Online interest in Italy’s small towns is growing. The third edition of Telepass Observatory’s “Italian Villages Online 2026” study recorded more than 106.4 million searches over a year for the 382 destinations included in the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy” network, up 13% from 2024. The research also tracked interest across six international markets.
Otranto retained first place in the overall ranking, with an average of 194,500 monthly searches. Tropea followed with 188,300, ahead of Limone sul Garda at 173,400. The rest of the top ten were Locorotondo, Malcesine, Castel Gandolfo, Cefalù, Spello, Rasiglia and Erice.
Tropea was the leading choice among international searchers, topping the rankings in France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Switzerland. US travelers showed particular interest in Vernazza, while Limone sul Garda was the most sought-after destination among German travelers.
Umbria had the highest regional total, with 886,100 monthly searches across 33 villages, followed by Lazio with 782,400. Puglia recorded 655,200 searches across 14 destinations, but had the highest average per village: 46,800, compared with 26,852 in Umbria.
The study also highlighted destinations with the fastest growth in searches. Militello in Val di Catania led with an average increase of 179%, followed by Lingueglietta at 163% and Corenno Plinio at 130%. Ceriana and Sottoguda completed the top five.
Sources: Il Sole 24 Ore Italia.