Interest in Italian culture and art is a major draw for the the tourism sector, according to findings published by Italy's National Research Council.
Almost half of the foreign tourists who visit Italy are interested in exploring the country's artistic and cultural heritage.
A third of Italian tourists share their interests, the report said.
In 2005, 345 million tourists visited the country, up 2.7% compared to the previous year. Just under a third were foreigners.
Germans, Britons, Americans and French are the most likely to plan a visit for cultural reasons, according to the CNR findings.
The most popular destination by far is the central Italian region of Lazio, which hosts Rome, followed by Tuscany and Veneto.
Only 3.5% of tourists interested in cultural pursuits visit Sicily, and a tiny fraction travel to the southern region of Campania and Naples.
Overall, only about a fifth of so-called cultural tourists travel south of Rome, despite the extraordinary number of beautiful churches and museums which dot the southern Italian countryside.
