In this Italian province, almost one-third of all real estate demand is now coming from foreigners.
This place is not Rome.
It is not Florence.
When most people think about buying in Italy, they imagine expensive villas in Tuscany.
But the real land rush right now is happening in places you have probably never heard of, places where you can still buy your own Mediterranean villa or flat for a fraction of the cost.
And in some of these places, foreign buyers are getting major tax advantages on top of it.
We analyzed brand-new 2025 data from Idealista to find the 20 Italian provinces attracting the most foreign buyers.
But here is the best part: we will not just show where people are buying, we are going to show you exactly who is buying them.
What we found surprised us.
We are going to reveal the hidden southern coastal towns where Americans are buying real estate, the breathtaking mountain valleys dominated by the Swiss, and the unexpected cities where Polish and German buyers are moving right now.
If you are an expat planning your move to Italy, this data can save you from a very expensive mistake or at least stop you from waking up with a grumpy German neighbor next door.
Let’s start from the bottom and work our way to the hottest markets in Italy.
20th Place: Trani – Where Medieval Charm Attracts Polish Money
Trani has a stunning Romanesque cathedral that looks like it belongs in a postcard, but that is not why Polish buyers are moving there right now. This city serves as the capital of the Barletta-Andria-Trani province in the Puglia region. The province has a population of around 380,000 residents, and Trani itself is a coastal town located on the Adriatic Sea.
Currently, 13.2% of all property demand in this province comes from foreigners. It is not crowded with tourists like the famous spots on the Amalfi Coast. Often, people think buying in Southern Italy always means paying high prices like you see in Capri, but Trani offers a coastal lifestyle for a fraction of that cost.
You also have the Alta Murgia National Park nearby.
The numbers make it obvious that the typical expat crowd is totally changing. They want a second home or a retirement property where they can live well without depleting their savings. Buyers from the United States make up 10.4% of foreign demand, Germany comes in at second place with 14.7%, and Poland is the biggest buyer group, grabbing 16.9% of the market.
It seems like Central Europeans have figured out what Western Europeans have known for years. These southern coastal towns offer an incredible quality of life without draining your bank account.
By the way, I am in doubt about writing a similar article on the nationalities buying property in Spain or France, so type “France” or “Spain” in the comment section so you can help us decide!
19th Place: Sondrio Province
Sondrio is an alpine province in the Lombardy region with around 180,000 residents. What really draws people here is the mix of a great mountain lifestyle with top-notch healthcare and a high standard of living. In the winter, you have direct access to some of the most famous winter sports resorts in Italy, while during the summer, the area is a hub for cycling and hiking.
It is a smart buy for anyone who wants a mountain house they can actually enjoy all year round.
But you should know that the buyer profile here is very specific compared to the coastal south. People are buying stone buildings and historic palaces to use as a base for mountain sports and local wine culture. The fact that it is so easy to hop between countries is a huge part of what makes the real estate there so popular.
Coming in at number three are buyers from the United States, representing 7.7% of foreign interest. Swiss buyers have the top spot, buying 13% of all foreign-purchased properties.
18th Place: Taranto
The province of Taranto is located in the Puglia region on the Ionian coast. More than half a million folks live in the surrounding area, and foreign demand in this province accounts for 13.8% of the total property market. People are moving there because it offers a coastal life at prices much lower than the northern regions, but there are also other reasons.
Taranto has a harbor and an entire naval industry that keeps the local economy active. The area has many white sand beaches and clear water that draw in international interest.
At the number three spot, buyers from the United States are responsible for 9.3% of the international demand. In second place, Polish buyers purchase almost 10% of the properties, but German buyers are the main international force there, leading the list at 18.6%.
It is pretty clear that Germans are seeing the value in these Ionian properties in a place that still feels deeply Italian. Going forward, you will see how a city’s size and access to transit totally dictate who buys there.
17th Place: Bergamo
The province of Bergamo is located in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy. Over one million people live across this bustling province not far from the Alps. This area is famous for its historic high town and its proximity to the Orio al Serio international airport.
Many people choose this location because it is very close to the economic center of Milan but offers a different lifestyle with hills and mountains nearby. The transport links are excellent for anyone who needs to travel across Europe for work.
The numbers hint that this isn’t just a hotspot for retirees looking to kick back. It is actually capturing a large segment of professional workers and remote property seekers from Central Europe. These buyers use their mobility rights to live near major business zones while avoiding the higher costs of living right in the center of Milan.
The United Kingdom holds the third spot among foreign buyers, with 10.1% of the demand, and Germany sits in the second position with 11.8% of the international interest. However, Poland is the undeniable leader in this market, as Polish buyers are responsible for 17.4% of the total foreign demand. It is a clear sign that Central European professionals are making serious moves into Italy’s economic core.
16th Place: Lecce
The province of Lecce is located in the Puglia region at the very heel of Italy. The wild part about this area is just how many people are flying across the Atlantic to buy here. Many buyers choose this location because it offers a specific Italian dream.
You get urban amenities, connectivity, and beaches without the massive price tags found in the north. The nationalities that are buying property in Lecce are particularly sui generis. Buyers from Switzerland purchase 8.3% of the international demand.
In second place, the United States claims 12.1% of the total foreign interest, which is a really high number for a southern province. However, Germany remains the biggest buyer group in Lecce, leading the list at 18.2%. Lecce, in fact, improved drastically recently—enough to be one of the best cities for expat retirees in Italy in 2026.
15th Place: Chieti
The province of Chieti is located in the Abruzzo region on the Adriatic coast. The region is home to around 370,000 residents. The coolest thing about Chieti is that you can literally hit the beach and hike the mountains on the exact same day.
The Costa dei Trabocchi offers pristine beaches and amazing views from its cliffs. Inland, the Apennine Mountains provide a complete escape from the coast whenever you want it. You also get affordable real estate prices and a healthcare infrastructure with both decent public and private options.
Most expat communities overlook Abruzzo entirely because they focus on Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast.
But that oversight is exactly what creates that opportunity. It is a place with good infrastructure, including healthcare, but still affordable, and Chieti delivers that. Buyers from the United Kingdom represent 9% of foreign demand, Germany comes second at 13%, and the United States dominates this market at 15.9%.
Buyers are doing the math, and the value in this case is just too good to ignore, which is why they cross the Atlantic and come to this Italian province. Many of them want a second home or retirement base where they can maintain their standard of living without financial strain.
14th Place: Brindisi
The province of Brindisi is located in Puglia on the Adriatic coast. Nearly 380,000 people live in the wider province, and currently, 14.2% of all property demand in this province comes from international buyers. People are moving there because you get direct access to the sea for very good prices.
The property prices remain low, and in some cases, they even decreased during the last few years. It is a mostly agricultural region, so it lost population to industrial hubs in northern Italy, which forced real estate prices to remain cheap.
So, who is actually buying up the property here? At the number three spot, Poland makes up 8.1% of the foreign demand. The US has 10.6% of the international demand, and the real heavyweights are the Germans, accounting for 16.3% of the overseas purchases.
We saw this exact same thing back in Taranto, as German buyers are identifying value in Apulia before other nationalities. A city with a working port feels alive and stable, and that is a huge plus for people looking for more than a simple vacation spot. As we continue up the list, get ready to see a totally different kind of buyer emerge in the mountain and lake regions.
13th Place: Vibo Valentia
The province of Vibo Valentia is located in Calabria on the southern tip of Italy. It is famous for its Costa degli Dei coastline with impressive cliffs and clear water. The sheer amount of coastline towns with impressive views is something unique.
Calabria has a reputation for safety issues that keeps many international buyers away, but the situation improved dramatically in the last decades while prices remained low. The incredible beauty, the low prices, the “rural” feel, and the lack of crowds (except for some places like Tropea) attract certain nationalities. They want very affordable coastal property where they can experience authentic Southern Italian living.
Polish buyers represent 10.4% of foreign demand, and Americans make up 15.6%. The Germans lead again.
With so many Germans, Poles, and Americans, we could say that Vibo Valentia is a safer, prettier, and warmer version of Illinois. Nah, bad joke, sorry.
12th Place: Biella
After so many provinces in the South, we go back to the North. The province of Biella is located in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. You will find just around 180,000 locals living in this mountainous region with mostly rural communities and a few towns.
Despite the small population, one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Northern Italy is there: the Sacro Monte di Oropa. The area offers pristine nature and cheap real estate compared to other Alpine markets. Mountain towns usually attract wealthy ski-home buyers looking for second properties, but Biella is different.
European buyers are discovering this region because they want authenticity and affordability without the Chamonix or St. Moritz price tag. Brazil is responsible for 7.2% of foreign demand, and Switzerland is next at 7.9%. Germany leads with 11.9% of all foreign buyers.
Wait—Brazil?
That Brazilian interest is a huge clue. When buyers are coming from halfway across the world to a little-known town, it means the word is out on how good the deals are. Biella’s privileged location between Milan and Turin makes it attractive to buyers with moderate budgets.
German and Swiss buyers understand this equation. But the fact that even Brazilians have found Biella is impressive.
11th Place: Agrigento
The province of Agrigento is located on the southern coast of the Sicilian Island. The amount of foreign interest there is skyrocketing past the national average. What is attractive about this place is that you have the Sicilian coastal beauty and the low prices, without the chaos and noise from Palermo or Catania.
The climate is warm year-round, and it is relatively well connected by rail services to both Catania and Palermo, which are the major Sicilian cities. Property prices remain low compared to other Mediterranean destinations. You get the famous Sicilian coastline but still pay standard Southern Italian prices.
Unlike other historic places, it hasn’t been ruined by cheesy tourist traps. Polish buyers make up 9.8% of foreign demand, and the US is next with 11.2%. The Germans lead again, with almost 20% of all foreigner purchases, because they know that getting a property at these prices is probably a good investment.
10th Place: Aosta
The province of Valle d’Aosta is located in the Alps at the crossroads of Italy, France, and Switzerland. Currently, 20% of all property demand in this province comes from international buyers. Buyers there are looking for proximity to multiple countries; it is possible, for example, to live in Aosta but work in Chamonix in France.
This province offers world-class skiing, Alpine scenes, and very high healthcare standards. And the cool part is that most people there speak both Italian and French. You might expect Swiss money to dominate an Alpine region, but the data shows something different.
The Swiss are just the second biggest buyers, almost at the same level as the Dutch. In Aosta, where the economy revolves around mountains and skiing, the Dutch seem to have found their mountain enclave to escape from their super flat homeland. We’ve now officially hit the point where 1 in 5 buyers is from abroad, and the percentage of foreign buyers will soar even higher.
9th Place: Trapani
The province of Trapani is located in Sicily on the western coast. Foreigners are moving there because you get a Mediterranean coastline with warm weather year-round and very affordable property prices. The area is known for salt marshes, wine production, and fishing villages that have kept their authentic character.
Trapani offers something different from the famous tourist destinations. You get direct access to the Egadi Islands and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Because the town is built around real industries, not just tourism, it feels like a genuine community with a lower cost of living.
Checking out who is buying property here reveals an inversion of a trend we saw in the other cities. You still have Poles and Germans as buyers of 9.7% and 13.8% of all foreign-purchased homes, respectively. But the leaders are the Americans with 16.2% of the share!
American buyers are clearly targeting Sicily’s western coast for retirement and second-home purchases. Getting that mix of sunshine, cheap property, and an authentic village feel is exactly what so many people are looking for.
8th Place: Ragusa
The province of Ragusa is located in Sicily in the southeastern part of the island. Currently, 21.6% of all property demand in this province comes from international buyers. We are now in a league of its own for foreign demand.
Ragusa is part of the Val di Noto region, famous for its Baroque architecture. It has that trifecta of a warm Mediterranean climate, affordable homes, and pleasant scenery. The buyer data shows broad appeal across multiple age groups and nationalities.
In terms of nationalities, Maltese buyers represent 9.5% of foreign demand, and Americans make up 11%. Germans lead with 17.4%. The interest of the Maltese buyers can be explained by the fact that from Ragusa, you can take a quick ferry to Malta.
7th Place: Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola
Now we go back to the north, to a province in the Piedmont region famous for its alpine lakes. The provincial population is around 160,000 residents. The area maintains a working local economy instead of being purely tourist-focused.
One of the biggest reasons this province raises interest is Lake Maggiore, one of the largest Alpine lakes in Europe. It is a quite developed region and is close to Switzerland. Despite all the beauty, Lake Maggiore has prices considerably lower than the average you find in its more famous cousins, Lake Garda and Lake Como.
You have water-based recreation combined with Alpine scenery and a location that is close to major centers and international borders. While it is no surprise that Switzerland and Germany lead among foreign buyers, the Netherlands in third is. It is the second time we see the Dutch among the main buyers in Northern Italy; apparently, the South is too hot for them.
And as we get closer to the top spot, you will see how this division between nations that prefer the warm south versus the alpine north gets even more evident.
6th Place: Como
The province of Como is located in Lombardy in Northern Italy. Its namesake capital sits right on the edge of the iconic Lake Como. Currently, 23.8% of all property demand in this province comes from international buyers.
So far, I have said words like “affordable” or “cheap” multiple times, but for Como, I cannot say this. This is the luxury market on this list. It is a place that mixes prestige and convenience, as it is just 45 minutes from Milan and a few kilometers from the border with Switzerland.
Lake Como is famous for celebrity homes, fancy parties, expensive restaurants, and all these “rich people” things. Despite all the celebrities, the US is just in third place, with 10% of the international demand. It is no surprise the Swiss are dominating here, considering they are practically right next door.
For the ultra-rich, it’s not about saving money; it’s about convenience, beautiful views, and well, the Swiss need to put their enormous wealth somewhere, right?
5th Place: Imperia
This province is in Liguria on the Italian Riviera. It has a Mediterranean coastline combined with mild winters and plenty of sunshine. This province is part of the Riviera, the coastline from La Spezia to Cannes, and Imperia is one of the most affordable places on it.
Imperia offers something specific to buyers: a similar Riviera experience to the French Côte d’Azur, but for a much better price. You get the Riviera lifestyle without paying the price tag of Nice or Monaco. The beaches are accessible and transport to France is direct and easy, all for a fraction of the French prices.
The French dominate the international market there, purchasing 17.8% of all foreign sales. Seeing the French take the lead here is a total no-brainer, as Imperia is just across the border from France. They also benefit from cross-border tax advantages available to French residents investing in neighboring regions.
4th Place: Lucca
The province of Lucca is located in Tuscany in Central Italy. Currently, 26% of all property demand in this province comes from international buyers. Lucca offers charm with a high quality of life and access to mountain villages and coastal towns like Forte dei Marmi.
It is perfectly situated between the mountains and the sea, giving you that peaceful countryside vibe with easy access to everything else. Tuscany is supposed to be expensive, but Lucca’s combination of accessibility, quality of life, and reasonable pricing has attracted significant international demand. You get the Tuscan experience without the Chianti price tag.
The area functions as a real town with a working local economy, not a tourist destination pretending to be authentic. So which nationalities are making the province of Lucca their new home? The UK and Germany have the third and second place, while the US leads with 15.5% of all foreign demand.
American buyers look for provinces like Lucca in Tuscany because they offer authenticity without excessive price premiums. Lucca delivers that perfectly. It is a functioning town where local people live and work.
3rd Place: Province of Venice
Venice attracts 26.4% of its property demand from foreigners, meaning more than 1 in every 4 properties are sold to non-Italians. The province is home to one of the most famous cities on the planet, and I know that you expected to see Venice in this ranking. This part of Italy is difficult to define in words; I saw with my own eyes how it has a beauty you cannot find anywhere else.
It features Byzantine architecture, Renaissance palaces, and a major city built on water. Venice is famous for being crowded, but honestly, that is just during part of the year. I was there in January, and it was a very chill place.
You might expect that such a tourism powerhouse would only attract investors looking for properties to invest in for rent, right? You would be right, somehow. Nearly half of all non-Italian buyers purchase properties there with the intent of earning short-term rental income.
When you add German and Austrian buyers together, they are responsible for over a third of all foreign purchases. That is a huge portion of the market. Venice is one of the few names on this ranking where buyers are not looking for a residence, but for an investment.
2nd Place: Siracusa
The province of Siracusa is located in Sicily and has a population of about 360,000 people. Siracusa combines a warm Mediterranean climate, affordable real estate, and urban infrastructure.
The city of Siracusa was founded by the Greeks over 2,700 years ago and contains archaeological sites that rival anything in Greece itself.
Despite the increasing tourism appeal of this region, prices are remarkably stable, and in most parts of the province, they barely changed during the last decades. The local economy is built on tourism and agriculture. Personal comment: they produce one of my favorite types of wine, the Nero d’Avola, and you also get some excellent seafood.
There are daily ferries from Siracusa to Malta, and the total trip takes less than 2 hours. So that explains why the Maltese, after Germans and Americans, are the biggest buyers in this province.
1st Place: Trieste
In Trieste, almost one-third of all real estate demand is coming from foreigners. That is just wild; for context, most major Italian cities see 5 to 10 percent foreign demand. In Milan, for example, just 6.9% of all residence sales are to non-Italians, but Trieste has more than four times this number.
This province sits at the crossroads of Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia, and it is also close to Austria. You get Mediterranean coastal living combined with a cosmopolitan, cross-border European environment. The buyers are almost all from the region: Slovenia, Austria, and Serbia.
These are neighboring countries, and they understand something about Trieste that distant buyers miss. You have the coast, you are connected to the rest of Europe, the healthcare is top-notch, and the quality of life is fantastic. And all that for prices lower than Ljubljana in Slovenia, and also lower than major Austrian cities.
Now you know who is buying property in Italy, and where. But remember when I said that Italy, including many of the cities mentioned today, has incredible tax incentives for foreigners? Yes, they have one of the most beneficial special tax regimes for expats in entire Europe, but it is valid just for some regions!
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Levi Borba is the founder of expatriateconsultancy.com, creator of the channel The Expat, and best-selling author. You can find him on X here. Some of the links above might be affiliated links, meaning the author earns a small commission if you make a purchase.
