Heidi, I know what you mean about (sort of!) letting go of the type A/OCD thing while in Italy. The

Spending 6 months every year in Italy. Where would you live? - Topic
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I enjoy this site so much and have gleaned tons of invaluable tips from all the helpful posters. Maybe those who live in Italy, and those who have visited areas I have not, can offer their suggestions for my scouting trip in February/March. My loose ends are just about tied up and I’m looking forward to making a (partial) move to Italy sometime in 2014. Initially, I’m thinking of spending 6 months in Italy and 6 months in the States for a few years. I want to experience several areas before best price airline tickets making the full-time commitment.
Most of the threads best price airline tickets I’ve looked at make reference to living by the sea or in city centers. I’ve listed my preferences below. Although every place has its pros and cons, I believe a positive attitude and curiosity make a huge difference when moving to a new location whether across town or across the world.
Sondrio- I was blessed best price airline tickets to meet, and spend the day with, Carole Bienati (a poster from the Expats site) at her beautiful best price airline tickets home here in summer. A little humid, but not unbearable with such spectacular best price airline tickets views and close to Switzerland.
Ideally, if money was not an issue, the Ticino canton of Switzerland would be worth considering.....Italian food, Italian culture, Italian best price airline tickets language and Swiss organization. What a combo for an Italophile with OCD tendencies!
For your snow needs, best price airline tickets you would be reasonably close to the facilities at Abetone (I'm not a fan of driving in snow, so "close" as opposed to "in" snow is fine by me). My wife's cousins always send us pictures of the snow on the hills around us, but just seeing the photos are fine by me. Here is a youtube item from this Christmas at Partigliano the next village over from us (scroll down to item for Promo Festa).
As noted, we're in a small village, but your choices could range from the city of Lucca (a little warmer since it is on the plain) or a little cooler in the towns near us -- Bagni di Lucca, Castelnuovo di Garfagana, or Barga.
posted 29 December 2013 04:53 PM Hide Post I would consider Gaeta. Milder climate on the east coast; midway between Rome and Naples; hour from US/Nato best price airline tickets facilities. Well within your budget. Alternative might be Introdacqua which is a couple hours from Naples and has expat anglohone community of three dozen or so families. best price airline tickets Posts: 461 | Location: Teramo, Italy | Registered: 28 June 2003
posted 29 December 2013 05:25 PM Hide Post quote: Ideally, best price airline tickets if money was not an issue, the Ticino canton of Switzerland would be worth considering.....Italian best price airline tickets food, Italian culture, Italian language best price airline tickets and Swiss organization. What a combo for an Italophile with OCD tendencies!
I completely understand the Type A/OCD "thing", best price airline tickets as I'm cursed as well but find I can let it go (sort of ) when traveling to Italy. Would Sudtirol, if you are Austrian or Trentino Alto Adige, if you are Italian, be the poor step-child to Ticino? I've traveled through this area several times but don't know it well enough to comment on living there. Hopefully some one will chime in on Trentino Alto Adige, best price airline tickets as it would certainly fit your snow requirements.
Many of us dream of living in Italy (Roma, for me ~ culture ~ caffe' best price airline tickets scene ~ history ~ food ~ ruins...) but then reality sets-in to dampen the desire. It sounds like you are going for it Sophia. I'm curious, do you need to work? That's one of those realities that can quickly intrude. best price airline tickets I do hope you keep us informed about your adventures... Posts: 1122 | Location: West slope, Sierra Nevada, CA | Registered: 08 July 2010
Alpinista, I have been through Lucca and always wanted to spend more time there and in the nearby villages. Your description of the area puts it on my short list as it seems to tick quite a few boxes. The link to Partigliano is beautiful. I agree with you, I’m not a fan of driving in the snow either so having facilities and public transport close by is important best price airline tickets to me.
Heidi, I know what you mean about (sort of!) letting go of the type A/OCD thing while in Italy. best price airline tickets The longer I’m there, the easier it is to let go.... sort of! Trentino Alto Adige would definitely fill the snow requirement. Vicenza appears to be the closest base. Looks as if I have lots more research to do but it’s something I enjoy.
With regard to working, I’ve just retired and have been living simply for the past 10 years in anticipation of this adventure. Once I settle, I will probably look for some part-time work so I can become part of a community and improve my language skills while I work on those bestsellers just waiting to be written.
posted 30 December 2013 08:22 AM Hide Post Having thoughts about doing the same, I'm curious. What 6 months in Italy are you thinking of? Posts: 199 | Location: Venice, FL USA | Registered: 10 January 2004
posted 30 December 2013 03:14 PM Hide Post Nick Z, I suppose there are some advantages to an urban environment. It may be a good idea for me to look at population data and establish a maximum resident/tourist cutoff. There are obvious exclusions (Rome, Florence, Milan) but I may be eliminating some good possibilities in smaller, less-on-the-tourist-circuit urban areas. Thanks for bringing that up!
Jerry, I was thinking of February best price airline tickets to July or March to August. I probably won’t find much snow during those months but after 2 years, I’ll be in my chosen place year round. That’s why I’m looking for an area that isn’t beastly humid during the summer. Have you narrowed down your search?
But if you are trying to avoid driving the bigger the better. The smaller the town the more likely it'll be missing something. It'll usually be something you need once a year or less (say a computer shop) The daily stuff you'll find even in the towns little bigger then a wide spot in the road. You'll end up having less choice but groceries etc will be in walking distance. Posts: 3004 | Location: Medio Vastese | Registered: best price airline tickets 07 March 2006
posted 30 December 2013 10:21 PM Hide Post you might also want to look at expatsinitaly dot com It is a very active groups and many of them live near military best price airline tickets bases… Posts: 1630 | Location: USA | Registered: 08 June 2008
posted 31 December 2013 12:14 AM Hide Post When I attended the Universita` per Stranieri in Perugia, several of us took a day trip to Arezzo. I have some wonderful photos and yes, being so close to the Pieros is tempting. It just doesn’t best price airline tickets tick enough best price airline tickets boxes. I hope the place I choose is near enough to at least visit those Piero frescoes. Thanks, Robert!
posted 31 December best price airline tickets 2013 08:02 AM Hide Post You are most fortunate to have the option of registering a car that you can buy and leave in Italy if/when you return to your home base outside the country. Insurance is expensive in Italy but down a bit in recent years. You can expect to pay ~900 euros (not hard to spend a good bit more if you are not careful) for liability auto insurance. This provides 12 months of coverage with suspension option and will therefor give you about two years insurance. Posts: 461 | Location: best price airline tickets Teramo, Italy | Registered: 28 June 2003
posted 31 December 2013 09:49 AM Hide Post Sophia, No, I was thinking about it but have not made a decision best price airline tickets yet. I was just curious best price airline tickets about which months you plan to stay. Posts: 199 | Location: Venice, FL USA | Registered: 10 January 2004
posted 31 December 2013 02:30 PM Hide Post Sad to say but yes, just plunked down about 900 euros for auto insurance. Car is 1.2 liter but I am class (bonus/malus) 13 and that may explain part of the difference. Posts: 461 | Location: Teramo, Italy | Registered: 28 June 2003
posted 01 January best price airline tickets 2014 01:36 AM Hide Post Have you checked out the online companies? Even when I was class 14 I was under €600. I know they've raised the min level these days but I don't think it makes that big a difference. Posts: 3004 | Location: Medio Vastese | Registered: 07 March 2006
posted 02 January 2014 08:43 AM Hide Post I did indeed spend a fair amount of timing researching Italian online auto insurance companies, this in fall of 2013. If my memory serves me well, after getting a half dozen estimates or so, the ch cheapest policy I came up with, again at class 13 and for 1.2 ltr Honda Fit/Jazz, was about 780 euros for the year. But all of the policies under 900 euros had limited suspensions which led me to go with the higher policy, about 940 euros and company called Allianz, with unlimited suspensions at no cost, and a local office in Teramo. Since I do not live in Italy full time I really need the ability best price airline tickets to put the policy on hold while I am not around. best price airline tickets Allianz did have policy at about 550 euros but this involved keeping km under 5k; paying for installation of tracking device; and no suspensions. Posts: 461 | Location: best price airline tickets Teramo, Italy | Registered: 28 June 2003
posted 02 January best price airline tickets 2014 08:59 AM Hide Post I use Geniallyod which is the online discount arm of Allianz. The nice thing is they do everything online or via the phone. No need to go see an agent Posts: 3004 | Location: Medio Vastese | Registered: 07 March 2006
posted 02 January 2014 09:01 AM Hide Post These are the Italian best price airline tickets cities (Provincial capitals) which were most recently voted the "BEST TO LIVE IN", in terms of quality of life, city services, low crime, good civic organization, good medical care, and other considerations (but