12 Surreal Places in Italy You Won't Believe Exist

Italy is one of those countries you could visit every year and never see it all. It’s a country blessed with a rich history, endless stunning landscapes, world-famous attractions, and beautiful coastal towns. However, it’s also home to some of Europe’s most spectacular hidden gems.

Once you’ve explored the historic streets of Rome and eaten your body weight in pizza and pasta, it’s time to head off the beaten path to discover the more unusual locations. To help you find the most exciting sights, we’ve compiled a list of 12 surreal places in Italy. These destinations are simply places that must be seen to be believed.

Table of Contents

Odle Mountains

First, we have the Olde Mountains in the Northern Italian Alps. This monumental mountain range is famed for its towering peaks, sharp pinnacles, oddly shaped spires, and deep ridges, which help form a dramatic landscape perfect for landscape photography and mountain climbing.

Standing at 9,924 feet (3,025 meters), Sas Rigais is the most famous peak in the range. It features a fascinating dinosaur-like appearance and is surrounded by lush meadows and small alpine villages. If you visit the Odle Mountains in the summer, you can glimpse the breathtaking peaks surrounded by fields of vibrant wildflowers. A fiery sunrise and sunset only add to the dream-like atmosphere.

Valle dei Mulini

Valle dei Mulini, known as Valley of the Mills, is an apocalyptic destination once known for its wheat-grinding mills. This historic valley in Sorrento dates back to the 13th century, but that’s not what makes it so interesting. Instead, the valley is best known for being reclaimed by nature.

Over the years, the valley has been abandoned, leaving an enchanting but ghostly sight. The valley’s buildings and mills are now almost completely covered in lush vegetation. Moss and plants have taken over most buildings, while the verdant gorge frames the valley. This creates a unique scene you’d expect to find in an apocalyptic film like Planet of the Apes.

Saturnia Hot Springs

Quite bizarrely, Saturnia Hot Springs in Tuscany isn’t as famous as artificial thermal pools across Europe. This is hard to believe, considering how spectacular they are. Not to mention, the hot springs in Saturnia are 100% natural. The perfect place to relax and unwind, the hot springs offer weary travelers several natural pools with inviting water and scenic countryside views.

The volcanic pools are open 24 hours a day, so it doesn’t matter when you visit. The water inside the pools is a toasty 98.6°F(37°C), so sit back, enjoy the warmth, and admire the beautiful views of Tuscany’s picturesque scenery.

Grotta della Poesia

Grotta della Poesia, or the Poetry Cave, is another surreal natural pool in Italy that offers visitors inviting waters, stunning views, and an impressive landscape. Widely considered one of the most beautiful natural pools in the world, it’s located in Roca Vecchia village along the Adriatic coastline between Lecce and Otranto.

The pool is fed by seawater that tunnels in from the open sea and features a large opening that allows sunlight to shine in. The water in the cave is crystal-clear and turquoise in color, so pack your swimming shorts. Don’t miss the 16th-century castle walls alongside the cave and the Greek inscriptions in a smaller nearby cave.

Civita di Bagnoregio

If you’ve always wanted to live out your favorite fairy tale, you must visit Civita di Bagnoregio. This glorious hilltop village in central Italy is straight out of a storybook, offering historic architecture, mind-blowing scenery, and plenty of mystery. Civita di Bagnoregio perches precariously on a tufa rock hill in the Tiber River Valley.

The Etruscans founded the village more than 2,500 years ago, and it can only be accessed via a pedestrian bridge. You’ll spend most of your time in the village admiring the 7th-century architecture, exploring the narrow winding streets, and looking out over the Tiber River Valley. Notable points of interest in Civita di Bagnoregio include the Porta Santa Maria gateway, the Romanesque San Donato Church, and the Geological and Landslides Museum.

The Church of San Bernardino alle Ossa

The following surreal place on our list is located in the center of Milan, and it’s not a place you want to miss. In English, the Church of San Bernardino alle Ossa translates to St. Bernardine at the Bones, which sums up this mysterious church well.

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St. Bernardine at the Bones is a small chapel decorated with, yes, you guessed it, bones, and not just any bones, for that matter. The chapel is decorated with human skulls, vertebrae, and bones. Like something from a horror movie, the ossuary was used to house bones from 1210 when an adjacent cemetery ran out of space. Despite its eerie atmosphere, the chapel is a surprisingly entertaining place to visit.

Alberobello

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Nestled in Italy’s Apulia region, Alberobello is a town unlike any other. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is famed for its trulli—traditional whitewashed limestone huts with cone roofs. These unique structures give the town an otherworldly appearance, while the Museo del Territorio Casa Pezzolla details the town’s rich history, traditions, and culture.

The hilltop Rione Monti is home to hundreds of these fascinating houses, so start there. Then, visit the 18th-century Trullo Sovrano, a 2-level trulli. Once you’ve enjoyed your whimsical escape, head southwest of the town to Casa Rossa and explore a WWII internment camp.

Craco

Craco, in the southern region of Basilicata, might just be the most surreal destination on our list. This eerie ghost town, perched atop a 1,300-foot (400-meter) high cliff overlooking the Cavone River valley, gives visitors a glimpse into the past. The ghost town was abandoned towards the end of the 20th century when a landslide caused severe damage to it.

It’s only since Craco was abandoned that it became a popular tourist attraction. Now, travelers flock to the medieval town to discover a once-thriving community frozen in time. Spend your time in Craco exploring the empty streets, taking in the panoramic views, and finding things left behind by residents.

Reschensee

Lake Reschen, better known as Reschensee, is an artificial lake in western South Tyrol. It’s approximately 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) south of the Reschen Pass on the Italian/Austrian border. While this lake is much loved for its impressive mountain views, turquoise waters, and forest-covered hillsides, it’s most recognizable for a steeple that emerges from the water.

This iconic steeple belongs to a 14th-century church submerged in water when the lake was established in 1950. The steeple’s sight is magnificent, but it tells a tragic story. Unfortunately, to construct the lake, which is part of a dam built by an electricity firm, numerous towns, including Reschen, were flooded. The church steeple is all that remains.

Parco dei Mostri

Located in Bomarzo, Parco dei Mostri is an extraordinary sight you have to see to believe. More commonly referred to as the Park of the Monsters, it’s a Mannerist complex and garden created in the 16th century. Its unique, fascinating, and weird sculptures make it so special.

Walking around the park, you’ll come across stone creatures and mysterious figures, some of which depict people and others with a more odd, monster-like appearance. You’ll also discover mythical beasts, grotesque characters, and bizarre-looking shrines. What makes things even stranger is that the gardens were built to express grief instead of entertaining visitors. You must see this place in person to understand its genuine astonishment.

Il Giardino dei Tarocchi

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Another surreal garden you can visit in Italy is Il Giardino dei Tarocchi or Tarot Garden in Capalbio. Tucked away in the Tuscany region, this garden is designed to impress rather than intimidate. Created by artist Niki de Saint Phalle, it is inspired by tarot cards and offers a truly one-of-a-kind place to explore.

The enchanting gardens offer a fascinating blend of fantasy, whimsy, and art unlike anything else we’ve ever seen. As you meander through the indoor and outdoor gardens, you’ll encounter vibrant sculptures representing creatures and figures in a tarot card deck. Each sculpture is an explosion of bright colors, mosaic tiles, and mirrors that help create a beautiful fantasy environment.

Pyramids of Zone

The final destination on our list is the Pyramids of Zone. If it weren’t for its unique pyramids, the quaint village of Zone near Lake Iseo in Northern Italy would likely be forgotten. However, this surreal sight draws thousands of tourists yearly. The Pyramids of Zone are towering rock formations – also known as hoodoos – that rise 98 feet (30 meters) in the air, creating a unique landscape.

Unlike the pyramids in Egypt, they are a product of nature, making them even more magnificent and intriguing. Often referred to as tent rocks or fairy chimneys, these rock formations are formed from clay. After years of erosion, every clay pyramid is topped by solitary rocks that look ready to fall off. The sight of the towers is awe-inspiring.