Montepulciano named among the world’s most welcoming cities

Montepulciano has been included among the ten most welcoming cities in the world for 2026, according to a ranking published by Booking.com as part of its Traveller Review Awards. The list is based on verified reviews left by travellers from around the world and focuses on the quality of hospitality rather than on sights or popularity alone.

The town, located in southern Tuscany in the province of Siena and known internationally for Vino Nobile wine production, is the only Italian destination to appear in the top 10 this year. The ranking rewards places where visitors consistently report positive experiences linked to personal interaction, authenticity and the overall welcome they receive during their stay.

Hospitality beyond landmarks

According to Booking.com, the selection aims to highlight destinations that offer a coherent and genuine sense of hospitality, reflecting local identity and strong relationships between residents and visitors. The emphasis is on how travellers are received, assisted and integrated into everyday life, rather than on iconic attractions or large-scale tourism infrastructure.

In this context, Montepulciano was singled out for a model of tourism based on small-scale accommodation, local operators and close ties between hospitality businesses and the wider community. The town has also been working in recent years on sustainability policies linked to tourism management, including international certification aligned with Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) standards.

Local authorities said the recognition reflects long-term work by hotels, guesthouses, agriturismi and short-term rental operators, as well as restaurants and wineries, to improve service quality while preserving the character of the historic centre and surrounding countryside.

A global list

Alongside Montepulciano, the 2026 ranking includes destinations across four continents: Magong in Taiwan; San Martín de los Andes in Argentina; Harrogate in the United Kingdom; Fredericksburg in the United States; Pirenópolis in Brazil; Swakopmund in Namibia; Takayama in Japan; Noosa Heads in Australia; and Klaipėda in Lithuania.

Booking.com said the awards are entirely data-driven, drawing on millions of verified guest reviews collected over the previous year. Italy, more broadly, remains one of the world’s leading countries for hospitality, with more than 214,000 accommodation partners recognised in the 2026 edition of the Traveller Review Awards.

For Montepulciano, the inclusion offers international visibility at a time when many Tuscan destinations are seeking to balance tourism growth with quality of life for residents, reinforcing a model that prioritises scale, identity and long-term sustainability.

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