10167 Why Do You Want To Move To Italy?

Thank you for starting the thread, Borrini. I was not very keen to do it because we do not live permanently in Italy and I thought that it was better to hear what those who have moved or are looking into moving permanently to Italy have to say.
For us, our house at Bagni di Lucca is a holiday place only. We go there twice or three times in the year and spend between 1 and 2 months in the house, which serves as a base to go exploring other areas.
My husband´s grandfather was from Italy, although not from Tuscany but from Emilia Romagna. The family origin's are in Umbria, but they have moved to Tuscany and to Emilia Romagna.
When looking for a house, we investigated several regions, however, we always loved Tuscany and we fell in love first with Bagni di Lucca and then with the old mill we found there (see my thread on the subject and my photo album in my profile) and we "had" to buy it.
We don't know what we are going to do in the future. Right now we live in Spain, but we do not know whether we will always be here. We love changes, we adapt very easily to new places, make friends very easily, speak several languages... and we have lived in three continents. All those changes keep us young, we travel, experience new ways of life and cultures, it keeps our hearts and our brains working.
Nevertheless, I think that particularly young families should be very careful when deciding to move to a different country. This is not for everyone.

Back in the winter I was ill, quite seriously ill, I was eventually hospitalised with pneumonia. My husband was away on business, I was alone, too weak to leave the house. My char found me one morning coughing up blood and from then on the entire village kicked in to ensure the English Signora got better. I don't recall ever having been so miserable in my entire life but if one good thing came out of it, it was this: I realised in an instant that I couldn't possibly live anywhere other than here, and I will live here, in this house, as part of this community, until they carry me out in a box and bury me in our beautiful village cemetery.
We've never questioned whether we did the right thing moving here - we knew from the start it was right, for us. But this reinforced our conviction that Italy is our place.
Why did we move to Italy? For much the same reasons as everyone else, I'm sure. In no particular order: the stunning beauty of the countryside, the pretty villages, the art, the culture (very much so), the quiet way of life, the respect for tradition, the friendliness of the people (perhaps put that much higher up the list), the feeling of community (ditto), the food, the wine, yes, certainly the wine. The weather even, at least the guaranteed summer. And the seasons, for we had lived for years in countries without any, and that was dire.
I suppose we were immensely fortunate in that we could afford to come relatively early in our lives (we're nowhere near official retirement age yet). But even so we traded additional years in highly paid corporate positions for additional years living a more modest existence in the Tuscan countryside. We can't afford the expensive holidays that so many of our London friends in top jobs manage to enjoy. And my dream of a new car is, I fear, going to remain just that - a dream - for quite a few years more.
But little things happen to us on a daily, hourly basis that bring us as much pleasure as possibly two weeks in Verbier brings to our friends. Neighbours stopping to chat in the street, invitations to lunch from people who are virtually strangers. More small unexpected kindnesses from people at the town hall, bank, the builders. (You'll note I've left Telecom Italia off this list...)
If you speak the language and can cope with missing the family you've left behind, have a manageable house and enough cash in the bank, I can't think of anywhere on earth with a better all round quality of life than here. Even the hospital wasn't that bad.

moved to www,italiauncovered.co.uk

Dream on with having to pay only 50p for parking here Nielo! Just exactly how long is it since you were in the UK? :laughs:

[quote=juliancoll;94620]Dream on with having to pay only 50p for parking here Nielo! Just exactly how long is it since you were in the UK? :laughs:[/quote]

:nah: I think you must be right.
I suspect that nowadays that would be for 5 mins.... right? (i.e. £6 ph)

I think that a very important point to consider before moving not only to Italy but to any other country than your own is your personal relationship with your husband/wife/partner/other half.... etc. Your bonds have to be very solid without any dark clouds flying over the relationship. Moving is a very stressing situation and it can be the final blow to a marriage, partnership, etc. Also, some people wrongly believe that to move to another country will fix any relationship problems they may be experiencing in their own... Wrong recipe, beware!

There seems to be an assumption here, I think, that you move to Italy with a partner. There are perhaps a few members here who have made or thinking of making the move on their own.

it's strange that lots of people want to come in italy, because all italian young people think to move to uk because here there aren't future job prospectives and they see italy as a cage

[COLOR=black]Well this is/was my reason for making the move to Italy and Barga in particular.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]My family emigrated from there at the turn of the 1900's and like many others from the area settled in Scotland. After about eight years in Stranrear they then moved to Northern Ireland where I was born.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]I spent many happy times in Barga staying at the family dwelling and remember as a teen dreaming that one day I would own the place myself. I always was ‘at home’, never alone, even when spending several weeks there by myself. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Due the machinations of a cousin in Italy who is a solicitor and was procuratore for the house, the place lay empty throughout the 90's.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]In summer 2001 a conversation with said cousin’s brother changed everything. I happened to mention I thought it a shame the place was getting in such a bad state and that I had always had this ‘dream’ and would have loved to have saved the place. This resulted in him taking me into his kitchen, placing the keys to the old house in my hand and telling me to stop his brother as he was up to no good. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Turning the key and opening those doors after so many years was quite an emotional experience. The house was black from top to bottom with thick dust and no footprints showed that not even the above mentioned cousins, living only an hour away, had been in there for perhaps a decade.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Five long years followed tracking other cousins in all parts of the globe (my grandparents had twelve children) and having them agree to sell to me, go to their local solicitors and Italian consulates, etc. As the deeds were still registered in my grandmother’s name and her children, all since deceased, the Italian bureaucracy was daunting having to prove their demise and record all the rightful heirs. Anyhow, in October 2006 I got a call whilst working in Berlin to say the house was finally mine.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]In spring 2007 the work started on renovations which are now, at last, in the final stages. It has been a much more costly adventure than I could ever have imagined but I now think it has been worth it. At the start the geometra came up with this ridiculous figure which I was sure could be done for half the expense but as it turns out even he was being slightly optimistic. :eeeek:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]I had originally planned to use the house for short breaks, holidays and so forth but with time have changed my mind. I now feel I owe it to my grandparents and indeed the house itself to make it my permanent base. I travel quite a lot in my profession as an opera singer and with the many new destinations available from both Pisa and Florence airports I should not encounter any real problems with travel. I have the Barga train station right across the piazza so, if the car is not an option, then with planning I can utilise the train or bus service. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]I eat better in Italy and feel better physically as well. I have many relatives there and because of my family and my occupation I am sort of known already locally. I was the proud recipient of the gold medal “Premio San Cristoforo d’Oro” awarded annually to ‘distinguished citizens’ by the Sindaco and named after Saint Christopher who is the patron saint of the town. My only regret was that no one from the previous generations of my family was alive to see this or the house being restored. Now in my middle forties that’s what comes of being the ‘youngest’ of one of the youngest in such a large family. :bigergrin:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]I know how frustrating it can be sometimes in Italy especially with utilities, etc, (still no gas meter or phone) but I hope the magic feeling of being ‘home’ when there never wears off. :smile:[/COLOR]

[quote=Sally Donaldson;94627]There seems to be an assumption here, I think, that you move to Italy with a partner. There are perhaps a few members here who have made or thinking of making the move on their own.[/quote]

Yes, Sally, there is a certain number of people who move on their own, but then.... they would not have the problem I am mentioning, which seems to happen quite often. I am not assuming that you have to move with a partner, it is not a condition.

Sorry Gala. I meant generally, and yes your point of being in a stable relationship is a valid one.

[[COLOR=black]My family emigrated from there at the turn of the 1900's and like many others from the area settled in Scotland. After about eight years in Stranrear they then moved to Northern Ireland where I was born.[/COLOR]

Have you read 'Dear Olivia' by Mary Contini - it is a beautiful biographical history of an Italian family who moved from Abruzzo to Edinburgh at about the same time. Fascinating reading. A true success story, despite enormous obstacles en route (as anyone who has shopped in Valvona & Crolla will know)!

For me, the short answer is "I don't really know." Unlike some of the people who have posted comments, I have no family connections with Italy.

It all began in the early nineties with a "city break" to Florence, chosen simply because the dates and price suited and it looked like a nice place to visit. But I knew very quickly that I was "home". Without, at that time, a single word of Italian, and little knowledge of the country, I felt an instinctive connection to the place.

I knew then that I would come back (which, of course, I did), and gradually the idea of living permanently in Italy became more concrete. Eventually, (a year ago) I did put the house up for sale, with the intention of going to Italy, but the UK housing market crash has put a delay on that. Still, I'm hopeful that sooner or later I'll make the sale and make the move.

I like to think that I have a reasonably realistic outlook. I know that there will be difficulties and challenges, but I'm a very flexible and resourceful individual. The stories I've read from the experiences of people on this forum are generally cause for optimism too.

Had a similar experience to Steve: Back in 2000 got a 3 month contract to work in Rome. It was a heady spring and the city during this season is so seductive. After 7 days I was adamant: "never going back"- It's been 8 years now and I've planted my home life in beautiful Umbria and work life in beautiful Rome. Unashamed gloating. However, I'm not sure without a steady income I could last too long here. Also, the 'Italian system' seems rather oppressive, which isn’t too good for one’s blood pressure. However, compared to draconian UK I’m staying put – job or no job. Just don’t recognise my home country anymore. The grass is greener and it’s in Italy!

Thank you everyone for your replies.
I think for most of us we want a better quality of life rather the rat-race consumerism we have here in England.
Danni - young people also feel the same in France but it is nothing new. My great grandfather left Italy for England to further his career and you will read on here of many others just the same. The grass is always greener.......

Thanks again and I am sure there will be a lot more to come!

:winki:

Like Steve we were about to put our house on the market here in Ireland when the prices crashed. I know my heart and soul is in Italy. I first saw the village we bought in Colledimezzo on the internet and knew , don't know how but knew I was going to buy there. Never having been to Italy before my other half thought I had finally lost it but tagged along to keep me quiet. We went to the village bought a house ( needed a lot doing to it and everything just fell into place.)
I stayed in it for the first time in July and I can not describe how happy I felt. I really felt I had come home. I cried quietly on the plane going back to Ireland. Now we just tread water here until we can go back. I know we broke every rule about buying and that we were very lucky. Plus got great help from Jackie C. Sometimes you just have to follow your heart and let it rule. .

We had been looking around for the past 5 years or so for a place to retire, mostly in the Western Hemisphere, after a disastrous trip to Nicaragua decided that first world was the only way to go -- but growing old in NYC isn't a good option, and the rampant consumerist American lifestyle really isn't us, either. We had traveled a lot in rural France and rural Italy, when we decided on Puglia due to a combination of lifestyle, agricultural land availability, and price, the hunt was on. A combination of factors led us to buy properties in "move-in" condition. We've been very happy overall, good neighbors, some new friends, lovely surroundings, access to 2 coasts, food & wine (say no more), and enough English speakers for the DH to have social contacts whilst working on his Italian. Dealing with the inevitable bureaucracy does demand that we type A personalities learn to slow down and kick back, we're working on that!

"moved to italiauncovered.co.uk"

We've seriously looked into moving over and now have a plan and a number of steps in place that will culminate in 6 or 7 years when the kids finish their education and we'll make a final decision then. We've just got back from our 3rd visit to Italy. Several large disappointments this year - perhaps the romanticism has been removed - we felt like any rose-tinted glasses we'd had were removed and we started to see it for what it is. The history oozes from every brick, every paving stone, every pore of the country. At one time it was the hight of civilisation and technology. So WHY don't they look after it? Major cities and 'tourist attractions' crumbling. Peeling paintwork everywhere. It's like they have no pride in their country, but it's so beautiful! I can't believe they don't make more of it and capitalise on it more. In some areas where people have taken the trouble - some of the very old houses in Barga that we saw for example - looked absolutely stunning! But I assume they are owned but foreigners? If it was the UK almost the entire country would be owned by the National Trust or Heritage charities and you'd have to keep it in gook nick! It wouldn't be so much listed buildings as listed towns and cities! Or even a listed country!

For the first time we've seen an accident in Italy - and twice we saw them this year and both times involving scooter riders and none of them wearing any protection (as a keen biker of 26 years this is plain stupidity - I don't care how hot it is!) and that horrific accident with the lorry on the autostrada shown on TV. I was chewed to pieces by mossies in the first week despite being doused in repellant and so didn't sleep much, not so bad in the 2nd week. Being in the Garfangana area the roads are - er - exciting! Why don't Italian drivers - locals especially - expect other vehicles to be coming in the opposite direction on blind hairpin bends? I lost count of the number of heart-stopping moments seeing a car on MY side of the road coming at me very fast! And one young lad in a souped-up Punto overtaking us down-hill on a blind hairpin, almost hitting a van coming up the hill then he ended up almost rolling it in front of us!

However the only people who were rude to us were Leclerc / Conad cashiers (don't get wifey started on that - she speaks Italian pretty well now) and so many people were really friendly and kind.

For me the stresses of driving spoilt the holiday quite a bit as I have to do it all. The creative driving of the Italians has got more creative than last year, I swear! So many near misses even on normal roads outside rush-hour! And when road signs you've been following suddenly stop dumping you in the middle of nowhere with a hot, grumpy wife and miserable kids all demanding to know where we are and exactly where you went wrong, signs that lead you in circles, supermarket signs that lead you all over the place but NOT to said supermarket, road signs that you can't read from a distance and only see as you pass them ON the junction - as you go the WRONG way - again! Self-serve petrol stations with no instructions in English (French would do!) despite being 1/4 mile from an International Airport so we can return the hire car full (wifey spoke PROPER Italian on that occasion - with full hand gestures as well!!), along with other stuff I won't go on about now.

So - will we go back? Absolutely! Do we still love the place? Of course! We love the culture, the people, the country, the diet, the wine, and as has been mentioned previously - the non-PC attitude. Pretty much everything really.

But next year we're going to France I think. At least I speak the language, having lived there for a bit. And we're sharing the driving! And taking a sat-nav! And probably taking our own Mondeo. But the dream is still to buy and live in Italy, although we're not sure about the red tape side of things. I've been looking into Abruzzo a lot, we like it there, property is affordable so who knows? Still love it to bits and we'll be back. Just need a break to recover.... 2 years should do it! :eerr:

Oh M & C that's all part of the mystery!!??
The first time we went to Italy we landed at Pisa (plane late) at just after midnight. We got lost going to our hotel at Acqua del Madonna and got on the road to Genoa. Just got into the countryside where there was a lot of filling stations and all full of prostitutes, never seen so many and the amount of men driving round - we thought we had landed in hell!!
Anyway we got over it, yes the paintwork is bad but in England we are more interested in property and their prices than we are in people or looking good or going out for a nice meal. That's the difference.
Also, get your wife to do the driving. I do it mostly and don't have any problems because if you look around very few in rural areas are women drivers and the men look in horror!!:nah:
I think the road signs lead you to an adventure. Buy a road map and navigate yourself then you won't go wrong! (Hopefully)
Just chill out you are meant to be enjoying your holiday :yes:

First year we flew to Bolognia Forli at 11pm - but had booked the hotel in Bolognia - 50kms away! That was fun! Got there at 2:30am!

My wife flatly refuses to drive in Italy. and up till this year I've enjoyed it. I see your point about the paintwork - and that's true. But if they want to increase their tourist trade by 20bn euros in 2009 they do need to have a bit of a scrub-up. Tourists aren't looking to live there. We had 3 road maps, btw, wifey navigating. :wideeyed: Sat-nav next time.

We still love it. Someone said that Italy gets under your skin and it's so true. There's so much of it that we love. I'd love to be able to get some of the garden railings / balconies / stair balustrades over here too.

Well, M&C, some six years ago, we were thinking of buying something in Italy. We looked around but thought that it was a bit too far for us. So we bought a house in France. Closer to the Spanish border where we live permanently. I speak perfectly fluent French and my husband manages quite well in the language. I had a French education and I mixed a lot with French people, so it was very easy for us to be there. Well.... we did not like it that much, even if it was closer to home. We kept on having our Italian dreams. So when someone came along wanting to buy our property we quickly sold and started looking again at Italy. Now we have a holiday home there, we go three times a year to spend about 2 months each time and we love it! As you say, it gets under your skin.
As for the garden railings/balconies/stair balustrades and the plants that accompany them.... you will also have to import the climate. A difficult task!