Europe Italy The Best Small Cities to Visit in Italy By Martha Bakerjian Martha Bakerjian Twitter Martha Bakerjian is an Italian travel expert who uses her home in northern Tuscany as a base for her in-depth explorations of the country. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 05/10/19 Explore these recommendations for best small cities to visit in Italy. If you've visited Italy's top cities or prefer to travel to smaller cities with fewer tourists, consider these less-visited but interesting Italian cities. 01 of 10 Lucca TripSavvy / Jamie Ditaranto View Map Address 55100 Lucca, Province of Lucca, Italy Get directions Lucca, in Tuscany, has a historic center completely enclosed by walls that are some of Italy's best-preserved ramparts. The top of the walls has been made into tree-lined pathways so you can walk or ride a bike atop the walls. Lucca has medieval towers, nearly 100 churches, a long shopping street, and an oval-shaped piazza that used to be a Roman amphitheater. Unlike many Tuscan towns, Lucca is flat rather than on a hill. 02 of 10 Matera turkish414 / Pixabay View Map Address 75100 Matera, Province of Matera, Italy Get directions Matera is a unique city and one of my favorite places in southern Italy. It's a little off the beaten track but well worth the effort it takes to get there. The Sassi of Matera are cave houses and churches cut into the rock walls of a large ravine. Although the houses and churches have mostly been abandoned, some have been renovated and made into cave hotels and the centuries-old churches can be visited. The entire sassy area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 03 of 10 Mantova Marco Bottigelli / Getty Images View Map Address 46100 Mantua, Province of Mantua, Italy Get directions Mantova, or Mantua, is a historic city in northern Italy surrounded on three sides by lakes with three lively squares in the city center. Mantova was one of the greatest Renaissance Courts in Europe and home of the wealthy Gonzaga family. The Palazzo Ducale is a huge complex of buildings with beautiful frescoes. Palazzo Te also has great frescoes. Mantova is designated as a World Heritage Site for its Renaissance architecture and is part of the UNESCO Quadrilateral District that includes several other historic sites. 04 of 10 Ravenna Atlantide Phototravel / Getty Images View Map Address Ravenna, Province of Ravenna, Italy Get directions Ravenna, near the Adriatic Sea in Emilia-Romagna, is known for its mosaics. Stunning early Christian mosaic works from the 5th and 6th centuries decorate the walls of Ravenna's churches and monuments, eight of which have been designated as World Heritage Sites. Ravenna is still a top producer of mosaics and there are mosaic shops and classes. Ravenna also has Roman remains museums and cultural events. Continue to 5 of 10 below. 05 of 10 Parma TripSavvy / Christopher Larson View Map Address Parma, Province of Parma, Italy Get directions Parma, in northern Italy, is famous for its cheese and ham but it also has an interesting, compact historic center. Parma's 12th-century Baptistery is one of Italy's top 12th century monuments and the interior of its Romanesque cathedral is covered with amazing frescoes and artwork. Parma also has museums, cultural events, and of course good restaurants. 06 of 10 Padua TripSavvy / Christopher Larson View Map Address Padua, Province of Padua, Italy Get directions Padua is an easy day trip from Venice or can be used as a base for visiting Venice if you prefer to stay outside the city. Padua has Europe's first Botanical Garden, Giotto frescoes, and the Basilica di Sant’Antonio. Padua's main square is impressive and a nice place to enjoy a drink at a cafe. 07 of 10 Urbino Hedda Gjerpen / Getty Images View Map Address 61029 Urbino, Province of Pesaro and Urbino, Italy Get directions Urbino is a hill town in the Marche region of central Italy. Urbino has a Renaissance center that's been declared a World Heritage site and its impressive Ducal Palace has one of Italy's top collections of Renaissance paintings. The city is also an important center for majolica ceramics and culture and has a university dating from the early 16th century and a fortress at the top of the hill. 08 of 10 Cremona Julian Elliott Photography / Getty Images View Map Address 26100 Cremona, Province of Cremona, Italy Get directions Web Visit website Cremona, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, is famous for its production of high-quality violins. Cremona has a compact historic center with the top monuments grouped around its central square. The 13th-century clock tower, over 100 meters tall, is Europe's second tallest brick tower and is a great place for views of Cremona and the surrounding countryside. Cremona is an easy day trip from Milan. Continue to 9 of 10 below. 09 of 10 Lecce luigimartina / Pixabay View Map Address 73100 Lecce, Province of Lecce, Italy Get directions Web Visit website Lecce, in the Puglia region of southern Italy, is sometimes called the Florence of the South because of its wealth of artistic Baroque monuments. Lecce also has a castle, remains of a Roman amphitheater, an archeological museum, and the main shopping street. Lecce makes a good base for visiting southern Puglia. 10 of 10 Brescia TripSavvy / Christopher Larson View Map Address Brescia, Province of Brescia, Italy Get directions Brescia is an often overlooked city east of Milan in northern Italy's Lombardy region with a castle, Roman ruins, Renaissance squares, and an interesting medieval city center. The Santa Giulia City Museum of Brescia is one of my favorite museums, taking the visitor on a route from prehistory through Roman remains and three interesting churches in different styles. The annual Mille Miglia car race starts and ends in Brescia. Best Places to Go in Italy See more recommendations for best places to go on your next vacation. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email