Shocking holiday experiences: Why Italy is no longer my destination!

Shocking holiday experiences: Why Italy is no longer my destination!

Italy is considered one of the most popular travel destinations for Germans and will take second place among foreign travel destinations in 2024, directly behind Spain. Loud Swabian Around 15 percent of Germans' vacation trips lasting at least five days take a detour to Spain, while 8.6 percent travel to Italy. Despite this high popularity, personal experience shows that not all trips to the land of culinary delights and historical sites go smoothly.

The author's first trip took him to Venice in 2020 during the pandemic. Compared to expectations, the city was less crowded in the first “Corona summer”. The author enjoyed exploring Venice and neighboring islands and tasting tiramisu. A later trip to Bologna revealed to him the advantages of the local cuisine.

Challenges while traveling

Last year the author visited Rome, where he encountered crowded streets and rain. This trip took an unpleasant turn when the author and his partner became victims of theft on the subway, which led to criminal charges. The onward journey to Milan didn't only bring positive experiences, as a handbag was stolen from the outside area of ​​a pizzeria. However, the waiter offered the pizza for free after learning about the incident.

However, Italy offers much more than personal experiences of difficulty. The country is known for its long coastlines, warm temperatures and numerous attractions, such as the Colosseum in Rome, the Cathedral of Florence and the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark's Square in Venice. In 2022, the country recorded an impressive 118.5 million tourist imports, with tourism contributing about 10.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and around 1.5 million people employed in the industry, according to Statista is reported.

Popular travel times and regions

The summer months are particularly attractive for tourists as they offer average maximum temperatures of 26°C and excellent water quality in the bathing waters. City trips to Rome, Venice and Florence are also very popular in spring and autumn. With around 32,400 hotels, almost half of which are 3-star hotels, and a Veneto region that has the most accommodation establishments, Italy is truly a country of travelers.

The number of around 12.7 million German visitors reflects that Italy is the most popular foreign travel destination for Germans, only after the North and Baltic Sea coasts. At least 6 percent of Germans are planning a vacation of at least five days in Italy for 2024, which underlines the continued popularity of this beautiful country.