New Additions to the "most beautiful villages of Italy" list.....
 

This was published last year, but I'm curious..anyone been to any of these towns and do you agree with he designation?

Would you travel out of your way to visit any village on the list?



https://matadornetwork.com/read/most...illages-italy/


Were they as beautiful as you had hoped?

Does being on the list have any negative consequences?

Full list here:


https://borghipiubelliditalia.it/borghi/

We spent a week in Sulmona in October of 2024 and made the short drive to Pacentro, which is on the original list. It is indeed a lovely town and the people we met were very friendly and quite proud of their hill town. Most of Pacentro is pedestrian only and the walk to the restored castle above is well worth it.

I've only been to Gravina from this list of thirteen. It stars in a James Bond film as the lad motorbikes along that viaduct. The bridge is not really that exciting, the best bits are in the gorge that surrounds the town on 3/4 sides and it houses cave churches where the locals hid from pirates.

The town is a little dusty and perhaps not as elegant as many but still very nice

I always wonder if these lists are cooked up by tourist boards. I wish the photos of so many of these places weren't completely devoid of humans, although it promotes an off-the-beaten-track impression that some tourists are seeking. Part of what I enjoy about a village (besides obvious "beauty," however that's measured) is the interaction of its residents among themselves and with visitors, the vibe of daily life, etc.

On the "new additions" list (already nearly a year old), I think we stopped in Scheggino for lunch on our way to Marmore Falls. Lunch was nice, but I don't remember anything remarkable about the town. On the longer list (second link), we've been to several of the towns. "Most beautiful"? Probably not all of them.

They say that the villages are chosen by a "non-profit" organization, but who knows what that means. I wonder if politics see involved--one mayor is friendly with a member of the board, etc (??)

We did go to Pacentro for lunch and it was lovely, but whether it is among the "most beautiful," who can really say?

Bilbo, I will be in Matera again in May; would you say that a visit to Gravina is a must for scenery?

Speaking of villagers, the NYTimes just came out with their "52 places to visit in 2026.

One of them is Assisi (number 32 on the list) take a look at their photo of the street so jammed that one can barely walk:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...smid=url-share

Regarding the NYT article, I wouldn't put Los Angeles on the list for 2026. Yes, the new museum openings are worth mentioning, although the Lucas Museum has already postponed its opening a few times and still hasn't hired a permanent director or chief curator. An early preview of some of the new LACMA space didn't impress me, and the overhaul has been controversial.

But preparations for the 2028 Olympics will continue right up to the opening ceremonies. Lots of construction is underway at LAX and a couple of large public transportation projects are still ongoing in different parts of the city. I'd wait at least until 2027 and, better yet, the fall of 2028 after the Games.

Gravina is a must for ancient churches buffs, for us it was a must as a railway connection ;-) but we spent a pleasant afternoon/evening walking the town with a guide (which we normally never do) and again in the morning to see the churches.

The NYT has a seriously large number of US sites.... (I could go on but I guess they know their customers)

Assisi could be swopped out for Urbino, Genova/Genoa is a bit special but since it is surrounded by other equally wonderful Italian cities it is hard to know why one rather than another

Pooh's England.....!

The entire list is absurd.