Italy's temporary rental boom: 41.6% year-on-year growth and a shift in market focus

Temporary rentals in Italy are gaining momentum: +41.6% over the year and 31.4% of the total market

Venice is the leader in the share of short-term contracts (60%), ahead of Urbino (51%) and Trieste (51%)

The residential rental market in Italy continues to go through a stage of profound transformation. According to the latest analysis by idealista (Italy's leading real estate platform), the total supply of rental properties increased by 15.8% in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

In this context, the short-term/temporary rental (affitti transitori) segment is the main driver of growth: supply increased by 41.6% year-on-year and by 26.9% compared to the previous quarter. The share of such properties reached 31.4% of the total rental market (compared to 25.7% in the second quarter of 2025).

At the same time, the long-term rental segment also shows positive dynamics, increasing by 10.5% over the year and by 8.2% compared to the first quarter.

Venice is ahead: 30 regional centers exceed the national average

Venice became the city with the largest share of temporary rentals in the total supply (60%). It is followed by Urbino (51.1%) and Trieste (50.5%).

The 40% threshold was also crossed by:

• Florence (48.2%)
• Catanzaro (47.3%)
• Crotone (45.3%)
• Genoa (45.0%)
• Brindisi (41.5%)
• Foggia (40.9%)
• Bari (40.7%)
• Naples (40.2%)

In total, 30 of the 110 administrative centers studied were above the national average (31.4%). Among them are Milan (37.1%), Rome (38.7%) and Turin (34.3%).

At the opposite extreme, temporary rentals remain an insignificant segment in cities such as Cremona (5.2%), Rovigo (6.0%), Lodi (7.0%), Varese (7.1%) and Bolzano (3.2%), where classic long-term rentals retain absolute dominance.

A rapid increase in supply in key markets

Among the largest cities in Italy, the most noticeable annual increase in the supply of temporary rentals was recorded in Turin (+102.1%). English: Next come:

• Rome (+79.0%)
• Florence (+71.3%)
• Milan (+46.2%)

Naples (+39.7%) and Bologna (+37.9%) showed confident growth, while in Venice (+24.3%) and Genoa (+19.2%) the figures were more moderate.

Among the medium-sized cities, Trieste (+245.3%), Cagliari (+113%) and Udine (+111.5%) stand out, where the supply volume more than doubled. Crotone (+123.1%), Ravenna (+107.5%), and Ascoli Piceno (+90.9%) round out the list of locations with the most pronounced increases. The sharpest swings are seen in smaller markets with a low initial base. For example, Benative and Lodi (both +200%) show extreme percentage increases due to the addition of just a few new listings. On the contrary, a number of cities recorded a significant decline: Vercelli (-70%), Imperia (-50%), Bolzano (-50%) and Carbonia (-66.7%).

Long-term rentals maintain steady growth

The total supply of long-term rental housing increased by 10.5% over the year and by 8.2% over the quarter. Positive quarterly dynamics were recorded in 63 of the 110 analyzed centers.

The situation looks positive in key markets: over the quarter, the largest supply growth was shown by Milan (+16.4%), Turin (+13.1%), Rome (+11.9%) and Naples (+11.0%). Growth was also noted in Florence (+9.9%), Bologna (+8.7%) and Genoa (+4%), while in Venice the figures remained stable (0%).

Among the most dynamic cities in terms of long-term stock growth are Udine (+48.5%), Urbino (+58.3%), Rimini (+50.6%) and Aosta (+41.7%). The sharpest declines were observed in some southern and coastal cities: Carbonia (-33.3%), Sondrio (-24.3%), Rieti (-22.5%) and La Spezia (-22.5%).

What is a temporary lease (Contratto Transitorio)?

A temporary lease contract, regulated by Italian law (Law no. 431/1998), is an agreement for the rental of a residential property for a limited period for temporary needs unrelated to tourism.

This format is popular among university students and professionals who temporarily reside outside their main place of residence for work or study. The term of such an agreement ranges from 1 to 18 months, and mandatory state registration is required only if the rental period exceeds 30 days.