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A Love Affair with Italy

By Steenie Harvey

Universal Tax Professionals
Universal Tax Professionals

My husband could be jealous. Since my first visit more than 20 years ago, it's been love at first sight.

Are the sunsets more intense? The wine deeper bodied? Is the air filled with magic? The people ultra passionate? Do the men excel at romance and the women at seduction?

Perhaps that's it. I could convincingly argue the case.

The magic and vibrancy of Italy is unchallenged in Europe.

You would love Italy the way I do... If you knew her as I do. If Italy is calling your heart... please read on... I'd love to take you on an intimate Italian journey. You can know the ins and outs of Italian living in a way no tourist publication could ever show you.

The blinding light of the midday Tuscan summer sun turns agricultural fields into an enchanted landscape. I've confessed it to you before... I dream of living "La Dolce Vita."

Taking time to relish the days and savor the starlight of a timeless yet time bound medieval village like San Gimignano transforms daily life into a dreamscape. I guess my husband shouldn't be too jealous. We holidayed there during a festival season and savored our time together.

But I can't really say that it's my favorite Italian dream. I could never settle on one alone. The choices overwhelm me.

Travel south and ask yourself what city can compete with the glory and history of Rome? Somehow the rise and fall of the empire and the passing of millennia robbed the city of none of its enduring powerful allure. What marvel is more seductive than the romantic watery wonder of Venice or is more bedazzling than the classic beauty of Florence.

La Dolce Vita means the sweet life...and none is sweeter than life Italian style.

The staggering variety of Italian life offers you whatever want. From cosmopolitan urban culture... Historic romantic cities... Ageless agrarian hill towns... Majestic snowcapped mountain peaks... warm soft sand islands, and stunning beaches that rival any in the world.

You're never far from exquisite art and architecture... the centerpieces of western history, civilization and culture and even the most remote regions you're always surrounded by fabulous cuisine... delightful wines... picture perfect landscapes... People as warm as the climate... lavish in their hospitality and reverence for time-honored traditions.

I'd love to show you around Italy the way that I know and love it. Fortunately I've traveled Italy frequently over the years... both for work and pleasure. I've experienced the finest hotels and restaurants... as well as disgusting dumps I couldn't recommend to even my enemies. When I show you Italy, I'll give it to you straight, unvarnished... the agonies... and the ecstasies.

Honestly, even working in Italy is a pleasure too. And even my worst experiences have shown me important realities... you should be aware of... if you are considering Italy as a destination to live, work or retire. I've visited and explored nearly every part of Italy and prepared an in depth report especially for IL readers, Italy: The Owner's Manual.

In it you'll get a taste of every region in Italy, from the expensive chic resorts to sleepy seaside villages. From luxurious seaside villas to bargains almost too cheap to believe.

You sample Italy treasures and pleasures beyond the major cities. I'll show you enticingly affordable homes. You discover towns in Italy's glorious lake district where apartments sell for as little as $26,000. Looking for a classic farmhouse to restore? We know of one location where the starting figure is $31,000. And get this: In Italy's deep south, it's possible to buy simple homes for a mere $11,000. Tempted? Read on and I'll give you a sampling of highlights from Italy: The Owners Manual.

Discover the Differences: Twenty Tantalizing Regions of Italy

Tuscany fits almost everyone's notion of picture book Italy...and it's understandable why many foreign travelers and buyers look no further. Thing is, Bella Italia has so much more to offer than just the Tuscan classics...

For instance: Liguria. An arc of coastline running west of Tuscany to the French border, this incredibly beautiful region rejoices in the name of the Italian Riviera. Blessed with mild winters, its painted harbor towns are set in niches in the cliffs, elegant promenades are lined with palm trees, and handsome villas are smothered in profusions of flowers. Bags of history, too - the regional capital is Genoa, birthplace of Christopher Columbus.

Farther south, beyond Naples, lie more coastal temptations: the Sorrentine and Amalfi peninsulas. This is the Campania region, characterized by swooningly lovely villages whose houses are painted in a sunrise palette of lemon, pink, lilac, and rose. The Isle of Capri shimmers offshore, and the mighty volcanic bulk of Vesuvius looms in the background. If you're like me, stricken with a lust for ruins and ancient places, imagine being able to poke about Pompeii and Herculaneum whenever you please...

Beaches as Good as Anything in The Caribbean

Mountain villages in the Italian Alps and the Dolomites...the sparkling northern Lakes... the Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia, which both belong to Italy. Sardinia is one of my favorite places in all Europe for a lazy vacation - and seascapes here are as good as anything in the Caribbean. Sugar-white beaches...golden beaches...rose-pink beaches...all washed by a sea the color of a peacock's feathers.

Then there's Apulia, the deep south of silvery olive groves and sizzling summers. Fringed by golden beaches and the warm Adriatic, Apulia belongs to Italy's Mezzogiorno region, the land of the midday sun. Can't imagine anybody suffers from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) here. Skies are blue and cloudless most of the winter. And get this: In one of Apulia's most beautiful valleys, you can buy properties to restore for as little as $11,000. Yes, Italy offers an immense amount to see and savor...

Which is why, I presume, my editors at International Living recently asked me to research and produce Italy: The Owner's Manual. A plum assignment, indeed...and a welcome excuse to return to this glorious country...

Bijou Village House For $35,000

To be honest, I can't understand why we haven't produced an Italy Owner's Manual before. There are no legal restrictions to prevent North Americans buying homes and taking up residence in Italy. And this country is not as unaffordable as some people fear.

In fact, you can find sensibly priced properties in most Italian regions.

Fifty-thousand dollars opens the door to lots of options... Only last month, I saw a 750-square-foot villa singola (a simple, bungalow-style home) for just $42,500. It was in good condition, too.

Here's another: a bijou village house of 500 square feet. Whitewashed and with two storeys, it's in the centro storico (historic center) of an Apulian village. It has a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and one bedroom. The price is $35,000.

Even in the Italian Lakes, prices aren't outrageous. This is an astoundingly picturesque area where palm trees grow amidst alpine scenery. Crowned with ancient churches, the lakeside villages girdling lakes Como and Maggiore are storybook affairs. Cobbled streets clamber precariously up toward the forested hills, and sparkling waterfalls descend into little rivers spanned by arched stone bridges.

Draped in bougainvillea and wisteria, lakeside village houses are painted in warm summer shades of daffodil yellow, peach, pink, cream, and butterscotch. Their perfumed gardens brim with statuary, late-flowering roses, and tropical flowers. Does $118,000 for a house in this paradise sound reasonable to you?

For those seeking a studio apartment (maybe for vacations) we know of one that's priced at just $44,000. In a period villa within walking distance of Lake Como and village shops, it has a parking space and shared garden. And it's being sold furnished.

Yes, Prices in Tuscany Can Be Crazy

True, you'll still encounter crazy prices in Tuscany's so-called "Chiantishire"...especially if you're looking for a restored farmhouse with marble bathrooms and a swimming pool. But does it have to be a home in the Pisa-Siena-Florence triangle?

We can point you toward another part of Tuscany where prices are far more sensible. Where stone-built village houses requiring some modernization start at $52,000...and houses that you could move into tomorrow go for around $100,000. Sometimes less.

Because, delectable though it is, Tuscany isn't the only part of central Italy we think you should look. This January I went exploring the glorious hilltowns and countryside of Le Marche...a region where the scenery gets more beautiful at every turn. Let me tell you about this property I saw...not a ruin, but a large, rambling farmhouse where you could take up residence immediately.

Built of rose-colored stone, this casa colonica is big, around 3,000 square feet, with a couple of outbuildings. The "garden," planted with olives, hazelnut trees, and vines, is 40,000 square feet and includes a stream. It's not isolated - the nearest village is a mile away, and Adriatic beaches are a 15-mile drive. The price is $134,000.

The agents selling this gem speak English ...and they have a number of good quality farmhouses at similar prices. You'll find contact details in Italy: The Owner's Manual. What's the difference between a casa colonica and a casa padronale? Don't worry. We explain that, too.

You'll learn about the main types of rural property to be found in Le Marche and Italy's other central regions...and we've included a list of useful Italian-language terms and phrases you're likely to come across in agency listings. Plus, you'll get a full breakdown of the costs involved in restoring a farmhouse.

Italy, The Famous, the Infamous and the Virtually Unknown

But my colleagues and I didn't spend all our time delving into Italy's famous (and not-so-famous) central regions. We also explored little known areas of Italy's north and south, as well as infamous Sicily, Sardinia and other islands . Nor do we only give you the lowdown on rural and seaside hideaways. We've included comprehensive details of the property market in Venice, Florence, and Milan. And, of course, the Eternal City, too.

Roman Rentals: Affordable Glory

Doesn't it send shivers down your spine simply to imagine being in this incredibly ancient city? To visit the Coliseum where baying mobs urged on gladiators? Or the Forum whose very stones are the same as those the Caesars walked among? All of Rome is like a stage-set, and its cast of characters makes your head reel. St. Peter, the Borgias, Michelangelo, Fellini...

Rome is irresistible, but good-quality homes are pricey. We won't pretend otherwise. But how about a rental? We've identified a source where you can find affordable properties to rent -- for example, an apartment with a view of St. Peter's Basilica for just $700 per month.

Or consider buying a home near Rome rather than in the capital itself. Maybe you'll like the sound of this one...we think it's a bargain:

An hour from Rome, Rocchete is a beautiful village set amongst the green valleys and streams of Lazio province. Closed to cars, the village is more than 500 years old...you can only enter on foot through an old door that used to be the settlement's main gate.

On two levels, there's a 750-square-foot apartment on sale here that faces the valley and an old castle. No major structural work is required, and the roof was redone about 15 years ago. Price: $35,000.

Rent Long-term...For Less Than $250 Per Month

Not everyone, we realize, is in the market for an Italian home right now. Maybe, instead, you're interested in a rental...for a week, a month, or a year. We'll show you how.

Long-term rentals can be surprisingly inexpensive -- even along the coast. In one of the prettiest palm-fringed seaside towns along the Adriatic Sea, you can rent a one-bedroom apartment for less than $250 monthly. Same goes for rentals in the quaint town of Martina Franca. A mazy labyrinth of bright white houses with dark green shutters and wrought-iron balconies, this lovely baroque town lies deep in the heart of Apulia.

Yes, of course, a quality rental in one of Italy's major cities or top resort towns costs substantially more than $250 per month.

But even so...we're not talking exorbitant amounts. A little over $1,000 per month doesn't seem unreasonable to us for a two-bedroom furnished apartment in Florence. After all, this is arguably the most famous art city in the world. And this particular apartment couldn't be more central - only two minutes walk from the Duomo, the Cathedral.

Picture yourself meandering beside the Arno River on a perfect May evening when all the terra-cotta roofs and ancient palaces are bathed in that special Florentine glow...

Here's another option: $660 monthly nets a two-bedroom apartment in Taormina, the most glamorous and lively resort town on the island of Sicily. A wonderful place to spend the winter ...and even in December, you can still experience the passegiata.

Civilized Pleasures

Passegiata? This daily ritual takes place in just about every Italian town and city. It's the pre-dinner stroll...with plenty of stop-offs for refreshments and conversation. In Italy, shops stay open until 8 p.m. (later during summer in resort areas). Even in provincial towns, main streets and squares are lively until late at night.

If I had to pick one place to say "come here to see what an Italian passegiata is like," I'd recommend Alghero. This seaside town is on the island of Sardinia's western coast...and Sardinia is where I chose to spend a summer vacation with my husband last year.

Every evening we strolled down the Lungomare (the seafront boulevard), to one of the cafes on Piazza Sulis for an aperitif - and by the way, it never cost more than $2 for a campari-and-soda. As in most bars in Italy, you're given free snacks to nibble -- nuts, olives, potato chips...

Old-timers sat on benches under the palm trees, taking the sea air and discussing the chances for Roma and Juventus in next season's soccer championship. Black-eyed toddlers had their happy little faces buried in yet another gelato. Youths leaned nonchalantly against gleaming scooters, trying to pretend they weren't giving the glad eye to the passing throngs of girls...some giggly, some disdainful, all dressed to catch an admirer's eye.

My visit was in June, one of the nicest months for seaside holidays. Even though it was almost 8.30 p.m., shoppers continued piling into the Orviesso clothing store in a last-minute rush for new swimwear. Out on the Lungomare, local kids played animated games of table-soccer outside cafes. Others played the real thing -- the Lungomare is closed to traffic of an evening...

And after dinner, there's always time for more browsing in the spider's web of dim cobbled alleyways criss-crossing via Carlo Alberto. In the heart of old Alghero, this is a street where you can spend hours diving in and out of hole-in-the-wall artisans' workshops, deliberating over the treasures of goldsmiths and jewelers specializing in coral objets d'art.

Yes, last year, I spent a glorious summer holiday on Sardinia -- but it was a working holiday. During my stay, I discovered that the average price for one-bedroom apartments in Alghero is $47,500...all the details are in the manual...

Cost Of Living

Italy is a fairly wealthy country. Even so, you're unlikely to faint when utility bills arrive. If you opt to use gas, annual costs for cooking and heating will be $950 to $2,000. (Depending whether you choose to live in northern Italy or the warmer south.) Annual electricity bills are generally $270 to $450.

Lots more samples in the manual, but to give you an idea: You can buy fresh mussels for $0.69 per pound, chicken for $1.22 per pound, and pecorino cheese for $2.98 per pound. And it's no wonder that everybody in Italy drinks wine with their meals...not when decent wine is as little as $2 a bottle.

Health Care

You'll have no trouble finding an English-speaking doctor in Italy...and the country's health care system makes the World Health Organization's top 10 list. Private hospitals are found in all the main population centers, but once you're legally resident in Italy, you'll be eligible to join the country's National Health Service. How much you'll pay depends on your income, but premiums start at $350. That's the annual premium, by the way.

Coverage under the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale provides numerous benefits. If you require hospitalization, membership entitles you to room and board, medical care, surgery, lab tests, and medication. How to join? All is explained in Italy: The Owner's Manual.

So Easy to Explore

Don't want to drive? You don't have to. Italy has one of the most extensive rail networks of any European country...and where trains don't go, buses do. Services are frequent...and relatively cheap. For example, a ticket on an Intercity train from Florence to Rome costs $20. More examples are cited in the manual. And we've included plenty of information about driving, too.

The Venice Carnival...opera at Verona...the Palio at Siena. Nobody does "spectacle" quite like the Italians. As a resident, it's going to be so much easier to plan trips...and not just to star places and must-see events. As I said earlier, Italy has countless festivals...some little known and very weird indeed.

I'm intrigued by folklore and tradition, and I'd love sometime to have the chance to experience the May-time festa of San Domenico Abate. This is a saint's day festival with a difference...and I think it may qualify as the most peculiar festival in all Europe.

Apparently a statue of San Domenico is carried from the local church covered in snakes...live snakes collected from the surrounding countryside. The snakes serve as auguries -- if they wrap themselves around the saint's head, it's regarded as good news.

Up until the 1940s, after the snakes had served their divination purpose, they were burned in a pyre outside the church. These days they're released back into the wild. Where's the venue? Well, I won't tease you...it's Cocullo, a village in the lonely highlands of the Abruzzo region. But for dates and venues of other unusual festivals, you'll need a copy of Italy: The Owner's Manual.

Pleasures of the Tavola

Italians don't believe it's sinful to indulge the senses...and quite right, too. One of the joys of being in Italy is being able to take full advantage of the pleasures of the table...or the tavola, as it's called here. Even the simplest fare seems imbued with so much taste and flavor. Oranges straight from the garden, home-made pasta, delicious ice-cream without the slightest trace of additives or chemicals. Pizza from wood-fired ovens.

Eating out is surprisingly affordable, even in big cities like Milan. During my last trip here I was given directions to a wonderful backstreet trattoria...the kind of place known only to locals. Don't ever be shy about asking people to recommend a restaurant. Italians aren't stand-offish, and they're only too happy to steer you away from tourist-traps.

Although the waiter didn't speak English (and the menu was solely in Italian), I knew my chosen starter was going to be some kind of risotto. I wasn't expecting it to be jet black, though -- the rice had been cooked in the ink of squid or cuttlefish.

Odd-looking, but scrumptious. I followed that with pesce spada (swordfish) and then some chocolatey concoction that the waiter called tartufo, rolling his eyes in bliss at the thought of it. With half a liter of wine, water, and coffee, my bill came to less than $20.

Authentic little restaurants like this are to be found all over Italy...and the further you are from the big city, the cheaper the bill.

I enjoyed another memorable meal on my recent trip to Le Marche. I went for the fish of the day, not realizing I was going to get half the contents of the Adriatic on my plate. Three small soles...a red mullet...two skewers strung with calamari and prawns...three giant prawns...and some fish I didn't recognize at all. Including a starter of gratineed mussels and my usual liquid refreshments, the bill was $15...and I was given a complimentary glass of limoncello liqueur.

I'll tell you where to find this restaurant -- and other favorites -- in Italy: The Owner's Manual.

Indulge All Your Senses

But taste is only one of the five senses. Hear the sound of the chorus from Aida in Verona's arena? The gentle glug of ruby-red Chianti tippling from a bottle...the hubbub of a seaside fish-market...the cadenza of a Vivaldi concerto spilling from an ancient church? Sights--what do you want to look at?

The Sistine Chapel's heavenly ceiling...the Doge's Palace in Venice on a misty February morning...the chestnut woods of Tuscany in springtime...volcanic Mount Etna and the snow-capped Alps casting shimmering reflections into sapphire-blue lakes...young men leaping through the flames of midsummer bonfires...

And oh, what joyous smells! The scent of the myriad herbs permeating the macchia undergrowth on the island of Sardinia...Sicily's citrus groves...the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee and garlicky salami wherever you go. The unmistakable scent of leather handbags from Milan, Italy's fashion capital...one of the best places on earth to enjoy retail therapy.

But I mustn't forget touch. The feel of golden sand under your feet, of the silky-blue sea, of warm sunshine on your face...

A Complete Guide

If you enjoy the good things in life, I think you're doing yourself a great disservice if you don't take a look at what Italy has to offer. And that applies whether you're considering buying a home in the sunshine for retirement...or as a bolt-hole for vacations. And honestly, for anybody who loves art, history and culture, Italy is the perfect place for enjoying extended adventures. Stay a month, stay a year, stay forever...

Italy: The Owner's Manual is more than a property guide. Naturally it contains a wealth of in-depth information about our favorite regions, the kind of properties available...and how much they cost. You'll also get contact details for immobiliares (real estate agents) and comprehensive details about renting long-term. There's information about vacation rentals, too. And, because although I think it's an interesting option, not everybody may want to "live like a local"...there are recommendations for hotel stays, too.

But, as I said...this is so much more than a property guide. We don't believe in laying out a feast, then neglecting to provide you with any cutlery. The practicalities of relocating are addressed in full -- the legalities and procedures associated with purchasing Italian property, how to obtain a residency permit, negotiate the tax system, take care of your health. And much more...the investment climate, employment considerations, resources for learning the language... You've got the questions -- I can assure you we've got the answers. Be you a would-be retiree, an investor, or a traveler dreaming of sunny days in this glorious country...

Order Italy: The Owner's Manual online at InternationalLiving.com now.

Steenie Harvey
Roving Euro-editor, International Living

About the Author

AS International Living Italy Italy: Owner's Manual

International Living's Italy: Owner's Manual is your guide to living in Italy. Italy has a staggering amount to offer travelers...and residents. Romantic cities. Timeless hill towns. Snowy mountains, idyllic islands, and a rivetingly beautiful coastline. Plus, outside the major cities, homes start at a mere $11,000.

Click here for more details or to order Italy: Owner's Manual.

International Living also publishes a monthly newsletter detailing the best places in the world to live, retire, travel and invest overseas. Click here for details.


First Published: Jul 11, 2004

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