Forget Rome or Amalfi: Surprising Italian city set to be hugely popular in 2026
A summer in Italy is on pretty much everyone's bucket list.
Whether you're drawn to the ancient ruins and millennia of history, or you're more keen to sip an Aperol Spritz on a rocky coastline, Italy is one of those "you've simply gotta go" kind of places.
But that also means it can get pretty busy, especially in the high season.
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Italy is beautiful... but it's crowded. Getty
Places like Rome, Venice, and Florence are usually travellers' first port of call when visiting Italy, but these cities are suffering the effects of overtourism.
Data from 2023 shows about 70 per cent of tourists to Italy are visiting the same one per cent of the country.
On the flip side, that means 99 per cent of the destinations in Italy are largely "off the beaten path", and ready to be explored.
And travellers are starting to take notice of this. According to Google Trends data, searches for 'new Italian city' have gone up by 174 per cent over the last year.
So, where to visit?
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Not all Italian coastline is rocks and resorts. Getty
Global travel booking site Omio has crunched the numbers, looking at all Italian cities with a population of over 50,000 and seeing which ones have had an increase in search traffic.
And thus, we have a list of Italian cities set to be this summer's go-to destinations.
It's the perfect solution for travellers who want to get out and see more, but still visit places with enough tourism infrastructure to get around.
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Montesilvano is becoming a travel hot spot. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Montesilvano, a coastal city east of Rome, takes the crown, with a 1000 per cent increase in searches over the last year.
Just three hours from the capital by train, the city is known for its long sandy shoreline - a perfect beach holiday spot for both adults and children. It also has the classic cobblestone streets, delicious food, rolling hills, and expansive coastal views that you'd expect of an Italian city.
Second on the list is Busto Arsizio, a city in northern Italy. Interestingly, it's not a typical tourist spot - more local and authentic - suggesting people are keen for quieter destinations to build into a longer itinerary.
It's close to Milan and Lake Como, with direct train connections, so a great spot for a city escape in summer.
Busto Arsizio has an ancient town centre. Getty
The third most popular location is Portici, a seaside town just outside Naples, with a search increase of 942 per cent.
It's not a classic resort town like nearby Amalfi, but a must-visit for history buffs. It's home to an ornate royal palace built in the 1700s, and is right next to Herculaneum Archaeological Park, one of the best-preserved Roman cities buried by Mount Vesuvius.
Portici also makes a great base for exploring surrounding towns and cities, with Naples only a 15-20 minute train ride away, Pompei a 20 minute drive, and the Amalfi Coast accessible via Naples too.
Legnano in the region of Lombardy and Caltanissetta in the region of Sicily make up the remainder of the top five Italian destinations set to be popular in 2026.
Lombardy is home to the famous Lake Como. Getty
In fact, five of the top ten cities are in the region of Lombardy, which has Milan as its capital. This interest is perhaps fuelled by The Winter Olympics being recently held in the region.
Italy's most popular holiday destinations for summer 2026
- Montesilvano, Abruzzo
- Busto Arsizio, Lombardy
- Portici, Campania
- Legnano, Lombardy
- Caltanissetta, Sicily
- Vigevano, Lombardy
- Rho, Lombardy
- Gallarate, Lombardy
- Aprilia, Lazio
- Andria, Apulia
