It feels like everybody is traveling to Italy these days. So to enjoy an authentic Italian experience without throngs of crowds, you have to venture a lot further off the beaten path. Skip Tuscany in favor of its lesser-known-but-equally-beautiful neighboring region—where several hotels and resorts have been created inside imposing medieval structures spread across the dramatic mountainous landscape.

Umbria is more rugged and less accessible to tourists than other parts of the country, and still relatively off the radar for many international visitors. But the region is slowly becoming more popular as a quieter alternative to Tuscany, Amalfi, and other overrun destinations, thanks in part to its wealth of atmospheric historic buildings set in spectacular sprawling estates.