Miles: Velkommen tilbage til Magic Towns Italy-podcasten. . Italien, solbeskinnede piazzaer, gamle ruiner, fantastisk mad og den uimodståelige charme ved La Dolce Vita,
Alessia: It’s a dream destination for so many people.
Miles: But for anyone actually thinking about living there beyond the two week vacation, that dream can often collide with a less glamorous reality. Let’s talk about overtourism.
Alessia: Yeah, that’s the crux of it. While Italy consistently ranks among the world’s top tourist destinations, which is fantastic, of course, this popularity creates some pretty significant, often hidden challenges for residents.
We’re going to use original data from a recent article on Magic Towns Italy. It’s called Paradise Packed, 16 Italian Towns that Escape Overtourism. They developed some really neat tools. Oh yeah. There’s a touristy index basically measures how packed a place is with visitors and a quality of life index [00:01:00] looking at livability.
We’ll use these because honestly, the sheer number of visitors can completely change daily life.
Miles: Det tærer på ressourcerne, ikke?
Alessia: Helt sikkert. Og det kan endda udhule den autentiske karakter, der trak folk til i første omgang. Så vores mission i dag er at finde ud af, hvor overturismen rammer hårdest, men endnu vigtigere.
Fremhæv nogle utrolige byer, der stadig tilbyder den fantastiske italienske kultur, fællesskab og livskvalitet. Bare væk fra menneskemængderne.
Miles: Perfekt til expats, pensionister og alle, der gerne vil bo der og ikke bare besøge stedet i et par dage.
Alessia: And this problem, it’s not just a vague feeling of, oh, it’s a bit busy.
The article has some hard numbers, doesn’t it? Here’s a staggering statistic. 70% of international tourists in Italy, they flock to just 1% of its territory.
Miles: Wow. 70% in 1%. Just think about that. I know it means in places like Venice, you’re not just, you know, a tourist in a crowd. You’re often one of maybe 100 others for every single resident jostling for [00:02:00] space in what used to be someone’s quiet neighborhood square.
Alessia: Og du kan sikkert gætte de sædvanlige mistænkte. Venedig, Firenze, Amalfikysten. Cinque Terre er smuk. Ja, det er det. Absolut betagende steder.
Miles: That beauty comes at a price for locals, a steep price. There’s a quote in the article from a local activist about Naples that really hits home. What does it say?
Alessia: The historic center of Naples is dead. Those streets aren’t neighborhoods anymore. They’ve become playgrounds, open air shopping malls. It’s quite powerful.
Miles: Det tegner virkelig et billede, men kan du skære det ud i pap i den praktiske hverdag?
Alessia: Ja, men tænk på de kompakte middelalderbyer. Når du propper tusindvis af ekstra mennesker ind, bliver alting anstrengt. Offentlig transport, affaldsindsamling, grundlæggende infrastruktur,
Miles: Bare det at komme rundt må være et mareridt nogle gange.
Alessia: Absolutely. It’s not just inconvenient. It fundamentally changes the place and the daily struggles are real.
Forestil dig, at du bare prøver at løbe ærinder. Der var en historie fra en Corriere della Sera-reporter om Gardasøen.
Miles: Nå, ja. I Sirmione. Han beskrev, at han brugte 40 minutter på at lede efter [00:03:00] parkering. 40 minutter.
Alessia: Og så betale syv euro for en is.
Miles: Seven euros. Okay. That’s not the relaxed evening passeggiata you picture, is it that leisurely walk?
Definitely not. And beyond the traffic and queues, there’s the whole short-term rental issue. Ah, the Airbnb effect.
Alessia: You got it. In some parts of Naples, the article says there’s literally one BNB for every three homes. Think about that density.
Miles: That’s incredible. And it’s hollowing out the fabric of the city as they put it.
Rents go up, local tenants get pushed out. It really destabilizes communities. I guess some people would argue, you know, that these rentals bring in money for homeowners, especially if the local economy isn’t great, or maybe give tourists some more local experience.
Alessia: It’s a fair point. People do make that argument, but the data and the lived experience in many places suggests the cost to the actual resident community often outweighs those benefits.
Man ser den ekstreme ende af dette i Venedig.
Miles: Der bor færre lokale nu, ikke sandt?
Alessia: Way fewer. The historic [00:04:00] center has under 50,000 residents left. It’s a stark reminder as locals can’t afford to live there. The city just dust it slowly depopulates. It becomes more like a museum than a living, breathing city,
Miles: at miste sin sjæl i bund og grund.
Alessia: That’s a good way to put it. And then there are the seasonal swings,
Miles: Ikke sandt? Det med Jekyll og Hyde.
Alessia: Præcis. Tætpakket om sommeren. Så er der helt stille. Om vinteren, når turistbusserne forlader byen, lukker butikkerne og servicen svinder ind,
Miles: og efterlader helårsbeboere i en slags tomrum.
Alessia: Totally. So it raises a big question for anyone thinking of moving, uh, whether you’re an expat or retiring there, what kind of daily life are you really signing up for in these famous spots?
Ofte betyder det, at man mister den autentiske karakter, følelsen af fællesskab.
Miles: Okay, så hvis drømmen om Venedig måske snarere er en overfyldt virkelighed, hvordan måler Magic Towns Italy så egentlig dette? Og hvad betyder det for din pengepung?
Alessia: De bruger det turistindeks, jeg nævnte, og ser på antallet af besøgende i forhold til den fastboende befolkning, og nogle af tallene er helt ekstreme.
Miles: Hvor ekstremt
Alessia: Tag en lille alpelandsby som [00:05:00] Sesto i Sydtyrol, der er Sydtyrol, befolkning, omkring 1.900 mennesker, besøgende i 2023, omkring 184.000.
Miles: Wait, that’s like nearly 100 tourists for every resident over the year.
Alessia: 99 stort set. Ja, det er det. Eller Rio Maggiore i Cinque Terre med omkring 1.300 indbyggere, men over 100.000 besøgende om året.
That’s about 82 tourists per resident. Santa Doro in Sardinia, 1,200 locals, about 110,000 visitors. That’s almost 89 tourists per local. These numbers just show the immense pressure on local infrastructure, water waste, and prices.
Miles: Not just the total number either, is it? It’s when they all arrive at once.
Alessia: Exactly. It’s the concentration during peak season that really overwhelms things. It’s not just crowded streets, it’s the town’s actual capacity. It’s water, it’s waste system, its ability to maintain its charm. Getting swamped.
Miles: De menneskelige omkostninger er tydelige. Men hvad med pengesiden? Du nævnte forbindelsen mellem turisme og ejendomsomkostninger.
Alessia: Oh, it’s sharp, undeniably sharp. [00:06:00] These super touristy places often have sky high property prices. Homes become vacation rentals or investments, pricing out locals, and frankly, most expats too.
Miles: Giv mig nogle eksempler. Hvor højt taler vi om?
Alessia: Ja, okay. Se på Capri. Gennemsnitlige boligpriser på omkring 10.000 euro pr. kvadratmeter.
Miles: 10.000 euro.
Alessia: Yep. More than double the average for the province. Positano Amalfi, you’re looking at 7,000 to 10,000 per square meter easily. That’s like big global city prices.
Miles: Cortina med de kommende olympiske lege.
Alessia: Cortina d’Ampezzo, it’s surged to Parisian levels. Average around 12,000 euro per square meter, prime spots hitting over 20,000.
Miles: Okay. That’s inaccessible for most people.
Alessia: Ja.
Miles: Hvordan er det i forhold til f.eks. en mere normal italiensk by?
Alessia: It’s a huge contrast. More typical towns are usually in the low thousands per square meter, maybe 1,500 euro, 2000, something like that.
Miles: Så Capri-prisen er 10.000 euro. Er der nogen lokale regler, der forsøger at styre dette, eller er det bare markedet, der løber løbsk?
Alessia: It’s mostly market [00:07:00] forces. Unfortunately, some cities like Florence are trying to limit short-term rentals, but it’s a massive uphill battle.
Miles: Og det større billede,
Alessia: Det betyder en enorm stigning i leveomkostningerne. Ikke bare boliger, men alt, selv den daglige kaffe. Og desværre fører det til affolkning af disse berømte byer, hvilket gør dem mindre autentiske for alle i det lange løb.
Miles: It’s a vicious cycle.
Alessia: It really is. The data clearly shows this trend as tourist density goes up, property prices follow suit. It’s a whole economic shift where only tourism businesses really thrive.
Miles: Okay, så hvis postkortstederne måske ikke er de bedste at bo i, hvor kan du så finde den rige kultur og historie uden at blive forelsket?
Du nævnte to kategorier,
Alessia: right? The first category includes towns that are actually quite well known, maybe even famous in their own right, but they’ve managed to stay relatively livable. They aren’t total hidden gems yet, but they’re definitely not the overwhelmed hotspots.
Miles: Hvad gør dem anderledes?
Alessia: Ofte har de deres egen stærke lokale økonomi, måske et stort universitet [00:08:00] eller en eller anden industri, der holder dem levende hele året rundt, ikke kun når turisterne er der. De har en tendens til at være billigere, føles mere autentiske og tilbyder bare en bedre dagligdags oplevelse for beboerne.
Miles: Okay, let’s hear some examples.
Alessia: we take Padova in the Veneto region. It’s only 30 minutes from Venice by train.
Miles: Right? I know. Padova Historic University. Giotto’s Chapel,
Alessia: exactly. One of Europe’s oldest universities founded in 1222. The Scrovegni Chapel, amazing squares like Prato della Valle, but when you’re there, it feels lived in.
Man ser de lokale nyde caféerne og markederne,
Miles: Færre turister end i Venedig, går jeg ud fra.
Alessia: Way fewer. It gets about 770,000 visitors a year, which sounds like a lot, but compare that to Venice’s 5.6 million. So Padova has this easygoing vibe, plus median home prices are around 2,400 Euro per square meter, much less than Venice.
Og den scorer godt på livskvalitet, især når det gælder transport og sundhedspleje.
Miles: Fint.
Alessia: What else? How about Trieste way up in the northeast corner? It’s a really unique city. [00:09:00]
Miles: Østrig-ungarsk indflydelse, ikke sandt?
Alessia: Det var den vigtigste havn for imperiet. Så du har denne store habsburgske arkitektur, berømte gamle kaffehuse.
Føles helt anderledes end andre italienske byer. Der kommer omkring 480.000 turister om året. Ret moderat for en by af den størrelse, så den føles fredelig selv i højsæsonen.
Miles: og livskvalitet.
Alessia: Exceptionally high. It scored 90 out of 100 on our QOL index. Great balance of city life and nature. You’ve got the Karst Hills right behind it, the sea in front, and it’s surprisingly affordable.
Medianboliger omkring 2.500 euro pr. kvadratmeter.
Miles: Okay, en mere fra denne kategori. Måske noget renæssance, men ikke Firenze.
Alessia: Ferrara in Emilia Romagna. It’s a gem seat of the Esta court, so it has elegant palaces, a cool moated castle, and these amazing medieval walls. You can walk or bike on nine kilometers worth.
Hele det historiske centrum er på UNESCO's liste
Miles: men ikke oversvømmet af turister.
Alessia: Nej, der kommer kun omkring 230.000 besøgende om året. Den har en [00:10:00] dejlig, afslappet, næsten småbyagtig atmosfære på trods af sin historie. De kalder den cyklernes by, meget cykelvenlig, stille, brostensbelagte gader
Miles: og ejendom, virkelig overkommelig.
Alessia: Ejendomme har et gennemsnit på ca. 1.400 euro pr. kvadratmeter.
Miles: Okay. The article mentioned a few others briefly too, didn’t it?
Også Cesenatico med kanalen.
Alessia: Um, charming port, designed by Da Vinci, QOL 83, real estate, about 3050 per square meter and even Jesolo, which is actually one of Italy’s most visited beach spots. The article notes, it manages the high numbers well, good organization, QOL 78 prices around 4,300 per square meter.
Miles: That’s a great list. Uh, I’m curious though, thinking about Cervia versus Jesolo, both manage tourism well, you said, but what’s the feel like? What’s a typical day like in each, beyond the numbers?
Alessia: That’s a really good question. Cervia has this strong focus on sustainability. It’s pine forest, it’s salt pins. It attracts maybe a more eco-conscious [00:11:00] visitor, someone looking for nature alongside the beach.
Det føles roligere året rundt,
Miles: For dem, der virkelig ønsker at komme væk fra det hele og blande sig, finde et sted, der ligger helt uden for alfarvej, er den næste kategori de skjulte perler. Er det ikke rigtigt?
Alessia: Exactly. This is where it gets really interesting for people wanting to integrate. We’re talking towns that are genuinely not on the typical tourist map,
Miles: som virkelig under radaren.
Alessia: Totally fewer than one or two tourists per resident per year, but, and this is key, they have incredibly high livability scores, QOL, often 93 to 95 out of 100 plus distinctive local charm, and they’re remarkably affordable. This is where you find that genuine Italian small town life without the crowds.
Okay,
Miles: I’m excited. Where do we start?
Alessia: Let’s go to Marche Ascoli Piceno. Ever heard of it?
Miles: Vagt, men fortæl mig mere.
Alessia: It’s a medieval city, about 46,000 people nestled between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic coast. The whole place is built from this beautiful travertine stone. It just glows and its main [00:12:00] square Piazza del Popolo.
Honestly, it’s often called one of Italy’s most beautiful, pure Renaissance elegance.
Miles: Det lyder fantastisk. Antallet af turister.
Alessia: This is the kicker. Only about 38,000 tourists a year. That’s basically zero crowding. You’ll feel like you have the place to yourself most of the time. Living there. High quality of life, low crime, excellent healthcare. Reported lots of cultural events. Markets twice a week. Plus you can be hiking in the mountains or swimming in the Adriatic in under an hour.
Miles: Okay, fangsten. Ejendomspriser,
Alessia: No catch. It’s a bargain around 1,300 euro per square meter on average. It really delivers that Dolce Vita Dream. Incredible.
Miles: Okay, hvad bliver det næste?
Alessia: let’s head northwest to Piemonte.
Cuneo er en mellemstor by med ca. 55.000 indbyggere, som ofte overses af udlændinge.
Miles: What’s special about Cuneo?
Alessia: Beliggenhed, beliggenhed, beliggenhed. Det ligger lige ved foden af de maritime alper, så du har en spektakulær udsigt over bjergene. Den føles velhavende, men rolig. Den har en elegant hovedgade med [00:13:00] arkader og et stort centralt torv.
That’s buzzing on market days, and the food Piemonte is famous, right? Chocolate chestnut, slow food movement.
Miles: Det lyder dejligt. Livskvalitet, turister.
Alessia: QOL is impressive. 93 out of 100. Low pollution, low crime, good schools and healthcare, tourists, very few, only about 55,000 annual visitors. Lots of parks, bike paths, good cultural calendar, and you’re only about 20 kilometers from the French Riviera if you fancy a day trip.
Miles: Og overkommelige priser.
Alessia: Meget overkommelig. Fast ejendom omkring 1.500 euro pr. kvadratmeter.
Miles: Wow. Okay. Let’s head south now. Sicily.
Alessia: Yes. Ragusa right in the heart of Sicily’s Baroque region. It’s a stunning hill town rebuilt after a massive earthquake. It’s actually split into the upper modern town in the older part, Ragusa Ibla, which is UNESCO listed
Miles: Barok arkitektur.
Labyrintiske gader
Alessia: exactly. Golden stone palace’s, incredible churches perched on the hillside. The views are so [00:14:00] cinematic. They actually filmed the Inspector Montalbano TV series there.
Miles: Åh, fedt. Er der fyldt op på grund af showet?
Alessia: Overraskende nok ikke. Der kommer beskedne 163.000 turister om året, så byen har virkelig bevaret sit lokale præg, og den stråler, når det gælder levevilkår. QOL-score på 91. God luftkvalitet, lavt stressniveau. Folk taler om det tætte fællesskab.
Miles: Det lyder godt.
Alessia: There’s a local saying, we have watches, but in Ragusa we don’t have time.
Miles: Huh. I love that we have watches, but in Ragusa we don’t have time. That says it all doesn’t. It captures that slower pace. So many people are looking for
Alessia: Det gør det virkelig, og leveomkostningerne er meget rimelige. Gennemsnitlig ejendomspris omkring 1.400 euro pr. kvadratmeter.
Miles: Fantastisk. Er der andre ting, du hurtigt vil nævne fra denne liste over skjulte perler?
Alessia: Helt sikkert Forlì i Emilia Romagna. Rig på kunst og historie. Mindre end én turist pr. indbygger.
Utroligt. QL på 95. Ejendom 1.550 per kvadratmeter. Conegliano i Veneto. Prosecco-hovedstaden omgivet af [00:15:00] UNESCO-vinmarker, QL 95 boliger 1.750 pr. kvadratmeter.
Miles: Prosecco-hovedstaden Nice
Alessia: and Cittadella also invented, oh, it’s this amazing medieval walled town where you can walk the entire circuit of the 13th century walls.
Meget få turister, QOL 93-ejendomme i gennemsnit 2.500 pr. kvadratmeter, alle bare utrolige steder, der tilbyder ægte italiensk liv.
Miles: I’m really drawn to that idea of Forlì rich history, but fewer than one tourist per resident. How do towns like that manage to stay? So under the radar, is it just location?
Alessia: It’s often a mix of things.
Nogle gange er de lidt væk fra de store turiststrøg, måske ikke lige på højhastighedstoglinjen, der forbinder Rom og Firenze. Så mindre praktisk for en hurtig dagstur.
Miles: Det giver god mening.
Alessia: Other times they just haven’t been heavily marketed internationally. Or maybe their treasures are more spread out, less concentrated in one single must see spot.
That’s easy for tour groups. [00:16:00] They require a bit more effort, a bit more intention to discover,
Miles: Og det er netop derfor, de forbliver autentiske for de mennesker, der bor der.
Alessia: Præcis.
Miles: So wrapping this up, what does this all mean for you, the listener, if you’re dreaming of that authentic Italian life?
Alessia: Well, I think the main takeaway is that while Italy’s famous spots are famous for a reason, they’re captivating, they often come with significant trade-offs if you actually wanna live their day-to-day.
Miles: Overtourism isn’t just an inconvenience. It can really strain the place and change that la Dolce Vita dream into something quite different, maybe quite frustrating for residents.
Alessia: But the striking thing is Italy’s sheer variety. As these examples show, there are so many incredible places offering history, beauty, a livable scale in that authentic life without the downsides of mass tourism.
Miles: Whether you’re drawn to a lively mid-size city like Padova or Triste, or a real hidden gem like Ascoli Piceno, or Cuneo
Alessia: Dataene og indsigterne fra Magic Towns Italy, som deres turistindeks og livskvalitet [00:17:00], giver et virkelig stærkt udgangspunkt for at finde din ideelle balance.
Miles: Så den sidste tanke til lytterne,
Alessia: ultimately finding your perfect Italian town, your magic town, it’s a deeply personal journey.
Vi opfordrer dig virkelig til at gå på opdagelse og bruge værktøjer som Magic Towns, Italy Town Explorer. Du kan filtrere efter klima, pris, sundhedspleje og alt muligt andet.
Miles: Læs også disse expat-guider. Få et førstehåndsperspektiv.
Alessia: Helt sikkert. Dyk ned i dem for at få praktiske tips og virkelige erfaringer,
Miles: Because it seems like with just a bit of research beyond the obvious postcard views, Italy’s vast 99% untapped territory holds incredible opportunities. Opportunities to really live La Dolce Vita, not just as a visitor passing through, but as a welcome member of a real local community.
Alessia: Det er godt sagt. Bliv ved med at udforske, så kan du virkelig finde dit perfekte italienske hjem.
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