As one of the nation's worst hit by the pandemic, Italy went from being a tourist hotspot to a no-go zone within the space of weeks earlier this year. It's impossible to predict how the European destination will fare in the coming months -- daily infection numbers remain high -- but Covid-19 appears to have had at least one positive effect on its struggling tourism industry.

As social distancing becomes the norm across much of the world, Italy's under-the-radar destinations are receiving a huge boost. Offbeat spots that offer spellbinding natural scenery, impressive historical and artistic heritage and traditional food with zero crowds have become even more alluring, and their growing popularity is helping to rescue some of the country's depopulated villages.