Here’s your ultimate guide to the best southern Italian destinations cheaper than Sicily or the Amalfi Coast places where your money stretches further, crowds are thinner, and locals still have time to chat.

When most people dream of Southern Italy, images of Sicily’s dramatic coastline or the vertiginous pastel villages of the Amalfi Coast instantly come to mind. Yes, they’re breathtaking. They’re also expensive.

A cappuccino with a view in Positano can easily set you back €8, parking is a blood sport, and summer hotel rates often start at €400–€600 per night for something decent.

The good news? Just a few kilometers away, sometimes literally around the next headland lie equally stunning southern Italian destinations that cost a fraction of the price and still deliver the same crystalline water, incredible food, baroque architecture, and that unmistakable dolce vita vibe.

1. Calabria: The Toe of the Boot That Time (Almost) Forgot

Calabria is the region most Italians themselves underrate. It has 800 km of coastline, mountains over 2,000 m, three national parks, and some of the clearest water in the entire Mediterranean — yet it remains one of Europe’s last affordable beach frontiers.

Top picks in Calabria

1. Tropea – Often called “the Amalfi Coast without the price tag or the tour buses.” White sand beaches beneath a clifftop historic center, the iconic Santa Maria dell’Isola church, and red onions so famous they have DOP status. A 4-star sea-view hotel in high season? €120–180/night vs €500+ in Positano.
2. Reggio Calabria – Stroll the lungomare dubbed “the most beautiful kilometer in Italy” by Gabriele D’Annunzio, see the original Bronzi di Riace warriors for €8, and eat swordfish involtini for €12.
3. Le Castella (Crotone province) – A 15th-century Aragonese castle rising straight out of the Ionian Sea. Airbnb apartments with sea view: €60–90/night in July/August.

2. Basilicata’s Two Coasts: Maratea and the Tyrrenhian “Secret Riviera”

Basilicata has only 35 km of coastline, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in drama. Maratea is nicknamed “the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian” and has 32 churches, a Christ the Redeemer statue larger than Rio’s, and beaches framed by pine-covered mountains.

Why it’s cheaper than the Amalfi Coast (literally 100 km north): almost zero international flights land nearby, and Italians themselves usually head to Puglia or Salento instead.

3. Puglia’s “Other” Coastlines: Gargano, Salento Adriatic, and the Heel

Everyone knows Alberobello’s trulli and Polignano a Mare’s Lama Monachile beach (which, let’s be honest, is now almost as crowded and pricey as the Amalfi). Skip the Instagram circus and head to these lesser-known stretches:

Gargano Peninsula (the “spur” of the boot)

1. Vieste – Whitewashed old town perched on a rocky promontory, Pizzomunno sea stack, and trabucchi (ancient wooden fishing structures).
2. Peschici – Feels like Greece but with better food.
3. Tremiti Islands – A 50-minute ferry from Termoli (Molise) or Rodi Garganico. Crystal water rivaling Sardinia’s Maddalena archipelago at 1/3 the price.

Adriatic Salento (from Monopoli south to Otranto, avoiding Polignano & Ostuni old town hotels)

Towns like Castro, Santa Cesarea Terme, and Santa Maria di Leuca offer thermal spas pouring 24 °C sulfur water straight into the sea, dramatic fjords, and Ottoman era watchtowers all at 40–60 % less than equivalent Amalfi Coast stays.

4. Campania Beyond the Amalfi Bubble

Yes, you can stay in Campania without selling a kidney.

Cilento National Park (UNESCO World Heritage)

1. Palinuro & Marina di Camerota – Turquoise grottos, 40 km of unspoiled coast, and the mythical Cape Palinuro caves.
2. Paestum – Greek temples better preserved than anything in Athens, surrounded by buffalo mozzarella farms. A double room with breakfast in a highly-rated agriturismo: €70–110.

Procida (the anti-Capri island)

A 40-minute ferry from Naples, Procida was 2022’s Italian Capital of Culture and still flies blissfully under the radar. Pastel fishermen’s houses, black sand beaches, and restaurants where seafood linguine costs €12–16. High season hotels average €100–160 vs €400–800 on Capri.

5. Abruzzo’s Trabocchi Coast

Technically central Italy, but the culture, food, and prices feel very southern. The Costa dei Trabocchi stretches from Ortona to Vasto and is named after the spider-like wooden fishing platforms converted into romantic seafood restaurants.

1. A 4-course dinner on a trabocco with your feet practically in the sea: €45–60 pp (book months ahead).
2. Vast pebble beaches that are rarely crowded even in August.
3. Hotels and B&Bs: €80–140/night with sea view.

How to Travel These Destinations on a Budget

1. Rent a carPublic transport is sparse outside main towns. A week’s compact car rental in July often costs less than two nights’ parking on the Amalfi Coast.
2. Stay in agriturismi or masserieFarmhouse stays with homemade dinner and pool average €80–130 per room including breakfast.
3. Eat like a localSkip restaurants with English menus and sea views. Look for trattorie one street back — same kitchen, half the price.
4. Visit in shoulder seasonLate May, June, September, and early October still deliver 28–32 °C days and warm sea, but prices drop 30–50 % and beaches empty out.
5. Fly into “secondary” airports such as Lamezia Terme (Calabria), Brindisi or Bari (Puglia), Naples (for Cilento & Procida)