Where in Italy do you live?

initaly · #1 (**permalink**) 20th August 2007, 02:46 AM

Where in Italy do you live? Do you like it there? Why or why not?

jane glover · #2 (**permalink**) 2nd July 2008, 05:41 PM

Hi

We live in Abruzzo and we love it, wouldn't go back to England for any amount of money.

Jane

maryann · #3 (**permalink**) 6th July 2008, 12:50 AM

HI, Jane,
My husband I have been to Italy a few times and in search of the city to move to permanently. Last year we felt that it would be Abruzzo, the region, but this Friday we leave for 16 days touring Calabria. What do you think of that? It appears beautiful and it seems to have captured the one element I could get in Abruzzo, the mountains, and the other being the closeness to the sea. Let me know, please, what you think, and perhaps pros and cons to Calabria. Would love to hear from you. I am of Italian heritage and am drawn to Italy and need it and love it and want to be there always. It will be within one to 2 years.
Take care,
MaryAnn

jane glover · #4 (**permalink**) 6th July 2008, 11:13 AM

Hi Maryann

You are right....Calabria is a beautiful place.

For us Abruzzo had everything we were looking for with the mountains, the sea and the prices of the properties......you can get a lot more here for your money. We are only 30 mins from the sea and can see the mountains from our house.

You say you are of Italian heritage???? have you gone through your family history to see where they originated from??? It is possible you could already own a small piece of Italy somewhere, as property/land is passed down through many generations and lots of people (especially American people) are unaware that they own the property/land.

My suggestion would be to come to Abruzzo for a house hunting trip also and compare the two. Im sure you will realise that every place in Italy is as beautiful as the next.

Regards Jane

maryann · #5 (**permalink**) 6th July 2008, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jane glover

Hi Maryann

You are right....Calabria is a beautiful place.

For us Abruzzo had everything we were looking for with the mountains, the sea and the prices of the properties......you can get a lot more here for your money. We are only 30 mins from the sea and can see the mountains from our house.

You say you are of Italian heritage???? have you gone through your family history to see where they originated from??? It is possible you could already own a small piece of Italy somewhere, as property/land is passed down through many generations and lots of people (especially American people) are unaware that they own the property/land.

My suggestion would be to come to Abruzzo for a house hunting trip also and compare the two. Im sure you will realise that every place in Italy is as beautiful as the next.

Regards Jane

Hi, Jane,
I was so happy to get a response and I thank you very much. In this fast paced world that we live in, it is nice when people take the time for small things.

We have been to Italy in 2003 (Sicily, my heritage), 2005 (central and north of Rome), and 2007 (Campania and Abruzzo). The reason we went to those 2 regions was to narrow it down because I had ruled out Calabria. Abruzzo was distinctly the winner, but I did not want to live so high up on the mountains. I took notes of lower level towns, locations. I do think it is possible to find a lower level village that is maybe 30 min. from the sea there, don't you?

Jane, I forgot if you live there. May I ask the town's name? I loved Abruzzo.

My maternal and paternal grandparents are from Giarre, Sicily. I should check into that idea of property being there. Who knows? I guess it woud be the commune to check into? I am sure there must be anoffice where they know of names of property owners.I also plan on becoming an Italian citizen through my grandfather. Could also do it through my grandmother. My husband was born in France and came to the states at 21 mos. old. He is an American citizen and also French citizen.

Are you happy in Abruzzo, then? I believe you live there for good. Are you putting up with the slowness ok? the red tape. I know we can deal with that, after all , the purpose of retiring would be to slow down and ease the stress.

Would love to hear from you again. We may end up being neighbors! If I can't find what I need, I will turn again to Abruzzo. Jane, may I ask, though, the cons which made you not decide on Calabria. We like to view both sides.
Thanks.
MaryAnn

jane glover · #6 (**permalink**) 27th July 2008, 08:25 PM

Hello Maryann

I do live here permanently yes. My town is called Sant Eusanio Del Sangro in Chieti....it is about 30 mins from the beach and 1 hour from the mountains....it is a very beautiful little town where everybody is friendly and will do anything to help you, we love it...we have 2 children (Kieran, 9 & Nathan 7) and they also love it.
Sounds like you have done your homework on your ancestry, we don't have any Italian relatives.
We fit in really well as we are very laid back, which is a must for the Italian life style.....
We have been accepted into the community by everyone, even the really old villagers.
For us Calabria didn't have the job prospects we were looking for, the properties were good and the areas were beautiful, but as we are only in our late 30's we still wanted to work and not retire fully at such a young age. We are doing well out here, we have 2 businesses now, one which maintains holiday homes and the other is a property devolpment company catering for the holiday market. Calabria is more of a holiday destination for us rather than a place to work and raise our children.
Hope this answers some of your questions???
I look forward to speaking to you again soon.
Jane

italylaw5 · #7 (**permalink**) 2nd August 2008, 05:02 AM

Hi,
best place is Calabria in Italy.
because holiday destination, cheap & best property sale / buy, property devolpment company and nice living place in Calabria.

Karamia · #8 (**permalink**) 7th August 2008, 11:58 PM

My husband is from Sicily and we have our home there.
We were living there until January ,we had to come back to the UK to raise extra funds to finish our home.
And we CANNOT wait to go back!!
I love it there,the peacethe food,the outlook on life....
2009 cannot come quickly enough!!

maryann · #9 (**permalink**) 8th August 2008, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karamia

My husband is from Sicily and we have our home there.
We were living there until January ,we had to come back to the UK to raise extra funds to finish our home.
And we CANNOT wait to go back!!
I love it there,the peacethe food,the outlook on life....
2009 cannot come quickly enough!!

Karamia,
You share my enthusiasm! We visited Calabria for the first time this July to see if that is the area we want to live in, and it is. My maternal and paternal grandparents are all from lovely Sicily, from Giarre, near Taormina. I speak the Sicilian dialect, but want to learn proper Italian. We will be returning in July to find a home and then move in 2010. Can't wait. Love it, feel at home, and people are fantastic. Please write back; we can keep the flame going.
Marianna

dario · #10 (**permalink**) 8th August 2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maryann

Hi, Jane,
I was so happy to get a response and I thank you very much. In this fast paced world that we live in, it is nice when people take the time for small things.

We have been to Italy in 2003 (Sicily, my heritage), 2005 (central and north of Rome), and 2007 (Campania and Abruzzo). The reason we went to those 2 regions was to narrow it down because I had ruled out Calabria. Abruzzo was distinctly the winner, but I did not want to live so high up on the mountains. I took notes of lower level towns, locations. I do think it is possible to find a lower level village that is maybe 30 min. from the sea there, don't you?

Jane, I forgot if you live there. May I ask the town's name? I loved Abruzzo.

My maternal and paternal grandparents are from Giarre, Sicily. I should check into that idea of property being there. Who knows? I guess it woud be the commune to check into? I am sure there must be anoffice where they know of names of property owners.I also plan on becoming an Italian citizen through my grandfather. Could also do it through my grandmother. My husband was born in France and came to the states at 21 mos. old. He is an American citizen and also French citizen.

Are you happy in Abruzzo, then? I believe you live there for good. Are you putting up with the slowness ok? the red tape. I know we can deal with that, after all , the purpose of retiring would be to slow down and ease the stress.

Would love to hear from you again. We may end up being neighbors! If I can't find what I need, I will turn again to Abruzzo. Jane, may I ask, though, the cons which made you not decide on Calabria. We like to view both sides.
Thanks.
MaryAnn

If you wany my advice you wil probably find Abruzzo is the best place. It has beautiful countryside, mountains and sea. The people are laid back, friendly, the food is fantasatic, the wine too and, most important for a family move, there are decent job prospectives.
My advice is to go north of Pescara, Roseto, Campli and Civitella are fantastic places, it is livelier and foreigners seem to fit in pretty easily. A german friend, who was then living in Wales, came on holiday a couple of years ago and has not pratically gone back!