Thankyou for your advice. I'm cycling next week in Basilicata, Calabria and Sicilia looking for a place to rent from late sept to may 2010. These are the regions where we are now seriously looking at. Priorities: a child friendly environment where our 2 boys (4 & 7) can play and bond with local kids; a place offering art inspiration (painting is my biggest love); a place where local people won't feel threatened by our presence for my income source is internet based so teaching a few hours (voluntarily or for a symbolic fee) at the local school will be the furthest encroachment into the local job market; a place where we may stay longer for the planned year or at least return to on a regular basis.