Miss Italia facts for kids

The official logo for Miss Italia.

Miss Italia is a famous beauty pageant held every year in Italy. It gives awards to young women from all over the country. Since it first started in 1939, many contestants have become well-known stars in TV shows and movies.

The Story of Miss Italia

The contest began in 1939 as Miss Sorriso, which means "Miss Smile". It was created by Dino Villani and was sponsored by a toothpaste company. Back then, judges picked winners based on their photos, not on a stage.

After a break during World War II, the contest returned in 1946. That's when it got its current name, Miss Italia. The first contest after the war was in Stresa, a town that still had nice hotels. Later, the contest found a permanent home in Salsomaggiore Terme for many years.

Over time, Miss Italia changed a lot, just like Italian society. In 1950, it was first heard on the radio. Then, starting in 1987, it began to be shown live on television! In 1990, judges stopped looking at contestants' body measurements. In 1994, even married women and mothers were allowed to compete. In 1996, Denny Méndez made history as the first Miss Italia of color.

Many contestants who didn't even win the main title later became famous. Some well-known names include Sophia Loren, Stefania Sandrelli, Simona Ventura, and Martina Colombari. They went on to have successful careers in movies and entertainment.

Since 1959, Enzo Mirigliani has organized Miss Italia. He helped make the contest very popular. Famous people like the actor Totò, the artist Giorgio de Chirico, and the director Luchino Visconti have been judges.

Besides the main "Miss Italia" crown, other special awards are given out. These include "Miss Elegance" and "Miss Cinema". In 1991, a new contest started called "Miss Italia nel Mondo". This competition is for Italian women who live in other countries around the world.

In 2011, Miss Italia moved from Salsomaggiore Terme to Montecatini Terme for a while. Many other cities have also wanted to host the event. The show has also changed hosts over the years, with different TV personalities leading the event.

Where the Winners Come From

This table shows which regions in Italy have had the most Miss Italia winners:

Titles	Region	Winning Years
12	Lazio	1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1993, 2000, 2015, 2020, 2022
11	Sicily	1954, 1966, 1976, 1977, 1988, 1995, 2003, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
11	Lombardy	1940, 1941, 1947, 1956–1960, 1965, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1990, 2019, 2023
6	Veneto	1957, 1964, 1989, 1992, 2002, 2007
5	Friuli-Venezia Giulia	1948, 1970, 1974, 1984, 1987
5	Calabria	1955, 1968, 1997, 2009, 2011
5	Tuscany	1946, 1973, 1980, 1996, 2016
5	Piedmont	1939, 1983, 2004, 2005, 2023
4	Campania	1959, 1986, 2001, 2021
4	Marche	1949, 1969, 1981, 2018
3	Emilia-Romagna	1958, 1991, 1998
2	Trentino-Alto Adige	2006, 2017
2	Umbria	1962, 2010
2	Sardinia	1963, 1994
2	Liguria	1961, 1975
1	Apulia	1999
1	Abruzzo	1979
0	Aosta Valley
0	Basilicata
0	Molise

Meet the Miss Italia Winners

Here is a list of all the young women who have won the Miss Sorriso and Miss Italia titles over the years:

Who Has Hosted Miss Italia?

Many famous people have hosted the Miss Italia pageant over the years, helping to guide the show and entertain the audience. Here are some of them:

• Corrado Mantoni: 1946–56
• Nunzio Filogamo: 1952
• Enzo Mirigliani: 1959, 1961–78
• Renato Tagliani: 1960
• Mike Bongiorno: 1970, 1975, 2007
• Daniele Piombi: 1974
• Gabriella Farinon: 1974
• Pippo Baudo: 1976
• Alberto Lupo: 1977
• Vanna Brosio: 1979
• Andrea Giordana: 1980–1981, 1984, 1987
• Memo Remigi: 1982
• Ettore Andenna: 1983
• Michele Gammino: 1983
• Milly Carlucci: 1983, 2009, 2010
• Marco Columbro: 1986
• Fabrizio Frizzi: 1988–2002, 2011, 2012
• Carlo Conti: 2003–06, 2008
• Loretta Goggi: 2007
• Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Prince of Venice: 2010
• Massimo Ghini: 2013
• Cesare Bocci: 2013
• Francesca Chillemi: 2013
• Simona Ventura: 2014–2015
• Francesco Facchinetti: 2016–18
• Diletta Leotta: 2018
• Alessandro Greco: 2019-2020
• Alessandro Di Sarno: 2021
• Elettra Lamborghini: 2021
• Carolina Stramare: 2021
• Salvo Sottile: 2022

See also

• Miss Universo Italia
• Miss Italia nel Mondo
• Miss World Italy

Images for kids

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  Sophia Loren (third from left) in publicity images from the Miss Italia contest, 1950.

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  Sophia Loren at Miss Italia 1950.

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  A group of contestants at Miss Italia in 1971.