Sardinia Returns to the Top for Long Holidays

Once again this summer, the sea tops the list of holiday destinations for Italians, with 24% choosing seaside locations for at least one vacation between June and September, CE Report quotes ANSA.

Close behind, each garnering between 10% and 12% of preferences, are art cities, mountain destinations, and small villages.

Trailing further behind are countryside locations, preferred by 6% of respondents.

These findings come from the Confcommercio Tourism Observatory, in collaboration with SWG, which focused on Italian summer travel trends.

Excluding short breaks (weekend or 2-night getaways), where Tuscany, Campania, Liguria, Lazio, and Veneto form the top five regions, Puglia and Trentino-Alto Adige are the leading choices for summer 2025 vacations — representing both sea and mountain escapes — and are popular for both short stays (3–5 nights) and longer holidays.

However, after several years, Sardinia has returned to the top spot for vacations lasting 7 days or more.

As for international destinations, preferences are more evenly distributed. Spain, Greece, and France lead the way throughout the summer, followed at a distance by Portugal and Austria.

Regarding accommodation, hotels remain the top choice (21%), followed by bed & breakfasts (17%), and short-term rental homes (13%). Second homes or staying with friends/family accounts for 14%, while agritourism, camping, vacation villages, and resorts follow in the rankings.

The average individual holiday budget for the June–September period is €1,170 — roughly in line with last year — though it varies significantly by month.

In June, with many short breaks, the average spend is €650.
In July, it rises to €820.
August leads with €930 per person, due to higher prices and the dominance of longer vacations (7+ days account for 6 out of 10 trips).

In September, over 10 million Italians are planning at least one trip — usually 1 or 2 nights — with an average spend of €750.