If you could live in Italy, which region would you choose?

In the 5 years I’ve lived in Italy, I’ve been able to visit different regions. Not all of them mind you, but I have seen how different they are from each other even though Italy, in its entirety, is just over 116,000 square miles. This puts it roughly between Arizona and New Mexico in regards to their size. If it were a part of the United States, it would become its 6th largest state with a population 50% more than California. That’s a lot of people in a relatively small space.

The point is, just as the US has different cultures, accents, and behavioral identities as you roam across the country in your road trip vehicle of preference. You’ll experience a similar effect as you backpack/road-trip throughout Italy. Italy consists of 20 regions each with a special history, lifestyle, and people. If you’ve been here, chances are you already have a favorite. If not, it might be hard to imagine where you might start to search for your first Italian Villa.

I’d like to be of some assistance today by sharing a brief summary of things that you can find as you travel along the countryside. This will be a broad look at Italy as a whole which will be enhanced over time through future blog posts where I dive deeper into what makes each region special.  

Italy the beautiful

Let’s start by looking at a list of Italy’s famous regions to see if you recognize a few of them. Here they are alphabetically, but It’d probably be more helpful if we broke them down by macroregions:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_Italy

Here you can see them separated by macroregion:

North-West	North-East	Center	South	Islands
Milan	Bologna	Rome	Naples	Palermo
Aosta Valley	Emilia-Romagna	Lazio	Abruzzo	Sardinia
Liguria	Friuli-Venezia Giulia	Marche	Apulia	Sicily
Lombardy	Trentino-South Tyrol	Tuscany	Basilicata
Piedmont	Veneto	Umbria	Calabria
			Campania
			Molise

By derivative work: Meddlin’ PedantRegione_blank.svg: User:F l a n k e r – Regione_blank.svg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4174653

Motivations

Now that We’ve listed the regions, let’s take a moment to talk about your motives for coming to live in Italy for retirement. Let’s look at a few:

• Sunny beaches
• Access to Europe
• Healthcare/Cost of living
• Heritage
• Love of the arts
• Lifestyle

…past this I can’t think of anything!

#1 Motive

Most people might say access to European travel is one of the biggest reasons. I’d argue most would choose it for its bright sunny beaches. The good news about Italy is that any macroregion you choose has it’s access to a generously large portion of beach property. Niching down into regions however there are a few regions that are completely landlocked. No fear however, bright beaches are no more than a few hours away by car.

Cost advantages

A big advantage for some could be cost of living in retirement. Often people in their older age require more doctor’s visits and medication due to health complications. Access to social-healthcare systems can seem an advantage. Additionally, depending upon the region you move to, you could see a large difference in the cost of food and other consumables. I’d say this also depends on which states you reside in currently.

A small percentage of people would potentially move here to get back to their roots. With more people becoming interested in their family history, perhaps they want to explore where there ancestors come from.  Do you have an Italian grandmother or grandfather? If so you might be able to take advantage of this relationship when you decide to retire here.  

Love of the arts

In school, I was never a history buff, but the more I travel Italy, I find myself desiring to discover how the people once lived in each of these beautiful zones. I’m not going to dive deep into a history lecture here, but when you come here, it will be hard not to find some part of history that remains no matter where you go.

Needless to say, Italy is full of artistic beauty. Whether you’re into paintings, sculptures, or architecture, living in Italy has its advantages. Don’t forget that Italy is also the home of some of the biggest names in fashion.

Lifestyle

This should probably be broken up into a few different categories, but for time’s sake we will consolidate. Any tourist can tell you that Italy has a unique atmosphere. Between its 20 unique regions, there is a special lifestyle for everyone. Are you into wine tasting? Relaxing on the beach? Having an afternoon coffee with friends? No need to search long to find what you are looking for.

Maybe you feel like your life right now is full. Are you frustrated going from home to work to home without a real personal interaction just to finish off the night watching Netflix at home. As the world has its face glued to their cell phones, there is an entire country that loves to get out every night to walk the coastal boardwalks, town center, or shopping mall. But don’t worry, for those nights at home, there is still Netflix available.

Macroregions

Now that our motives are clear, let’s see how they apply geographically. As I have said, I haven’t had the opportunity to explore every region as of yet, but I’d like to share my ‘2 cents’ on Italy as a whole.

The Northeast and Northwest

Voices on the street say, if you are looking for work, It’s best you head to one of the big cities or you’ll be out of luck. I’m speaking of Milan and Rome (though it is found in the Center of Italy). More emphasis on Milan. It would seem the farther north you go, the more advancements you will find not only technologically, but also politically. The closer you get to Switzerland, the higher the payroll, as well as living costs. The down side, at least for me, is that with more work comes more crowds as they commute to work on streets designed after cities had already made their claim resulting in two-way streets smaller than any one-way street in my neck of the woods. Add clip of two way street

If you aren’t wanting to spend your golden years in traffic, I’d avoid the cities I mentioned to you before. Chances are depending on your what VISA you strive for you won’t be dependent on finding work here in Italy, at least not one you can’t do from an any internet source. At least make sure your internet is stable wherever you decide to plant yourself.

Another advantage of the northern macroregions are directed towards those who love the mountains. With the Alps at your backdoor and lakes a plenty, you’ll find a plethora of outdoor adventures to experience. You’ll also have easier access to the other European countries and their amenities.

Center

Luxury or Simple? Depending on what your style is, I believe you can find both in any region of Italy. Walking down each street are a myriad of houses built from one decade to the next, literally shoulder to shoulder. There are flourishing communities in each nook and cranny of every region.

Most likely moving here as a retiree, you won’t have the necessity to plant your roots near that 9-5 grind. You can freely choose between art centered or paradisiacal zones at your own discretion. If this is the case, you may want to consider the center region as your home away from home. Containing Pisa, Florence, and Rome, there’s little chance you aren’t familiar with at least some cultural icon in this zone. From Tuscany’s rolling hills to the glory of Rome, here you will experience Italy’s arts in first person. The further south you go, the more plentiful are the beaches, as well the water ever warmer. Don’t forget the east coast!

South

Analyzing our time spent touring Italy, my family has spent most of it in this macroregion. Fortunately for us, my wife’s family currently lives in this region and has provided us low cost vacation opportunities that we just can’t resist. I haven’t visited the entire macroregion, but what I can say is there are mountains, deserts, beaches, and so much more to explore. We have spent most of our time finding our favorite beaches along with the rest of the Italian population.

I could see those seeking a slower pace in everyday life choosing a villa in this zone. Being dependent almost entirely on tourism, you will see a spike in traffic during the summer. During the month of August, you will find most of North Italy’s and other parts of Europe’s inhabitants fighting for space on any accessible beach. If that’s a problem, it would be an opportune moment to step away from the tranquility and do some European exploration of your own.

Islands

The zone I know the least about, but has potentially the most renown or notoriety. I’ve never been to either Sicily or Sardinia. We have friends that go often and shared how beautiful the beaches are. Being an island it has its drawbacks for sure, but the valid argument stands, ‘Ya, but there’s the sea!’ If I had a choice, I’d probably choose Sicily over Sardinia, but again this is without seeing either one.

Much like the South macroregion, if you are looking for some real rest and relaxation, look no further than the islands. Just be sure before making any final decisions that it has all the amenities that you need to have the beautiful life in retirement that you deserve.

There’s a place for you!

As you choose your special villa, you might find it doesn’t provide the commodities you were once accustomed to. This considered it is important to define your needs, research your future community, and choose accordingly

I have seen from the north to the south aside from the islands, Sicily and Sardinia, and I have say I still haven’t chosen a favorite. I imagine that it is still waiting for me to discover it as I venture on this path of ‘self retirement.’

As you start your search, don’t stress yourself over where to live more than you focus on what needs you or your family require to live this life abroad. Any one of these zones can provide that life away from the grind that you seek, but hopefully with these few helpful tips you can find that villa that gives your the peace of mind that you deserve.

Remember there is more to come! I’d love to hear feedback from anyone who has made the jump abroad already. Just comment below with your thoughts!