I have been taking Italian lessons and realized I will learn a lot faster just by going to Italy for a month. So if Covid is not raging or we aren't in WWIII, I thought in October I would choose a town with good internet and friendly people and telework for a month. I thought about Rome (love that city) but I will be alone and thought maybe I would prefer a smaller place like Orvieto or ?? My husband is out of vacation days and cannot telework so it would be me alone.... just looking for affordable, good train transportation, good intranet-- do not want to be on a farm (despite that sounds lovely) because I do want to be able to interact with my Italian too. And not super expensive rent!

Lucca, Bologna, Spello and Bassano del Grappa are big favorites of mine, a range of sizes too.

The choices are endless. To get a better response, can you narrow down your criteria?

Of course... my criteria are not particularly demanding:
1. High-speed internet (that should narrow it down a lot!)--I will be working part of the time
2. Not a high-end tourist trap (I was not a big fan of the South of France and all the boutiques for wealthy tourists).
3. I love Umbria... so maybe there with easy access to train station because I would like to be able to go into Rome and Florence.
4. Friendly because I would like to practice Italian
5. Not completely crazy with tourists or tourist shops (so not a place like Venice.....although I did discover going completely off the beaten path... there can be a reason nobody goes to certain places)
6. I will be cooking and eating out... so the usual.
7. I am a painter so when I am not working... I do plan to be looking at art and ruins

Venice would be my first choice for atmosphere, but I can't address your other criteria.

Perugia would be wonderful.as well:

https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/perugia-and-rome-by-train-and-bus-769131/

I love Venice but I cannot bear the crowds. Wouldn't mind something less teaming with tourists. Thankyou

Brescia or perhaps one of the smaller towns in the Po valley. Smaller will be better.
Montagnana is small, pretty and friendly, just check speeds

Vicenza, between Verona and Venice, is beautiful with nice markets, friendly if you really try to use your Italian (especially in restaurants) or go to a church service. We are not Catholic, but went because I wanted to see the church, so were respectful and sat quietly for the whole service. Afterwards, many people invited us to come for other things and to stay for a gathering. It was lovely. I doubt they had many travelers come to a service, and they seemed eager to speak with us. Right on rail lines so easy to go many places.

Pordenone, North of Venice is absolutely charming, few tourists, really great restaurants, chocolate shops, right on the rail line. This is a very overlooked area of Italy that is pretty with great food.

Trieste. I have not been there, but looks pretty and interesting and less touristy than some places.

OTOH, you can’t beat more Southern areas for friendliness. A city, yes, but I would absolutely love to have a month in Naples. My experience was that people are the warmest, most friendly of any place in Italy. I have been a few times and like it more each time. I hope it never changes to be more like Milan or Northern cities.

You might consider Sicily too.

I have been to Lucca and enjoyed a few days, but would have to consider carefully for longer. IMHE, it was so touristy during the day that store keepers, waiters, etc. seemed busy, tired and very impatient. Food was wonderful though.

I guess, if I had a month, I would choose Naples.

Interesting. I was in Naples 25 years ago and at the time... I wasn't living in NYC so wasn't used to gritty... I will be alone (my husband cannot work remotely) so definitely want something where I feel safe. Living here, I know where to go and where not to wander. But my grandmother is from Naples and I have discovered I have alot of relatives in Calabria so... could make sense.

Only in Italy: O'Panar! The Naples Basket Lift - GRAND VOYAGE ITALY
https://www.npr.org/2020/04/07/82802...d-the-homeless

https://medium.com/agileinsider/digi...y-b16688cb0b39

You’ll need to apply for an Italian digital nomad visa since you are planning to work remotely from Italy. I believe Italy is a recent addition to the list of countries offering these types of visas.

Is that even if I only tele-work for one month? I thought this bill hadn't been enacted yet?

It's kind of confusing on what I need to do---if I bring a laptop and spend a few hours every day answering emails or writing some content for the nonprofit I work for. Heck I would be contributing to the economy by buying groceries, paying rent etc.

Technically, one cannot work - even volunteer work - without a visa. Whether you would be caught . . . ??? Likely not, but it is a requirement.

Good to know. I will apply for a Visa--not yet since who knows what curveball the world will throw at us next and I wouldn't be doing this until fall. But I still need to figure out a town with high-speed internet, friendly and not so overrun with tourists that local people are burned out on us. I am a fan of Umbria.

Why don't you go to Bologna. It's no "town", sure, but it's smaller than Rome, obviously. I think it's about the size of Venice. It is an industrial and tech hub and fairly wealthy, so they have good internet. Of course there are tourists there as in any larger Italian city, but I don't think it's a tourist magnet like Venice or that it's on the top list of most people's thoughts when they decide to travel to Italy for the first time. And no cruise ships.since it's not on a coast. It's a good central location for travel, also. And has a university, also.

some free Wifi spots
https://bologna-guide.com/free-wifi-...taying-online/

I might put painting ruins and looking at art as a hobby, you can do that in your spare time and travel if you want to. Besides, small towns don't have great art museums. However, Bologna does have art museums plus some historic buildings and Medieval architecture. Most cities/towns don't have ruins in them, of course. I don't find a lot of ruins that scenic, actually, in many cases not much is left, it isn't really interesting from an art point of view as from an archeological/historical view. Bologna does have ruins, of course, being so old.

here's a good guide
https://www.anyplace.com/city-guide/italy/bologna

and nice buildings
https://www.italymagazine.com/featur...dieval-bologna

Great suggestion, Christina. We really enjoyed Bologna when we were there and hope to return some day.

You will certainly be doing the Italian economy a favour by living there for a month, it does help but a visa is needed if you plan to work regardless of profit status. Since the digital nomad scheme is there to attract people to countries from where you can work remotely, I believe this is a positive step not a negative one.

Without the digital nomad visa, the visa application would presumably be more complex although details of how to apply for the DNV are not yet available. It’s a scheme available in a few European countries & other international ones. A popular one for Brits has been the Barbados DNV.

I believe the digital nomad visa scheme details for Italy will be available in May.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/new...al-nomad-visa/

I went on the Italian VIsa site and it seemed to indicate if you were working there for less than 90 days remotely, you don't need a Visa. I am only going for a month. Trying to find out more. Thanks

Sounds perfect! Or maybe you can stay longer…..