After Bolzano in northern Italy has always topped the rankings in recent years, this year the top position goes to a city that is probably unknown to many people in this country.
For six years, the city of Bolzano in South Tyrol was considered the most livable in Italy. But that is now over: Bolzano has slipped nine places in the current ranking of the most livable cities in the country. This is according to the BenVivere report, which was presented in Florence last week and is published every year. The winners’ podium in 2024 goes to a city whose name many Germans have probably never heard: Pordenone.
Pordenone is the most livable city in Italy
Pordenone is also located in northern Italy, but not in the mountains of South Tyrol like Bolzano, but in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, which borders the Adriatic Sea. Around 50,000 people live in Pordenone, and they can now proudly claim to be home to the city with the highest quality of life in Italy. In addition to the economic situation, the analysis of the BenVivere report also includes factors such as demographics and family, law and security, as well as civic engagement, health and existing services. There are also other criteria such as the environment, culture and tourism. And in all of these areas, the residents of Pordenone seem to be doing quite well, or are showing strong improvements compared to previous years.
Since hospitality also plays a role in the ranking of the most livable cities, it can be assumed that tourists will also feel welcome and comfortable in Pordenone. The city actually has a lot to offer visitors – including a beautiful historic old town with arcades and magnificent Gothic and Renaissance palaces. There are also numerous other sights in Italy’s most livable city, including the Duomo di San Marco, the massive Castello di Torre tower and various museums.
The other rankings
Second place in the list of the most livable cities in Italy is Siena in Tuscany, and third place goes to the fashion metropolis of Milan in Lombardy. What is striking is that all of the cities in the ranking are in northern Italy, which once again highlights the country’s economic north-south divide.
The 10 most livable cities in Italy
- Pordenone
- Siena
- Milan
- Trieste
- Florence
- Trento
- Rimini
- Udine
- Parma
- Bolzano
The least livable cities in Italy
The difference between Italy’s north and south can also be seen in the rankings at the bottom of the list, which consists exclusively of southern Italian cities.
- Crotone
- Reggio di Calabria
- Taranto
- Caltanissetta
- Siracusa
- Trapani
- Foggia
- Catania
- Naples