Italian and French Cities That Are Easier to Fall For Than Paris or Rome

Paris and Rome have earned their reputation. They’re beautiful, historic, and packed with enough museums, landmarks, and restaurants to fill every trip.

But, sometimes, the cities we remember the most aren’t the biggest ones. They’re the places where we find ourselves returning to the same café every morning, the places where we stop looking at our phones and start paying attention to what’s happening around us.

These eight Italian and French cities may not attract the same crowds as Paris or Rome, and perhaps that’s part of their appeal.

Bergamo, Italy

Usually, we pass through Bergamo on our way to Milan without realizing what we’re missing. The city’s historic upper town, known as Città Alta, is enclosed by Venetian walls and connected by winding stone streets that are designed for wandering.

Small cafés spill into quiet piazzas, church bells echo across the rooftops, and laundry hangs from upper-story windows. One of the best ways to experience Bergamo is simply by walking through it.

Start with a coffee in Piazza Vecchia, browse a few shops, and allow the city to slowly reveal itself to you.

Verona, Italy

Verona often gets reduced to its Romeo and Juliet connections, but it deserves more attention than that. The historic center is remarkably walkable, with elegant squares, riverside promenades, and beautiful stone bridges that cross the Adige River.

The atmosphere is also calmer than many of Italy’s larger cities, making it easy to spend hours wandering around without feeling rushed.

As the evening approaches, the locals tend to gather in the piazzas for aperitivos while the city settles into the softer rhythm that makes northern Italy so appealing.

Trieste, Italy

Trieste feels unlike anywhere else in Italy. It’s perched along the Adriatic Sea near the Slovenian border, and blends Italian, Austrian, and Central European influences into something entirely its own. Beautiful coffee houses line the streets, many of them unchanged for generations.

This is the kind of place where you can spend an hour over a coffee without anyone making you feel like you need to move on. Then, you can walk along the waterfront, browse the bookstores, and settle into one of the historic cafés that once welcomed writers like James Joyce.

Perugia, Italy

Perugia is one of Italy’s great slow-travel cities. It’s set high up in the Umbrian countryside, and rewards wandering. Medieval alleyways twist through the historic center, opening unexpectedly onto sunlit squares, hidden churches, and viewpoints overlooking rolling hills.

This Italian gem doesn’t need a checklist. The pleasure comes simply from being there. You can enjoy a long lunch, browse the local shops, and then spend the evening watching the city glow as the sun sinks behind the Umbrian landscape.