Have you ever wondered which are the most visited Italian cities
Today we present the list of the top 25 Italian municipalities by number of presences registered in the accommodation establishments. Our ranking is based on the latest official ISTAT survey not spoiled by the Covid pandemic, that is the one relating to the 2019 tourist season.
Obviously , other updates relating to the two-year period 20-21 have been published, but these have presented strongly downward data due to the terrible crisis that has hit the tourism sector. For this reason we wanted to take into consideration the 2019 season, the last one that was able to take place regularly without various restrictions. In the ranking there is no shortage of the most famous and important cities, but also some surprises such as Caorle or Cavallino-Treporti, strategic locations that gravitate around poles of great interest.
Here is the ranking!
Where do the tourists come from
The report also contains statistical data on the origin of the various tourists. In fact, it seems that over 26% come from Germany. The tourists coming from the USA follow immediately after, which is about 7.4%. Then we have France and the United Kingdom, respectively with 6.3% and 6.2%.
25 – Abano Terme: 1,987,421 visitors
Photo by antonio. Small town of about 20,000 inhabitants in Veneto , in the province of Padua, and one of the main European spas .
Beyond this, the ideal location certainly benefits from visiting the main tourist centers of Veneto, namely Padua and Venice, but also Verona and Treviso.
Why visit For the thermal baths and for its strategic position.
24 – Comacchio: 1,998,304 appearances
Photo by Vanni Lazzari. This time we are in the province of Ferrara, in Emilia Romagna , for the fourth largest municipality in the region. Here too, with all due respect for the delightful village of Ferrara , the reasons for its presence in the ranking must be found in its proximity to Ferrara, Bologna, Ravenna but above all Rimini and Riccione. It goes without saying that, compared to the aforementioned famous sisters, sleeping in a hotel in Comacchio should cost a little less …
Why visit In the surroundings there are places of great tourist and naturalistic interest. Surely you save on accommodation compared to neighboring tourist centers such as Ferrara, Bologna, Ravenna, Rimini.
23 – Bardolino: 2,101,596 appearances
Here the inhabitants are just 7,000. We are in the province of Verona , in an amazing position as it is on the shore of Lake Garda , with all the tourist implications that this entails … it is located a stone’s throw from Verona, Mantua, Peschiera del Garda and about 20 km from Gardaland .
Why visit To save on accommodation in neighboring tourist centers such as Gardaland, Verona and Mantua. The best times are spring and summer.
22 – Bellaria Igea Marina: 2,216,032 admissions
Photo by Albino Di Lieto. Bellaria is a delightful seaside village on the Romagna Riviera, with a marked tourist growth and a succession of hotels and villages, more than anything else ideal for families. A virtuous model of tourism that draws its nourishment, above all, from the incoming generated by the sisters Rimini and Riccione, as well as Ravenna, Cesenatico, Milano Marittima and so on. Needless to say, if in Rimini in the summer a room costs x, here it costs at least x -1 …
Why visit For the sea, hospitality excellence and strategic position.
21 – Peschiera del Garda: 2.379.705 appearances
Photo by el Rivendito. Another municipality in the Veneto region, in the Veronese province. Here the reasons for the presence in the ranking are due to both reasons: intrinsic tourist interest and strategic position. The charm of Peschiera del Garda is beyond doubt: surrounded by a wall, crossed by canals and positioned on the lakeside. A charm, really. It is also clear that it also draws its nourishment from Veneto tourism in general, and more particularly from the nearby Gardaland amusement park , which in Peschiera is practically one of its first “hoteliers”.
Not to mention Desenzano, Sirmione, Verona, Mantua, all tourist resorts within a stone’s throw!
Why visit It certainly has a high tourist interest, and a very enjoyable town, and with a strategic position that makes it very attractive.
20 – Verona: 2,743,943 presences
There is no world for me beyond the walls of Verona: there is only purgatory, there is torture, the same hell; banished from here, and as if banished from the world, and exile from the world means death. And therefore to say exile and to say death with another term, false and improper; and you, calling my death exile, cut off my head with a golden ax, and smile at the blow that kills me.
Photo by Didier Descouens. These are the words that, according to William Shakespeare, an excellent Veronese citizen, his Romeo of the famous tragedy, would have pronounced.
It is therefore understandable why Verona is visited every year by millions of tourists. It is a city of great artistic and historical wealth, with its various manifestations among which the opera season which takes place at the wonderful Arena stands out.
Why visit There are millions of reasons of historical, cultural and artistic interest. It is a city to visit absolutely, and can be visited all year round.
19 – Sorrento: 2,756,578 presences
We are on the Amalfi coast . Ok, point, this already explains everything no
The Amalfi Coast is one of the most visited geographical areas in Italy, targeted above all by the tourist made in the USA who is looking for the emblem of the “Dolce Vita”.
And from Sorrento we then move to Amalfi, Positano, with an inevitable trip to Naples and its surroundings. Wonderful!
Why visit itIt is a delightful city, and is perfect as a starting point for visiting the tourist region of the Amalfi Coast and the Sorrento Peninsula.
SEE ALSO : Sorrento: what to see, where to eat and what to do in the evening
18 – Ravenna: 2,719,090 visitors
Photo by Franco Musa. Let’s go back to Emilia Romagna . Once again we find ourselves within that imaginary quadrilateral that unites the centers of Venice, Verona, Florence and Rimini and which, within a radius of 200 km, also includes Bologna, Ferrara, Padua, Mantua and, precisely, Ravenna. With this premise we do not want to take away the merits of Ravenna, a delightful town rich in history and culture, known for its mosaicsand its churches. Simply, it is the presentation of a bigger picture that gives further value to the city as a tourist destination and starting point for a truly unparalleled historical and cultural itinerary.
Why visit Ravenna has an enormous historical and cultural interest, and its strategic position makes it ideal as a base for visiting the surroundings.
SEE ALSO : What to see in Ravenna and surroundings
17 – Bologna: 3,188,040 visitors
Bologna is a city where a lively determination blends with a purely medieval aspect. In the course of its history it has earned many nicknames such as La Grassa, due to the wide culinary tradition (of which the delicious ragu is remembered), La Dotta, as its is the oldest university in Europe, founded in 1088 and La Rossa, a name that alludes to the ubiquitous terracotta of medieval buildings decorated with long arcades.
Why visit It is one of the most important cities in Italy, capable of satisfying all interests, from the historical cultural one to the food and wine one, up to young people looking for nightlife.
SEE ALSO : What to see in Bologna
16 – Cesenatico: 3,403,237 visitors
Photo by Lumini Mattia. Here the summer and those who like to stay late at night, who don’t care about the clock, who love love and the sea, and who often confuse them. Cesenatico and, together with Milano Marittima, the queen of the Romagna Riviera north of Rimini and Riccione.
Why visit itIt is one of the main centers for nightlife and summer fun.
SEE ALSO : Cesenatico: what to see, where to eat and what to do in the evening
15 – Cervia: 3,468,948 visitors
Photo by Kaosrimo. Let’s go back once again to the Romagna Riviera, which is practically cannibalizing the ranking. Cervia also feeds on the Riviera’s summer tourism . Sea, sun, lots of fun and a position that, for lovers of day trip excursions, guarantees you half of Italy at your fingertips!
Why visit It certainly for the nightlife, but also for the sea and for its strategic position, close to renowned destinations and parks.
SEE ALSO : Cervia: what to see, where to eat and what to do in the evening
14 – Lignano Sabbiadoro: 3,495,091 admissions
Photo by Giuseppe Milo. Ultra vip destination that of Lignano Sabbiadoro, in the province of Udine but which has to do mostly with the sea of ​​the Venetian coast. In fact, a stone’s throw from the city of the carnival , it is located in the Gulf of Marano and a stone’s throw from Bibione, Caorle and Jesolo.
Why visit For the sea, for the chance to meet some VIPs, and for its absolutely strategic position.
13 – Lazise: 3,606,249 admissions
Photo by Alessandro Vecchi. Now, Lazise doesn’t feel like it, also because really, all these villages on Lake Gardathey are a delight … but the reason for over 3 million visitors a year is quite clear. The position, in fact, is “in the center of the world”, in the sense that within a radius of just 200 km, you can reach almost all the “top destinations” of northern Italy: Florence and Bologna to the south, Verona and Venice to the east, Milan and Turin West. Not to mention, as in other similar cases in this ranking, the “tourist force” of attractions such as Gardaland …
Why visit Its strength is its strategic position, but Lazise itself is a delightful village.
12 – Turin: 3,626,036 presences
Turin is the Italian capital of the automotive industrybut also a city that has long been defined as “magical”. Perhaps it is due to the presence of the very important Egyptian Museum, a place that attracts many visitors and pupils on a school trip every year. Perhaps and because of the Museum of the Shroud, which is located in the crypt of the church of SS. Sudarium, where those interested in this mystery and believers can view, in addition to the find, also documents, three-dimensional images and photos of the sacred shroud. More simply, Turin is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy .
11 – Riccione: 3,632,025 admissions
Photo by Enrico Siboni. And we come to the “famous sister” of Rimini. Let’s go back to the Romagna Riviera, once again for a purely summer resort in what is the coast of fun in Italy.
Why visit itIt is one of the most popular seaside resorts, for the sea of ​​the Riviera and for fun.
10 – Naples: 3,765,847 presences
Naples is another city full of contradictions but with a timeless charm that is able to attract millions of tourists. Its gulf, with the sea that meets the looming silhouette of Vesuvius, is one of the most photographed and most loved scenarios in the world.
Tourists also choose it for the warmth of the people and for the culinary specialties, among which obviously the pizza and the delicious desserts stand out.
Why visit It is an absolute must in Italy and beyond, a city able to surprise, amaze, from every point of view, from the historical and cultural point of view to food and wine, to landscapes.
SEE ALSO: 10 Things to absolutely see in Naples
9 – Caorle: 4,319,483 presences A
town in the province of Venice , Caorle overlooks the Venetian lagoon, a stone’s throw from the capital and from places like Bibione, Lignano Sabbiadoro and Jesolo. Inserted among the most beautiful historic villages in Italy , it is certainly worth a visit, and its position makes it one of the main Central European tourist destinations. Like Cavallino Treporti, Caorle, Jesolo and Bibione, these are in fact the closest beaches to central Europe , a sort of “mare nostrum” of the families of Germans, Austrians, Czechs and Slovaks.
Surely then its position so close to Venice and the Dolomites contributes to achieving such a tourist flow.
Why visit It certainly for the sea, especially for its strategic position.
8 – Jesolo: 5,438,519 presences
Another super-vip location in the province of Venice and very historically linked to the capital. Over the last 20 years, the country has seen an impressive building revival, with redevelopment of residential areas, the birth of hotels and tourist villages and a tourist dock that has made the municipality soar!
Jesolo is also one of the main Central European bathing destinations, it is in fact the closest beaches to central Europe, a sort of “mare nostrum” of the families of Germans, Austrians, Czechs and Slovaks.
SEE ALSO : The most beautiful beaches in Jesolo
7 – San Michele al Tagliamento: 5,851,482 presences
Less than 30 km away from Caorle, also in the province of Venice , we find San Michele al Tagliamento, another town that is besieged by those who do not have the prerogative of stay in the center of Venice. In addition to the capital, the position is strategic for the summers on the Venetian coast, with the hamlet of Bibione in the forefront.
Why visit For its strategic position and for its excellent hospitality, especially in summer
6 – Cavallino-Treporti: 6,269,451 visitors
Photo by Luca Aless. It still revolves around Venice, but Cavallino Treporti is truly an Italian excellence! It has well-equipped beaches, the largest campsite in Europe, discos … in short, a true virtuous example of tourism .
Moreover, it is practically located in the center of the Venetian lagoon , practically touching the capital and in the middle of all the islets of the lagoon. Surely this strategic position also contributes to the accumulation of millions of visitors, but we reiterate how Cavallino Treporti is an absolute tourist excellence.
This is also one of the main Central European bathing destinations, it is in fact the closest beaches to central Europe, therefore targeted by Germans, Austrians, Czechs, Slovaks.
5 – Rimini: 7,548,135 admissions
Photo by Sharon Mollerus. Rimini is the emblem of Italian summer tourism , entertainment, nightlife, crowded beaches and late nights!
And the figure of 7 million admissions makes even more noise since, unlike cities of art such as Rome and Florence, here they are concentrated largely in the summer season!
SEE ALSO : What to see absolutely in Rimini
4 – Florence: 10,955,345 visitors
Florence is one of the favorite destinations for foreigners. Tourists from all over the world are enchanted by this city, a real open-air museum .
The tourist attractions of Florence are endless, as are the culinary and artisanal offers. The Uffizi Gallery is in twentieth place in the ranking of the most visited art galleries in the world.
SEE ALSO : What to see in Florence
3 – Milan: 12.474.208 visitors
Photo by Steffen Schmitz. Milan is a busy city, sometimes gray and shrouded in the famous “scighera”, the proverbial fog. But Milan can also be very colorful, of all the colors that the great designers bring to the catwalk in every season, of the greenery of Parco Sempione, of the Christmas markets in the shadow of the majestic cathedral of the Duomo .
SEE ALSO : What to see absolutely in Milan
2 – Venice: 12,948,519 admissions
Venice is the city of lovers par excellence , the city of romance and moonlit gondola rides. Piazza San Marco, even when it is invaded by water, hosts millions of enthusiastic tourists every year.
The years go by but nothing manages to scratch even a little the eternal charm of the Venetian city.
SEE ALSO : What to see in Venice
1 – Rome: 30,980,083 visitors
Photo by Sitomon. Rome remains the eternal city , preferred by millions of tourists from every corner of the world.
The attractions of this city cannot be listed, given the infinite availability of itineraries, works of art, monuments and ruins from any historical period .
SEE ALSO: What to see absolutely in Rome
