Italy’s famous coastal towns like Positano and Cinque Terre draw millions of visitors each year, creating an experience that can feel more like navigating through crowds than enjoying Mediterranean charm. However, beyond these tourist hotspots lies a different Italy – one of quiet alleyways, authentic cuisine, and panoramic vistas unspoiled by selfie sticks and tour groups.
Here is a list of 17 hidden cliffside villages where you can experience breathtaking Italian coastal views while avoiding the masses that flock to more famous destinations.
Civita di Bagnoregio
Perched atop a crumbling mountain in central Italy, Civita di Bagnoregio seems to float above the valley like something from a fairytale. This ancient settlement is connected to the modern world by a single narrow footbridge spanning 300 feet across a deep canyon.
The village dates back to Etruscan times, with buildings constructed right at the edge of the eroding cliff face, creating a dramatic silhouette against the sky. Local restaurants serve traditional dishes using recipes unchanged for generations, all enjoyed on terraces overlooking an expanse of rolling countryside that stretches for miles.
Castelluccio di Norcia
Situated 5,000 feet above sea level in Umbria, Castelluccio clings to a hillside above what might be Italy’s most spectacular natural display. The village overlooks the Piano Grande, a high plateau that transforms into a kaleidoscope of wildflowers each summer, creating a natural carpet of reds, yellows, and purples beneath the village walls.
This medieval settlement survived for centuries in near isolation, developing distinctive culinary traditions centered around the famous Castelluccio lentils grown in the plains below. From the village center, narrow paths lead to viewpoints offering 360-degree vistas of the Monti Sibillini National Park without another tourist in sight.
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Calcata
Just 30 miles north of Rome sits a medieval village that seems frozen in time yet buzzes with bohemian energy. Calcata stands on a volcanic outcrop rising dramatically from a densely forested valley, with honey-colored buildings seemingly growing out of the living rock.
The village was abandoned in the 1930s when the government declared it unstable, only to be rediscovered by artists and creatives in the 1960s who gradually restored its ancient homes. Today, this tiny settlement houses art galleries and craft workshops in centuries-old buildings, while offering spectacular views over the Treja Valley from its defensive walls that drop straight down to the forest floor.
Savoca
Francis Ford Coppola put Savoca on the map when he filmed parts of ‘The Godfather’ here, yet this Sicilian hillside village remains refreshingly untouristed. Perched high above the Ionian Sea, Savoca’s stone houses and winding lanes offer glimpses of blue water between buildings that seem to cascade down the mountainside.
The village sits among lemon groves and prickly pear cacti, with ancient churches containing catacombs and mummified remains adding a macabre contrast to the spectacular coastal panoramas. From Bar Vitelli, made famous in the Godfather film, visitors can sip granita while gazing across miles of coastline without tour buses in sight.
Chianalea di Scilla
Often called ‘the Venice of the South,’ Chianalea is a fishing district in Calabria where stone houses rise directly from the sea. The village stretches along a narrow strip of land with the Tyrrhenian Sea on one side and towering cliffs on the other, creating a uniquely dramatic setting. Fishermen’s homes feature doors that open directly onto the water, with boats moored outside like cars in a driveway.
The sound of waves lapping against stone foundations provides a constant soundtrack as you wander through narrow alleys barely wide enough for two people to pass. From the village’s northern edge, the view stretches all the way to Sicily and the smoking cone of Mount Etna on clear days.
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Bagnone
Tucked into a valley in northern Tuscany, Bagnone doesn’t immediately announce itself as a cliffside village. The settlement starts along a rushing river before climbing steeply up a gorge, with medieval stone buildings seemingly stacked upon one another.
The higher you climb through the village’s cobblestone lanes, the more spectacular the views become, eventually revealing the marble-rich Apuan Alps in the distance. Stone bridges arch over the river below, connecting parts of the village that developed on opposite sides of the gorge.
Local taverns serve traditional Lunigiana cuisine featuring chestnuts from the surrounding forests, best enjoyed on terraces overlooking the cascading village below.
Bassano in Teverina
This tiny hillside settlement in Lazio sits atop a volcanic cliff, offering uninterrupted views across the Tiber Valley. The village appears to grow organically from the tufa rock face, with homes carved directly into the cliff in some sections.
Medieval defense towers rise above terracotta rooftops, while garden terraces have been impossibly constructed on narrow ledges jutting from the precipice. The village square opens dramatically to a panoramic viewpoint where on clear days you can see all the way to Mount Soratte nearly 25 miles away.
The surrounding countryside remains largely untouched by modern development, presenting a landscape that has changed little since Etruscan times.
Castelmezzano
Carved into the jagged Lucanian Dolomites of southern Italy, Castelmezzano seems to have been built into the mountain rather than on it. Homes with terracotta roofs are nestled between massive rock spires that rise dramatically behind the village, creating one of Italy’s most distinctive silhouettes.
Medieval staircases cut directly into the mountainside connect different levels of the settlement, sometimes passing through tunnels carved through the living rock. The village faces west, making it perfectly positioned for sunset views across the Basento Valley that turn the surrounding peaks golden each evening.
Despite its breathtaking setting, Castelmezzano remains primarily visited by Italian tourists, maintaining an authentic atmosphere rare in villages with such spectacular settings.
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Carunchio
Set in the rolling hills of Abruzzo, Carunchio sits atop a limestone ridge with views extending all the way to the Adriatic Sea on clear days. The medieval village centers around a 14th-century baronial palace, with stone houses cascading down the hillside in concentric rings.
Narrow cobblestone streets wind between buildings adorned with flowering plants, occasionally opening to reveal expansive vistas of the surrounding countryside. The village’s elevated position once served as a defensive advantage but now provides visitors with spectacular sunset views that change with each season, from summer’s golden wheat fields to winter’s snow-capped Apennine peaks.
Pentedattilo
Abandoned for decades and now slowly coming back to life, Pentedattilo in Calabria might be Italy’s most dramatically situated ghost town. The village is built beneath a bizarre rock formation resembling five fingers (hence the Greek-derived name) that looms over stone buildings now being restored by artists and preservationists.
The village clings to a steep hillside overlooking the Ionian Sea, with Sicily visible across the water on the horizon. Walking through Pentedattilo’s partially restored streets feels like stepping into a painting, with the dramatic backdrop of jagged peaks framing views that stretch for miles across the Mediterranean.
Perinaldo
Perched high in the Ligurian hills just 15 miles from the French border, Perinaldo offers panoramic views that span two countries. This astronomers’ village (birthplace of Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who discovered Saturn’s moons) sits on a ridge with the Maritime Alps rising behind it and the Mediterranean stretching before it.
The village’s narrow main street runs along the ridgetop, with buildings dropping away on both sides to create the sensation of walking along the spine of a mountain. From the village’s western edge, you can watch the sun set into the sea while standing among olive groves that have produced oil for centuries.
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Cervo
This perfectly preserved medieval village rises from a promontory directly above the Ligurian Sea, creating one of the most distinctive silhouettes along the Italian Riviera. Cervo’s stone houses cluster around a magnificent baroque church whose façade gleams above the Mediterranean waves that crash against the rocks below.
The village’s narrow caruggi (alleyways) occasionally open to reveal breathtaking sea views framed by ancient stone arches and flowering bougainvillea. The absence of major hotels has helped Cervo maintain its authentic character, with the sound of classical music often drifting through its streets during the summer chamber music festival held in the village church.
Gerace
Sitting atop a 900-foot plateau overlooking the Ionian Sea, Gerace in Calabria was built entirely from materials taken from the massive rock it stands upon. The village is dominated by a Norman castle and contains over 100 churches despite its small size, earning it the nickname ‘town of 100 churches.’
Narrow lanes wind between buildings constructed in warm golden stone, occasionally opening to panoramic viewpoints that look out over the Costa dei Gelsomini (Jasmine Coast) stretching for miles below. From the cathedral square, visitors can see all the way to the Aspromonte mountains in one direction and the sparkling Mediterranean in the other.
Brisighella
Built into the side of three massive chalk hills in Emilia-Romagna, Brisighella presents one of the most distinctive profiles of any Italian village. The settlement is crowned by three structures on separate peaks: a 14th-century fortress, a 19th-century clock tower, and an ancient sanctuary connected by a ridge path offering spectacular views.
The village’s most unique feature is the Via degli Asini (Street of Donkeys), an elevated covered walkway built into the cliff face with arched windows overlooking the valley below. Despite being just 30 miles from busy Ravenna, Brisighella remains wonderfully untouched by mass tourism, preserving its atmosphere of medieval tranquility.
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Tellaro
Often described as a smaller, quieter alternative to the Cinque Terre villages, Tellaro sits at the eastern end of the Gulf of La Spezia where colorful houses perch directly above the sea. This tiny fishing community is built around a central piazza that opens dramatically to the water, with waves sometimes washing against the village’s edge during storms.
Ancient stone staircases lead between levels of the village, with washing lines strung between buildings and fishing boats pulled up onto small slivers of beach below the houses. Local legend tells of a giant octopus that saved the village from pirate attack by ringing the church bells, a story that captures the magical quality of this place where land and sea meet in perfect harmony.
Rocca Calascio
Standing at 4,800 feet above sea level, Rocca Calascio might be Italy’s most dramatically situated fortress village. The now partly abandoned settlement sits atop a barren limestone peak in Abruzzo, overlooking miles of undulating mountains and valleys. Stone houses cluster around the base of an 11th-century watchtower whose ruins stand silhouetted against the sky at the highest point for miles around.
The village was largely abandoned after an earthquake in the 15th century, lending a haunting quality to its empty stone buildings and the octagonal church of Santa Maria della Pietà that stands alone on a neighboring ridge. On clear days, visitors can see all the way to the Adriatic Sea from this ancient eagle’s nest.
Riva di Biasio
Tucked away in the Julian Alps near the Slovenian border, Riva di Biasio clings to a mountainside above the emerald waters of the Natisone River. The village consists of stone houses built in tight clusters due to the limited space available on the steep slope, creating a vertical maze of narrow passages and staircases.
Bridges span deep ravines between different parts of the settlement, with some homes featuring entrances on different levels according to the mountain’s natural contours. From the village church, views extend across a landscape where three cultures meet – Italian, Slavic, and Germanic – visible in the changing architectural styles of distant villages scattered across the valley below.
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Timeless Treasures Above the Sea
These cliffside havens represent an Italy that exists beyond the pages of guidebooks and Instagram feeds. They offer not just stunning views, but a chance to experience Italian village life as it has existed for centuries.
The effort required to reach these hidden gems serves as a natural filter, ensuring they remain havens of tranquility. As mass tourism reshapes many of Italy’s most famous destinations, these lesser-known villages provide a glimpse into a more authentic, enduring Italy that still awaits those willing to venture beyond the obvious.
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