From holiday to life project: how falling in love with Italian villages is driving foreigners to buy homes. The Top 10 "Heart Places" in 2025

There is a precise moment when a trip transforms into a life project. It is that "love at first sight" that strikes among the sun-drenched alleys of a village, during a coffee in a provincial square, or in front of a hilly horizon. In 2025, the Italian real estate market for foreigners is no longer just a matter of investment, but the crowning achievement of a love story that began during a holiday.

According to data from Gate-away.com, the leading portal for those looking for a home in Italy from abroad, the ranking of the 10 most-searched municipalities in 2025 tells the story of an Italy that enchants for its ability to offer quality of life, authentic beauty, and a refuge from overtourism.

Root tourism: when a holiday becomes a home

The trend is clear: today’s international buyer is an experienced traveler who has moved beyond the "classic postcard" phase to seek a deeper connection with the territory. They fall in love with Italy during a stay and decide never to leave again, or to do so only to return to their Italian home as soon as possible.

«The purchase of a house in Italy is almost always the final act of an emotion experienced on the ground – declares Simone Rossi, co-founder of Gate-away.com. The villages we see in the ranking today are those that have been able to welcome the traveler, making them feel part of a community. Foreigners are not just looking for square meters; they are looking for the "lifestyle": the local market, the silence of the afternoon "controra," the ritual of the aperitivo in the square. It is a form of tourism that takes roots and transforms the visitor into an active citizen of our country».

The 2025 ranking thus tells the story of a different Italy, made of historic villages, provincial centers, cities of art, and coastal locations that intercept new housing needs and new lifestyles.

However, this is not a simple snapshot of the most popular destinations, but the result of a structural change in international demand. Foreign buyers are showing growing maturity in their choices: they seek places where they can truly live Italy, not just visit it. This means contexts less congested by mass tourism, more accessible prices compared to major international hubs, greater integration with local life, and a more authentic daily dimension.

The presence, in the 2025 top 10, of municipalities distributed across Northern, Central, and Southern Italy also confirms how international interest is no longer concentrated in a few areas but is progressively spreading throughout the national territory. This is an important signal for the Italian real estate market, which sees the range of attractive destinations expanding and a demand model consolidating that is less volatile and more oriented toward quality of life.

In this scenario, the ranking of the 10 most-searched municipalities by foreign buyers in 2025 is not just a list of preferences, but becomes a key to interpreting new market dynamics: an Italy that is chosen not for fashion, but as a life project.

Ranking of the 10 most-searched municipalities in 2025 by international buyers

1.     Ostuni (BR)

2.     Santa Maria del Cedro (CS)

3.     Caltagirone (CT)

4.     Noto (SR)

5.     Scalea (CS)

6.     Rome (RM)

7.     Carovigno (BR)

8.     Nizza Monferrato (AT)

9.     Todi (PG)

10.     Fivizzano (MS)

• Ostuni (BR) – The “White City,” symbol of the Apulian lifestyle

Ostuni confirms its first-place position among the most-searched municipalities by foreign buyers in 2025, further strengthening its leadership thanks to constant growth in interest compared to last year. The city perfectly embodies the international image of Puglia: an iconic historic center, countryside dotted with trulli and masserie, proximity to the sea, and an extremely diversified real estate offer.

Foreign buyers choose Ostuni mainly for detached villas, renovated country houses, or trulli, often with land, with prices that remain competitive compared to other Mediterranean destinations of equal charm. The average value of properties searched stands at 313,914 euros. Demand comes largely from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Northern Europe, with a buyer profile oriented towards a quality second home or a permanent relocation.

• Santa Maria del Cedro (CS) – Authentic Calabria, sea, and accessible prices

Santa Maria del Cedro emerges as one of the true surprises of 2025, positioning itself stably among the most-searched municipalities. This Calabrian town intercepts international demand attentive to value for money, proximity to the sea, and a context that is still not very touristy.

Here, searches focus mainly on apartments and detached houses with limited budgets, often below 100,000 euros, making the area particularly attractive for buyers from Northern Europe, Germany, and the Netherlands, but also for foreigners staying in Italy who discover the territory directly.

• Caltagirone (CT) – Tradition, culture, and inland Sicily

Caltagirone records significant growth in international interest, confirming itself as one of the most dynamic Sicilian destinations of 2025. Its Baroque charm, artistic heritage, and strong bond with the ceramic tradition attract buyers looking for historic houses, palaces, and independent homes in historic centers.

Demand comes mainly from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany, and primarily concerns properties (well below 100,000 euros) with a strong propensity for renovation projects, seen as long-term projects and cultural investments even before real estate ones.

• Noto (SR) – Baroque elegance and international lifestyle

Noto continues to strengthen its position as a premium destination in south-eastern Sicily. The growth in interest in 2025 is supported by a sophisticated international audience, attracted by Baroque architecture, quality of life, and proximity to the sea.

Here, demand is concentrated on prestigious residences, villas, and renovated dwellings, with average values higher than the regional average (average value of properties searched: 497,000 euros). Buyers come largely from the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, with a focus on move-in-ready, high-profile properties.

• Scalea (CS) – Sea, accessibility, and widespread international demand

Scalea confirms its role as an international hub on the Calabrian Tyrrhenian coast. The municipality intercepts a very wide demand, driven by ease of access, low prices, and the presence of an already consolidated international community.

Searches mainly concern apartments and holiday homes, often with budgets below 100,000 euros (average value of properties searched: 65,628 euros). The origin is strongly European, with Germany, the United Kingdom, and Eastern European countries among the most active markets.

• Rome (RM) – The Capital returns as a protagonist

Rome returns forcefully to the 2025 top ten, recording one of the most significant growths compared to last year. The city benefits from renewed international interest linked to the Jubilee year, its cultural uniqueness, market stability, and strong demand for urban properties.

Foreign buyers mainly look for apartments, penthouses, and historic properties, often in central or semi-central districts, with medium-to-high budgets (average value of properties searched: 1,149,020 euros). The United States, the United Kingdom, and France lead the demand, with growing attention also toward investment use.

• Carovigno (BR) – The new face of international Puglia

Carovigno consolidates its position thanks to its proximity to Ostuni and the Adriatic coast, offering a more reserved and less inflated alternative. International buyers appreciate the possibility of purchasing villas, farmhouses, and detached houses at still accessible prices. The average value of properties searched stands at 194,471 euros.

Demand is growing especially from the United States and Northern Europe, with a profile oriented toward a second home and quality of living rather than speculation.

• Nizza Monferrato (AT) – Langhe and Monferrato increasingly international

Nizza Monferrato represents one of the most attractive hubs in Piedmont for foreign demand. Located within the UNESCO context of the wine-growing hills, the city intercepts buyers interested in charming houses, farmhouses, and properties immersed in nature.

Growth in interest is driven by the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands, with medium-high budgets and a strong focus on livability and the landscape context. However, the average value of properties searched in the municipality remains contained, standing at values below 100,000 euros.

• Todi (PG) – Timeless Umbria

Todi maintains a solid position in the ranking thanks to its profile as an elegant, authentic, and well-connected Umbrian village. Foreign buyers look here for farmhouses, villas, and apartments in the historic center, often as a permanent residence or long-term second home.

Demand is predominantly Anglo-Saxon, with the United States and the United Kingdom in the lead, and prefers renovated or easily habitable properties. The average value of properties searched is 226,850 euros.

• Fivizzano (MS) – Lunigiana, nature, and historic villages

Fivizzano closes the top ten, confirming the growing interest in Lunigiana, an area increasingly appreciated for its authentic character and accessible prices compared to nearby, more touristy Tuscany. The average value of properties searched stands at values below 200,000 euros.

International buyers seek detached houses, village homes, and stone properties, often to be renovated, with a strong presence of requests from Germany, France, and Northern Europe.

Comment by Simone Rossi, co-founder of Gate-away.com

«The ranking of the most searched municipalities in 2025 tells very clearly how the priorities of international buyers are changing – comments Simone Rossi, co-founder of Gate-away.com. Alongside iconic cities, more and more villages and less inflated locations are emerging, where authenticity, quality of life, and price accessibility become decisive elements. Foreign buyers today are looking for an Italy to live in, not just to visit. They want space, identity, landscape, and a sustainable investment over time. It is precisely this combination that makes municipalities like Ostuni, Santa Maria del Cedro, or Fivizzano winners, as they manage to intercept an increasingly conscious and selective international demand».