These 5 Villages Have Been Crowned The Most Beautiful In Italy—Here's All About Them

Think Italy and the phrase that comes to mind is la dolce vita, both the movie and the atmosphere it evokes. Who among us hasn’t imagined a holiday to Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples, Sicily and Milan, puttering down cobblestoned streets in a moped, tasting and drinking through a world-class gastronomy scene, and lounging by the sea and lakes of the country?One of the best ways to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of Italy is by exploring its small and offbeat townships and villages. But how do you know where to go? Enter I Borghi più belli d’Italia, an organisation that ranks the most beautiful villages in the country every year. The purpose behind it is to showcase the unknown or underexplored side of Italy through art, history, artistic treasures, beautiful landscapes, traditions and food.This year’s list of Italy’s most beautiful villages is out, with villages on the Amalfi Coast and Piedmont finding mention. Here’s what you need to know about the top five as you plan your Italian escape this summer.Most Beautiful Villages In Italy For 2025MilitelloIt’s easy to see why Militello in Val di Catania has been chosen as the number one most beautiful village of Italy in 2025. As a UNESCO-listed late Baroque town in the Val di Noto, Militello was rebuilt according to the baroque aesthetic principles of the era, following the devastating earthquake of 1693 that destroyed much of southeastern Sicily. This resulted in an urban landscape that feels like an open-air museum of 18th-century design.The historical centre is a mix of art and beauty with more than 20 churches and noble palaces, such as the former Abbey of San Benedetto, the third most important Benedictine monastery in Sicily, and the Church of Santa Maria la Vetere, which is located in a valley of scenic and archaeological interest.The village’s cultural life is also abundant, with saints’ day festivals involving processions, traditional music performances and communal meals.AglièAgliè in Piedmont is where you will find the magnificent 12th-century Castello Ducale, which used to be the summer residence of the Savoy family. Its stunning monumental façade, splendid Italian and English gardens, and a beautiful fountain designed by the Collino brothers will hold your attention like nothing else. The castle forms the heart of the village, surrounded by historic piazzas that are still the setting for weekly markets, seasonal festivals and daily social interactions.One of more intriguing aspects of Agliè is that it was the home to an Olivetti factory which produced the famous Lettera 22 typewriter.VignanelloVignanello is a small village situated in the province of Viterbo, in the Lazio region of central Italy. Nestled in the foothills of the Cimini Mountains, it offers a serene setting with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside, including lush valleys and vineyards.It's claim to fame rests primarily on the Castello Ruspoli, a Renaissance masterpiece whose gardens represent some of the finest examples of Italian landscape design from the 16th and 17th centuries.Throughout the year, Vignanello hosts various cultural events, festivals and fairs that celebrate local traditions, music and culinary delights. The volcanic soils of the region, enriched by centuries of natural mineral deposits, provide ideal conditions for viticulture. Visitors can savour traditional Lazio cuisine at the town's restaurants and trattorias.AietaFourth among Italy’s most beautiful villages for 2025 is Aieta, a village in Calabria that is balanced between the sea and the mountains. At over 500 m of elevation, it commands lofty views over the Tyrrhenian Sea—its name is appropriately derived from the Greek word for eagle.Its location within Pollino National Park makes Aieta an ideal base for exploring its ancient forests, deep gorges carved by rushing streams, and mountain peaks that provide habitat for rare wildlife, including wolves, eagles and endemic plants.The village's 16th-century Renaissance palace stands as a testament to the wealth and cultural sophistication that even small mountain communities could achieve during Italy's golden age of art and architecture. Built by the Martirano family, it was declared a national monument in 1913.The rest of the village, on the other hand, has an atmosphere that tells of its medieval past, with narrow, sloping streets embellished by the splendid stone portals carved by local stonemasons between the 18th and 19th centuries.MaioriThe Amalfi Coast is one of the top tourist destinations to visit in Italy thanks to its sea-facing cliffs, colourfully-tiled cathedrals, hiking trails and production of limoncello liqueur. Among the many towns and villages that line this 50-km stretch is Maiori, which has the longest unbroken beach.One of the first sights that will greet you at Maiori will be the Saracen Towers, former defensive lookout posts. The most famous are Torre Normanna and La Cerniola in the hamlet of Erchie, where you can check out the beaches and coves by sea.Past the Torre Normanna watchtower, you will find Salicerchie Beach, which you can reach by walking down 160 steps. Spiaggia del Cavallo Morto (“Dead Horse Beach”) is also worth a visit: you can’t access it directly for safety reasons due to the risk of landslides, but you can admire and photograph it from above.Maiori is also known for its churches like the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria a Mare, the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the picturesque Abbey of Santa Maria dell’Olearia, which is close to a rock face.The village’s terraced gardens, supported by stone walls built without mortar, are an extraordinary example of sustainable agriculture that maximises productivity while preserving the natural beauty of the steep coastal terrain.All About Molise: Italy's Hidden Region With Historic Towns And A Fiery Festival