Like many of you lucky people we are hoping to buy soon and retire as soon as

Hi Caroline, We have the same idea, and are buying a small property in Grottole, near Irsina. We go out in September to sign the contract, and then (hopefully) it will be renovated, and we should be able to take possession around next Easter. Where is your property? Perhaps we will be neighbours! All the best, Karen

And we just did the same overlooking Dolceacqua in Liguria - we're building from scratch so estimate it will be ready in 18 months to 2 years - fantastico.  We're not quite retiring but will be living out in italy permanently and I'll be flying back to the UK every other week whilst my husband is going to learn how to care for our olive trees etc - can't wait! 

Welcome - like you we have put a deposit on a place in Polinago, Emilia Romagna and will be coming over for final settlement in November.  We hope to transfer in the longer term, from Australia next June. We are really excited at the prospect of working on restoring our farmhouse over the next couple of years!

Hi, Caroline and welcome. Good luck with your plans.  You will always find friendship, help and good advice here. Pat

Norfolk - Where are you looking in Lucania? Karen - Grottole has a nice view of the Basento, are you in town? I think it would be easier to get to Matera than Irsina from Grottole.

We have bought a small property- an ancient wine vault- in Grottole and it is the process of being renovated. It should be finished at the end of May/beginning June, when we shall be coming out for the handover, then trying to make it habitable. It has a lovely view of the valley and hills- and the windmills! But I don't mind these. Anyone who is in the vicinity, do get in touch.

Welcome Karen I am also from Norfolk living just outside Norwich. Some of the question that I have asked of the knowlegable members may give you a clue as to the pitfalls of renovating. By the way my place is in Abruzzi. However as you have worked in Italy you should have no problems with the language.

Renovating an old home and seeing it come back to life is part of the fun; however, careful planning is needed. This site is full of stories about the pitfalls of renovation. Also, it is not a good idea to buy the first ruin that comes along. It is most important to estimate final costs before you even buy.

We are also planning to retire to Italy when hubby retires in 3yrs. We've just had our first exciting househunting trip and have seen a possiblemodest house in Umbria and are awaiting some estimates for the renovations, however we may decide to wait and return in September for another look as it's a big step.

This is a great forum. I am grateful to be learning so much from all of you about what I can expect when living in Italy. By chance, do any of you know any DePasquales' in Basilicata? My grandmother, Rosina Delano DePasquale was born in Vietri di Potenza, Potenza, Basilicata, around 1895. Her siblings were Nicolina DePasquale, Vincenzina DePasquale and Luigi DePasquale. Her parents were Matteo DePasquale and Maria Lucia Noschese. Rosina, Nicolina, and Vincenzina raised there families in Yonkers, New York. Luigi settled in Milwaukie, Wisconsin. I've been reading about the taxes there, and wondering how the tax rate differs for non citizens, and those with dual citizenship. I am currently researching dual citizenship for myself. Vi auguro tutto ciò che è buono nella vita, Ron (Roland) Merlino

Hi Ron You should visit www.italiangenealogy.com forum.  There you will get loads of help tracing your family. Good luck. Joy

Wow! I haven't been here in a long while. I am going to Italy for three weeks in October. I will be visiting my grandparent's birthplace in Taranta Peligna, Chieti, Abruzzo. I will be driving for the first time from Rome to Abruzzo. I am a bit apprehensive about all there is to learn about driving in Italy, but I am doing my homework. A few nights in Rome, four nights in Taranta, six nights somewhere in Tuscany, a few nights in Venice and winding up with a few nights in Milan from where I will fly back to the States. Any and all suggestions are most welcome.

Driving in Italy is fine. Big cities like Rome have more assertive drivers just like London and Paris and you need to not dither as if in a hire car they will assume you're a local. Traffic is bad with scooters all over the place. Country roads are fine. Motorways, don't linger in the fast lane. Overtake and pull in otherwise you get aggressive tailgating. Dont forget to tske the ticket when joining a toll road as you'll need it upon exit, and a few toll roads around Milan and Rome you pay in advance as they are part of the outer ring road. You can use a credit or debit card for tolls but it might be cheaper to buy a token so can use the automatic gates. Parking, some places you need to use and display the clock card in your hire card and use Google Maps to warn you of ZTLs otherwise the charge will eventually be passed on to you. This might all be a bit unfamiliar but you'll soon get the hang of it and you'll see some lovely places off the tourist track.

Saluti, Caroline! It sounds like you have had a wonderful experience living and working in various regions of Italy. Buying a property there and planning holidays as you prepare for a potential permanent move sounds like an exciting venture. Italy is a beautiful country with rich culture, history, and cuisine, offering a great lifestyle for residents and visitors alike. I wish you the best of luck with your plans, and I hope you enjoy many joyful moments in your new home and during your holidays in Italy.