The world’s first-ever capital of design, a title it carried in 2008, could teach a thing or two to other Italian cities. Sustained investment in infrastructure and well-thought-out urban planning have been a hallmark of Turin’s past decade. Known for its elegant portici – long, arcaded boulevards – Turin has managed to look after its heritage while simultaneously embracing the new. It’s not just design. Turin is one of Italy’s finest food capitals and the surrounding region also produces fantastic grapes – local wine Barolo is drunk by the gallon across the city.

Monocle fix: The city needs to step up a gear on its metro-building programme. Once this is done and the city’s many trams are connected, the Torinesi will have it made.

Lucca’s perfect medieval centre is crammed with art treasures but lacking the tourist hordes of neighbouring Tuscan cities. The rolling hills that surround this compact city quickly give way to the beach for cooling off during the summer. Like a very well-equipped large village, Lucca remains full of urban charm. The streets still teem with shops and businesses that have disappeared in other cities. The centre is devoid of cars, and residents young or old have taken to cycling in a big way. A short drive to Pisa airport allows direct connections to most European hubs and it’s within easy reach of Florence.

Monocle fix: An outstanding university department could put it on the map.

A city that can often feel not quite Italian, thanks to its geographical position in the “armpit”. There is a strong Slovenian influence – indeed a large percentage of Trieste’s residents speak Slovenian every day – and a slight Austrian flavour too. Sleepy Trieste is slightly cut off from the rest of Italy but a minor sense of isolation can be an advantage. The mountains and beaches are as close as you could wish for – half an hour and you’re in Istria – Venice is just on the other side of the Adriatic. Trieste has a great coffee tradition. It’s where Illy began and coffee drinking is taken seriously.

Monocle fix: The airport is so poorly equipped and far outside the city that tourists prefer to fly into Ljubljana.

This is Sicily, so let’s not ignore the problems. Public transport is poor, unemployment is high and organised crime has not gone anywhere. But the island’s capital can also delight. Mondello beach is a fantastic resort right near the heart of the city, the Teatro Massimo opera house is a well-loved institution and the weather is beautiful most of the year round. Palermo’s problems can also bring advantages. People are cycling more, partly because the public transport is so bad, while the number of abandoned spaces being converted into new housing and workspaces has drawn comparisons with Berlin.

Monocle fix: How hard can it be to run a decent bus service?

Unlike Sicily, Sardinia’s regional government has, to a certain extent, succeeded in getting its act together. There is a good transport system with buses, trams and a metro. The airport is state of the art – for Italy. Cagliari has a burgeoning tech hub reputation – internet provider Tiscali began here. It is a city with a healthy lifestyle: one of the greenest in Italy with plenty of parks and a lagoon near the centre. As an island city it also has the beach – and what a beach. Poetto is 8km of beautiful sandy shore with crystal-clear water.

Monocle fix: More direct international flights would boost tourism and help business.

Picture postcard Trento is a thriving business and education centre for the Trentino region. Downstream from Bolzano, Trento has profited from its position on the important trade route from Munich to Milan. This small city is blessed with a respected university that excels in neuroscience and systems biology. It’s a quietly confident place with a distinctly more Italian feel than the German-speaking South Tyrol to the north. With vineyards and orchards spread out along its Alpine valley, it’s an area famed for good beer and wine.

Monocle fix: The region needs a high-speed rail connection both north and south.