Italy's wondrous collection of small towns (Part II)

Souvenir shops in the quaint village of Alberobello  (Taylor)

ITALY – Perhaps no country has a greater concentration of charming small villages and towns. Continuing our look at Italy's ten best undiscovered villages as rated by "Conde Nast Traveler", here is the second group of five.

Pietrapertosa clings to the edge of the cliff on which it is built
(en.wikipedia.it.org)

Pietrapertosa: With a reputation as one of the most dramatic towns in Italy, Pietrapertosa is the highest village in all of Basilicata, a little known region in southern Italy.

Sitting precipitously on the edges of the rock upon which it is built, Pietrapertosa is justifiably known as the "City in the Clouds," a designation that often scares and amazes visitors.

The zipline is a main attraction
(wikipedia)

At 3,500 feet above sea level, more adventurous travelers thrill to the views of the town and its surroundings from Il Volo dell'Angelo, reputed to be the world's longest, highest and fastest zipline.

More sedate visitors will enjoy countless ancient ruins including the 9th century Saracen castle, a fortification dominated by a natural arch that was once used as a look-out and offers spectacular panoramas.

Belluno nestles within a mountainous setting along the
shores of a lake  (wikipedia)

Belluno: Everyone knows about Venice but roughly 60 miles north, slightly more than an hour's drive from the meandering Grand Canal, sits Belluno, one of the best kept secrets in northern Italy.

Filled with Renaissance architecture, palazzi and churches, Belluno is tucked beneath the snowcapped Dolomite Mountains while rising upon high bluffs overlooking the Piave River. The result being 360-degree views that led to its Celtic name belo-dunum  which means "splendid hill.

Founded sometime between 220 and 200 ABC, Belluno's geography made it strategically advantageous not only for itself but for other villages to the south. It was also an important supplier of iron and copper.

In more modern times Belluno was an important hub for transporting lumber on the Piave River.

An earthquake in 1873 heavily damaged much of the town including the cathedral, however the campanile was spared.

Sperlonga peers out the the infinite from its cliffside perch
(en.wikipedia.org)

Sperlonga: While most people are more familiar with the island of Capri as a former hideaway for many Roman emperors, the coastal town of Sperlonga sits half the distance between Rome and Naples making it more convenient for weekend escapes.

Located near the Via Appia, or Appian Way, Sperlonga, with its lovely pristine beaches, was originally known for the sea grotto along its coast which gave the town its name.

Emperor Tiberius later embellished the grotto with a magnificent villa filled with exquisite sculptures that are today exhibited in at Museo Archeologico di Sperlonga. Many of the sculptures celebrate the deeds of Odysseus.

Sperlonga's grotto is a main attraction
(en wikipedia)

For scenery, the Torre Truglia, which sits at the tip of 

Sperlonga's promontory is the best place for taking pictures.

Cefalu's picturesque coastline makes it a favorite for film
makers  (Taylor)

Cefalù: When it comes to seaside villages, Cefalu, Sicily, just an hour outside of Palermo, is one of the best. Not only is Cefalu famous for its cathedrals filled with mosaics, it is also popular, thanks to its notoriety as a favorite setting for many Italian films, including the Academy Award winning "Cinema Paradiso" (1968)

Cefalu capitalizes on its ties to
"The Godfather"(Taylor)

Thanks in large part to the success of "The Godfather" trilogy, which has its roots in Sicily, Cefalu has capitalized on those films as a means of promoting its close associations with Italian film-making.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to Cefalu each year to stroll leisurely along the picturesque seafront promenade and to view the sunset from La Rocca, the city's beloved mountain.

Quaint narrow streets of Cefalu  (Taylor)

There is evidence of human activity in the area dating as far back as prehistoric times and, sometime during the 5th and 4th centuries BC the sacred Temple of Diana was built over an existing cistern associated with the worship of the waters.

Alberobello's trulli will capture your imagination  (Taylor)

Alberobello: It has only been in recent years that the back side of Italy's boot has become a popular destination for visitors. One of the main attractions in the region of Puglia is the tiny hamlet of Alberobello with its distinctive buildings known as "trulli."

Trulli are traditional dry stone huts that are specific to the Itria Valley in Puglia. Typically, a trullo is rectangular building with a pyramidal, domed or conical cornbelled roof.

Rush hour in the sleepy village of Alberobello  (Taylor)

Roughly worked limestone boulders are collected from nearby fields, whitewashed and built directly onto the limestone bedrock without using mortar or cement.

So unique are these enchanting little dwellings that Alberobello was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.

Italy's small towns are as much fun as they are unique  (Taylor)

Alberobello is great fun for a casual stroll through town and shopping, but the best overall views of the village can be seen from Piazza del Popolo at the Belvedere Trulli lookout.

So there you have it, a dozen new places (less two) to visit in your search for some of the best kept secrets in Italy and on the planet.