Beginnings[edit]

People have visited Italy for centuries, yet the first to visit the peninsula for touristic reasons were
aristocrats during the Grand Tour, beginning in the late 17th century, and flourishing in the 18th
century.
Rome, as the capital of the powerful and influential Roman Empire, attracted thousands to the
city and country from all over the empire, which included most of the Mediterranean, Northern
Africa, mainland Great Britain (England) and the parts of the Middle East. Traders and merchants
came to Italy from several different parts of the world. When the empire fell in 476 AD, Rome was
no longer the epicentre of European politics and culture; on the other hand, it was the base of
the papacy, which then governed the growing Christian religion, meaning that Rome remained
one of Europe's major places of pilgrimage. Pilgrims, for centuries and still today, would come to
the city, and that would have been the early equivalent of "tourism" or "religious tourism". The
trade empires of Venice, Pisa and Genoa meant that several traders, businessmen and
merchants from all over the world would also regularly come to Italy. In the 16th and early 17th
century, with the height of the Renaissance, several students came to Italy to study Italian
architecture, such as Inigo Jones.

Grand Tour[edit]
Main article: Grand Tour
Real "tourism" only affected in Italy in the second half of the 17th century, with the beginning of
the Grand Tour. This was a period in which European aristocrats, many of whom were British,
visited parts of Europe; Italy, Greece and other Mediterranean places were amongst the most
popular. This was in order to study ancient architecture and the local culture. [5] The Grand Tour
was in essence triggered by the book Voyage to Italy, by Roman Catholic priest Richard Lassels,
and published in 1670.[6][7] Due to the Grand Tour, tourism became even more prevalent - making
Italy one of the most desired destinations for millions of people. [8] Once inside what would be
modern-day Italy, these tourists would begin by visiting Turin for a short while. On the way there,
Milan was also a popular stop, yet a trip to the city was not considered essential, and several
passed by, or simply stayed for a short period of time. If a person came via boat, then they would
remain a few days in Genoa. Yet, the main destination in Northern Italy was Venice, which was
considered a vital stop,[6] as well as cities around it such as Verona, Vicenza and Padua.
As the Tour went on, Tuscan cities were also very important itinerary stops. Florence was a
major attraction, and other Tuscan towns, such as Siena, Pisa, Lucca and San Gimignano, were
also considered important destinations. The most prominent stop in Central Italy, however, was
Rome, a major centre for the arts and culture, as well as an essential city for a Grand Tourist.
[6]
 Later, they would go down to the Bay of Naples,[6] and after their discovery in
1710, Pompeii and Herculaneum were popular too. Sicily was considered a significant part of the
trail, and several, such as Goethe, visited the island.

Mass tourism[edit]

Cathedral of L'Aquila
The Amalfi Coast seen from Villa Cimbrone, in Ravello, Campania, one of the most popular tourist
destinations in Italy.

Throughout the 17th to 18th centuries, the Grand Tour was mainly reserved for academics or the
elite. Nevertheless, circa 1840,[6] rail transport was introduced and the Grand Tour started to fall
slightly out of vogue; hence, the first form of mass-tourism was introduced. The 1840s saw the
period in which the Victorian middle classes toured the country. Several Americans were also
able to visit Italy, and many more tourists came to the peninsula. Places such as Venice,
Florence, Rome, Naples and Sicily still remained the top attractions. As the century progressed,
fewer cultural visits were made, and there was an increase of tourists coming for Italy's nature
and weather. The first seaside resorts, such as those in the Ligurian coast, around Venice,
coastal Tuscany and Amalfi, became popular. This vogue of summer holidays heightened in
the fin-de-siècle epoch, when numerous "Grand Hotels" were built (including places such
as Sanremo, Lido di Venezia, Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi). Islands such as Capri, Ischia,
Procida and Elba grew in popularity, and the Northern lakes, such as Lake Como, Maggiore and
Garda were more frequently visited. Tourism to Italy remained very popular until the late-1920s
and early-1930s, when, with the Great Depression and economic crisis, several could no longer
afford to visit the country; the increasing political instability meant that fewer tourists came. Only
old touristic groups, such as the Scorpioni, remained alive.

Mass tourism, the crowd inside the Saint Peter's Basilica (Rome)

After a big slump in tourism beginning from approximately 1929 and lasting after World War II,
Italy returned to its status as a popular resort, with the Italian economic miracle and raised living
standards; films such as La Dolce Vita were successful abroad, and their depiction of the
country's perceivedly idyllic life helped raise Italy's international profile. By this point, with higher
incomes, Italians could also afford to go on holiday; coastline resorts saw a soar in visitors,
especially in Romagna. Many cheap hotels and pensioni (hostels) were built in the 1960s, and
with the rise of wealth, by now, even a working-class Italian family could afford a holiday
somewhere along the coast. The late-1960s also brought mass-popularity to mountain holidays
and skiing; in Piedmont and the Aosta Valley, numerous ski resorts and chalets started being
built. The 1970s also brought a wave of foreign tourists to Italy in search of a sentimental
trip Villoresi old charm -The Trip to Italy, since Mediterranean destinations saw a rise in global
visitors.
Despite this, by the late-1970s and early-1980s, economic crises and political instability meant
that there was a significant slump in the Italian tourist industry, as destinations in the Far East or
South America rose in popularity.[9] Yet, by the late-1980s and early-1990s, tourism saw a return
to popularity, with cities such as Milan becoming more popular destinations. Milan saw a rise in
tourists, since it was ripening its position as a worldwide fashion capital.

Statistics[edit]
The table below shows the distribution of national and international visitor nights spent in the 40
most tourist area of Italy in 2017.
Italy overall had 420.63 million visitor nights in 2017, of which 210.66 million were of foreign
guests (50.08 percent). With 37.04 million nights spent in hotels, hostels or clinics,
the Metropolitan City of Venice has the most visitors.[10]

# of of whom
Province/Metropolitan
Rank nights foreign Region
City
in 2017[10] visitors[10]

1 Venice 37,042,454 27,477,075  Veneto

 Trentino-Alto
2 Bolzano/Bozen 32,400,662 22,125,350
Adige/Südtirol

3 Rome 29,833,225 7,046,098  Lazio

 Trentino-Alto
4 Trento 17,776,030 7,412,103
Adige/Südtirol

5 Verona 17,293,792 13,388,082  Veneto

6 Rimini 15,967,490 3,808,354  Emilia-Romagna

7 Milan 15,468,199 9,291,198  Lombardy

8 Florence 14,716,466 10,780,968  Tuscany

9 Naples 13,161,395 7,247,964  Campania

 # of of whom
Province/Metropolitan
Rank nights foreign Region
City
in 2017[10] visitors[10]

10 Brescia 10,463,688 7,472,887  Lombardy

11 Livorno 8,663,572 3,491,172  Tuscany

12 Sassari 7,492,538 4,162,225  Sardinia

13 Turin 7,046,219 1,842,052  Piedmont

14 Ravenna 6,698,702 1,381,666  Emilia-Romagna

15 Salerno 6,029,649 2,098,781  Campania

16 Savona 5,717,487 1,471,811  Liguria

17 Grosseto 5,714,546 1,601,673  Tuscany

18 Padua 5,479,110 2,426,489  Veneto

 Friuli-Venezia
19 Udine 5,371,339 3,027,318
Giulia

20 Forlì-Cesena 5,357,398 1,027,558  Emilia-Romagna

21 Lecce 5,048,739 949,521  Apulia

22 Siena 4,928,092 2,880,531  Tuscany

23 Perugia 4,689,356 1,699,019  Umbria

 # of of whom
Province/Metropolitan
Rank nights foreign Region
City
in 2017[10] visitors[10]

24 Bologna 4,607,456 2,101,001  Emilia-Romagna

25 Foggia 4,503,604 697,073  Apulia

26 Genoa 4,082,817 1,945,743  Liguria

27 Belluno 3,806,806 1,208,331  Veneto

28 Aosta/Aoste 3,599,402 1,434,422  Aosta Valley

29 Lucca 3,546,044 1,696,020  Tuscany

30 Messina 3,493,859 2,153,932  Sicily

31 Teramo 3,419,387 523,718  Abruzzo

32 Pesaro and Urbino 3,295,759 729,067  Marche

33 Cosenza 3,290,418 369,693  Calabria

34 Imperia 3,202,619 1,324,925  Liguria

35 Verbano-Cusio-Ossola 3,095,668 2,443,754  Piedmont

36 Como 3,088,807 2,375,038  Lombardy

37 Pisa 3,032,756 1,632,412  Tuscany

 # of of whom
Province/Metropolitan
Rank nights foreign Region
City
in 2017[10] visitors[10]

38 Ferrara 3,020,136 1,142,220  Emilia-Romagna

39 Palermo 2,981,947 1,703,615  Sicily

40 Ancona 2,954,206 536,167  Marche

rest of Italy 79,247,316 42,531,760

Total 420,629,155 210,658,786

Semi-temporary data on tourist presences in 2018

According to regional data, in 2018 tourism presences in Italy amounted to 429 million (212.5
million residents and 216.5 million non-residents).[11]
With 69.29 million nights spent in hotels, hostels or clinics, Veneto has the highest number of
visitors and ranks sixth in Europe.[12][13]

#
Region # of nights in 2018
Rank

1  Veneto 69.229.094

2  Tuscany 47.618.085

3  Lombardy 41.152.681

4  Emilia-Romagna 40.647.799

5  Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 33.300.000

6  Lazio 33.102.493
 #
Region # of nights in 2018
Rank

7  Campania 21.132.000

8  Puglia 15.197.186

9  Liguria 15.183.243

10  Sicily 15.135.259

11  Piedmont 15.100.768

12  Sardinia 14.940.111

13  Marche 10.000.000

14  Calabria 9.212.630

15  Friuli-Venezia Giulia 9.000.000

16  Abruzzo 6.193.473

17  Umbria 6.081.647

18  Aosta Valley 3.606.308

19  Basilicata 2.603.624

20  Molise 482.051
 #
Region # of nights in 2018
Rank

Total 429.000.000

Arrivals by country[edit]
Most visitors arriving in Italy in 2018 were citizens of the following countries: [14]

Ran
Country Number
k

1  Germany 12,184,502

2  United States 5,656,740

3  France 4,737,464

4  United Kingdom 3,781,882

5  China 3,200,847

6   Switzerland 2,925,321

7  Austria 2,612,706

8  Netherlands 2,197,870

9  Spain 2,175,267

10  Russia 1,616,902

11  Poland 1,472,832
12  Belgium 1,270,802

13  Australia 1,050,585

14  Japan 1,026,369

15  Brazil 1,025,070

16  South Korea 996,346

17  Canada 886,053

18  Czech Republic 839,207

19  Sweden 739,976

20  Argentina 708,987

21  Denmark 663,581

22  Israel 605,076

23  Hungary 565,206

24  India 555,223

25  Ireland 434,888

26  Turkey 402,569

27  Norway 398,908
28  Portugal 375,391

29  Mexico 358,626

30  Greece 341,716

Total international visitors 63,195,203

Total visitors 128,100,932

Regions[edit]
Northwest Italy[edit]
Regions: Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardia and Valle d'Aosta

The Fénis Castle, 13th century (Aosta)

Home of the Italian Riviera, including Portofino, Sanremo, and of Cinque Terre. There are many
historic cities in this part of Italy: Turin, the manufacturing capital of Italy, Milan, the business and
fashion capital of the country and the important port of Genoa are the most popular tourist
destinations of the area. Other cities like Aosta, Bergamo, Brescia and Como have a rich cultural
heritage, which share the region's visitors with beautiful landscapes such as the
lakes Garda, Como and Maggiore. There are also important ski resorts
like Sestriere, Courmayeur, Breuil-Cervinia, Livigno and Bormio.

Northeast Italy[edit]

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo in Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol

Regions: Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Veneto

This part of Italy also boasts several important tourist attractions, such as the canal-filled city
of Venice, the cities
of Verona, Vicenza, Padua, Trento, Bolzano, Cremona, Bologna, Ferrara, Mantova, Parma, Rav
enna, Cesena, Rimini and Trieste. There are also several mountain ranges such as the
Dolomites, the Carnic and Julian Alps and first-class ski resorts like Cortina d'Ampezzo and
Madonna di Campiglio. These four regions offer much to see and do. The area has a unique
cuisine, including wines and dishes such as Prosecco and Tiramisu in Veneto
and Cotechino, Ragu and Parma ham in Emilia Romagna, San Daniele ham and D.O.C. wines in
Valpolicella, Lake Garda, Valdobbiadene, Trentino and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Central Italy[edit]

The Florence Cathedral, completed in 1436.

Regions: Lazio, Marche, Tuscany and Umbria

Church of Santa Maria della Tomba (Sulmona)

This area is possibly the most visited in Italy and contains many popular attractions as well as
sought-after landscapes. Rome boasts the remaining wonders of the Roman Empire and some
of the world's best known landmarks such as the Colosseum. Florence, regarded as the
birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, is Tuscany's most visited city, whereas nearby cities
like Siena, Pisa, Arezzo and Lucca also have rich cultural heritages. Umbria's population is small
but it has many important cities such as Perugia and Assisi. For similar reasons, Lazio and
Tuscany are some of Italy's most visited regions and the main targets for Ecotourism. This area
is known for its picturesque landscapes and attracts tourists from all over the world, including
Italy itself. Pristine landscapes serve as one of the primary motivators for tourists to visit central
Italy, although there are others, such as a rich history of art.

Southern Italy[edit]
Regions: Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Abruzzo, and Molise.
Southern Italy (also called Mezzogiorno) is well known for the cuisine, that offers a wide choice of
food at lower prices. It is also known for the pairing of Mediterranean clime with the beautiful
beaches of each region, an important element for local tourism. Naples is the most visited city in
the area, and the ruins of Pompeii are the most visited sights. Other important tourist destinations
include the Amalfi Coast, Ravello, Benevento, Caserta, Salerno and Pozzuoli. The natural parks
of Abruzzo, the greenest region in Europe,[15] include the Abruzzo National Park, the National
Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga the Maiella National Park and Sirente-Velino Regional
Park which attract thousands of visitors due to more than 30 protected Nature Reserves and the
presence of 75% of all Europe's living species.[16] Apulia, which includes the historical cities
of Lecce and Bari and villages composed of trulli; like Calabria it is famous for its
coasts. Basilicata is very famous for so-called Sassi di Matera. The main city
of Molise are Campobasso and Isernia, the most important sight is the Basilica
of Castelpetroso. Calabria coasts are very appreciated by tourists; the capital city
is Catanzaro but its most populated city is Reggio Calabria.

San Vito Lo Capo in Sicily.

Sicily[edit]
The largest island in the country is a diverse and popular tourist island, famous for its
archaeology, seascape and unique Sicilian cuisine. There are many important city such
as Palermo, Messina, Catania. An important sight is Val di Noto that offers a lot of Late Baroque
cities build after the catastrophic earthquake of 1693.

Sardinia[edit]

Cathedral of Monreale

Sardinia is a large island some 250 kilometers west of the Italian coastline. It includes several
popular tourist attractions and has several beaches and archaeological ruins. It's also known for
its beautiful beaches, that are one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
The most popular cities in Sardinia are: Cagliari, Sassari, Alghero, Olbia and Porto Cervo. Porto
Cervo,located in (Costa Smeralda),it's one of the richest and most expansive tourist destination
in Sardinia and in Italy.

Ancient resorts[edit]
Italy has some of the world's most ancient tourist resorts, dating back to the time of the Roman
Republic, when destinations such as Pompeii, Naples, Ischia, Capri and especially Baiae were
popular with the rich of Roman society. Pompeii is currently Italy's third the world's 48th most
visited tourist destination, with over 2.5 million tourists a year [17]

Cities[edit]
Rome[edit]
Main article: Tourism in Rome

The Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine.

Rome has become increasingly popular as a tourist destination globally. 45.6% from 2006 (6.03
million), Rome hosted 8.78 million international tourists in 2014, placing itself as the 14th most
visited city in the world.[18] Popular tourists attractions in the city include the Colosseum, St Peter's
Basilica, the Pantheon and so on, all of which are part of the World Heritage property. [19] Other
main sights in the city include, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Roman Forum,[20] Castel
Sant'Angelo, the Basilica of St. John Lateran,[21] the Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese park, Piazza
del Popolo, the Trastevere and the Janiculum.[22]

Milan[edit]
Main article: Tourism in Milan

The skyscrapers of Porta Nuova business district

Milan Cathedral is a busy tourist spot in Milan. It is the world's 4th biggest cathedral and took over five
centuries to complete.[23]

Milan is one of Europe's most important tourist destinations, and Italy's second; with 6.05 million
international arrivals as measured in 2014, it placed itself as the 24th most visited city in the
world.[18] According to a particular source, 56% of international visitors to Milan are from Europe,
whilst 44% of the city's tourists are Italian, and 56% are from abroad. [24] The most important
European Union markets are the United Kingdom (16%), Germany (9%) and France (6%).
[24]
 According to the same study, most of the visitors who come from the USA to the city go on
business matters, whilst Chinese and Japanese tourists mainly take up the leisure segment.
  The city boasts several popular tourist attractions, such as the city's Duomo and Piazza,
[25]

the Teatro alla Scala, the San Siro Stadium, the Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery, the Sforza Castle,
the Pinacoteca di Brera and the Via Monte Napoleone. Most tourists visit sights such as Milan
Cathedral, the Sforza Castle and the Teatro alla Scala, however, other main sights such as
the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, the Navigli and the Brera district are less visited and prove to be
less popular.[25] The city also has numerous hotels, including the ultra-luxurious Town House
Galleria, which is the world's first seven-star hotel, ranked officially by the Société Générale de
Surveillance, and one of The Leading Hotels of the World.[26] The average stay for a tourist in the
city is of 3.43 nights, whilst foreigners stay for longer periods of time, 77% of which stay for a 2-5
night average.[25] Of the 75% of visitors which stay in hotels, 4-star ones are the most popular
(47%), whilst 5-stars, or less than 3-stars represent 11% and 15% of the charts respectively.

Naples[edit]

Royal Palace of Naples in Piazza del Plebiscito.

Neapolitan pizza. Pizza was invented in Naples.

Naples is one of the oldest cities of the western world. Its historic city centre is the largest in
Europe is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [27] Naples is also near the famous volcano
Vesuvius and the ruins of the ancient Roman towns of Pompeii and Ercolano. Before italian
unification it was the capital of Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the most important and populated
city of Italy. Naples is well known for cuisine, especially for pizza. In the city there are many
tourist attractions, such as the Royal Palace, the basilica of Santa Chiara, the Gesù Nuovo (New
Jesus) church, Castel dell'Ovo, the Castel Nuovo, the Castel Sant'Elmo, the city's Duomo,
the Real Teatro di San Carlo (the oldest continuously active opera house in the world),
the Palace of Capodimonte, the Naples underground geothermal tunnels, the Via
Tribunali, Spaccanapoli street, the Veiled Christ (one of the world's most remarkable sculptures),
the various catacombs around the city (for example the Catacombs of San Gennaro, or
the Fontanelle cemetery, or the Catacombs of Saint Gaudiosus), the Umberto I Gallery and
the Via Toledo with its metro considered one of the most beautiful of Europe. [28][29]
[30]
 The Archaeological Museum of Naples is the most important in the world regarding Roman
history, also include Egyptian and Greek finds. It is the home of the Federico II, the oldest public
and secular university in the world, and of the L'Orientale, the oldest school of Sinology and
Oriental Studies in Europe. Naples also boasts one of the most picturesque waterfront
promenades, and charming locations at Gaiola Island and Marechiaro. Close to Naples there are
a myriad of world-renowned tourist attractions such as the Amalfi
Coast, Capri island, Ischia island, Procida island, the picturesque city of Sorrento, and the city
of Salerno.

Other cities[edit]
The Mirror Gallery of the Royal Palace in Genoa.

 Florence (Firenze)—the city of Renaissance. This city is known for its architecture and art
and for the impact it has had throughout the world. Florence is also home to Michelangelo's
famous statue of David. Home to many other well-known museums of art.
 Palermo—ancient capital of the kingdom of Sicily and of the Holy Roman Empire under
Frederick II. It is noted for its history, gastronomy and architecture; the particularity of the city
(such as the rest of the island) is that is a meeting point of Greek, Roman, Arabian, Norman
and Aragonian cultures.
 Bologna—home of the first university in the western world. This city has a rich history,
culture, and technology. Bologna is well known for its cuisine.
 Bari—is well known as a port and university city as well as the city of Saint Nicholas.
Capital of Apulia and second most important economic centre of Southern Italy after Naples.
 Genoa (Genova)—it was one of the most important medieval maritime republic. Very
wealthy and diverse city. Its port brings in tourism and trade, along with art and architecture.
Genoa is birthplace of Columbus and jeans.
 Pisa—one of the medieval maritime republics, it has lots of medieval palaces and
squares. Home to the unmistakable image of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Very touristy city.
Famous too for the University "La Normale".
 Turin (Torino)—first capital of Italy, after being the capital of Kingdom of Sardinia
(actually Piedmont-centred), what had promoted national reunification. Home of the FIAT,
the most important industry in Italy, Turin is a well-known industrial city, based on the
aerospace industry and, of course, automobile industry. Home of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Home of both Juventus and Torino Football Clubs.
 Venice (Venezia)—known for its history (the most important, beside Genoa, Amalfi and
Pisa, of the medieval maritime republics), art, and world-famous canals. it is home to Island
of Murano, which is famous for its hand-blown glass. St. Mark's Square is where most of the
tourists converge and it can get very crowded in the summertime. Due to increased tourism,
in November 2016, Venetian authorities expressed their consideration on imposing a tourist
limit on the city in order to prevent overcrowding and the degradation of the city's heritage
sites.[31]

Other popular destinations[edit]

Apart from Rome, Milan, Naples, Venice, and Florence are the top destinations for tourism in
Italy. Other major tourist locations
include Turin, Verona, Bari, Padua, Bologna, Messina, Perugia, Palermo, Genoa, Sicily, Sardinia
, and Salento. Two factors in each of these locations are history and geography. The Roman
Empire, middle ages, and renaissance have left many cultural artifacts for the Italian tourist
industry to use. Many northern cities are also able to use the Alps as an attraction for winter
sports, while coastal southern cities have the Mediterranean Sea to draw tourists looking for sun.
Italy is home to fifty UNESCO World Heritage Sites, more than any other country, including many
entire cities such as Verona, Siena, Vicenza, Ferrara, San
Gimignano, Urbino, Matera, Pompei, Noto and Siracusa. Ravenna hosts an unprecedented eight
different internationally recognized sites.

Hotel categories in Italy[edit]

The Tremezzo Grand Hotel on Lake Como.

In Italy there is a broad variety of hotels, going from 1-5 stars. In 2005, there were 33,557 hotels
with 1,020,000 rooms and 2,028,000 beds.[32] The number of hotels, according to their rating, in
2005, went like this:
7-star hotels: 1 with 25 rooms (the Town House Galleria located in Milan).
5-star hotels: 232 with 20,686 rooms and 43,150 beds.
4-star hotels: nearly 3,700 with 247,000 rooms and 502,000 beds.
3-star hotels: 14,500 with 483,000 rooms and 940,000 beds.
2-star hotels: 5,000 with 116,000 beds.
1-star hotels: 2,000 with 157,000 beds.