Marche, Italy

While Tuscany and Umbria are making headlines, small Marche is satisfied to stick to its rustic beat in the country's central-eastern corner. It occupies the area of The Boot between the summits of the Apennine Mountains and the glittering Adriatic Sea, a place of undulating hills and cloud-swirled settlements that – in some cases at least – stretch back thousands of years.

For newlyweds wishing to do things nice and inexpensively, this uncharted territory is a gem in the rough. With more pizzerias on the piazzas than you can shake a bottle of local Trebbiano wine at, it still has that touch of Italian romanticism. It does, however, cost a fraction of what it would if you traveled closer to Rome or Florence.

There are several ways to pass the time. Take, for example, the plethora of agriturismo clinging to the Sibillini Mountains' slopes, where you may eat on hand-plucked truffle pastas. The honey-tinged walls of beautiful Macerata, a city founded by the Romans and now home to Italy's main opera festival, are another option. The town of Rimini, which is closer to the seaside, has simple flight access (even on low-cost carriers) and plenty of culture, especially for fans of Federico Fellini's films!