Italian Steps - Italian towns - Cultural notes

Fact File

• Italy is full of charming towns and picturesque villages off the usual tourist track that Italians flock to every year. Here's our selection of some must-see towns.



• Alberobello - literally 'beautiful tree', this town in Puglia is where many of the distinctive trulli, the whitewashed conical shaped homes that are one of the symbols of the region, can be found. Many say that Alberobello possesses magnetic qualities, due to underground streams that run beneath it.



• Arquà Petrarca - situated in the Euganean Hills, this town was home of 14th century love poet Petrarch, and reputed to have provided creative inspiration for Lord Byron who holidayed here frequently.



• Asolo - situated in the foothills of the Dolomites, this tiny walled town captivated poet Robert Browning, who even named a volume of poems, Asolanda, after it. Popular attractions include the Villa Barbaro, a sumptuous palace designed by Venetian architect Palladio.



• Bagni di Lucca - there are volcanic springs all over Tuscany, but this Roman complex of springs and baths has been a favourite among fashionable Italians since its heyday in the early 19th century, when it was visited by emperors, kings and aristocrats. If you feel like splashing out in other ways, there's also the Casino, built in 1837 and one of the first licensed gaming houses in Europe.



• Bassano del Grappa - a peaceful town at the foot of Monte Grappa in the Veneto region, it's well known for its pottery and glazed earthenware, and is synonymous with Italy's preferred after-dinner drink, grappa. The place to sample it is the Grapperia Nardini, one of the most famous grappa distilleries in Italy.



• Champoluc - located below Monte Rosa, the tallest Alpine mountain in Italy, this typical mountain village is set against a backdrop of stunning glaciers that must be seen to be believed. Thanks to its location, Champoluc has become a world-class skiing resort that is packed during the summer and winter seasons.



• Elba - once the prison home for the defeated Napoleon, this rocky island 6 miles off the Tuscany coast is a favourite holiday spot for Italians, with good reason. Sandy beaches, olive groves and vineyards add to a lush and varied landscape, which visitors can view from the cable car that runs up Monte Capanne, one of the highest points on the island.



• Fiesole - just north of Florence, this pre-Roman Etruscan town is a popular retreat from the bustle of the city. Visit the roman theatre, and see traces of the Etruscan walls that date from the 4th century BC.



• Marostica - the town of the human chess game. The game using human pieces dates back to the 15th century, when two rival noblemen were ordered to play a game of chess to win the hand of the daughter of the Lord of the town. A performance re-enacting the duel is held every other September.



• Montagnana - a fairy-tale walled town on the borders of Verona and Padova, and one of the best preserved in Europe. There are museums a plenty, but if medieval history isn't your thing, you can time your visit to coincide with the Palio, the traditional horse race and costumed procession that takes place in early September.



• San Gimignano - its eerie thirteen towers dominate a skyline almost unchanged since the Middle Ages when San Gimignano was a stopping point on the pilgrim route to Rome. Built by rival noble families of the day, the towers provide a backdrop to a mostly medieval town packed with works of art, shops and restaurants.



• Viareggio - once a resort for the upper middle classes and aristocracy, this Tuscany town is now a hot beach resort for young Italians who come here to show off their tans. Architecture buffs can also enjoy the famous Liberty style art nouveau hotels and villas built in the 1920s, and enjoy a drink at the sumptuous Gran Caffè Margherita. In January and February there's also the carnival, a five-week extravaganza of floats and parades to rival Venice's own annual event.