City corners — hidden gems — page 10

In the less-trodden districts of the Sasso Caveoso a still-inhabited Matera survives, made of communal courtyards, steep stairways and silence.

Camogli and Boccadasse: two fishing harbours near Genoa, with pastel houses and beached boats, to experience authentic Liguria without the crush.

Just steps from the Two Towers, Bologna's Ghetto weaves narrow medieval alleys between Jewish history and old fish markets.

In Pitigliano, beyond the postcard terraces, narrow lanes and hidden courtyards tell the story of an authentic life carved in stone.

At the University of Padua, the staircase of the Bo leads to the first permanent anatomical theatre in Europe, far from the crowds of the Veneto.

The Modernista cemetery of Montjuïc, in Barcelona: sculpted staircases, silent avenues and a view over the harbour that few come to see.