You’ll no doubt have heard of all the famous Italian holiday destinations like Rome, Venice, Florence and the Amalfi Coast. But these well-known places are tourist hot-spots and are usually packed during the summer.
 
So, where can you go for a summer holiday in Italy if you want to escape the crowds, whilst still taking in the culture, food and beautiful Italian views? Where do the locals go for a bit of rest and relaxation away from the hustle and bustle?
 
Here’s a rundown of five of the best off-the-beaten-track destinations you can explore in Italy this summer:
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A beautiful island just to the west of Italy, Sardinia is an Italian region with its own sense of independence. Its location means it’s a bit of a hidden gem that’s much less crowded than the Italian mainland. It’s easily accessible by plane and by ferry from Rome and Naples.
 
For those who like a chilled-out holiday, Sardinia has crystal-clear seas and stretches of sandy beaches to relax on. For those who prefer an active vacation, it has untouched countryside and forests to explore, great diving spots and mountains for hiking, climbing and walking. If you like to see a bit of history on your holidays, the island has plenty of Roman ruins and ancient stone dwellings.

Puglia is a southern region in ‘the heel’ of Italy’s ‘boot’. It’s filled with whitewashed towns, beaches, ports and harbours. If you’re looking for an authentic place to stay, traditional Puglian farmhouses, known as Masseria, have been transformed into accommodation throughout the region.
 
The town of Lecce with its beautiful beaches has been dubbed ‘The Florence of the South’, due to its Baroque-style architecture. The Roman amphitheatre, Duomo and Basilica di Santa Croce will also appeal to history buffs.
 
Alberobello is a town filled with world heritage listed stone buildings, known as Trulli. These whitewashed huts with cone shaped roofs were originally built as houses without mortar to make them easy to take down. Luckily, they’ve managed to last years and have now been converted into restaurants and shops.

Ravenna is a Northern Italian town known for music and mosaics. It’s a quieter alternative if you’re interested in the mosaics in Florence or the opera in Venice but don’t want to battle with the crowds. Close to the popular Rimini, with its famous Pink Night, Ravenna offers a slower pace of life. The colourful early Christian and Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna’s monuments, like the Basilica di San Vitale, are UNESCO world heritage listed. There’s a mosaic festival in July and August every year where certain mosaics are opened and illuminated at night. If you’re a fan of opera and classical music, don’t miss the Ravenna music festival in June and July.

The Conero Peninsula is popular with the locals. It’s a peaceful holiday spot, ideal for families and couples looking for beaches, nature and a laid-back vibe away from the tourist hot-spots. The area has rugged cliffs, beautiful hill villages and lovely scenery. The large nature reserve, Parco Naturale del Monte Conero, is a must if you’re into hiking and birdwatching.

Saturnia is a small spa town in the hills of Tuscany with ancient cobbled streets. It’s a few hours away from Siena, a town famed for its medieval Palio. You’ll notice a slight eggy smell in the air in Saturnia, but don’t let this put you off. Sulphur is all part of the experience! Geothermal activity means Saturnia has natural 37°C thermal baths to laze around in.
 
For a small town, Saturnia has a big history. It’s said to have been inhabited by the ancient Greeks and the Romans and, in the 1300s, it became a town for outlaws and was destroyed by fire!

Does your company specialise in travel and tourism? Want to make your holiday destinations, accommodation, tours or activities appeal to an Italian audience?
 
I can help.
 
As an Italian translator and content writer, I can translate your tourist information or marketing into Italian and ensure it resonates with an Italian audience, grabs attention and persuades people to get booking!
 
Get in touch for a free translation quote today.

If you’re travelling to Italy this summer, there’s no better way to get to know the local area than by attending an event. Summer is festival season in Italy and there’s lots going on in every region.
 
Here’s a rundown of the best events in Italy over the summer months:

Every year on June 16th, Pisa is lit up by candles to celebrate its patron saint, San Ranieri. This tradition dates back to the 1600s when the urn containing the remains of San Ranieri was placed in the city’s cathedral. Over 70,000 candles float on the river, light up buildings and decorate the river banks. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is also illuminated by oil lamps.

The Palio di Siena is probably the most famous Italian Palio. It even featured in the James Bond film, the Quantum of Solace! The Palio di Siena is a medieval-style horse race between 10 of the 17 districts of the city. It takes place annually in July and August, in Siena’s Piazza del Campo.
 
The 10 jockeys race 3 laps around the edge of the square and huge crowds gather to watch the horses navigate the track’s tight corners. The first to finish wins a giant hand-painted banner, as well as the honour of winning the Palio for their district.

Ferragosto marks the start of the summer holidays in Italy. Although some locals shut their shops and head on holiday, there’s still lots for tourists to do. Many cities have street parties, like the Gran Ballo di Ferragosto in Rome, a popular event that includes dancing, food and live music. As Ferragosto coincides with the religious feast of the Assumption, lots of Italian towns have church services and processions where statues of the Virgin Mary are carried through the town centre.

Running your own event in Italy and want to attract a local audience?
 
As an Italian translator and content writer, I can translate your event information into Italian, make sure it resonates with an Italian audience, grabs attention and persuades the right people to attend.
 
To help make your event an international success, get in touch for a free translation quote today.

Has your business or brand considered making a move into the Italian consumer market? If not, you might be missing a prime opportunity, depending on the product you offer and the sector in which you work.
 
Here, we delve into Italy’s consumer market, uncovering the nation’s buying habits, exploring which sectors are growing, despite a shaky period in the country’s economy, and discussing the facts and figures behind Italy’s import market. We also ask who could benefit from current trends in the Italian economy and how you can give your business a head start, should you decide to take the leap and begin trading with or in this beautiful country.
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Italy has a population of over 60,000,000 and can boast the eighth largest economy in the world (99% of which is comprised of small to medium businesses.) Italian consumers make up around 3.6% of the world consumer market and, on average, prefer spending over saving – if you can meet their exacting standards and expectations (which we’ll discuss later.) In the third quarter of 2018, consumer spending in Italy averaged 242,215 million Euros.
 
While it’s true that the country currently faces some negative trade factors (slow economic recovery, political instability and high unemployment, for example) there are also plenty of positive elements that should prove encouraging to foreign brands exploring potential new markets.
 
Italy’s current population has a life expectancy of 80 for men, and 84 (for women.) By 2030, the median age of an Italian citizen will be fifty. This ageing population has taken advantage of favourable economic conditions and are predominantly wealthy, with excellent spending power. Over the coming decades, Italy will experience a high demand for specialist goods and services, targeted at the retirement market. Now is the time for forward-thinking companies to design, produce and bring these products to the market – the available opportunities are many and varied.
 
A sharp rise in the number of single-person households is also a contributing factor to economic growth, as individuals with secure employment and without children are enjoying a high level of disposable income. Then there’s a surprising phenomenon, which has seen an increase in spending by young people, pessimistic about their prospects. Still living at home with parents, this generation has adopted the outlook that saving for an uncertain future is futile, and that the housing market will remain both inhospitable and inaccessible for years to come. This has led to a ‘live for the moment’ mentality, which sees this generation spending the cash they do have on novelty or luxury items, seeking to emulate a lifestyle that they don’t believe is viable in the long-term.
 
If you can tap into these markets and meet the desire for novelty and luxury goods, there could be a place for your brand within the Italian market. 

After necessities like food, household utilities and travel costs are taken care of, the average Italian citizen is likely to spend their disposable income in one of three key areas (listed in descending order of average spend):
 

• Eating out and hotel stays
• Clothing and footwear
• Recreation and culture

 
Spending on health is low on the average Italian’s list of priorities, but so too is spending on consumption of alcohol and tobacco (which makes sense.)
 
These categories highlight the Italian desire to enjoy life; seeking enriching experiences and luxury goods. Does your product fit with this general picture?
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Understanding Italian consumer behaviour, and the desires at play behind buying decisions, will give your brand the edge in the country’s richly varied marketplace.
 
We all appreciate quality products, but most Italians demand them. The average Italians also expect a high level of customer service, as standard, and will choose a company that excels in this field over one that sells the same product for a cheaper price or offers regular money-saving promotions.
 
Like many modern consumers, Italians are beginning to think more carefully about the provenance of their products and to seek out locally made goods. Issues of cost still dominate, however, so products sourced from overseas are very much in the running – if the quality is right and the overall sales experience good.
 
According to market analysis conducted by Santander in 2018, growing sectors in the Italian consumer market include:
 

• Food and drink
• Tourism
• Luxury goods and fashion
• Pharmaceuticals
• Industrial equipment
• Healthcare
• Textiles
• Shoemaking
• Transport.

 
If your product or service fits within one of these booming areas, now might be the time to carve out a niche within the Italian consumer market. Developing a streamlined sales process and above average customer service experience is essential, as is providing a quality product and having the ability to describe what makes it unique.

In 2017, Italy imported US $452.2 billion worth of goods from around the globe. This figure represents 2.8% of all global exports that year. A little over two thirds of these imported items were purchased from other European countries (compared to just over 20% from Asian trade partners and just over 4% from the USA.)
 
This figure translates as an impressive $7,300 in yearly product demand from each Italian citizen – that’s a huge potential market to tap into!
 
Among the top imports to Italy are minerals and nonferrous metals, along with transport and energy products and chemicals. The country has a distinct lack of minerals and metals, which are needed in order to manufacture goods. Italy also imports products like oil from overseas energy providers, as there is also a lack of natural resources (like oil deposits.)
 
The following list, compiled by www.worldstopexports.com, shows the top ten import categories in 2018, with a percentage of total imports in brackets by each item.
 
1.     Mineral fuels including oil: US$54.2 billion (12%)
2.     Vehicles: $48.5 billion (10.7%)
3.     Machinery including computers: $44.3 billion (9.8%)
4.     Electrical machinery, equipment: $34.6 billion (7.6%)
5.     Pharmaceuticals: $23.2 billion (5.1%)
6.     Plastics, plastic articles: $20.5 billion (4.5%)
7.     Iron, steel: $19 billion (4.2%)
8.     Organic chemicals: $14.3 billion (3.2%)
9.     Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $12.3 billion (2.7%)
10.  Gems, precious metals: $10.2 billion (2.2%)
 
This top ten represent 62.2% of the overall value of Italy’s product purchases from other countries this year.
 
Currently, Italy conducts the highest value trade deals with other European countries (including the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Switzerland) along with the USA and, increasingly, China.
 
Italy’s relatively affluent domestic market, access to the European Common Market, closeness to emerging economies in North Africa and the Middle East along with an abundance of centres of excellence in scientific and IT research make Italy a highly attractive prospect to many investors. 

As a French and English into Italian translator, I play an integral role in helping companies make a transition into the Italian consumer market.

Given the Italian demand for excellent customer service, it’s all-important to provide clear communication throughout your sales process and marketing materials. The ability to speak your client’s language is vital in order to adequately describe your product or service, boost sales, increase productivity and promote your brand. I can help you identify the areas where translation will be required.

As a native Italian with more than 10 years of experience in the field, I will ensure that your marketing translations read well and are suitable for your target market. I can ensure that your copy stands out in the Italian marketplace, giving your brand the best chance of success.
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If you’re looking to translate product presentations, press releases, brochures, websites, blogs, digital marketing, PPC and social media content from French or English into Italian, my experience and knowledge will help your company stand out from the pack.
 
Get in touch for an informal chat or to request a bespoke quote.