The 35th edition of Il Sole 24 Ore’s Quality of Life survey, launched in 1990 to measure well-being across Italy, marks a historic victory for the province of Bergamo. Never before crowned in the overall rankings, Bergamo had already been named leader of the 2024 Sports Index and climbed several positions in 2023. This year, it surpasses podium regulars Trento, now in second place, and Bolzano, in third. At the bottom of the rankings is Reggio Calabria, holding the “black jersey” in a list where the last 25 positions are all occupied by southern provinces. The survey offers a comprehensive snapshot of the well-being of the Italian provinces, with 90 indicators categorized into six groups: wealth and consumption, business and employment, environment and services, demography, society, and health, justice and security, and culture and leisure. The top 10 of the ranking is a reflection of a country in which large cities are beginning to exhibit a variety of fragilities: Bologna is the sole city present, in ninth place, a six-position decline from the 2023 edition. Mid-sized provinces dominate: Monza and Brianza (4th), followed by Cremona, Udine (last year’s winner), Verona, and Vicenza. The list is rounded out by Ascoli Piceno, just after Bologna. The north-east side triumphs, with three provinces in Lombardy, two autonomous provinces of Trentino Alto Adige, two in Veneto, one in Emilia, and one in the Marche region. Metropolitan cities record widespread declines: Bologna drops 7 places, Milan 4 (now at 12th), Florence (36th place) falls 30 places after being in the top ten for three years in a row, and Rome falls -24 places to 59th. Turin loses 22 positions, landing in 58th, just ahead of the capital. Naples ranks second-to-last, while Bari is among the few to rise, climbing 4 places to 65th.