Romantic getaways: 9 surprising ways to treat your loved one without leaving Italy

Love escapes don’t require passports or expensive plane flights. Italy already has all the moods you may wish for a couple’s weekend, from most refined experiences to bowls of pasta eaten in humble trattorias. You just have to know where to find them, and how to avoid the same set of everybody’s been since their anniversaries.

Here are 10 ideas that say “I planned this for you”.

1. Swim and snorkel at Riaci Beach

Head a few minutes down the road from Tropea, and discover Riaci Beach (Calabria) and ask yourself why all the rest of the crowd is still on the large beach. Its clear water and huge rocks make Riaci ideal for couples seeking an uncrowded area with panoramic views. Bring a mask — snorkeling here is a whole exploration.

2. Row the rowing boat under the Marmore Falls

In Umbria, the Cascata delle Marmore is one of the highest artificial waterfalls in Europe. The lookouts are where visitors tend to stay. You? Take a small rowing boat and float through the lower gorge under the falls. It’s loud, green, and very exhilarating. 

3. Walk the ring trail around Lake Scanno

Lake Scanno (Abruzzo) isn’t just heart-shaped — it’s the kind of location you’d see in a film. Skip the Insta look and hike the loop path encircling the lake through chestnut groves and peaceful trails, and collect the experience.

4. Learn ceramics in Faenza 

You can buy souvenirs or do something better. In the ceramics-plenty town of Faenza, you can enroll in a local workshop and craft your own plates, cups, or terrible failures. Your handiwork will turn up later in the post in the shape of a surprise souvenir of the holiday.

5. Ride Monte Baldo cable car 

From Malcesine, take the revolving cable car to the summit of Monte Baldo for stunning views over Lake Garda, then take one of the panoramic walking trails. Even a brief stroll reveals awe-inspiring views for you and your loved one.

6. Ride the island of Albarella 

This tiny private island just off the coast of Chioggia is oft-overlooked. It’s 100% rideable by bike with no crowds and no hassle. Bike rental and ride the coastal roads seeing the lagoon glow unforgettably golden. 

7. Hunt truffles together

From October to December, half-day truffle hunts with guide dogs are offered in towns like San Miniato (Tuscany) or Norcia (Umbria). It’s not touristy — it’s earthy, often muddy, and unexpectedly intimate. You’re taught by the guide to read the forest, listen to the dog, and consume what you discover.

8. Climb to the Sacro Monte di Varese summit

Sacro Monte di Varese is one of Italy’s nine Sacred Mountains — a UNESCO World Heritage-listed trail of art, chapels, and vistas. The trek’s not difficult: it’s a peaceful amble that leads to a centuries-old shrine and a panoramic vista.

9.. Ride the small train through the Cogne valley

There is a small tourist train during the summer that passes through Cogne, into Gran Paradiso National Park. It’s pure alpine magic: cows with bells, flower fields, mountain silence. It’s slow travel with your special one to share the silence.

Romantic getaways don’t require rose petals or high-end suites. They require attention, surprise, and shared moments that don’t feel reused. Italy has no lack of locations that provide all of that — you just need to look slightly beyond the familiar names.