One of the best aspects of living in Italy for over a decade as a travel writer has been discovering towns I didn’t have on my radar before moving here. From Tuscany to Calabria, the Dolomites to Basilicata, this country is crammed with villages full of art, food, and natural beauty—places that many travelers miss out on while focusing on the tried-and-true. Here are ten treasures to put on your next Italian itinerary.

1. Populonia, Tuscany: You might not have heard of this tiny town on the Tuscan Coast, but it was once the site of one of the region’s most important Etruscan settlements. They were attracted to it for strategic reasons, as it could spot enemy ships miles away on the sea, but now visitors come for much more peaceful pursuits: to lie on the broad beach at the postcard-perfect Baratti Bay down below, to eat gelato while taking in the epic 360-degree views of the Mediterranean, to wander the ramparts of the castle, and to eat at the seriously good seafood restaurants.