To find Italy’s most pleasant climate in 2026, you need to look east, along the Adriatic coast, which dominates the ranking. In this context, Bari confirms its place at the top for the third consecutive year. The data comes from the Sole 24 Ore Climate Index, which each year compares Italian provincial capitals based on overall climate wellbeing.
Here are the cities with the best climate in Italy in 2026, along with the other studies worth considering.
Italy's cities with the best climate according to Il Sole 24 Ore
The 2026 Climate Index by Il Sole 24 Ore, produced in collaboration with 3bmeteo, analyses 15 meteorological indicators — including heatwaves, tropical nights, relative humidity and air circulation — calculated as an average over a full decade, 2015–2025.
The findings suggest that climatic comfort today is found by the sea. The top ten positions are almost entirely occupied by coastal cities, with a few higher-altitude surprises such as Enna and the province of Pesaro and Urbino, where elevation ensures more stable temperatures.
Bari
In first place, once again, is Bari. The capital of Puglia takes the crown as the Italian city with the best climate for the third year running, and not by chance: it performs strongly in eight of the fifteen indicators considered.
The sun shines for more than eight hours a day on average, rainfall is limited and oppressive heat is almost absent. The real secret is the light breeze coming in from the sea. This steady airflow keeps humidity at bay and ensures pleasant ventilation even during the hottest months.
Barletta Andria Trani
Given its geographical and climatic proximity, another province in Puglia takes second place. Barletta-Andria-Trani claims the silver medal. Overlooking the Adriatic, the province benefits from the moderating effect of the sea, which softens summer heat peaks and reduces temperature swings between day and night.
The result is a generally balanced climate for much of the year, without the extremes that affect inland areas.
Pescara
In third place, Pescara brings Abruzzo into the spotlight as one of the regions with the most pleasant climate. Limited temperature variations and good overall weather stability make Pescara one of the more agreeable spots along the coast.
The sea breeze reduces muggy days, while its favourable exposure ensures consistent sunshine throughout the year.
Ancona
Fourth place goes to Ancona, a small climatic standout in the Marche region. The sea acts as a natural thermostat, and there is an almost total absence of the African heatwaves that often overwhelm inland areas.
Good levels of sunshine without extremes, regular breezes and a sheltered position all contribute to a particularly liveable microclimate. It is no surprise that Ancona is one of the few Italian cities that records virtually no days of intense, torrid heat.
Chieti
Rounding out the top five is Chieti, the second city in Abruzzo to rank highly. Although it lies slightly further inland than the coastal provincial capitals, Chieti still benefits from the moderating influence of the nearby Adriatic and from its hillside position, which tempers climatic extremes.
How the major cities rank
For Italy’s larger cities, the ranking paints a picture of a country divided in two. Not all major urban centres perform in the same way, and geography plays a decisive role.
Near the top, only a handful of large cities hold their ground: Bari leads in first place, followed by Trieste (8th), Venice (15th) and Naples (24th).
Rome sits mid-table in 37th place, penalised by rising temperatures and an increase in tropical nights.
Much further down are the large northern cities.
- Milan drops to 71st place, weighed down by dozens of tropical nights and a growing number of heatwaves in summer.
- Bologna (72nd) is affected by fog and humidity.
- Florence (78th), with particularly high humidity levels, also struggles.
- At the bottom among the major cities, Turin (90th) holds the unwelcome record for the poorest air circulation.
The cities with the worst climate in Italy
While the top of the ranking looks to the sea, the bottom is concentrated largely inland and in the north. According to the 2026 Climate Index, these are the cities facing the most challenging weather conditions:
- Carbonia (South Sardinia): last in the ranking, among the most affected by extreme heat peaks, high heat index levels and elevated humidity.
- Terni (Umbria): penalised by the worst national performance for heatwaves.
- Belluno (Veneto): at the opposite extreme, it suffers from cold and limited daylight. It records the lowest number of daily sunshine hours, almost twenty cold days a year and long periods outside climatic comfort due to humidity.
- Caserta (Campania): among the most critical provincial capitals, with particularly demanding summer conditions.
The Corriere della Sera ranking
In June 2026, a second ranking was published: the 2026 Climate Liveability Index, compiled by Corriere della Sera together with iLMeteo.it. This study crowns Ancona as the Italian city with the best climate. The capital of the Marche region replaces Cagliari, winner of the previous edition, thanks to good levels of sunshine, sea breezes and the absence of African heatwaves.
Behind Ancona come four southern cities: Bari, Vibo Valentia, Brindisi and Trapani. Once again, the Adriatic belt and coastal areas dominate, while Trieste confirms its position as the best in northern Italy (13th).
At the bottom of the ranking are Mantua, Cremona, Trento and Sondrio, with Rome (91st) and Florence (92nd) penalised by the urban heat island effect.
This study, based on 17 parameters and more than 400 million data points referring to 2025 across 108 provincial capitals, uses a different method from Il Sole 24 Ore. It focuses on a single year rather than a decade-long average.
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