Italy Road Trip: 5 road trips to discover the ‘Belpaese’ by car

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«Traveling is like dreaming: the difference is that not everyone, when waking up, remembers something, while everyone keeps warm the memory of the destination from which they came back.» – These are words by Edgar Allan Poe, a writer who would have surely enjoyed an Italy road trip. We will show you why…

Summer is approaching. Walks, picnics, weekend trips and excursions. These are the ideas that seem to want to honor the good weather. And why not think about a nice and fun Road Trip in Italy? Often there is no need for a plane or a train to reach breathtaking destinations, just as it’s not necessary to speed up the moment of the journey itself. The music, the wind in your hair, the landscape from the windows, this is also useful to make an unforgettable journey. So equip yourself with enthusiasm, spirit of adventure, a good music playlist and some gasoline. Our Italy Road Trip is about to start!

Here you are five Italian Road Trips from which to take inspiration for your next vacation.

Amalfi Coast

The first Italian Road Trip to keep in mind is certainly that of only 60 km on twhat is considered the most beautiful scenic road in the country. The Amalfitana runs along the coastal stretch from Meta to Vietri sul mare. It’s a path made up of hairpin bends, elbow bends overlooking the sea that offer a breathtaking view. The first stop is Positano, a small town where the white houses and the happy nightlife are the protagonists. Then we meet Praiano, good to enjoy a moment of relaxation in one of the two beaches, the Praia, exposed to the sun during the morning, and the Gavitella, sunny in the afternoon. Here there is Amalfi, a town famous for its narrow alleys, to be explored on foot. Continuing our Road Trip, we meet Ravello, a silent town, where the landscape dominates the scene, and Cetara, famous for its spaghetti dishes with local anchovies. The journey ends with Vietri sul Mare, famous for its splendid majolica tiles.

Cinque Terre

According to Road Trip Italia, there is one destination in the beautiful Ligurian coast of Levante that must be tried at least once in life. We’re talking about  the Cinque Terre, an explosion of colors and contrasts that make it one of the most beautiful places in the world. Starting from Genoa, along the Litoranea you will meet the five villages of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Breathtaking landscapes, among the bright colors of the houses, the bright green of the slopes on which the villages rise, and the intense blue sea on which they overlook. It seems to have been catapulted into a painting. During this fantastic Road Trip full of colors, one obligatory stop is the famous Walk of lovers. It’s a road carved into the cliff 30 meters from the sea, which connects Manarola to Riomaggiore. Park your car, hold hands and enjoy the show that this walk offers; it’s perhaps the best way to celebrate love for both your country and your partner.

Tuscany

The third Italy Road Trip sees Tuscany as the protagonist. A region envied by the whole world for its beauty, good food and peace, it would take months to discover it in every detail. But one can think of a shorter itinerary, more limited but equally surprising. We start from Pisa  with its beautiful Piazza dei Miracoli, then go through Lucca, with its historic center enclosed in the city walls. The journey continues to Florence, and then crosses the Chianti hills. Here, hidden among olive groves and vineyards, we find the municipalities of Greve, Panzano, Gaiole, Radda and Castellina, where you can delight the palate with food and wine of the highest quality and relax your mind and body in one of the many farms there. For the more adventurous, the Road Trip continues towards Siena, where it would be interesting to visit during the period of the palio, to then conclude with the beautiful Arezzo.

Basilicata

The fourth Italy Road Trip is the one recently suggested by the film by Rocco Papaleo, Basilicata Coast to Coast. It’s one of the least known regions of Italy, which actually hides spectacular landscapes. So why not get in the car and move to the hidden Basilicata? Walking around it you will find white beaches, like that of Metaponto, villages dug in the rocks, the Pollino National Park and the beautiful city of Matera, the “Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea” . This is the location of the famous, ancient stones, whose charm is out of the ordinary (we talked about here).

Among the places to visit we have Lauria, a village from the Middle Ages and divided into two districts: the Castle and the Borgo. There is also Francavilla in Sinni, a medieval town with the remains of the Certosa di San Nicola and numerous chapels. From here we head towards San Costantino Albanese which keeps alive the traditions of the ancient populations of Albanian origins who here found refuge around the 16^th century. Then we have Senise, famous for the production of “zafra” PGI peppers. Not far from here is Craco: an ancient medieval village, which, following a landslide in 1963, has become a real ghost town and is thus very suggestive.

South Sardinia

The fifth and last Italy Road Trip to report is that related to southern Sardinia. Everyone is used to talking about the wonderful and most famous beaches in the North. Everyone talks about the city of Olbia, and all the breathtaking resorts of the Costa Smeralda. But the southern part deserves as much attention: it’s more wild and worthy of an excursion between unspoiled nature and hidden coves. The journey starts from Villasimius and continues towards Cagliari. The rule is to be inspired by the purity of the views and be guided by our own instinct. In any case, some points of reference can surely be San Teodoro, Budoni, and then reach Arbatax. You should also schedule a few hours of sea on the beaches of Chia, Pula and Sant’Antioco and a last dip in Cala Cipolla.

Chiara Rocca

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