If you’re looking to visit some of the prettiest towns in the Apennines, we’ve got you covered.
The Apennine Mountains, commonly called the Apennines or the Italian Appennino, is a chain of mountains that run the length of peninsular Italy and are separated only by thin coastal plains. They create a massive arc from the northwest passage of Cadibona, near the Maritime Mountains, all the way to the Egadi Islands off the coast of Sicily. Its breadth varies between 25 and 125 miles, and its entire length is around 870 miles (1,400 km).
The central areas of the Apennines are dominated by the Gran Sasso & Monti della Laga, Majella, Monti Sibillini, and the Appenino Tosco-Emiliano National Parks.
The Apennines are protected as a component of Pollino, Aspromonte, and Sila National Parks in southern Basilicata and Calabria.
The Apennines extend into the Madonie Regional Natural Park in Sicily, which is located on the island of that name, across the Messina Strait.
Outside of the protected areas, the Apennines are dotted with hundreds of settlements perched on steep hills and surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
13 Prettiest Towns in the Apennines
If you are looking to explore something different in Italy and are headed to one of the regions spanned by this mountain range, here are 13 of the prettiest towns in the Apennines to visit.
1. Anghiari, Tuscany
Anghiari, in the heart of Tuscany, is a lovely medieval village with a warm welcome.
A towering clock tower watches over the bustling downtown area, where art galleries and antique shops compete for your attention.
About 30 km. from Arezzo, the Tuscan town of Anghiari boasts some of the region’s most impressive medieval walls. Locals here are well-known for their mastery of such media as woodworking, textile design, and pottery.
Modern artisans have adapted to modern life while maintaining a connection to their heritage by working as restorers and antique merchants. Shops selling pottery and antiques adorn the narrow streets of Anghiari, and there are also studios where old furniture is restored.
The Popular Tradition Museum gives the area’s colorful artistic past some much-needed context, and there’s even a school devoted solely to teaching and restoring woodwork.
2. Bobbio, Emilia-Romagna
Bobbio is a tiny town located in the Piacenza region of Italy. Ponte del Diavolo, known in English as the Devil’s Bridge, spans the Trebbia River and connects the city to the route leading to Piacenza.
READ MORE: 13 Famous Bridges in Italy You Should Visit
It was a monastery in this pretty Apennine village that served as the inspiration for the one in Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose. The ancient and priceless Latin manuscripts housed there are among the best examples of their kind that have survived to the present day.
The abbey isn’t the only attraction, though; the cathedral and Malaspina Castle in the city center are also well worth your time.
3. Buonvicino, Calabria
Buonvicino, a small hill town in the Province of Cosenza, is home to about 2,100 people. It is situated inside the Parco Nazionale del Pollino (Pollino National Park).
It is one of the Borghi Più Belli d’Italia (“the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy”) and can be seen from a distance of 400 meters above sea level.
Buonvicino is a stunning medieval village with houses built on precipices and slanted against one another. It is a town that is rich not only in environmental and natural heritage but also religious as well as archaeological and agri-food heritage. Here you can still hear ancient songs as well as partake in traditions and festivals that the locals have managed to preserved.
Cities like Diamante, Cirella, Belvedere Marittimo, and Scalea can be found close to one another.
4. Cingoli, Marche
Views from this 2,100-foot-above-sea-level town are to die for, taking in the Adriatic and the mountains of Croatia.
The town was founded in Roman times (63 BC) by Titus Labienus, an aide-de-camp to Julius Caesar.
The town’s art and architecture span many different periods, from the medieval Town Hall to the Baroque Cingoli Cathedral and the Gothic Palazzo Conti.
At the Cingoli Art Gallery, you may view works by renowned artists from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as older pieces by regional masters like Lorenzo Lotto.
Potato gnocchi with duck ragu is a local favorite in Cingoli, and it pairs particularly well with a glass of Rosso Conero or Verdicchio from neighboring Le Marche.
5. Cosenza, Calabria
Cosenza is sometimes referred to as “the Athens of Calabria” because of how much art, culture, and tradition seem to be concentrated there. The old district is a warren of winding alleys and byways that unexpectedly open up to reveal grand public spaces, monasteries, and cathedrals.
Do not leave Cozenza without first seeing the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. The fundamental building is typically Romanesque, although it features a variety of other styles in its construction and was completed around the year 1050.
The Piazzetta Antonio Toscano excavations in the city’s historic core are also well worth your time. The city was founded by the Greeks in the 3rd and 4th centuries BC, and this is when the majority of the archaeological findings were unearthed.
6. Civita di Bagnoregio, Lazio
This little town is set on a hill and can only be reached by crossing a footbridge. Because of its consistent deterioration throughout the years, the name “dying town” is commonly applied to it.
From the ticket booth in Bagnoregio hamlet, you can cross a pedestrian bridge to reach Civita di Bagnoregio. Once up the village, you will fall in love with the breathtaking views of the Calanchi Valley.
It was the Etruscans who constructed the Porta Santa Maria. The San Donato Church, a Romanesque structure dating back to the 7th century, dominates the town center. The nearby Geology and Landslides Museum displays artifacts from efforts to stabilize the village’s collapsing hillside.
7. Gubbio, Umbria
Gubbio, in Italy’s Umbria region, is renowned for its surviving medieval architecture, including its winding alleyways, grand houses, and breathtaking churches.
From the Piazza Grande and the thrilling cable car to the Basilica di Sant’Ubaldo, you can take in breathtaking views of this hillside city, which is known for its Roman remains, medieval aqueduct, and expansive vistas.
Also not to be missed in Gubbio is the 14th-century Palazzo dei Consoli that now houses the Civic Museum, where you can learn about the region’s history. The museum’s main showcase is the Iguvine Tablets from the 3rd century BC. These are seven bronze tablets with writings in a now extinct Umbrian language.
8. Monte Castello di Vibio, Umbria
The noble Roman family Vibia named Monte Castello di Vibio for themselves, and the area is home to their estates, including the world’s smallest theater, the Teatro della Concordia, which was constructed in 1808.
See the Chiesa di Santa Illuminata, a church built in the 15th century, and the medieval Torre di Maggio near the town’s entrance. From Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, you can see the mountains in Lazio and Abruzzo to the south, over the hills and valleys of Umbria.
Lamb chops cooked in olive oil and garlic are a local favorite, and you can have some of Monte Castello di Vibio’s renowned extra virgin olive oil with them.
9. Muro Lucano, Basilicata
Muro Lucano distinguishes out among the surrounding hills and interesting communities with its stunning scenery on the journey in and out of town.
The Belvedere San Nicola in Muro Lucano is a fantastic example of the Italian term belvedere (bel – “nice,” vedere – “to see”). It offers a panoramic view of the town below, with its colorful collection of dwellings, and the towering Castle Medievale at the summit of the hill.
The village of Muro Lucano is also home to the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Muro Lucano and the Cattedrale di San Nicola, both of which are located on the same hill as the castle.
10. Pietrapertosa, Basilicata
Pietrapertosa is a municipality that is found in the province of Potenza and is home to a total population of 977 people. This is hands down one of the best towns in the Appenines that you should visit when in this part of Italy.
At an altitude of 1,088 meters above mean sea level, this community is regarded as one of the Borghi Più Belli d’Italia, which translates to “the most beautiful villages in Italy.”
The hotel that is nearest to the village is located 19 km. away, and nearby attractions include Castelmezzano and the Gallipoli Cognato Park.
11. Poppi, Tuscany
This picturesque town in Tuscany is famous for its breathtaking castle and rural vistas as well as its historic core.
Poppi is on the list of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, and its history is intertwined with that of the surrounding area thanks to the Guidi family, who constructed castles not only in Poppi but also at Romena, Porciano, Montemignaio, and Castel San Niccol.
The Alpine chamois, barn owl, eagle owl, otter, wolf, European lynx, and bear are just a few of the European animals that can be seen at the Parco Zoo della Fauna Europea (European Wildlife Zoo Park) in Poppi. The park spans 50 hectares and is surrounded by pine trees, chestnut trees, and centuries-old oaks.
12. Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo
Located in the Abruzzo area of Southern Italy, the village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio is a fortified medieval settlement.
Situated in the Apennines at an elevation of 1,250 meters above sea level, this medieval hill village is part of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park and borders the high plain of Campo Imperatore.
Santo Stefano is a tiny medieval village with only 70 inhabitants and numerous antique buildings in ruins. It has been deserted for quite some time. Many of the village’s structures have been renovated recently.
Some of these said structures are included in the Sextantio Albergo Diffuso, which literally translates to “Sextantio Diffused Hotel.” These are buildings that have been renovated into cozy vacation houses with rooms and facilities that are scattered (“diffused”) about the village.
13. Treia, Marche
Treia, a beautiful village in the Apennines that has been inhabited since 380 BC, was probably established there by the Sabines, an ancient Italic people.
Although Treia was colonized by the Romans, the city was abandoned following the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century and wasn’t inhabited again until the Middle Ages, when it was renamed Montecchio. The town reverted to the name Treia after it was annexed by the Papal States in the late 1700s.
One of the most magnificent town squares in Italy is the Piazza della Repubblica, which is dominated by the Renaissance-style Palace Comunale. Anyone interested in seeing Roman and medieval relics might stop by the Museum Civico Archeologico in Treia.
Try a calcione when in Treia. It’s a savory pastry made with ricotta, eggs, and herbs.