Finding a home in Italy

Whether you’re dreaming of an Italian holiday home or looking for a rental, we’ve got you covered.

You can find all the latest news, practical guides and readers’ real-life experiences in our property section. You might want to start by reading our hard-won tips on how not to buy a house in Italy. 

If you’re looking for a rental, here are some of the quirks and pitfalls to look out for when apartment-hunting, and we’ve got a guide to the Italian vocabulary you’ll need.

Planning a renovation? Here’s a look at what you could claim a refund for using Italy’s building ‘superbonus’ plus the other government grants available when building or renovating a property this year.

Learning the Italian language

This is no doubt one of your top priorities if you’re moving to Italy, but it doesn’t have to be a struggle.

Give your conversational Italian a quick boost with our list of 12 incredibly useful Italian words to know, and some amusing idioms that people actually use.

Our Word of the Day series also explains some of our favourite expressions, as well as the slang and curious phrases that you probably won’t find in your Italian class textbook.

Residency or citizenship?

If you’re planning to move to Italy long-term, residency is a must. You may also be looking at gaining Italian citizenship via one of several pathways. Here’s a look at the difference between residency and citizenship, plus the resources you’ll need to apply for either.

From visas to driving licences, tax codes and health cards, we have guides to navigating all aspects of Italy’s famous bureaucracy. 

As Italy is now making more services digital, here’s a guide to 19 bits of Italian bureaucracy you can do online.

And if your bureaucratic woes are Brexit-related, see our latest guides to the paperwork you’ll need in our ‘Dealing with Brexit’ section.

Work and self-employment

Italy might not be the first country you’d think of moving to in order to start a high-flying career. Unless you’re retiring, you may be wondering how you’ll make a living at all in a country known for chronic economic troubles.

But there are opportunities in some sectors – plus, working remotely has never been more attractive or more feasible for freelancers and small business owners in Italy. Here’s what you need to know about “smart working” in the country.

Find more news and information about work and business in Italy here.

Everyday life in Italy

Whatever daily obstacles you might come up against on your Italian adventure, we’ve got you covered – whether you find yourself needing to take a driving test, or are preparing to meet the Italian in-laws.

Plus here’s a guide to the most common mistakes foreigners make when they first move to Italy.

Life abroad is even trickier to navigate during the coronavirus pandemic, and as the situation changes in Italy we’ll be here keeping you informed. See here for all the latest news on Italy’s coronavirus rules, travel restrictions, vaccinations, and more.

Italian food and culture

Of course, the lifestyle is one of the biggest reasons people choose to relocate to Italy, and this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Italy’s famed cuisine. 

Here’s a look at how your eating and drinking habits change when you move to Italy, plus the common Italian food myths you need to stop believing.

Which aspect of Italian life would you like to hear more about on The Local? Get in touch and let us know at [email protected]