A pizza in the heart of Naples, a day among the artworks of Florence, and a paradisiacal Sardinian beach that makes you want to postpone the moment of returning home forever. They are different experiences, but they share one thing in common: for the readers of National Geographic Traveller UK, they recount the allure of the destination that has won their preferences the most.
Indeed Italy wins the “People’s Choice” category of the Reader Awards 2026, the magazine’s awards decided by thousands of votes from its readers. But that’s not all, because the results give our country additional reasons to celebrate, with other accolades gathered along the way.
Italy is the readers’ favorite destination
In the People’s Choice category, dedicated to public preferences, Italy edges out Japan and New Zealand—the other two finalists. According to the magazine, its success is propelled mainly by gastronomy and beauty, capable of accompanying every kind of trip (and traveler) in ever-changing ways.
The examples National Geographic Traveller highlights traverse the peninsula: Naples for its pizza, Florence for its art, and Sardinia for its beaches. Three ways to experience a vacation that showcase the country’s variety, where even a short move can alter landscapes, flavors, and customs.
Italian cuisine wins everyone over
The clearest result for the country comes in the gastronomic destination category. Here Italy collected almost three times as many votes as the runner-up, Spain, while France completed the lineup of finalists.
The magazine foregrounds a way of eating tied to seasonality, local products, and simplicity, but above all to the richness of regional cuisines. The journey thus becomes an opportunity to discover the landscape through what lands on the table, in taverns, trattorias, and recipes that change from one destination to another. From truffle hunting in Piedmont to Bologna’s ragù, and even a dinner in a masseria in Puglia, the experiences cited tell of a gastronomy that can become, first and foremost, the reason people set off.
The other Italian prizes
Completing the top Italian spots is Rome, winner in the city-break category, ahead of the other finalists London and Lisbon.
The famous magazine highlights its archaeological and artistic heritage, together with restoration works carried out in view of the 2025 Jubilee. But the appeal of the capital also lies in everyday life: cafés, meals with friends, and the joy of wandering through a city where historic monuments and local habits coexist.
The competition was particularly tight: only a few votes separated the top six positions, which also included Barcelona, Berlin, and Copenhagen. Italy also appears among the finalists for family holidays, a category won by France, together with Spain.
The Dolomites are among the most-loved hiking regions, alongside Scotland: the Lake District in northern England took the prize for this category.
The other winning destinations at the Reader Awards 2026
The rest of the awards map out a route from British coastlines to Central American forests. Cornwall wins both the seaside holiday category and the UK destinations category, while Costa Rica dominates for adventure and responsible tourism.
For winter trips, Iceland takes the prize; for wildlife, South Africa. Readers instead pick the Norwegian fjords for cruises, Route 66 for road trips, and the Caledonian Sleeper, the scenic overnight train between London and Scotland, for rail journeys.
Here are the winners as reported by National Geographic Traveller UK:
- Public choice: Italy;
- Gastronomic destination: Italy;
- Beach holiday: Cornwall;
- City break: Rome;
- UK destination: Cornwall;
- Family destination: France;
- Favorite train journey: Caledonian Sleeper;
- Wildlife destination: South Africa;
- Sustainable tourism destination: Costa Rica;
- Hiking region: Lake District;
- Adventure destination: Costa Rica;
- Winter destination: Iceland;
- Favorite ship journey: Norwegian fjords;
- Favorite road trip: Route 66;
- Editor’s pick: Morocco.
