My travel bucket list is heading across the Atlantic Ocean once again. I love traveling in the winter, so I did some research on Europe in the wintertime. I found that Italy had many cool and inexpensive options in the off-season, especially near the coast.

Genoa, Italy

Genoa, Italy is the sixth largest city in Italy. Its sprawling landscape reaches from the Mediterranean Sea to the Apennine Mountains. The varying landscape and proximity to water makes it a great place for outdoor activities. However, during the winter months, the temperature, while mild, will drive you indoors. Since that is the case, I have to check out the Genoa Aquarium. It is one of the largest aquariums in Europe. You can learn all about aquatic life in the Mediterranean Sea without getting wet.

Image via Trover.com by Diana Meier

Como, Italy

For a quiet retreat, I would book a stay at one of Como, Italy’s famous resorts. In the off-season, the hotels are all but deserted, and while the restaurants and the palazzo are quiet and empty, they still do business. The setting, full of Romanesque cathedrals and Baroque monuments, offers you the opportunity to enjoy the scenery without the tourists distracting you. Located on the southern tip of Lake Como, the town borders Switzerland, which is only a short drive from enjoying winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding.

Sant Agnello, Italy

Located 25 kilometers southeast of Naples, Sant’Agnello, Italy is a coastal town on the Amalfi Coast. The town features several castles, tombs, churches, and abbeys, so even with the winter weather quite balmy, there is no need to stay indoors. If sightseeing old buildings isn’t your things, then book a group tour of the Amalfi coast and sit back to let the change in landscape on the west coast of Italy amaze you.

Moreover, while you’re there, check out the exhibit of the lost city of Pompeii. The movie scared me to death; I’d love to see where it all took place.

Turin, Italy

The beautiful city of Turin, Italy is next on my stop. It is not a coastal town, as it’s in the northwest part of Italy. It’s colder here in the winters, so I would suggest indoor activities. One attraction I can’t wait to check out is the Museo Nazional Del Cinema (National Museum of Cinema). It is an entire museum dedicated to the cinema.

I love movies and enjoy foreign films, including Italian films. I could spend hours enjoying the exhibits about the famous Italian filmmaker, Fellini, and The Godfather. They also have memorabilia from some of America’s famous filmmakers and film franchises, such as a tribute to Woody Allen and masks from the Star Wars films.

For the movie production geek, the museum also offers exhibits about the movie-making process as well.

Image via Trover.com by Clapis_93

Stresa, Italy

If you are missing the water, a trip to Stresa, Italy on Lago Maggiore is a must. This beautiful lake offers spectacular views from the balcony of your hotel room at the Grand Hotel. Go and pamper yourself at the Grand Hotel Stresa Spas. Full of old world Italian elegance, you can really get away and be pampered. The winter months are the off-season, so the staff focuses only on you. Enjoy the opulent setting with treatments and finish it off by trying an Italian hot chocolate by the fire.

Image via Trover.com by Alice Barale

Have you been to any of these cities in Italy? What’s on your Italian Travel Bucket List?