Italy is a strong holiday destination, offering gorgeous scenery, delicious food, and a welcoming atmosphere. However, many expats fall in love with the country and seek to build a permanent life there.
You certainly have a lot of options for where you put down roots, and each location offers something different for an expat. Let’s look at some of the best parts of Italy and see what they’ve got on offer. We’re confident you’ll be making plans when you’ve finished reading.
1. Milan
Milan has earned a reputation for being Italy's economic and creative nerve centre. This city is a delicate balance of past and present, from catering to artists, big companies and entrepreneurs alike.
It’s also worth pointing out that Milan tries and often succeeds in being at the forefront of sustainability. The area is known for giving more back to the environment than other locations, with energy-saving infrastructure and vehicle sharing services designed to cut down on traffic and reduce overall pollution.
Residents often purchase older, dilapidated homes and renovate them into modern, family-oriented communities. There’s an abundance of little restaurants, shops, open green areas and good schooling.
Anyone who wants to live in Milan will also appreciate how much of a transport hub it is – accessible from anywhere in the world.
2. Bologna
If you’re after food and a good lifestyle, we recommend looking at Bologna.
This is widely considered to be the culinary capital of Italy. It was also ranked second in the annual quality of life survey, giving you the confidence to commit to the area. Of course, plenty of things you can do that aren’t food-related. After all, Bologna is a warm, enjoyable place for most of the year.
The area scores higher than many other places in Italy in terms of average wealth, safety, business productivity, and public health, which makes it a good place to live. There is also plenty to see and do. For example, the arched arcades in the area were built in the 13th century and are a core part of Italian history.
3. Rome
If you need somewhere to live which will remain a wonderful place for years to come then obviously, you can’t forget about Rome. Don’t be fooled by Rome sliding a little further down the quality of life reports - it’s still one of the best places to live when considering employment, business and overall health.
From a culturally rich life to fine dining and even great public transportation, there is plenty to appreciate with Rome and it should come as no great surprise that people flock here. It’s also a good cost of living relative to locations like London, Berlin and Paris.
Real estate prices have been dropping for a while now, which means that Rome is more affordable to buy property in than it has been for a while. However, rent has gone up to match, so if you do live in the area, be prepared to spend money.
4. Venice
To what should be the surprise of nobody, Venice makes it onto the list as being one of the best places in Italy to build a new life. Arguably the tourist capital of the area, Venice shines as being a wonderful place to live filled with rich history and plenty of character.
The waterways are obviously a core part of the process, and they offer a lot of opportunities to see the city and experience its many charms. There’s plenty of culture on display, so it shouldn’t be a great surprise to know you can sample the delights of Italy without straying too far from home.
5. Florence
Perhaps the biggest appeal of Florence is how much history is contained in the city and many people have agreed that the area feels like one big outdoor museum. It is the home of the Italian Renaissance, and both residents and visitors alike find themselves exploring every weekend.
The great thing about living in Florence is that people have access to an amazing variety of properties. There are small units, old-school apartments, as well as Renaissance mansions available for purchase if you have the budget.
On top of that, Florence just has a really nice atmosphere. It was voted the third nicest place to live in Italy overall, and this is a well-earned reputation. The locals are friendly, there’s a good quality of life, and there’s plenty of culture to nourish the soul.
Moving to Italy
As you can see, there are plenty of places to move to in Italy that would definitely open up a lot of opportunities and give you a really great quality of life. It’s worth noting that Italy generally does have a lot on offer, but it is catching up with Europe in the sense that rent prices are increasing again. Some areas are cheaper than others, but it’s worth it if you are prepared to spend a little bit more because of what Italy can offer a visitor full-time.
These are just a handful of the places you could live in Italy. There are plenty of other options available and they’re all great, it’s just up to you to pick where you want to build a life that is good for your needs. If you’re looking for work and availability, your best bet is to move to one of the bigger cities, but if you’re not in a position where work is a problem, check out one of the smaller towns or villages and appreciate a quiet piece of life.
Ultimately, we are here to help you with finding the ideal place to live, and we are more than happy to help you get there by offering European removal services. We’ve been doing removals to Italy for a long time, so you should feel confident that we can take care of your needs.
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