Italy rated Best European Country
Italy has been named as the Best European Country is a recent poll by a British newspaper.
Readers of the Sunday Times Travel Magazine rated the nation as the best place in Europe to visit, displacing other hotspots such as France and Spain.
Italy was praised for offering a number of attractions for holidaymakers, including natural beauty, good food and friendly people.
The verdict has been welcomed by the Italian State Tourist Board, which said it is proud that "discerning travellers" think so highly of the country.
A spokesperson commented: "We are pleased to see Italy as favourite European country among the British public.
"This encourages us to work even harder to improve Italy's image abroad."
The findings could help to account for its continuing popularity with foreign property buyers in the UK.
According to a survey by A Place in the Sun magazine, Italy is currently one of the top five locations for British property investors.
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