany and Dubrovnik are popular for good reason. But some of the most rewarding travel moments happen when you add lesser-known stops: places with fewer crowds, deeper local character, and a stronger sense of discovery.

Umbria: Italy’s Quieter Counterpart to Tuscany

For Italy, Umbria is one of the best examples.

Often overshadowed by Tuscany, Umbria offers hilltop towns, excellent wine, rich Etruscan and Roman history, truffles, olive oil, and a quieter rhythm that feels incredibly authentic. Perugia, in particular, is amazing. It has a beautiful historic center, great food, a strong chocolate tradition, artisan workshops, and one of the most surreal city entrances I have ever experienced.

To reach the upper city, you can take escalators that move you up through the underground Etruscan city and eventually bring you into “modern” Perugia. It feels like something out of a movie: ancient stone passageways, layers of history, and then suddenly you emerge into the living city above. It is totally surreal and makes the arrival itself part of the experience.

Perugia is also a wonderful base for deeper experiences: food tours, chocolate tastings, textile and stained-glass workshops, and nearby countryside adventures. The Giuditta Brozzetti textile workshop, set inside a former church with vintage looms still in use, is a beautiful example of the kind of specialized, local experience that makes Umbria so rewarding.

Orvieto is another Umbrian gem. Perched dramatically on volcanic rock, it has cave tours, a spectacular cathedral, a cliffside ring walk, and one of my personal favorite wines: Orvieto. The wine alone makes it worth building in time here, but the town’s atmosphere, underground spaces, and easy funicular access make it feel both easy and magical.

A piazza in Perugia, Umbria, Italy

Korčula and Mljet: Croatia’s Slower Side

In Croatia, Korčula deserves more than a quick stop. Often visited briefly, Korčula is the kind of island where travelers should stay longer. The old town is beautiful, often called “little Dubrovnik,” but it feels calmer and more intimate. There are excellent wineries, olive oil producers, beaches, seaside walks, and boutique hotels with serious character. Staying a few nights gives travelers time to settle into the island rather than simply pass through.

Korčula also works beautifully as a base for Mljet. A day trip by catamaran brings you to Mljet National Park, where you can hike, bike, kayak, swim in the lakes, visit the monastery on the island in the Big Lake, and enjoy lunch surrounded by some of the cleanest, most beautiful water imaginable. It is peaceful, idyllic, and completely different from the busier coastal towns.

View of Korčula, Croatia

Montenegro: More Than a Day Trip

Finally, for travelers already in Dubrovnik, Montenegro is often treated as a day trip, but it deserves several nights. Boka Bay is absolutely magical. It looks almost like a fjord, with deep crystal-blue water and mountains jutting up dramatically on every side. The scenery is jaw-dropping, and the experience becomes even better when you are not rushing.

Staying in places like Perast lets travelers enjoy the bay before and after the day-trippers leave. Kotor is beautiful, but it can be overwhelmed by cruise ship crowds, so mornings and evenings are especially valuable. With more time, travelers can take private boat trips around the bay, hike above the old towns, explore national parks, and experience the incredible contrast of coast and mountains. They joke in Montenegro that you can ski in the morning and end your day at the beach, but it’s true.

Historic town of Perast in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

Additions like Umbria, Korčula, Mljet, and Montenegro bring a different kind of richness to an itinerary. They are not about checking off the most famous sights. They are about slowing down, finding texture, meeting local producers and guides, and experiencing a place in a way that feels more personal.

For travelers who want fewer crowds and a deeper connection to Italy or Croatia, these are the places that make a trip feel truly special, and I am happy to work with you to incorporate them into your next adventure.

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