The latest survey about the most popular tourist spots in Italy confirms visitors still favor the same destinations, with Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan and Sorrento grabbing the top spots.
The survey carried out by Hotels.com of the first six months of 2014 reveals that Rome is still the top destination and the one most beloved by Russians, French, Spanish and Americans; Venice is especially popular with Americans, French and Spanish; Milan is synonymous with fashion, style and shopping and is the prime destination for the Russians, Arabs, Swiss and Japanese; Florence is the city of choice especially for Americans and Spanish; and Sorrento remains the magical retreat for the British in particular.
The survey also show that smaller, regional destinations are starting to emerge, including Puglia, which is becoming a popular destination for exclusive weddings. The Veneto region reached a record number of tourists in 2012 with more than 40 million visitors, and is still going stron, with Venice, Verona and Lake Garda leading the way.
Among the nationalities of tourists, Italy is especially popular with the Germans, Americans, French and British. The numbers of Chinese keep increasing, although they no longer come on tour buses, but rather by themselves, and seem to favor the Cinque Terre, Lake Como and Naples. The Russians on the other hand love beach destinations: Rimini and Riccione on the Adriatic Coast, Versilia, Amalfi Coast and Costa Smeralda in Sardinia for the wealthier ones.
It is interesting to note that most foreigners still tend to favor those picture-perfect places that conjure up images of la dolce vita, while many other beautiful places, such as Umbria, Abruzzo, Marche, Basilicata and Calabria, are too often ignored.
