Italy tops European travelers' preferred summer 2026 holiday destination

A survey conducted by Confturismo Confcommercio with Swg and Polling Europe shows that 54% of European citizens name Italy as their favourite destination for the summer of 2026, ahead of Spain (51%) and Greece (46%). The study notes especially strong support among Spanish respondents (61% preferring Italy) and Polish travellers (60%). Respondents cite Italy’s historic cities, museums and archaeological sites as main draws, while also expressing interest in culinary experiences, small villages and slow‑tourism nature trips.

Travel experts quoted in a Romanian report echo the trend, highlighting Italy, Greece and Cyprus as the three leading European destinations for 2026. They point to emerging Italian regions such as Puglia and Calabria, Greece’s good price‑performance and short border queues, and Cyprus’s renewed appeal despite earlier security concerns.