The uniqueness of Italy lies in the richness and variety of its places. As you move away from the cities and visit the small towns, you will find yourself discovering villages so charming and well-kept that time, in that small part of the world, will almost seem to stand still.
Old drawbridges, imposing castles, majestic churches rising in tiny realities and narrow alleys are the true face of Italy, where traditions, history and the charm of the past are the most precious heritage. Not to mention the food and wine tradition: every Italian village guards secret recipes for making dishes as they once were.
Get ready to travel with your eyes, your heart... and your stomach too. Climb aboard our buses, make yourself comfortable and enjoy the journey. We will wake you up when you arrive at your destination.
If you travel with Itabus, you will travel from the north to the south of Italy to discover the most beautiful villages. We have identified seven of them, all easily bookable on our website or app.
OSTUNI
Ostuni is the famous 'white town' of Apulia that you can recognise even from afar, all perched on a hill like a small cloud. The town is characterised by a tangle of streets, small squares, houses and stairways in which one gets really lost. Like a magnet, its whitewashed buildings attract millions of tourists every year intent on photographing an all-white spectacle.
There are many things to see in Ostuni, starting with the ancient city walls that surround the town, but also the Ostuni Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace and the old Seminary, which are located right at the top of the hill. And how can we not mention the Piazza della Libertà? The lively centre where all the streets converge.
MONSELICE
Monselice is a pretty little town tucked away in the Veneto region where one can breathe in a happy and relaxed atmosphere. It is a typical medieval town where there are many places of interest: beautiful villas, hiking trails, sacred places and medieval monuments.
Its peculiarity? It is one of the walled cities in the province of Padua, although not much remains of the city walls. But there are not only walls in Monselice, it also offers much more.
For a few days of relaxation in a totally different atmosphere, Monselice is undoubtedly the ideal stop: the cradle of a culturally but also environmentally valuable context, surrounded in fact by splendid countryside, it is also the perfect place to taste excellent local food and wine products.
MONOPOLI
Monopoli, in Apulia, is also a medieval town that bases its entire identity on the beautiful sea that surrounds it. Its alleys are narrow, charming and often adorned with beautiful climbing plants, creating an almost fairytale-like atmosphere. It is a true jewel of Apulia to be visited at any time of year: whether in winter or summer, its charm remains unchanged.
What is most enchanting about Monopoli is its castle: an imposing fortress that touches the sea on three sides. The fourth was once protected by a moat that no longer exists. Like any town that springs from the sea, its centre of life is obviously the port, a place of travel, of departures and arrivals but, above all, the scene of ancient sea legends, such as that of the Madonna della Madia celebrated every year.
MILAZZO
Life in Milazzo, Sicily, begins on the beaches when the fishermen set off in their boats at night in search of fresh fish to sell at the markets when the sun rises in the sky. These are traditional jobs that have been repeated every day for centuries, probably forever. But Milazzo is not only sea and fishing. If you raise your head from the sand tickling your feet, you can admire its majestic castle before your eyes.
It is the symbol of the city, characterised by a series of different architectural styles due to the numerous dominations that have taken place over the centuries. To reach the castle, one must pass through a labyrinth of walls, alleys and ancient and modern dwellings that climb up to the top, where the most impressive view awaits: the sea from above.
MATERA
Matera, better known as the 'city of the Sassi', is an open-air spectacle where you can wander through a fascinating agglomeration of narrow streets, alleys and dwellings carved completely out of stone.
The village, so interesting and evocative, is known the world over for its tuff buildings, among the oldest in the world, which once housed the inhabitants and daily life. It is not surprising that thousands of tourists come to this destination to feel like protagonists of a bygone past.
But the real beauty of Matera lies in the surprise: as you walk and lose yourself in the alleys so hidden, narrow and fascinating, you will suddenly find yourself admiring the splendid city from a terrace that can offer a breathtaking, unforgettable, magical view.
CANDELA
Candela, in Apulia, stands on a hill that, seen from afar, seems to have taken its place among all the others so that it can be admired even from miles away. From Candela, the view is truly suggestive: the surrounding hills are characterised by forests and, at their foot, an unspoilt valley opens up. It is one of the few villages that have remained totally indifferent to the passage of time and modernity, and therefore one of the most fascinating.
The monuments to admire in this beautiful village are mainly the churches, but there is one attraction in particular that is truly impressive: the 'Trasonna', one of the narrowest alleys in Italy, only 38 centimetres wide. Once in Candela, you absolutely must try to pass through this narrow street.
ALTAMURA
In the Alta Murgia National Park lies Altamura. A beautiful little town that seems to rest gently on an enormous hill, where the sharp points of the bell towers lend character and toughness to the entire town characterised by winding streets, ancient buildings concealing secret courtyards and the Corso that divides the town in two.
The most important monument of the entire city is, without a doubt, the Cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption located right in the heart of the medieval town, but the most important jewel of Altamura is not the churches, but the bread. Also called the 'city of bread', in fact, it is the first place in the world to certify with a Protected Denomination of Origin its famous remilled semolina bread prepared according to ancient traditions handed down from generation to generation for thousands of years.
Few also know that, just 3 km from the city, the remains of an entire Palaeolithic human skeleton were found in 1993 in the Lamalunga Cave. This is a unique find, being the oldest Neanderthal on which DNA analysis has been carried out. You can admire a perfect reconstruction of the Altamura Man in the National Museum of Altamura, where you will also discover that in this area (Cava Pontrelli), thousands of dinosaur footprints dating back some 86 million years were found in 1999.
Visit Altamura, you will find an area with an amazing prehistoric and palaeontological heritage!
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