Forget about France, Germany or Greece — Italy is now the most popular European destination for Chinese tourists. Numbers are expected to continue growing in 2020, which has been designated the “Italy-China Year of Culture and Tourism”, and next year will also mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

According to Italian tourism authorities, roughly 3.5 million Chinese travellers had visited Italy this year by the end of October, and these tourists are increasingly choosing to visit offbeat destinations in the country as they search for unique travel experiences.