Unique Italian Experiences Canadians Are Searching For
High-intent destination searches: keywords that mean people want to buy a flight or a package and travel to Italy soon.
Pizza is not Canadians' favorite dish, according to Google searches made by Canadians in 2024 (or at least, that’s what Neapolitans would say!) In this article, we use the High-intent Google searches by Canadians for Italy 2023-2024, by destination and month dataset, to analyze Canadians' favorite destinations when considering visiting Italy. We will see three main types of destinations: Mainstream (very popular), upcoming (popular), and niche experiences.
Rome and the Vatican
Rome is a must-visit for Canadians traveling to Italy for the first time. It is not surprising to see it at the top of the list, as visiting Italy is often considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most Canadians.
Canadians also visit the Vatican, driven by similar reasons and also for religious purposes and the famous Sistine Chapel, which fans of Good Will Hunting, like myself, would appreciate visiting.
Upcoming destinations that will become mainstream in a few years
I initially thought that maybe different places get popular at different times of the year. Like, Rome being busy in the summer and a place like Florence getting more popular in the fall or winter. But the data shows that new hotspots follow the same seasonal patterns as the well-known ones, so they're not just replacing them.
I think that a lot of people are visiting Italy for the second or third time, and some are looking for different experiences away from the typical tourist spots. People are also interested in unique experiences, which can be seen in the different regions of Italy that I'm going to talk about.
Pompeii: This region in the south of Italy has great seafood, pizza, drinks made with fresh lemons, beautiful beaches, and unique cultural and historic sites like the Pompeii archaeological park. People who are searching for this region are especially interested in visiting the ruins of Pompeii.
Venice and the north of Italy: If you're interested in gondola rides and the Ponte di Rialto, you'll probably want to visit Venice.
Florence, the heart of the Renaissance: In Florence, there are lots of museums, paintings, and statues to see. You can find the statue of David, as well as other famous artworks in the Uffizi Galleries. And you definitely can't miss out on the delicious steaks and wine in Florence.
Sicily is an emerging destination: Sicily wasn't as popular a few years ago, but now travelers are interested in its authentic culture, beautiful historic villages, and affordable prices. It offers a similar experience to the southern region of mainland Italy.
Niche experiences
Niche experiences are not as popular as other places, but many experienced travelers like them.
Milan is a cool city in Italy that Canadians want to visit. They like the big church called the Duomo and the shopping mall called Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Pisa has the famous leaning tower of Pisa (that leans over), and some people really want to see it at least once.
In the south of Italy, places like Capri, Sorrento, Amalfi, and Naples are getting more popular because of social media. But Canadians are still getting to know and love this part of Italy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Italy has so much more to offer than just the famous tourist spots. Canadians are starting to look for new and exciting places, like the ruins of Pompeii, the art in Florence, and the beautiful island of Sicily. People are also interested in visiting less crowded areas like Naples. From amazing food to historic sites, Italy has something special for everyone. These search trends show that Canadians are ready to explore beyond the usual and discover all the unique things Italy has to offer.
