If you’re keen to visit Italy but you’re reluctant to deal with the hordes that swarm Rome and Venice, there’s always the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, writes Penny Sadler. From the sparkling Adriatic Sea to the Austrian Alps, Friuli Venezia Giulia is an Italian gem hiding in plain sight. Blissfully free of crowds found in nearby Venice and Verona, Friuli offers idyllic landscapes for outdoor adventures, historic sites, and a rich food and wine culture.

Trieste is Friuli’s capital on the Adriatic Sea. Get to know Trieste by taking a coffee at Caffé San Marco on Piazza Unita d’Italia, said to be one of the most beautiful piazzas in Italy. In an article for BBC, Susan Van Allen wrote that Friuli is Italy’s capital of coffee and author James Joyce was known for spending hours in Trieste’s elegant cafes. An integral part of the city’s identity, Coffee aside, Trieste has a lot to offer.