ever feel like you just want to move to italy?
 

My mom, sis and I just returned from our trip to Italy (Rome and the Amalfi Coast) and I want to go back! Thanks to all of the fodorites who gave me such great advice before we left. It was our first time to the country and I don't think we could have had a better time -- aside from the sore feet and legs from all the walking :)

On our last day in Rome, before heading to Sorrento, I thought to myself, "I just don't want to leave this place." Rome was by far my favorite, with its fast-paced, yet kind of laid back style. The drivers were crazy, but we soon learned how to carefully dart in front of traffic (though my sister did get backed into by a car, but she's OK). I longed to ride on a vespa, but, alas, it didn't happen.

My dream would be to drop everything, pack up a few of my belongings and head for Rome indefinitely. I'm sure this is a common affliction among Rome travelers ... :)

Rome is my favorite city in Europe, and I would love to move there, even for just a few years. Let me know if you can figure out a good way to do so... ;)

I'm glad you had a wonderful trip!

Tracy

My DH and I often talk of moving to Venice. StatiaSis wants to move to Rome. Yep...we'd all just pack up and head to Italia if given the opportunity.

Since DH and I hold an EU passport, he tells me that we need to "look" for the opporutnity. Maybe he's right. ;)

You should look at the expat forum at www.slowtrav.com if you're serious. Getting beyond a 90 day visa is difficult. Remember, it's easy to fall in love with a place while on vacation versus going through daily life there.

I do think I agree with buongiorno. I often thought about that...I love Rome, but I wonder if it would eventually get on my nerves if I was there for an extended length of time.

I think that, given the chance, I would probably fare better living in southern Germany or Austria because the culture seems to jive more with what I am used to at home. I could have chocolate croissants whenever I wanted, and I would be able to take weekend trips to Italy all the time!

Tracy

buongirono, thanks for the tip on slowtrav.com.

And, believe me...I know what you mean about the difference between going some place as a tourist and actually living there. I've been on an 8-square mile island in the Caribbean for the past 13 years and we say that to everyone who thinks of taking on small island life. :) Things are very different and inconvenient with day to day life versus a short visit.

Every day.

I love Italy and have traveled there many times, but I would never move there or purchase property there. I have a few friends who live there and I've heard all the horror stories about the ways think work (or don't work). I would love to do long-term rentals--the feeling of setting up house and putting down roots without all the agony.

Yes, for a long time, and last year I actually bought a house there (in Puglia, in the south). It's wonderful, when I'm having a bad day and it's pouring with rain, to think about my little bit of heaven in the sun.

It's just for holidays for now, but in the future, who knows? My dream would be to winter in London (and earn some money!) and summer in Italy, writing that novel we all have in us.

I do live in Italy - because I married an Italian, not because I had any particular dream of living in Italy (had never even thought about it before I met him - I was raised in Asia). I'm happy, but it's not always sunshine and red wine. Italy has its own problems, and some of them (e.g., employment) are severe, without much hope for positive change in the near future.

My website http://www.beginningwithi.com/ has a lot of material about what it's really like to live here, both good and bad.

FYI, the expats forum on slowtrav spun off a while ago to become http://expatsinitaly.com/ , which has a particularly helpful discussion forum where all your questions about the nitty-gritties of actually picking up and moving here are answered.


best regards,
Deirdré Straughan

beginningwithi.com

And people really do do it! If you're serious, that is. I have a dear friend who left the U.S. for Switzerland 15 years or so ago, been there ever since.

Yes. And did so.

And certainly wouldn't do so again - though in fairness, that's mostly to do with the Italian way of doing business.

3-4 weeks at a time is about the max possible. In a house where someone else can worry about the electrics.

My husband and I keep thinking it would be great to retire to the Italian countryside and live close to the land the way my ancestors did. But in reality we'd probably be bored after a month or two...he's addicted to city life although he won't admit it, I'd miss my family too much and my Italian isn't good enough to place orders...O well. We will visit again and again instead and continue to dream. We will always be willing to dream of living there!

Could you plan a 3 month trip? Isn't that how long standard tourist visits are allowed without special paperwork requirements?

I don't know the length of the vacation you just returned from, but that would give you a much better feel for reality of living there full-time.

I feel the same about Italy, but got a different slant from a high school acquaintance who married an Italian and moved there years ago.

She lives in Florence, one of my favorite cities, and is reasonably happy, but she spent a lot of time telling us what's wrong with Italy when you have to deal with day-to-day things. It sounded like the same hassles all of us deal with wherever we live.

Like many, I've entertained the thought of moving to Italy for a year or two (I speak some Italian) but have mostly written it off to "sounded like a good idea at the time."

I, unfortunately, am not in a position to really make a major move. I'm young and single, but am really just starting my career. It's closer to a fantasy than a reality for me at this point.

And I agree that, like any city, living there is different than visiting. I would expect that. But, you'll never know if you can live somewhere unless you do it. It would be wonderful to take a three-month vaca, but I don't think that's quite on the menu yet, either :)

I wouldn't mind moving to Italy (or many other places) if I could live like I do when on vacation in those places. But I couldn't afford to do so year round.

No dishes to , no work to commute to, no idiot boss with stupid questions, no bills to pay, spend the day doing whatever I want to do.

Yes, Italy while on vacation is a wonderful place to be.

DD lived in Italy for 6 months and wants to go back, I want to live in Spain, and DH wants to live in France...mmm...wonder how this would work out :-d

Meant to add--Deidre, thanks for the link to your website--it's fantastic--I e-mailed this to DD as well.

Nope. I want to live in Paris. All I need to do is marry a rich Frenchman and I'm set.