Hello Everyone!  I'm flirting

03/22/2016 - 15:25

Hello Everyone!  I'm flirting with the idea of buying a vacation home in italy.  I currently live in the US.  I'd like a place that has other english speaking expats but it would need to be a central location (walkable to market, groceries, and train station).  Relatively close to airport as well (within 1 hour drive).  I've looked at many properties online but am not sure about the major airports other than Rome, Naples, Florence.  What are some other international airports that operate in Italy and where are some good places (towns, villages) to stay in?  Any feedback is appreciated!  Thanks in advance!

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Alot of places , usch as Palermo and Catania in Sicily , have direct US flights in the summer only.  It depends on your US airport really as Steve says above.   Otherwise you can live within 1 hour of an airport here which takes 3 changes and 2 overnights to get to.   You will, i suspect, be lmiited to being within an hour of Rome or Milan.  

Umbria  > http://www.lifeinitaly.it/italiasegreta/regioni/umbria/Umbria.htmThere is an air route operated by Etihad-Alitalia, which leaves every hour from Perugia airport  to international destination of Rome-Fiumicino, at very low prices. From Fiumicino airport there are several flights to the USUgo , by Lifeinitaly.it  

Hi there, I agree with Steve about Milan. I'm not sure about routes from the U.S but considering there are 3 airports in Milan you might find this location an interesting option. Having said that Linate is the only one of the three very near the city... Malpensa is to the west and Milan-Bergamo (my "local" airport) to th east. Bergamo itself is a beautiful place but, in addition to that,  flying in here gives you great, easy access to The Lakes, Brescia, Verona, Venice.... :-)   

Hi, I live in the Cilento in Campania which is absolutely stunning. The Cilento runs from Agropoli down to Sapri. Naples airport is 1hr 30 mins to Agropoli so longer than your hour limit but its definitely worth a look. Good luck!

My advice is as follows;-

  1. Sort out those airports/cities that you can easily fly to from your home in the US
  2. Look at the alternatives if flights to that airport stop
  3. Rank those airports, taking into account cost/frequency etc etc
  4. Look at what the area around each airport/city provides.     .ie - Naples has sun sand and Capri, Milan has History, The Lakes, Skiing in Winter Hiking in Summer
  5. Sort out which area best fulfills your 'needs'
  6. Don't forget about weather - temperatures Winter and Summer
  7. Do a detailed web search on the area[s] that really grab you to look at house prices, availability etc etc
  8. Spend some time on the ground looking around your favoured option
  9. Then ignore everything and go with your heart

From personal experience the area to the North of Milan is [for me ] ideal.  Coming from UK it has 3 Milan airports [we us Malpensa] plus Turin, and at a push Geneva.   Our fall back option is we can drive home to UK in 15 hours - obviously not applicable to the US. Also, Italian kids learn English from the age of 6 - so the need for an English speaking es pat area is less than it used tpo be.  Good luck

[quote]From personal experience the area to the North of Milan is [for me ] ideal.  Coming from UK it has 3 Milan airports [we us Malpensa] plus Turin, and at a push Geneva[/quote]Before going as far as Geneva there's Verona airport much closer.

you guys are awesome!!  thank you all for your help and advice.  I have looked at properties (online) in Cilento.  Will also check out Bergamo.  I dont plan to have a car in Italy so that's why I'm thinking I'd like to be a walkable distance to the train station.  Do you think that's a good idea? Is public transit reliable and affordable?

No car? Reliable train/transport ? I have just the place for you then ! Liguria! ...amazing coast, fab climate, mountains (you can ski in winter) beautiful towns and villages, food (focaccia! pesto!) not to mention the authenticity and beauty of Genoa. The train is the life-blood of the region, so easy to hop on and off where you want.. I lived there for 2 years without a car and had a fine time. Plus..... it's very popular with Americans if you get a little homesick... think Christopher Columbus :-)

Hi, I think AlanH has given the best advice, in that you have to do some research them come to Italy and follow your heart. Bear in mind that train travel in italy is becoming increasingly two tier, I.e. Between big towns there are two options: 1. fast clean and costly and 2. Slow, dirty and cheap. To get to less populated places the only option will be the second..

Well ......................................".....  I dont plan to have a car in Italy so that's why I'm thinking I'd like to be a walkable distance to the train station.  ...."Places close to train stations may not be in areas you want to buy into.  As an example - Bergamo old town [beautiful, quaint etc etc] is nowhere near the station in Bergamo, which is in the new town - a 20th Century dormitory town [bit harsh, I know], although there is a bus service twixt the two. Reinforces the need to visit the area before choosing where to go, as well as a detailed web search prior to that

I would think again about trains, unless intercity, as the bus is likely a quick option in a lot of cases. Having both is of course even better... When looking check the airport web site as it will always have the options for getting to and from the airport and main towns/cities, if not then it's likely not the best of airports. Al example of Bergamo depends on what you consider a hike from the new town up to the old. You can get tickets for the bus and funicolar which cover both the airport and the town (old and new), airport bus runs every 30 minutes. At least with the likes of Bergamo you also have the option of a taxi, somewhere like here they have only arrived at the airport in force in the last year or two.

As we have answered similar inquiries, we offer this:As a non-EU citizen you are restricted to 90 day stays in the EU unless you get an extension from the Italian Consulate in the US for an additional 90 days. The regulation is that after a 90 day stay in the EU you must leave the EU for a period of at least 90 days before you can return. Past enforcement in various countries has been relatively lax, however, given the increase in terrorism in Europe, would expect a tightening in enforcement. If you plan to have longer stays in Italy you can apply for a form of residency. A number of non-EU folks on this Forum have opted for this process and can give you more precise information.There are several “flight paths” from the US to Pisa via Munich, Paris,  Rome, or London via various carriers. We travel annually from LAX to Pisa via Munich.You might have a look at Fivizzano and environs in Lunigiana. It is 30-40 minutes from the autostrada at Aulla on a well maintained “highway.”  About 1.5 hour drive from Pisa airport. It is a fortress city, historical, good medical facilities including a hospital, etc., a train depot in another village a few miles away, good bus service, a number of restaurants, bars, including Elvetica which hosts the English book library, Oxfam English library and store, active Expat community, small “supermarket,” gas station, a pharmacy, bank, and a number of small shops. An ideal location for someone who wants to be out of the tourist traffic, yet not too far from "civilization."  Had we been able to find a suitable property when we were looking, we would have bought in Fivizzano. They also have an extensive market in the square every Tuesday, I think.  There is a wide range of properties; from city apts. to town houses, to detached houses with small land areas just outside town, and some estate type properties with vineyards, boscos, etc. in the general area.  Check out properties at Lunigiana2000.comIt is just below the mountain range that has a fairly good ski resort. Not sure of winter snowfall ,in town, if any, or temps. Maybe someone from there might weigh in on that subject.Good luck,Fred 

thank you Casa Del Campanile for your very informative response.  I believe that we will only be staying in italy for 1-2 months out of the year at the most.  Fivizzano sounds beautiful!  Will definately check it out.  We're visiting Italy in May, I'm hoping to see a property or two during our visit.  Thanks your your advice and suggestions.

Hello, seebha 98. If you are coming to Northern Tuscany, I will recommend you to visit the Bagni di Lucca  area, 25 minutes away from Lucca capital, with two international airports within easy reach, both Florence and Pisa, train, buses, and a wonderful area. You can get plenty of information from this great blog, which has won a couple of IM awards https://bellabagnidilucca.com/about-bagni-di-lucca/Property prices are excellent right now and they will certainly go up. When we bought our property, some 8 years ago, the choice was very limited and prices were higher. Right now, throughout Italy, it is a buyer's market.why Bagni di Lucca? Location, location, location. As I said, two international airports within easy reach, offering easy connections with major international airlines and low cost carriers. Visits to Florence, PIsa,  Lucca, Sienna, Assisi, Bologna, the Cinque Terre, Volterra, Perugia and Lake Trasimeno, Forte dei Marmi and the Versilia Coast, the ski slopes at Abettone,... Are all day trips f we even go to Portofino for lunch. Need I say more?Good luck with your search. smiley

Hello, think about Apulia...take a look..herehttp://www.subito.it/ville-singole-e-a-schiera/masseria-del-600-completamente-ristrutturata-taranto-158489952.htm?last=1&spoint=aris 30 Km from Matera, 40 from Taranto, 50 from Bari (airport), and near Alberobello, Martina Franca...etc.

about....

completely renovated farmhouse , currently part of the house is a B & B ,
whose main building dates from 600.
panoramic views of the Ionian Sea ,
located about 3 km from the center of Castellaneta .
Surrounded by a olive grove of about 4 hectares .
Floor area of ​​about 450 square meters ,
materials pregioed spacious garden . Private negotiation .

Hi, I lived in New York and moved to a small town in Piedmont, just minutes from the beautiful vineyards of Gavi, the Serravalle Outlets, golf courses. Just one hour from the Genoa Airport. Here there are charming properties for sale at a very reasonable price: I will be happy to assist, should you be interest.Best regards, Carmen

Liguria : you can get there from Nice (France), Turin, Milan and Genova. As someone before allready mentioned, there is excellent public transport and of course there is the sea ! But prices at the coast are high.

Piemonte: no sea, but the same airports are easily reachable. Here you have to be look closer at public transportation, not all places are well connected, but small and charming cities as for example Acqui Terme are. And prices are more reasonable then in Liguria.

Hihave you ever consider the beautiful Monferrato region? It is in an ideal location between Milan, Turin and Genua, well connected through trains and bus routes, and has been recently listed in the Unesco Heritage Sites together with the more famous Langhe and Roero, due to the beauty of vineyards landscape.This area offers really a great choice of properties at a very interesting prices. You could find your dream home in a medieval village or in a commanding hilltop surrounded by vineyards....

Hi there, We (my wife and I) have been living in Lecce (Puglia) the last 4 years. For work I often have to go to Belgium (and actually moving back later this year).Nearest Airport is Brindis at a 30 minute drive. From Brindisi you can take a low-cost internal flight to Rome or Milan, and from those two you can fly to any place in the world. Since we're moving back, our house is up for sale. We're very close to the station (500m) and the historical center (500m).From Lecce you can go to the Brindisi airport either by taxi (never done it, but I think it's about 50 to 60 Euro) or by public transport  (bus, never done that either, below 10 Euro)  or Air shuttle (20 Euro).If you want to have a look at our house that's up for sale: http://www.immobiliare.it/54595816-Vendita-Palazzo-Stabile-via-dei-Scarpari-Lecce.html You can contact me through this site for more details. 

Hello there. We are about to move from South Africa to Le Marche. I researched for months and found properties in Tuscany and Umbria to be overpriced and over run by expats. In Le Marche it is still the old Italian way of life. Still loads of English speaking people from all over the world and prices are more reasonable. We are in the middle of the countryside but 90 minutes from internation airport, Ancona which has direct flights from Germany, UK, France etc. House is 25 minutes to the coast and 25 minutes to mountains. 4 klm to nearest village. The community spirit is incridible. Contact Luca Bianconi at luca@abitaregruppoimmobiliare.it for help. He was amazing with us and took us everywhere until we found what we were looking for. Good luck.