Italy has long stood as one of the most beloved destinations for international travelers, but when the urge to visit turns into the desire to live there, even if only for a few months a year, the map of preferences shifts. In fact, it isn’t only Italians seeking an escape abroad: increasingly, Americans, for instance, are choosing to buy a home in Italy and live in it full-time or just during the sunny season.
According to Gate-away.com data for the first half of 2026, foreign buyers are increasingly looking at villages, the countryside, lakes, and coastal towns that lie away from the busiest tourist circuits. From Lunigiana to Monferrato, from Lake Trasimeno to Tuscia, here are the Italian regions that are capturing international interest.
Where do foreigners want to buy a home in Italy
While Tuscany remains the Italian region most in demand by international buyers, capturing 14.33% of preferences, followed by Sicily, Lombardy, Apulia and Liguria, a closer look at individual destinations yields some surprises. Alongside renowned spots such as Ostuni, Noto, Rome, Tropea and Sanremo, there are also small municipalities and areas less known to international tourism.
Among the areas drawing the strongest interest are Lunigiana, Lake Trasimeno, Monferrato, Garfagnana, Maremma, Sabina, Langhe and Tuscia. Their appeal lies not only in a potential economic advantage relative to the more famous destinations but also in the search for tranquility, nature, space, and authenticity, without sacrificing easy access to major attractions.
Another indicator of this shift tells the tale clearly: 7.4% of real estate inquiries come from users who are already in Italy. The journey can thus become the starting point for discovering territories initially excluded from the itinerary and, later, imagining the purchase of a home.
The distance from the sea also seems to confirm a search for a different balance: 54.84% of inquiries concern properties located within 10 kilometers of the coast, while only 19.06% seek a home within one kilometer of the sea. Nearly 70% of demand, moreover, concentrates on properties priced below 250,000 euros, while the average price of the sought-after dwelling is 396,807 euros.
The ranking of the 20 most sought-after Italian municipalities
The ranking reveals an Italy quite different from the traditional international tourism destinations. Ostuni sits at the top, but immediately after come less obvious places such as Tortora, Caltagirone, Castiglione del Lago and San Siro.
Here are the 20 Italian municipalities most requested by foreign buyers in the first half of 2026:
1. Ostuni (BR);
2. Tortora (CS);
3. Caltagirone (CT);
4. Noto (SR);
5. Castiglione del Lago (PG);
6. San Siro (CO):
7. Urbe (SV);
8. Rome (RM);
9. Fivizzano (MS);
10. Carovigno (BR);
11. Parghelia (VV);
12. Tropea (VV);
13. Scalea (CS);
14. Lucca (LU);
15. Sanremo (IM);
16. Bagni di Lucca (LU);
17. Ceglie Messapica (BR);
18. Nizza Monferrato (AT);
19. Terricciola (PI);
20. Siracusa (SR).
