September 19, 2025 • 15 mins
Fall in Italy is a dream for travelers. It's a season of golden vineyards, festivals, and quiet piazzas where you can while away an hour or two. In this episode, we explore eight Italian towns that shine in autumn - from a hilltop town in Umbria to a city famed for truffle markets, and a Renaissance jewel and beyond. Discover lesser-known gems in Veneto, Lombardy, Lazio, and Abruzzo where seasonal flavors and breathtaking landscapes make fall an unforgettable time to visit.
Read the full episode show notes here > untolditaly.com/291
NEW! - the Untold Italy app - access our entire podcast history ad free and searchable - DOWNLOAD FOR iOS • DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID
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Support the show
Editorial Information
The Untold Italy travel podcast is an independent production. Podcast Editing, Audio Production and Website Development by Mark Hatter. Production Assistance and Content Writing by the other Katie Clarke
Read the full episode show notes here > untolditaly.com/291
NEW! - the Untold Italy app - access our entire podcast history ad free and searchable - DOWNLOAD FOR iOS • DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID
The app is FREE to download and check out our Milan guide and general travel content. Upgrade to PREMIUM for a one time fee to access Rome, Florence, Venice, Sorrento, Cinque Terre, Amalfi Coast, Capri, Ischia, Tuscany, Lake Como, Lake Garda, Veneto, Lombardy, Campania, Lazio, Puglia, Abruzzo, Calabria, Umbria, Molise with much more to come
Support the show
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Editorial Information
The Untold Italy travel podcast is an independent production. Podcast Editing, Audio Production and Website Development by Mark Hatter. Production Assistance and Content Writing by the other Katie Clarke
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We wandered through the medieval town, boots on cobbles and
the aroma of roasted chestnuts tickling our noses. There was
chill in the air, but I knew just around the
corner that there was a delicious plate of strang got
sea pasta and glass of wine with my name on it.
We ducked into a few shops in search of gifts
along the way, and had post lunch plans to admire
frescos in a tiny church and the view from the
(00:22):
city walls. It was a perfect autumnal day in Italy.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Tawatuti and Benvenuti Tuan told Italy the Travel podcast to
where you go to the towns and villages, mountains and lakes,
hills and coastlines of Bella, Italia. Each week, your host
Katie Clark takes you on a journey in a search
of magical landscapes, history, culture, wine, gelato, and of course,
(00:54):
a whole lot of pasta. If you're dreaming of Italy
and planning future adventures there, you've come to the right Please.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Dreaming of arriving in Italy, strolling into a gelatia and
ordering your gelato with confidence. If you've been learning Italian
with language apps, but still can't string a sentence together,
it might be time to try another approach. My friend
Michelle from Intrepid Italian offers a practical way to learn
travel ready Italian. Thanks to her unique eighty twenty method,
(01:32):
Michelle teaches you exactly what you need to know to
connect with locals and have more authentic travel experiences. There's
no getting bogged down in awkward phrases and unnecessary grammar.
As an adult learner herself with Italian heritage, Michelle really
knows how to bridge the gap between English and Italian.
As Roma from London said, the learning methodology is great.
(01:56):
I progressed much faster in the last four weeks than
I ever did on my own or using other language apps.
To find out more and claim your free Italian travel
phrase guide, visit untold Italy dot com, forward slash Italian
or visit the link in the show notes. As a bonus,
you'll also get an exclusive twenty dollars coupon code to
use on any of Michelle's online self paced courses. So
(02:19):
visit untold Italy dot com, forward slash Italian and accelerate
your Italian language journey today. Italy in the fall is
almost perfect if you ask me, and by fall or autumn,
I mean that in a meteorological sense, because the months
are now a bit topsy turvy these days. Even mid
October can feel like late summer in some parts of Italy.
(02:41):
So for the purposes of this podcast, will refer to
fall or autumn as late October to late November, when
the weather has definitely shifted, the nights are cooler, and
misstangs in valleys for a couple of hours after first light.
There's no better time to travel in Italy if you
ask me. Hol of harvest is in full. Suite, festivals
and local life bustle around you, and the rhythm of
(03:03):
cities slows quite perceptibly as the summer crowds fade. I've
enjoyed many wonderful Italian moments across all seasons in Italy,
but if I had to choose just one season and
one experience for my future Italy travels, I'd choose visiting
the smaller towns and villages in full. This is when
the sun glows lower over golden vineyards, a gentle mist
(03:24):
curls around medieval towers, and when your plate of pasta
and glass of wine tastes like perfection. It's when you
can wear a stylish coat and not too many layers
and wander to your heart's content without building up a
hair frizzing the sweat. Summer in Italy is for the
beach and mountains, before is for the towns. In this episode,
I'll take you through eight Italian towns that shine brightest
(03:47):
in the autumn. Some you may have heard of. Others
are less familiar but no less enchanting, from a Renaissance
jeweling marque to misty lake towns in Lombardy and quiet
villages that feel timeless, whether you're planning a future trip
or simply dreaming from home, I hope this journey inspires
you to see Italy in a different light, one where
the rhythm slows, the flavors deepen, and the beauty of
(04:09):
autumn lingers in every stone street and vineyard roe. So,
if you have one and I wish I did, pull
yourself a glass of Barollo, settle in and let's explore
these eight Italian towns to visit in fall. Now, if
you were wondering which town I was talking about in
the introduction, this is it high above the Umbrian countryside,
(04:32):
or Vieto rises on a sheer volcanic cliff. In autumn,
the sun bounces off the golden mosaics on the town's
Gothic cathedral so that they shimmer, and when you take
a wander along the city walls, the views stretch across
the Umbrian fields that are busy with the olive harvest.
I arrived in November and went there straight off the
plane from Australia. On the train from Rome. It was
(04:54):
my first trip back to Italy after a two year break,
and once my friend and I had left our legg
you did the cafe in the station, we took the
funicula to the old town and arrived in Wonderland. And
I think it's wonderland because all Vieto is a place
where you immediately feel that you're in Italy. There aren't
too many English speaking voices to be heard on the streets,
(05:15):
and there's no fanfare or fuss, especially when it comes
to food and wine. Just good, honest, tasty, fair served
with a big smile. I went back a few months
ago in summer, and yes it was very charming then,
but I have to say that in full all Vieto
feels really different. It's especially atmospheric, like a hilltop haven
(05:35):
wrapped in mist, and of course it has years and
centuries of tradition. I'm a little bit envious about to
a guest starting there on Branda venture there in late October.
It's the perfect introduction to the region. So have a
wonderful time if you're listening. Next up is Urbino in Marquee,
and Urbino is a new discovery for me, and it's
(05:58):
a Renaissance masterpiece worthy of your attention. It's another walled
town and it feels like stepping back in time. You know,
there are a lot of places initially that do that,
but you know where Orvieto has a quiet beauty, albeit
a grand cathedral. Urbino is a city of art and
culture and also some very impressive Michelan listed restaurants. You
(06:22):
could definitely while away a few hours, popping into the
Ducal Palace gallery, stopping at the boutiques where I have
picked up one of my favorite souvenirs full time, which
is a Ducal star made of ceramic and it's just beautiful.
And you can also visit the churches to admire the
frescoes because you can really, you know, see them in
(06:44):
perfect solitude. Now, I've only visited in summer, but you'll
have to hold me back from returning there in the fall,
because Urbino is a university town, and I've been told
that in autumn the streets are buzzing with students and
the surrounding hills are washed in earthy colors, which are
perfect for long walks, quiet drives, and perhaps that truffle
(07:07):
hunt that I missed out on in summer. But even
if you don't go searching for truffles, they are definitely
on the menu in Lovely Abino in full. And if
you'd like to know a little more about this charming town,
I wrote a travel guide on our untotal Italy substack,
and of course it is featured in our app. This
next town is a classic autumn destination in Italy and
(07:28):
if you're a foodie, Albert needs no introduction. Come October
and November, this little town becomes the stage for the
White Truffle Fair, where the air is thick with the
earthy aroma of one of the world's rarest delicacies. We
will return in a moment with the rest of the episode.
(07:50):
The fair is an important event on the local calendar,
and truffles really take the center stage here, but it's
also a lovely time to reflect on the city's metis
evil past, and the guests on our Piedmont tours have
loved the costume parades and celebrations at this time of year.
It's really special to see the parade of costumed locals
(08:11):
going through the streets and lots of drumming and flag waving.
It's really exciting. So around Alba, the vineyards that are
surrounding the city glow with fiery reds and yellows, and
if you arrive in October, the great harvest is in
full swing. All we need to do now is imagine
yourself tucking into a plate of tajerine pasta sprinkled with
(08:32):
truffle shavings and holding a glass of barolo in hand.
It's one of those places where you just need to
relax into the season and fall in. Alba is at
its very best, and it's for that reason one of
Italy's unmissible autumnal destinations. If your wine tastes lean more
towards Sangiovesi, you want to head to Tuscany, set in
(08:55):
the heart of the Kianti wine region. Greve is surrounded
by rolling hills. It's driped with vineyards. In September, the
grape harvest fills the countryside with activity, and I know
a few people that are heading there soon. But by
October and November the paste slows and the colors deepen
into a golden patchwork. Greve is everything you imagine a
(09:16):
small town in Tuscany would be, and it has a
colorful market and the most gorgeous piazza, Piazza Mattiotti, and
it's framed by portico buildings with the requisite cafes spilling outside.
When the summer crowds have gone, Greve feels peaceful and
it's a lovely base for exploring Tuscany when it's at
its most mellow. If you like walks through the countryside,
(09:38):
the trail from Greve to Montefierare will give you your
foliage fix. And back in town there are several shops
to pick up some delicious local produce and artisan weares.
We make a stop in grevev on our Classic Tuscany
tours and it's always a popular one. Now we're heading
north to the Veneto region, the area that surrounds Venice
(10:00):
and known as the Town of one hundred Horizons. A
Solo is a romantic little hilltop retreat in the Veneto region.
Visitors are drawn here for its views, which in autumn
are especially enchanting, with crisp skies and chestnut trees on
the hills going golden yellow. In a Solo, you'll stumble
on Renaissance palaces, quiet piazzas and little wine bars pouring
(10:21):
the new seasons prosecco. Over the years, the town that's
one of Italy's Baugipoo Belli Talia, which is one of
the most beautiful towns in Italy, has attracted writers, poets
and artists, among them Henry James, who came in search
of serenity and beauty, and often they stayed quite some time.
It's definitely my kind of place where time feels suspended,
(10:45):
especially when the autumn light catches the terracotta rooftops and
you don't need to brush, you can just simply enjoy.
Also in the north, Manchua in Lombardy is a city
embraced by water three lakes that encircle It's UNESCO listed
historic center, reflecting the towers and domes in their steel surfaces.
(11:06):
In autumn, mist often rises off the lakes, giving the
Renaissance palaces a very dreamy feel. The city is a
popular destination for Italians in the fall because, apart from
a beautiful foliage, it's a great time to visit the
Jugal Palace, also known as the Gonzaga Palace and Palazzote,
which are immense historic buildings bursting with frescoes and art,
(11:27):
and they've been beautifully restored. Now. Mantua is another university town,
and you're sensing a trend here, and it's also famous
for its food, so full is the perfect time to
try totelli di zuka, which is a pasta stuffed with
sweet pumpkin and spices. It's delicious. I have a real
(11:49):
soft spot for uncharted Lombardy outside Milan. It's beautiful countryside
and it goes about its business while Milan and Como
hog the limelight. It's an area to explore if you've
got a car and a few few days. Bear en
route from Venice to Bologna, often called the dying town,
Jivita di Bano Reggio seems to float above the surrounding
valley connected to the modern world only by a long
(12:10):
pedestrian bridge. In autumn, the morning fog drapes the cliffs,
making the town look like it's suspended in the clouds.
Inside the medieval center, stonehouses and narrow alleys film almost
untouched by time. This is chestnut and puccini mushroom season
in the area, and a steaming plate of pasta in
one of the local tretteriers is the perfect way to
(12:33):
warm up after exploring. Chivita is not far from au Vieto,
and you could easily combine a visit to these two
places for a day or two exploring between Rome and Florence.
The final town I want to mention is one that
I haven't been to, but it's on my list. It's
a bit of a spoiler for next week's episode, and
it's on the list of towns to visit in full
(12:54):
due to its central location, just two hours by car
from Rome. Nestled in a wide beneath the Appennine, Salmona
is famous for its colorful sugar almonds, but in full
the surrounding countryside adds even more magic. The mountains blaze
with color, and in nearby Novelli, the saffron harvest begins.
Saffron is one of the most prize spices in Italy
(13:16):
and its flowers are bright purple, so that's definitely an
unexpected burst of color for the season that I'd like
to see. But also I really would love to experience
the traditions behind the saffron harvest. There's nothing better than
a harvest celebration in Italy in my opinion. Now, other
than that, I'd love to see Salmona's market square alive
with local produce and the preparations for the Christmas season ahead.
(13:39):
There's nothing quite like a small town in Italy to
get you ready and excited for a lovely winter season.
So there you have it. Eight Italian towns that come
in to their own in full. From the truffle fairs
of Alba to the golden vineyards of Kianti, misst You,
Renaissance Mantua and tiny Chi perched above the clouds. Each
(14:02):
of these places offers something different, but they all have
unique charms enhanced by the season. Unfortunately, I won't be
visiting Italy in fall this year, but I'm excited for
those of you who are What a dream If this
episode has sparked ideas for your own Italian fall adventure.
We'd love to help. On the Untold Italy app, you'll
find guides to regions and cities, add free podcast episodes
(14:25):
and tools to plan your trip with confidence. And if
you're ready for more hands on support, our team offers
trip consultations and full itinery planning, full of those dreamy
towns that you've been dreaming of. And it would be
remiss of me not to mention our small group tours
that happen in regions like Tuscany, Umbria and Sicily and
(14:45):
fall is our favorite season to travel in regional Italy.
And that's for the reasons that you've heard just now.
I'd also love to hear from you. Which of these
towns would you most like to visit in autumn? Send
me a note or share your thoughts in our substate
community or on Spotify, where we talk about travel, dreams
and real experiences in Italy. Go out here as always
(15:07):
for listening and being part of this community. Until next time,
keep dreaming, keep planning, and maybe even if you're lucky,
start packing for that Italian full adventure that you've been
dreaming of. That's all for today. Next time, we're visiting
one of Italy's iconic destinations and looking at it through
the eyes of a local. But until then, it's chopin out.
(15:28):
The Untold Italy podcast is an independent production podcast editing,
audio production and website development by Mark Hatter, Production assistance
and content writing by the are they kJ Clark? Yes,
there are two of us. For more information about Untold Italy,
please visit Untold Italy dot com.
We wandered through the medieval town, boots on cobbles and
the aroma of roasted chestnuts tickling our noses. There was
chill in the air, but I knew just around the
corner that there was a delicious plate of strang got
sea pasta and glass of wine with my name on it.
We ducked into a few shops in search of gifts
along the way, and had post lunch plans to admire
frescos in a tiny church and the view from the
(00:22):
city walls. It was a perfect autumnal day in Italy.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Tawatuti and Benvenuti Tuan told Italy the Travel podcast to
where you go to the towns and villages, mountains and lakes,
hills and coastlines of Bella, Italia. Each week, your host
Katie Clark takes you on a journey in a search
of magical landscapes, history, culture, wine, gelato, and of course,
(00:54):
a whole lot of pasta. If you're dreaming of Italy
and planning future adventures there, you've come to the right Please.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Dreaming of arriving in Italy, strolling into a gelatia and
ordering your gelato with confidence. If you've been learning Italian
with language apps, but still can't string a sentence together,
it might be time to try another approach. My friend
Michelle from Intrepid Italian offers a practical way to learn
travel ready Italian. Thanks to her unique eighty twenty method,
(01:32):
Michelle teaches you exactly what you need to know to
connect with locals and have more authentic travel experiences. There's
no getting bogged down in awkward phrases and unnecessary grammar.
As an adult learner herself with Italian heritage, Michelle really
knows how to bridge the gap between English and Italian.
As Roma from London said, the learning methodology is great.
(01:56):
I progressed much faster in the last four weeks than
I ever did on my own or using other language apps.
To find out more and claim your free Italian travel
phrase guide, visit untold Italy dot com, forward slash Italian
or visit the link in the show notes. As a bonus,
you'll also get an exclusive twenty dollars coupon code to
use on any of Michelle's online self paced courses. So
(02:19):
visit untold Italy dot com, forward slash Italian and accelerate
your Italian language journey today. Italy in the fall is
almost perfect if you ask me, and by fall or autumn,
I mean that in a meteorological sense, because the months
are now a bit topsy turvy these days. Even mid
October can feel like late summer in some parts of Italy.
(02:41):
So for the purposes of this podcast, will refer to
fall or autumn as late October to late November, when
the weather has definitely shifted, the nights are cooler, and
misstangs in valleys for a couple of hours after first light.
There's no better time to travel in Italy if you
ask me. Hol of harvest is in full. Suite, festivals
and local life bustle around you, and the rhythm of
(03:03):
cities slows quite perceptibly as the summer crowds fade. I've
enjoyed many wonderful Italian moments across all seasons in Italy,
but if I had to choose just one season and
one experience for my future Italy travels, I'd choose visiting
the smaller towns and villages in full. This is when
the sun glows lower over golden vineyards, a gentle mist
(03:24):
curls around medieval towers, and when your plate of pasta
and glass of wine tastes like perfection. It's when you
can wear a stylish coat and not too many layers
and wander to your heart's content without building up a
hair frizzing the sweat. Summer in Italy is for the
beach and mountains, before is for the towns. In this episode,
I'll take you through eight Italian towns that shine brightest
(03:47):
in the autumn. Some you may have heard of. Others
are less familiar but no less enchanting, from a Renaissance
jeweling marque to misty lake towns in Lombardy and quiet
villages that feel timeless, whether you're planning a future trip
or simply dreaming from home, I hope this journey inspires
you to see Italy in a different light, one where
the rhythm slows, the flavors deepen, and the beauty of
(04:09):
autumn lingers in every stone street and vineyard roe. So,
if you have one and I wish I did, pull
yourself a glass of Barollo, settle in and let's explore
these eight Italian towns to visit in fall. Now, if
you were wondering which town I was talking about in
the introduction, this is it high above the Umbrian countryside,
(04:32):
or Vieto rises on a sheer volcanic cliff. In autumn,
the sun bounces off the golden mosaics on the town's
Gothic cathedral so that they shimmer, and when you take
a wander along the city walls, the views stretch across
the Umbrian fields that are busy with the olive harvest.
I arrived in November and went there straight off the
plane from Australia. On the train from Rome. It was
(04:54):
my first trip back to Italy after a two year break,
and once my friend and I had left our legg
you did the cafe in the station, we took the
funicula to the old town and arrived in Wonderland. And
I think it's wonderland because all Vieto is a place
where you immediately feel that you're in Italy. There aren't
too many English speaking voices to be heard on the streets,
(05:15):
and there's no fanfare or fuss, especially when it comes
to food and wine. Just good, honest, tasty, fair served
with a big smile. I went back a few months
ago in summer, and yes it was very charming then,
but I have to say that in full all Vieto
feels really different. It's especially atmospheric, like a hilltop haven
(05:35):
wrapped in mist, and of course it has years and
centuries of tradition. I'm a little bit envious about to
a guest starting there on Branda venture there in late October.
It's the perfect introduction to the region. So have a
wonderful time if you're listening. Next up is Urbino in Marquee,
and Urbino is a new discovery for me, and it's
(05:58):
a Renaissance masterpiece worthy of your attention. It's another walled
town and it feels like stepping back in time. You know,
there are a lot of places initially that do that,
but you know where Orvieto has a quiet beauty, albeit
a grand cathedral. Urbino is a city of art and
culture and also some very impressive Michelan listed restaurants. You
(06:22):
could definitely while away a few hours, popping into the
Ducal Palace gallery, stopping at the boutiques where I have
picked up one of my favorite souvenirs full time, which
is a Ducal star made of ceramic and it's just beautiful.
And you can also visit the churches to admire the
frescoes because you can really, you know, see them in
(06:44):
perfect solitude. Now, I've only visited in summer, but you'll
have to hold me back from returning there in the fall,
because Urbino is a university town, and I've been told
that in autumn the streets are buzzing with students and
the surrounding hills are washed in earthy colors, which are
perfect for long walks, quiet drives, and perhaps that truffle
(07:07):
hunt that I missed out on in summer. But even
if you don't go searching for truffles, they are definitely
on the menu in Lovely Abino in full. And if
you'd like to know a little more about this charming town,
I wrote a travel guide on our untotal Italy substack,
and of course it is featured in our app. This
next town is a classic autumn destination in Italy and
(07:28):
if you're a foodie, Albert needs no introduction. Come October
and November, this little town becomes the stage for the
White Truffle Fair, where the air is thick with the
earthy aroma of one of the world's rarest delicacies. We
will return in a moment with the rest of the episode.
(07:50):
The fair is an important event on the local calendar,
and truffles really take the center stage here, but it's
also a lovely time to reflect on the city's metis
evil past, and the guests on our Piedmont tours have
loved the costume parades and celebrations at this time of year.
It's really special to see the parade of costumed locals
(08:11):
going through the streets and lots of drumming and flag waving.
It's really exciting. So around Alba, the vineyards that are
surrounding the city glow with fiery reds and yellows, and
if you arrive in October, the great harvest is in
full swing. All we need to do now is imagine
yourself tucking into a plate of tajerine pasta sprinkled with
(08:32):
truffle shavings and holding a glass of barolo in hand.
It's one of those places where you just need to
relax into the season and fall in. Alba is at
its very best, and it's for that reason one of
Italy's unmissible autumnal destinations. If your wine tastes lean more
towards Sangiovesi, you want to head to Tuscany, set in
(08:55):
the heart of the Kianti wine region. Greve is surrounded
by rolling hills. It's driped with vineyards. In September, the
grape harvest fills the countryside with activity, and I know
a few people that are heading there soon. But by
October and November the paste slows and the colors deepen
into a golden patchwork. Greve is everything you imagine a
(09:16):
small town in Tuscany would be, and it has a
colorful market and the most gorgeous piazza, Piazza Mattiotti, and
it's framed by portico buildings with the requisite cafes spilling outside.
When the summer crowds have gone, Greve feels peaceful and
it's a lovely base for exploring Tuscany when it's at
its most mellow. If you like walks through the countryside,
(09:38):
the trail from Greve to Montefierare will give you your
foliage fix. And back in town there are several shops
to pick up some delicious local produce and artisan weares.
We make a stop in grevev on our Classic Tuscany
tours and it's always a popular one. Now we're heading
north to the Veneto region, the area that surrounds Venice
(10:00):
and known as the Town of one hundred Horizons. A
Solo is a romantic little hilltop retreat in the Veneto region.
Visitors are drawn here for its views, which in autumn
are especially enchanting, with crisp skies and chestnut trees on
the hills going golden yellow. In a Solo, you'll stumble
on Renaissance palaces, quiet piazzas and little wine bars pouring
(10:21):
the new seasons prosecco. Over the years, the town that's
one of Italy's Baugipoo Belli Talia, which is one of
the most beautiful towns in Italy, has attracted writers, poets
and artists, among them Henry James, who came in search
of serenity and beauty, and often they stayed quite some time.
It's definitely my kind of place where time feels suspended,
(10:45):
especially when the autumn light catches the terracotta rooftops and
you don't need to brush, you can just simply enjoy.
Also in the north, Manchua in Lombardy is a city
embraced by water three lakes that encircle It's UNESCO listed
historic center, reflecting the towers and domes in their steel surfaces.
(11:06):
In autumn, mist often rises off the lakes, giving the
Renaissance palaces a very dreamy feel. The city is a
popular destination for Italians in the fall because, apart from
a beautiful foliage, it's a great time to visit the
Jugal Palace, also known as the Gonzaga Palace and Palazzote,
which are immense historic buildings bursting with frescoes and art,
(11:27):
and they've been beautifully restored. Now. Mantua is another university town,
and you're sensing a trend here, and it's also famous
for its food, so full is the perfect time to
try totelli di zuka, which is a pasta stuffed with
sweet pumpkin and spices. It's delicious. I have a real
(11:49):
soft spot for uncharted Lombardy outside Milan. It's beautiful countryside
and it goes about its business while Milan and Como
hog the limelight. It's an area to explore if you've
got a car and a few few days. Bear en
route from Venice to Bologna, often called the dying town,
Jivita di Bano Reggio seems to float above the surrounding
valley connected to the modern world only by a long
(12:10):
pedestrian bridge. In autumn, the morning fog drapes the cliffs,
making the town look like it's suspended in the clouds.
Inside the medieval center, stonehouses and narrow alleys film almost
untouched by time. This is chestnut and puccini mushroom season
in the area, and a steaming plate of pasta in
one of the local tretteriers is the perfect way to
(12:33):
warm up after exploring. Chivita is not far from au Vieto,
and you could easily combine a visit to these two
places for a day or two exploring between Rome and Florence.
The final town I want to mention is one that
I haven't been to, but it's on my list. It's
a bit of a spoiler for next week's episode, and
it's on the list of towns to visit in full
(12:54):
due to its central location, just two hours by car
from Rome. Nestled in a wide beneath the Appennine, Salmona
is famous for its colorful sugar almonds, but in full
the surrounding countryside adds even more magic. The mountains blaze
with color, and in nearby Novelli, the saffron harvest begins.
Saffron is one of the most prize spices in Italy
(13:16):
and its flowers are bright purple, so that's definitely an
unexpected burst of color for the season that I'd like
to see. But also I really would love to experience
the traditions behind the saffron harvest. There's nothing better than
a harvest celebration in Italy in my opinion. Now, other
than that, I'd love to see Salmona's market square alive
with local produce and the preparations for the Christmas season ahead.
(13:39):
There's nothing quite like a small town in Italy to
get you ready and excited for a lovely winter season.
So there you have it. Eight Italian towns that come
in to their own in full. From the truffle fairs
of Alba to the golden vineyards of Kianti, misst You,
Renaissance Mantua and tiny Chi perched above the clouds. Each
(14:02):
of these places offers something different, but they all have
unique charms enhanced by the season. Unfortunately, I won't be
visiting Italy in fall this year, but I'm excited for
those of you who are What a dream If this
episode has sparked ideas for your own Italian fall adventure.
We'd love to help. On the Untold Italy app, you'll
find guides to regions and cities, add free podcast episodes
(14:25):
and tools to plan your trip with confidence. And if
you're ready for more hands on support, our team offers
trip consultations and full itinery planning, full of those dreamy
towns that you've been dreaming of. And it would be
remiss of me not to mention our small group tours
that happen in regions like Tuscany, Umbria and Sicily and
(14:45):
fall is our favorite season to travel in regional Italy.
And that's for the reasons that you've heard just now.
I'd also love to hear from you. Which of these
towns would you most like to visit in autumn? Send
me a note or share your thoughts in our substate
community or on Spotify, where we talk about travel, dreams
and real experiences in Italy. Go out here as always
(15:07):
for listening and being part of this community. Until next time,
keep dreaming, keep planning, and maybe even if you're lucky,
start packing for that Italian full adventure that you've been
dreaming of. That's all for today. Next time, we're visiting
one of Italy's iconic destinations and looking at it through
the eyes of a local. But until then, it's chopin out.
(15:28):
The Untold Italy podcast is an independent production podcast editing,
audio production and website development by Mark Hatter, Production assistance
and content writing by the are they kJ Clark? Yes,
there are two of us. For more information about Untold Italy,
please visit Untold Italy dot com.
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