Southern Italy is a  land of beautiful contradictions,  whose beauty encompasses everything from rugged mountains and craggy coastlines, to white-sand beaches and stunning turquoise seas. The south is home to the world-famous and impossibly glamorous Amalfi coast, which draws crowds from cruise ships and celebrities alike, but those who seek less populated destinations need not look far. From Puglia to Sicily, Basilicata to Calabria, travelers will find many stunning small towns and charming villages, devoid from throngs of tourists. For many Italian-Americans, Southern Italy holds ancestral importance, as the majority of Italian immigrants in the US hailed from the south.