Whichever region of Italy you visit, you’re likely to be close enough to one of the 294 small villages spread up and down “the boot” that have been recognized and certified as some of the most beautiful ones in the country. Founded in 2002, Association of I Borghi più belli d’Italia (the Association of Most Beautiful Villages in Italy) aims to promote the rich historic, artistic and cultural heritage of these tiny villages, locations that tourists might otherwise easily miss.

Many of the villages (borghi, in Italian) date back to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance but have been so lovingly preserved or restored that they offer travelers a rare blend of authenticity coupled with natural beauty enhanced by the patina of age.