Italy’s lesser-known romantic destinations

There aren’t many countries in the world that can rival Il Bel Paese when it comes to whimsical romantic beauty. But it’s not all gondola rides and tossing coins into the Trevi Fountain; check out these five lesser-known romantic destinations for an original and unforgettable loved-up holiday.

Grotta Palazzese, Puglia

For a romantic meal to end all romantic meals, book a table at Grotta Palazzese. This restaurant in the small town of Polignano a Mare in Puglia sits within a natural sea cave suspended 74 feet above the azure blue Adriatic. The cave itself formed centuries ago and was used for grand banquets by the Italian nobility during the 18th century. Today, small tables are spaced out over wooden floorboards with white tablecloths that flutter in the sea breeze. Make a reservation for dusk, when you get to experience the best of both worlds – the view is undoubtedly better with daylight but it feels more atmospheric when candlelit at night. Open from May until October, the restaurant offers a fixed menu or à la carte dishes. And though the food, unfortunately, is nothing to write home about – the setting certainly is. Dimora Santo Stefano is a B&B in a traditional Apulian stone house just 5 minutes’ walk from Grotta Palazzese, featuring sea views and a sun-drenched rooftop terrace.

Grotta Della Poesia, Puglia

Another romantic Apulian cave-like setting, Grotta Della Poesia (‘Caves of Poetry’) is a 100-foot wide lagoon on the edge of the Adriatic. This perfectly round natural pool is filled with impossibly clear, turquoise-tinted water and is popular with locals and tourists alike. Though it does tend to get very busy during the summer months, the playful, joyous spirit of people diving off the limestone cliffs into the crystal-clear ocean is infectious. If you’d prefer a more calming, private swimming experience, head there before 10am. Stay at the coastal, cliff top Hotel Belvedere (with a lovely rooftop swimming pool), just a 20-minute walk from the Grotta Della Poesia.

Ninfa Gardens, Lazio

Lazio’s Ninfa Gardens are so whimsically beautiful that visitors will feel like they’ve stepped into a dreamscape. The 150-acre garden was cultivated on the site of Roman ruins in the 1920s by wealthy Italian noble family, the Caetanis, inspired by the wife of Prince Onorato Caetani and her love of the English ornamental garden. Note the roses, jasmine and moss clambering up the side of crumbling arches and the flower-filled shell of the 10th-century, frescoed church. And follow the garden’s fast-flowing brook as it weaves under ancient bridges past boulevards of lavender, orchids, lilies and red Japanese maple trees. It’s also an easy day trip from Rome, being just an hour and a half’s drive away. Check into MyNavona, a central Rome property with parquet floors and patterned wallpaper.

Lucca, Tuscany

There’s really nothing not to love about Lucca, a delightful Tuscan town known as the ‘city of a hundred churches’. Poking out above the city’s terracotta-tiled rooftops, the Romanesque-Gothic Guinigi Tower – with seven oak trees sprouting out of its summit – defines the skyline. This remarkable red-brick tower is a must-see, and we’d advise paying the small entrance fee and climbing to the top for views over the city from its shaded rooftop garden. Return to the marble-paved streets below to wander between churches and piazzas, stopping off at a local trattoria to taste local specialities like zuppa di farro (a soup made with a grain akin to barley, alongside pancetta, garlic and fresh, fragrant Italian tomatoes). Stay in the middle of Lucca at Locanda Sant’ Agostino and eat breakfast on the terrace beneath a wisteria-covered pergola.

Cascata delle Marmore, Umbria

Built by the ancient Romans, the Cascata delle Marmore waterfall was initially an engineering solution to an infrastructure issue but has become one of Italy’s most-loved romantic attractions. Mentioned by the Roman poet Virgil in his epic Latin piece, The Aenied, and by Dante in Paradise, the falls have long been celebrated for their enigmatic beauty and are the tallest of their kind in the world. Surrounded by forest just outside the Umbrian town of Terni, the setting becomes particularly special when the clifftop dam gates are opened (twice daily) and the already fast-flowing falls gain pace. Watch the roaring water cascade over the three limestone steps, plunging down the valley and filling the air with a cloud of mist. Stay in an apartment at Residence Bizzoni, a terracotta-coloured mansion with forest green shutters overlooking Gianfranco Ciaurro Park in Terni.