Does this place in Italy exist

[Ribrabrob]

I adore Italy but have mainly done the very touristy parts - Rome, Naples, Verona etc. I love the Italian culture and would like to go somewhere which gives me more of an idea how the locals live.

I'll be going on my own, in July and don't really have a budget. I want a town where it's fairly easy to get to from an airport, has a few shops etc but very much a 'local' feel i.e. Going to the bakery in the morning to get some bread for the day. I want to go somewhere where there aren't many tourists, just normal every day people living their lives.

Can anybody recommend anywhere please? thank you!

Bologna, Ravenna, Moderna, Sienna, Parma?

Lucca?

Lucca is lovely, but fairly touristy inside the city walls. It is bigger than the central bit, though. Not far from Florence on the train either.

Year before last my DD went to a summer school in Recanati ( Near Eastern coast, south of Rimini), it sounds like the sort of place you’re looking for, small town, no tourists, but enough stuff to keep you occupied ( restaurants, bars, gelateria, an opera house, easy bus ride to the coast). She flew to Rome (tons cheaper than to Ancona) then train to Loreta then bus to Recanati.
The problem with no tourists though is you might find it tricky to get accommodation. Good luck!

Or Pisa. Apart from the Piazza dei Miracoli I actually find Pisa untouristy, especially in the area near the university. Even the Piazza is relatively deserted after the tourist buses leave.

Agree Lucca

Arezzo. On train line so easy to get to from Rome, Florence, Milan. It has a population of about 100, 000. The local economy is quite buoyant as a lot of cars and clothes are made in the area, so there are a good range of shops, bars, restaurants catering to locals.

Not very touristy at all, what tourism there is is mostly people from other parts of Italy going there. There is an antiques fair once a month at the weekend that gets quite busy.

There’s enough to see to keep you interested, some Roman ruins, some medieval religious buildings, the house of Vasari (Lives of the Artist).

For your daily bread, you could do worse than La Bottega Di Gnicche.

Arezzo is nice too, although it’s nearly 15 years since I last visited.

Perugia , Siena, Lucca, Gubbio?

I found Siena lovely but full of tourists. You might be better avoiding Tuscany and heading somewhere like Umbria instead.

Mantua
Perugia
Lecce

Perugia, Siena

Personally I think Lucca, Siena are too touristy.

I travelled to Bologna with work in April. It didn't feel touristy at all (no nasty tourist shops/stalls even on the main square). It's supposed to be the foodie capital of Italy and we had lots of lovely meals. It's got a big student population so lots of rustic 'cheap eats' and trendy places too.

You can fly direct from Gatwick and Manchester for starters.

Montecatini terme, montecatini alto is a bit more touristy but terme is less so and the spa is lovely. Fairly quick train journey from Florence or Lucca.

Try the North East. Friuli Venezia Giulia. Stay in or around Udine, Cividale or Palmanova or Marano Lagunare. Easy access to sea and mountains. Roman ruins in Aquileia

Montecarlo would get my vote, it’s stunning, also about 30 mins drive from lucca, DH has family there, we go every year

Agree Siena (especially in August)'& Tuscany in general might be too touristy. Bologna & Padua - both attractive university towns might be good options - both are a good size so you wouldn't feel too cut off, have a lot of history & lots on but don't get the volume of tourists you get elsewhere. Vicenza & Modena are both worth a look at - very pretty, nice architecture (especially Vicenza), on train lines & nearish to airports. Neither get that many tourists. I spent a week once in Atrani next to Amalfi (I was broke, it was cheap!) & that had a real small sleepy village on the coast feel. Have a great time - I'm jealous!

Or as an alternative, how about Sicily? If I had a month I think I'd rent an apartment in Ortigia as it's absolutely gorgeous, doesn't cost a bomb & doesn't get a huge volume of tourists ,( at least not Brits, there were more French). The nearest airport is Catania & it's a train ride from there

Amandola and the Siblini Mountains.

www.italymagazine.com/amandola

magicalmarche.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/the-most-beautiful-small-towns-of-le-marche-tour-gabrieles-travels-to-italy/

You can fly to Ancona with Ryanair.

Asti!

Sicily, a bit different than the mainland and few British tourists (had to use google translate a bit) was amazing though

Lucca or Iseo (an amazing lake, but smaller than Garda or Maggiorie - lots of Italians holiday there).

Ferrara is gorgeous not touristy.
30 min from bologna. Met my dh there 15 years ago!

Lucca (am biased because I live there). Even the town centre isn't bad for tourists compared to a lot of places in Tuscany, though just outside the walls is even better. But you can actually have an even less touristy experience in Florence if you stay in a quarter like Rifredi or Sesto Fiorentino.

Bologna is lovely and not particularly popular with tourists (or wasn't when we were there!)