FilipJinga
3/29/2017 16:31 EST
Hello,
I have been thinking it over a lot and decided to fufill my life long dream and move to italy. I have hit a dilemma however, as I can't chose where to live. I would like to stay away from the north. I know it has the best standard of living and income but I my dream is to wake up, look out my window and see a an amazing view. This has drawn me to the centre and East. Places like Lazio and Campania intrigue me as I am a big fan of Ancient History but one thing that puts me of is ofcourse the poor standard of living. If you could help and tell me of a place with a good balance of amazing scenery (like Tuscany and Amalfi coast) and a good or decent standard of life. Hope you can help.
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FeliciaOni
3/29/2017 21:11 EST
I am drawn to either Piedmont or the Apulia area. I am curious which is more affordable?
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maluza86
3/29/2017 23:17 EST
FilipJinga,
Have you actually visited Italy? If not, that would be my first recommendation. I do not know where you are getting your "poor standard of living" reference from. I live in a small city in Puglia...San Vito Dei Normanni, 7km from the Adriatic and it is wonderful. Italy is not a third world country, and while the lifestyle is much more relaxed in the South, you can also get a lot more for your money...the people and climate are wonderful and you can find anything you need...and believe it or not, we have running water and flushing toilets;-)
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lindanoto
3/30/2017 02:36 EST
Standard of living? I live as south as you can get and still be in Italy and our standard of living is something most folks in the USA or U.K. could never afford on their home turf. No comparison of quality of life.
You need to maybe see the country first.
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JacksterJam
3/30/2017 03:20 EST
". . . my dream is to wake up, look out my window and see a an amazing view." You can find plenty of that in every region of Italy. I don't really know what you mean by "standard of living," so it is difficult to give thoughts on that. Italy is fully modernized in every way. Any disparity in the quality of services is like any country; some areas do better than others, but overall, services are generally great. If you need to work in Italy, it might be best to research it from that point of view; where are the jobs in your field? Great views and a great quality of life can be had all over the country.
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Sergios
3/30/2017 03:21 EST
Maluza is right. Its not about standard of living, Its about what you find most desirable. You will not know that until you experience the various places. My open suggestion is not to commit to any one place until you find the place you like most. That entails some traveling and using short term leases. You have 3 months per tourist visa to get around. Or if you want to get your residency first, select a place that you may be drawn to, get your residency but remain free to move to other places to explore lifestyles. That means do not buy right away, or at all. Rentals are relatively inexpensive and give you more flexibility.
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codybrandy
3/30/2017 05:55 EST
Hello FilipJinga, Liguria, Liguria!! True, you should do a month or so of traveling around to see what really appeals to you. Is it possible to put off the actual move to do some reconnoitering? Before we made our final decision my husband and I traveled north to south, east and west to find just the right spot. The south was too hot and the far north too cold so we settled on just inside the 5Terre between Genoa to the north and Pisa to the south. We can be at a major airport in 1+hrs. There are plenty of ancient hill towns and then there is the sea. We live in a lovely tiny village with grand views, hiking all around and the beaches are only 20 minutes away. Prices of homes vary but for instance there is a charming little house with land to expand in good condition for 60K E, We even have a thriving vineyard on the hills producing very good reds and whites. Hospitals are within 30 minutes and there is a helipad in town for major emergencies. So, lots of questions to answer before you pick an area. Renting is probably your best option for the first step and from what I've read on this forum you will need a firm rental agreement for your visa application, all the more reason to know the different areas. Best of luck. P.S. I understand your concern for the pooch. We brought ours over and the only suggestion here would be if it were possible to send for him after you settle. You will want to check out the airport that he flies in to for his safety. We actually had ours sent to Heathrow which is renowned for it's animal control center. Also, if possible have him sent with no stopovers (more chance of problems). You do not want to fly with him...he may not be put on the same flight and you want to be there when he arrives.
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proseh58
3/30/2017 07:06 EST
Umbria is fabulous and less expensive than Tuscany, but it is inland and the views will be of green hills and vineyards mostly. I can highly recommend Puglia, where we live, which has great food, culture and history and is slowly being discovered by the rest of Europe. Italians already know about its pristine beaches and affordable cost of living. Lecce is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. And if you like adventure, nowhere is better than Sicily.
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proseh58
3/30/2017 07:06 EST
Umbria is fabulous and less expensive than Tuscany, but it is inland and the views will be of green hills and vineyards mostly. I can highly recommend Puglia, where we live, which has great food, culture and history and is slowly being discovered by the rest of Europe. Italians already know about its pristine beaches and affordable cost of living. Lecce is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. And if you like adventure, nowhere is better than Sicily.
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rsetzer99
3/30/2017 10:53 EST
Depends on what you consider a poor standard of living. Here in Abruzzo there is amazing vista to from coast to mountains. It is not considered a wealthy part of the country, but standard of living will all depend on where you care to live.
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rsetzer99
3/30/2017 11:00 EST
The winter storms this year knocked out electricity throughout Abruzzo this year. Couple of days in our area. Some of the roads in the hills can be....interesting :). On the other hand, the villages are friendly and quiet. I had forgotten what it was like not to hear constant traffic noise.
Standard of living wise, you can get a lot more house for your money than in Tuscany.
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codybrandy
3/30/2017 11:21 EST
Again Liguria...we had (inland from the 5Terre) not 1 flake of snow for the last 2 yrs and only a dusting 3 winters ago. March now... we are seeing all the spring flowers and trees (my Cherry is going wild) and the Wisteria (Glicine) and Iris are magnificent in purple. Tulips should start next week. Happy Spring. P.S. The Cararra mountains are c.30 miles away and the air is so crystal clear they are visible in the distance.
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Sergios
3/30/2017 12:06 EST
You need to decide if you want urban, rural or a combination. I'm in Mondello, a fishing village 20 minutes from Palermo. For me it's the best of both worlds. The weather is good most of the year except July and August when it can get warm but there is usually a breeze. Everything is air conditioned.
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Umbertomar
3/31/2017 05:54 EST
Sergios post of
3/30/2017 03:21 EST is great advice. I am on the west coast of Sardinia, rented for a few years here and traveled through Italy before I decided. By the way, if you like ancient history, Sardinia may even be too old.
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Sergios
4/2/2017 03:40 EST
As far as standard of living, if you have little money and live in an expensive area, central Rome, Milan, Florence, then you will have a low standard of living. That same income spent in less expensive areas will give you a higher standard of living. Your original post indicates that the areas you know are the tourist areas, Amalfi, Tuscany, etc. Those place are beautiful indeed but you can find "real Italy" where there are fewer tourists but real italians. There are places that are also beautiful and full of history and culture that you don't need to wait on line for. Those are the places you want to live.
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proseh58
4/2/2017 05:09 EST
I agree. Italy is similar to the U.S. in that it has distinct regions, each with a different character. You might consider where you like in the States and find a region that has similar characteristics. The north is affluent and efficient, but more brusque and business oriented. Liguria is beautiful and touristed on the coast, but mostly with Italian families and still with a lot of charm. In my opinion, Florence, despite being the Renaissance capitol of Italy, is a wreck, dirty, crowded and oriented completely to tourists. But the Chianti region half an hour south is fabulous, some of the most beautiful countryside and excellent food in the country. Venezia is magnificent but would be hard to live in because of the cost and the dialect and a particular animosity toward tourists who have completely changed the character of the 15th C town. But the Veneto is gorgeous with many delightful small towns. Abruzzo is being called the Tuscany of today with many of the same amenities -- wine, hills and ancient palazzos. As for me, growing up in Florida, I adore the south because of the warmth of the weather and the openness and kindness of the people. Puglia has been a perfect place for us. Rome is magnificent, but is definitely the big city with all that entrails, however with great food, amazing history and tremendous charm. So figure out where you're most comfortable in the US and pick the correlating region in Italy. It helps to make the adjustment to a foreign country to have as much in common with the region where you live.
Pamela
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cmontesi
4/5/2017 11:33 EST
Have you heard from anyone in the region, Le Marche. I have been visiting for years and love it. it is central Italy on the Adriatic coast. In my experience there are not a lot of expatriates but this makes it all the more an authentic Italian location for persons such as yourself. The city I am most knowledgeable about is Fano, right on the cost. It has great Roman era history, is a seaside resort without the glamour and cost of better known coastal areas.
Now I rent there and am considering purchasing an apartment. Connections by train and air to major cities are good.
let me know if you are considering this region and I would be happy to share more info.
Good luck to you.
Carol
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LisaC1
4/5/2017 11:56 EST
Ciao Carol,
We, too, love Le Marche and have been visiting for about 11 years. We used to live outside of Pisa many years ago, while my husband attended the University, and find that it is now too busy of an area for us.
We will be moving to southern Marche in September and renting initially for a year, while we continue our house search and also to decide where exactly we would like to live. We know most of the villages in the province of Fermo quite well, but it will be much different actually living there year round. We love the province of Fermo as well as Offida and the city of Ascoli Piceno. However, at least in these areas, there are quite a number of ex-pats, which we had to get used to. We would actually prefer that they had less of a presence there.
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AndreaWindrush
4/6/2017 06:17 EST
One of the best place to enjoy and live in italy, is for sure Calabria. The best and clean sea in Europe, typical food done by local farmers, low costs of the life, sunny place all the year around, and more and more. All the facilities is in place. Direct flight from London in lamezia terme airport. All what you want you can have.
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minturnopat
4/6/2017 14:58 EST
We live in Minturno. We bought here in 2012, moved in 2015. South Lazio, beaches mountains railway archeology. I volunteer with local archeologist. Housing is cheap and plentiful either by the beach or in the medieval. Hour to Naples hour and a half to Rome. Great people great food great living. No I'm not a real estate agent or have any place to sell, just the same dream we had. Ciao
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