The 10 best resorts in Italy, according to Travel + Leisure readers

More than 4,700 miles of coastline and 1,000 lakes adorn the Italian peninsula like an exquisite print on a Dolce & Gabbana boot. Add the hundreds of islands that lend charm to its shores, and it's no wonder that Italy's resorts won the hearts of T+L readers again in this year's World's Best Awards poll. Picture this: you're sitting on a lounge chair with an Aperol spritz and crisp, salty patatini and olives, enjoying the warmth of the sun warming your skin, preparing for a refreshing dip. You're in no hurry, you'll probably splash around a bit and then dry off in time to enjoy a pasta and seafood dinner overlooking this very corner. Yes, the Italian resort vibe is truly unrivaled.

How voting works

Every year as part of our survey on the best awards in the world, T+L asks readers to share their opinions about travel worldwide - to share their impressions of the best hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spa salons, airlines, and much more. Nearly165,000 T+L readers participated in the2023 survey, almost25 percent more than before the pandemic. In total, more than685,000 votes were cast for over8,500 unique entities (hotels, cities, cruise liners, etc.).

Sale flat in Rocklea with city view 26 996 $

Italy,Rocklea

1 Bedroom

1 Bathroom

35 м²

Sale flat in Rocklea with sea view 91 786 $

Italy,Rocklea

2 Bedrooms

1 Bathroom

75 м²

Sale flat in Rocklea with sea view 91 786 $

Italy,Rocklea

2 Bedrooms

1 Bathroom

75 м²

Sale flat in Rome 642 506 $

Italy,Rome

1 Bedroom

2 Bathrooms

74 м²

Sale flat in Rome 712 696 $

Italy,Rome

1 Bedroom

2 Bathrooms

83 м²

Sale flat in Sanremo with sea view 591 753 $

Italy,Sanremo

2 Bedrooms

1 Bathroom

95 м²

Hotels were classified as resort hotels, city hotels, or safari lodges depending on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated based on the following criteria: rooms/facilities, location, service, dining, price. For each of these parameters, respondents could choose a rating of "excellent," "above average," "average," "below average," or "poor." The final scores are the average values of these responses.

What readers liked

Hotels on Lake Como dominated this year's list of readers' favorite Italian resorts, taking five of the top ten spots with hotels that all have swimming pools right on the lake. Not far behind follows the Amalfi Coast with the top three resorts and a neighboring winner in Sorrento. Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco in Montalcino, Tuscany, was the only hotel not by the water to make the list, as it did last year, but it fell from first to fourth place. One reader strongly disagreed and said this 5,000-acre property "continues to be the best hotel in the world," but its successor, 2021 winner Il Sereno, took the throne. Here's the full list:

Il Sereno Lago di Como: Torno, Italy
Hotel Santa Caterina: Amalfi, Italy
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni: Bellagio, Italy
Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco: Montalcino, Italy
Il San Pietro di Positano: Positano, Italy
Villa d'Este: Cernobbio, Italy
Grand Hotel Tremezzo: Tremezzina, Italy
Le Sirenuse: Positano, Italy
Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como: Blevio, Italy
Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria: Sorrento, Italy