Tourism in Umbria 2026: Growth, Recognition, and Authenticity

Umbria confirms its status as a region to be experienced and explored over time. The figures show that the region is becoming increasingly attractive to international travellers and buyers.

There is a way of travelling that is winning over more and more people today. It’s the kind that invites you to slow down and walk along paths surrounded by greenery, pass through timeless villages, and savour freshly pressed olive oil or a glass of wine while gazing at the hills. It’s a form of tourism that prioritises experience over quantity, and authenticity over crowded destinations.
This is precisely the direction Umbria has taken—a region that, in recent years, has built a development model capable of showcasing its natural, cultural, and food-and-wine heritage without compromising its identity. And today, the results are plain for all to see.

UMBRIA IS GROWING AND BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR

2026 confirms the particularly favourable trend for tourism in Umbria.
In the second quarter of the year, the region recorded 936,294 arrivals (+0.7%) and over 2.3 million overnight stays (+2.5%). Even more significant are the figures for the first half of the year, with a 9.7% increase in arrivals, placing Umbria second in Italy for regional tourism growth (Source: inITALY).
These numbers reflect an increasingly evident trend: the Green Heart of Italy is winning over an international audience seeking authenticity, nature, beauty, and quality of life, far from the mass tourism circuit.

This appeal goes beyond mere travel and increasingly translates into a desire to actually live in these places. This is confirmed by data from Gate-away, a real estate portal dedicated to international buyers interested in the Italian market: in the first six months of 2026, Lake Trasimeno saw a more than 30% increase in inquiries from foreign buyers compared to the same period in 2025.
Castiglione del Lago stands out in particular, ranking fifth among the Italian municipalities most sought after by international buyers. This result illustrates how the region’s charm can translate into a concrete interest in a new way of living in Umbria—one defined by landscape, authenticity, and well-being.

This is also confirmed by a study by Agriturist, which ranks Umbria among the most sought-after destinations for rural tourism in the summer of 2026. What sets it apart are the experiences: nature hikes, cycling tours, visits to wineries and olive oil mills, cultural events in the villages, and hospitality that is increasingly focused on well-being and sustainability.

A REGION THAT KNOWS HOW TO TELL ITS STORY

Umbria’s appeal is also the result of a promotional strategy that effectively conveys its most authentic identity.

The campaign “To experience Umbria is to truly live” has, in fact, been named one of the year’s best regional tourism campaigns by La Gazzetta del Pubblicitario. This recognition celebrates the ability to portray an authentic Umbria, rich in identity, made up of cities of art, charming villages, inland areas, and landscapes that fully express the region’s beauty.

This vision is further confirmed by the 2026 Green Road Award—the Italian “Oscar” of cycling tourism—awarded to the Trasimeno Cycle Route. This route traverses one of Umbria’s most captivating landscapes, winding through lakeshores, olive groves, vineyards, and historic villages, and has become a symbol of slow, sustainable mobility.

If you’d like to explore the Trasimeno Bike Trail or simply spend a few days immersed in the tranquillity of the lake, book a stay at one of the magnificent Great Stays properties around the Umbrian lake.

FRANTOI APERTI 2026: WHEN THE LANDSCAPE BECOMES AN EXPERIENCE

Among the events that best embody this philosophy, Frantoi Aperti stands out, scheduled for October 17 through November 15, 2026.

For nearly thirty years, the event has marked the arrival of the new olive oil harvest, transforming the olive harvest into an immersive experience that involves olive mills, producers, villages, and landscapes.
The 2026 edition features numerous new additions. The EVO&Art Experiences, dedicated to the eighth Franciscan centennial, will bring together art, spirituality, and the culture of extra virgin olive oil. The first Moto Giro dei Frantoi Aperti® and the Trail Run through the olive groves will make their debut, while the Grande Pedalata along the Assisi-Spoleto Olive Belt will return, featuring a route from Spoleto to Campello sul Clitunno, traversing one of the region’s most iconic agricultural landscapes.
Tastings, hikes, e-bike tours, concerts among centuries-old olive trees, guided tours, and meetings with producers will once again make Frantoi Aperti much more than just a food and wine event: an invitation to experience Umbria through its rhythms, its scents, and its traditions.

Would you like to attend the event and explore the regions of Umbria known for their olive oil? Great Stays offers stunning properties near Assisi, Spoleto, Montefalco, and Orvieto, ideal starting points for experiencing one of the most authentic events of the Italian fall.

UMBRIA: AN IDEAL DESTINATION FOR LIVING AND INVESTING

Umbria’s success stems from its ability to highlight and preserve what makes it unique: the beauty of its landscapes, the authenticity of its villages, and its deep connection to nature. Here, tourism continues to grow without losing touch with nature, the landscape, and local communities. This increasingly rare balance is now one of the region’s greatest strengths.
This is also why Umbria continues to attract those seeking to purchase a second home, choosing a place where they can rediscover time, beauty, and quality of life. Great Estate—a specialist in luxury real estate in Umbria and Tuscany for over twenty-five years—guides you through this journey with expertise and a deep understanding of the region (discover Great Estate properties).

At the same time, the steady growth of experiential tourism makes the region an increasingly attractive opportunity for those seeking to make a real estate investment focused on high-quality hospitality. Thanks to Great Stays’ services, a property can be transformed into an experience capable of generating value, meeting the demand from international tourists who are increasingly seeking authenticity, sustainability, and exclusivity (discover Great Stays’ destinations).

Because choosing Umbria today means investing in a lifestyle even more than in a destination.