There is a pretty Italian seaside city with an airport that gets way less tourists than Venice and Florence.. Trieste is a city and seaport in northeast Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia between the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia, and can be reached from London Stansted Airport in just a couple of hours.

Located off the tourist trail, Trieste doesn’t attract the crowds that flock to its big-name neighbours like Venice and Verona. Many of the attractions are within walking distance, such as the Piazza Unita d'Italia - the city’s main square and the largest seaside piazza in Europe. It features many stunning historic buildings and restaurants.