MAP: Where do all the Brits live in Italy?
Have you ever wondered how many British nationals live in Italy? We looked at how many there are and where they live – and which areas of the country they tend to avoid.
From the famous landscapes to food and relaxed ways of life, there are plenty of things which make Italy a popular destination for Brits moving abroad.
According to the latest data from Italian statistics office Istat, Italy is currently home to just over five million foreigners, making up around 8.7 percent of the country’s total population.
This data only refers to people who have officially registered their residence with local authorities, and doesn’t include foreign nationals who only spend part of the year in Italy or dual citizens.
But exactly how many of these residents come from the UK and where do they all live?
Largest English-speaking community
Italy is currently home to 27,760 UK nationals, corresponding to around 0.54 percent of the country’s total foreign population.
For context, the Romanian community, which is the largest in the country, is made up of well over one million residents and accounts for roughly 21 percent.
That said, Brits are the largest English-speaking group in Italy as around five in 10 native Anglophones living in the peninsula are from the UK.
Americans are the second-largest English-speaking group in Italy with 15,580 residents (that’s around three in 10 Anglophones), while Irish people rank third with 3,660 residents.
Lombardy is the most popular region
Lombardy – the northern region boasting the largest job market in the country and including Italy’s financial powerhouse Milan – is home to some 4,890 Brits, making it the most popular region among UK nationals.
READ ALSO: Moving to Italy: How much does it cost to live in Milan in 2024?
Lazio, which includes Italy’s capital Rome, ranks second with 3,860 Brits, while Tuscany – the central region famous for its art cities and stunning countryside landscapes – comes in third with around 3,800.
All in all, Lazio, Lombardy and Tuscany are collectively home to nearly half of the total number of Brits living in the country.
That said, other regions of the boot also have notable numbers of UK nationals.
Emilia-Romagna, which includes the lively and youthful Bologna, is home to 1,920 Brits, whereas Piedmont, including the industrial hub of Turin, has 1,790.
Veneto, which is captained by Italy’s 'floating city' Venice, has 1,620 UK nationals, while the sunny and warm Puglia region has 1,230.
Brits love Rome
Though Lombardy may be the most sought-after region, Rome is the Italian city with the highest number of Brits as 3,130 UK nationals live there.
Rome's tourism industry, cultural cachet and government institutions mean it acts as a magnetic pole for the entire region, as around eight in 10 UK nationals living in Lazio are concentrated in the metropolitan area.
READ ALSO: Moving to Italy: How much does it cost to live in Rome in 2024?
Milan is a far second in the city ranking, as 2,380 Brits live in Lombardy’s capital.
Tuscany’s capital Florence comes in third with 1,030 britannici, while Lucca (930) and Turin (750) complete the top five.
Southern regions (and the Aosta Valley) are generally avoided
Barring Puglia, all of Italy’s southern regions have comparatively lower numbers of British residents, with the lack of job opportunities in the area likely being the main determining factor.
Aosta Valley (a small autonomous region in the north-west of the peninsula) and Basilicata are the second- and third-least popular regions, with just 100 and 110 UK nationals respectively.
READ ALSO: Retirement in Italy: What you need to know about visas and residency
But the region where you're least likely to hear British English spoken is Molise, which is home to just 90 Brits.
This however shouldn't come as much of a surprise as Molise is the second-least populous region in Italy after the Aosta Valley.
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From the famous landscapes to food and relaxed ways of life, there are plenty of things which make Italy a popular destination for Brits moving abroad.
According to the latest data from Italian statistics office Istat, Italy is currently home to just over five million foreigners, making up around 8.7 percent of the country’s total population.
This data only refers to people who have officially registered their residence with local authorities, and doesn’t include foreign nationals who only spend part of the year in Italy or dual citizens.
But exactly how many of these residents come from the UK and where do they all live?
Largest English-speaking community
Italy is currently home to 27,760 UK nationals, corresponding to around 0.54 percent of the country’s total foreign population.
For context, the Romanian community, which is the largest in the country, is made up of well over one million residents and accounts for roughly 21 percent.
That said, Brits are the largest English-speaking group in Italy as around five in 10 native Anglophones living in the peninsula are from the UK.
Americans are the second-largest English-speaking group in Italy with 15,580 residents (that’s around three in 10 Anglophones), while Irish people rank third with 3,660 residents.
Lombardy is the most popular region
Lombardy – the northern region boasting the largest job market in the country and including Italy’s financial powerhouse Milan – is home to some 4,890 Brits, making it the most popular region among UK nationals.
READ ALSO: Moving to Italy: How much does it cost to live in Milan in 2024?
Lazio, which includes Italy’s capital Rome, ranks second with 3,860 Brits, while Tuscany – the central region famous for its art cities and stunning countryside landscapes – comes in third with around 3,800.
All in all, Lazio, Lombardy and Tuscany are collectively home to nearly half of the total number of Brits living in the country.
That said, other regions of the boot also have notable numbers of UK nationals.
Emilia-Romagna, which includes the lively and youthful Bologna, is home to 1,920 Brits, whereas Piedmont, including the industrial hub of Turin, has 1,790.
Veneto, which is captained by Italy’s 'floating city' Venice, has 1,620 UK nationals, while the sunny and warm Puglia region has 1,230.
Brits love Rome
Though Lombardy may be the most sought-after region, Rome is the Italian city with the highest number of Brits as 3,130 UK nationals live there.
Rome's tourism industry, cultural cachet and government institutions mean it acts as a magnetic pole for the entire region, as around eight in 10 UK nationals living in Lazio are concentrated in the metropolitan area.
READ ALSO: Moving to Italy: How much does it cost to live in Rome in 2024?
Milan is a far second in the city ranking, as 2,380 Brits live in Lombardy’s capital.
Tuscany’s capital Florence comes in third with 1,030 britannici, while Lucca (930) and Turin (750) complete the top five.
Southern regions (and the Aosta Valley) are generally avoided
Barring Puglia, all of Italy’s southern regions have comparatively lower numbers of British residents, with the lack of job opportunities in the area likely being the main determining factor.
Aosta Valley (a small autonomous region in the north-west of the peninsula) and Basilicata are the second- and third-least popular regions, with just 100 and 110 UK nationals respectively.
READ ALSO: Retirement in Italy: What you need to know about visas and residency
But the region where you're least likely to hear British English spoken is Molise, which is home to just 90 Brits.
This however shouldn't come as much of a surprise as Molise is the second-least populous region in Italy after the Aosta Valley.
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