Autumn has begun, but the desire to travel certainly hasn’t slowed down. Even as days shorten, temperatures gradually drop, and summer holidays become thrilling memories, all that’s needed is an unexpected place to imagine a new journey or to plan the stops for the next weekend escape, whether in the warmth or amid the golden colors of the foliage. This is shown by the stories that captivated SiViaggia readers in September: from the half-timbered houses of a German town to the red canyons of the Maritime Alps, passing by a Greek island with unusual inhabitants, but there were also dives into history and Italian destinations to rediscover, this time through the Times’ praise.
Here are the most-read travel places and stories of the month, to revisit together to prolong the pleasure of discovery and to find inspiration for the next (hopefully near) departure.
5 (+1) places in Italy that the Times praised
Palaces facing narrow streets, hills drawn by cypress trees, and dark shores that meet the sea: among September’s most-read stories there is a journey into Italy praised by the Times. The selection by travel expert Julia Buckley traverses the country with five stops that encompass six destinations, pairing art cities, villages, and landscapes with unmistakable character.
The trip begins in Genoa, among the splendid palaces of Via Garibaldi and the colorful houses of Boccadasse, to reach two different settings: Pienza, immersed in the soft geometries of the Val d’Orcia, and Mussomeli, surrounded by the rugged peaks of inland Sicily. In Urbino, the thread is the Renaissance, while the Valtiberina, between Tuscany and Umbria, invites visitors to trace the footsteps of Piero della Francesca and to stroll among the villages, such as Anghiari. Finally, Pantelleria once again changes the landscape, with volcanic rock, turquoise waters, and thermal springs. An itinerary capable of rediscovering familiar places and suggesting new getaways: an interesting cue for those seeking inspiration without going far.
Here is our article: From Liguria to Sicily, 5 (+1) Italian places chosen by the Times
Atokos, the island where wild boars bathe
Crystal-clear waters, beaches of white pebbles, and small black pigs strolling along the shore, even venturing into the sea to cool off, together with sunbathers. This is the striking scene that brought Atokos, a tiny Greek island in the Ionian Sea near Ithaca, into a boom of popularity. Private and uninhabited, it guards a rugged landscape of cliffs, sea caves, and coves such as One House Bay and Cliff Bay.
What made it famous were mainly the videos of its unusual visitors, which went viral on social media and earned the island the nickname “Piggy Island.” But Atokos’ charm goes beyond this unlikely encounter: its natural environment is protected by the Natura 2000 network, and there are no hotels or regular ferry connections. It is reached only by sea, including via excursions from Ithaca, Lefkada, and Kefalonia.
Here is our article: Atokos, the uninhabited Greek island famous for the wild boars on the beach
Salona, the other Rome of Europe
Ruined walls, remnants of basilicas, and an amphitheater that invites imagination of ancient spectacles: a few kilometers from Split, Salona takes travelers back to Croatia’s Roman era. Among its ruins, set amid open spaces and vegetation, one can still recognize the grandeur of the ancient capital of the Dalmatia province, today part of the city of Solin.
The itinerary passes through hot springs, monumental gates, and sacred places, but it is above all the amphitheater, capable of seating about 18,000 spectators, that evokes the city’s life and the players’ challenges. The Manastirine necropolis narrates the spread of Christianity, among tombs and testimonies of salonitan martyrs. There’s also a curiosity: the Tusculum, built for scholars in the late nineteenth century using ancient fragments, owes its name to Cicero’s residence near Rome.
Here is our article: Where the gladiators faced fate: Salona, the ancient Roman capital of Dalmatia
Monschau, the German town where fairy-tale vibes come to life
Timber-framed houses overlooking the water, stone bridges, and slate roofs tucked between wooded slopes: Monschau seems drawn to awaken the urge to travel. In the German Eifel region, near the Belgian border, this town tracks the course of the Rur river, accompanying wanderings along cobbled lanes and intimate squares.
Behind its romantic atmosphere lies a prosperous past tied to textile production. This is evidenced by the Rotes Haus, a seventeenth-century residence turned museum, where a sculpted oak staircase traverses three floors. From above, the medieval fortress Burg Monschau offers a different perspective on the rooftops and the valley. And discovery continues at the table, with mustard produced locally since 1882 and traditional sweets to sample in cafés.
Here is our article: It’s the town where fairy-tale atmosphere is felt at every corner: Monschau, a captivating Germany
The Gole del Cians, the red road near Italy
The sky becomes a narrow band between the walls, the rock lights up red, and the torrent runs at the bottom. In the Gole del Cians, inland from Nice, the landscape shifts with every bend: about an hour and a half from town to reach a corner of the French Maritime Alps that seems unreal.
Following the panoramic road D28, one traverses the valley through tunnels, hairpin turns, and viewpoints over the canyon. The most striking color belongs to the red schists, sculpted by water erosion: in the Small Gorges the walls close in to leave, in some places, just one meter between them, while in the Large Gorges the panorama opens to vertigo-inducing heights. Some segments can be admired on foot as well, leaving the car in designated spots. It is precisely this combination of unusual colors and spectacular perspectives that charmed our readers: a journey where the road itself becomes the destination, with the option to continue toward Beuil and Valberg or pair with the nearby and no less striking Daluis Gorges.
Here is our article: The red road of the Maritime Alps between canyons, tunnels and wild landscapes: the Gole del Cians
