Abruzzo is Italy's most popular region for property, according to TheMoveChannel.com's At a Glance infographic.

The infographic, which displays buyer activity on the overseas property portal from the last 12 months, shows that Abruzzo attracted the most attention, receiving 24.09 per cent of enquiries for Italian real estate.

Lombardy came in a close second, taking 17.42 per cent of enquiries, while traditional favourite Tuscany attracted 10.40 per cent, earning it third place. The map reveals a wide range of demand for homes in Italy but together, the top three regions accounted for over half of all Italian property enquiries on the site since April 2011.

The least popular area was Friuli Venezia Giulia, accounting for just 0.05 per cent of enquiries, narrowly beaten by Aosta Valley (0.13 per cent), Trentino-Alto Adige (0.18 per cent) and Emilia-Romagna (0.18 per cent).

While Abruzzo's ascension above the more typical tourist destinations may come as a surprise, its absence from Italy's top 10 destinations is even more unexpected. In the last 12 months, Portofino was the most-searched for location, with 5.52 per cent of house hunters looking to Liguria for the Italian Riviera lifestyle after Wayne Rooney was married there in 2008.

Coastal towns, such as Bari and Tropea, also attracted attention and Tuscany's share of the Riviera brought buyers to Viareggio. But not even Wayne Rooney's wedding could compare to the allure of Lombardy's Lake Como, where George Clooney famously owns a holiday home. Lombardy may have lost out to Abruzzo in overall enquiries, but thanks to Como's charm, the region accounts for three of the Italy's most popular locations.

The infographic also analyses Google search behaviour over the last year. Buyers tend to search generally for "property for sale in Italy" or "property in Italy", with activity peaking in July, when the phrases were used in 2,400 and 880 searches respectively. As with previous European infographics, "houses for sale in italy" are the most popular type of real estate. Conversely, "apartments for sale in Italy" and "land for sale in Italy" were used in almost no searches at all.

Here is the full infographic:

Editor Ivan Radford comments: "Italy: At a Glance shows some intriguing trends in one of Europe's most familiar property markets. Unlike Portugal or Spain, there is no clear winner on the property map and Abruzzo's slight authority remains surprising, especially given the comparative level of interest in close rival Lombardy. The popularity of destinations outside of Abruzzo suggests that many investors already know where they want to buy in Italy, with that crucial extra 7 per cent attracted to the region for other reasons, such as price. "

Notes to Editors

Founded in 1999, TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with than 400,000 listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.

The website address is http://www.themovechannel.com and the office address is 24 Jack's Place, Corbet Place, Spitalfields, London, E1 6NN.

Contact Dan Johnson on 0207 952 7650 for further information.