Apulia, Calabria and Sicily top the list of the most sought-after locations among international investors in the first half of 2026. Overseas demand is shifting from iconic destinations to smaller towns, with budgets on the rise.
According to an analysis by Gate-away.com, a portal specialising in foreign property investors, the most sought-after locations in the first half of 2026 are mainly in Puglia, Calabria and Sicily, with significant interest also in Umbria. These are small towns off the beaten track of mass tourism, offering authenticity and quality of life at still-affordable entry-level prices.
The most striking finding is the geographical spread of demand. Whilst tourist flows are concentrated in around 4 per cent of the country’s territory, overseas buyers are looking much further afield: 7.4% of enquiries come from foreign nationals currently in Italy, and in many cases the purchase leads to the launch of accommodation businesses. Tuscany remains the most sought-after region (14.33%), followed by Sicily (11.05%), Lombardy (9.28%), Apulia (8.74%) and Liguria (7.7 %).
Source: Gate-away.com
