Andiamo! Citalia Magazine Autumn 2023

Italy:
The Holiday
Hotspot
When it comes to travel destinations, there’s been an epic
rise in Italy’s popularity this year. We share the probable
reasons why - and how best to navigate around the crowds.
Right from the start of 2023, we noticed Italy was becoming that
number one holiday hotspot. There were more guest enquiries and
more bookings outside of the usual travel times. The best hotels -
particularly in the cities - were full to the brim.
According to Italy's National Statistics Institute, overnight stays in
January and February, which are not typical travel months, were up
by almost half.
“We’re not surprised that Italy has gained such interest,” explains
Heather Green, Head of Product. “There’s so much to love -
ancienthistory, culture that spans a multitude of interests,
amazing gastronomy in the countryside, dazzling beaches and
islands, gorgeous lakes, not to mention an amenable climate.”
There’s another reason for this popularity as well, as Italy has
garnered more limelight on the big and small screen in the last two
decades. Just think about all the Italian scenes in the Daniel Craig
James Bond films, rom-coms such as Letters to Juliet (2010) and
To Rome with Love (2012), not to mention the romantic thriller
The Tourist (2010), which was set in Venice.
In the past few years we’ve had the Disney/Pixar film Luca (2021)
focusing on the Italian Riviera, as well as the recent Indiana Jones and
the Dial of Destiny (2023) based in Sicily. Season 2 of White Lotus was
similarly set on Italy’s largest island.
If fiction hasn't grabbed your attention, then the many popular travel
series might have - from Clive Myrie's Italian Road Trip to the actor
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, as well as a myriad of other Italian
culinary programmes.
Italy’s also been receiving increased acclaim for its
beaches, with an impressive 458 of them now boasting the
independent Blue Flag, which awards beaches based on
cleanliness, water quality, sustainability, and environment.
And did you know that Bella Italia holds the highest number of
UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country, with an
incredible 53 cultural sites, and five natural sites?
With all this interest, we have a few tips to ensure you get the most
out of your next Citalia holiday.
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