RETIRING TO ITALY - but where??

TO BE FRANK WITH YOU,THE BEST PLACE TO RETIRE IN IS THE SARDINIA,AN ISLAND IN ITALY,IT AN AUTONOMOUS REGION.I WILL ADVICE YOU TO LOOK AT PLACES LIKE ORISTANO,OLBIA AND CAGLIARI.
A VERY BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO ENJOY THE MEDITERENEAN LIFE.BUT AS FOR ME I AM RELOCATING SOON TO THE U.K.COS IT NOT TIME YET FOR ME TO RETIRE.
BEST WISHES.

Hi ITALIANO MAX >  You should avoid caps lock on the forum.

hello...

Hi Broomie!

I would suggest Southern Italy or one of the 2 islands, Sardinia and Sicily. The Northern part of the country is nice but more expensive.
The only thing is that few Italians speak English. So, if you choose Italy, start learning Italian from home. Also in France and Spain few people speak English.
Between the countries you mentioned, Malta is the only one where almost everyone speaks English very well.
You don't have to work, ok, but good communication is important in any situation, especially in case of emergency.
Hope I have been helpful!

Good luck,
Licia

Licia, thank you. Yes we are looking at the south of Italy, predominantly for the climate. If we decide on Italy then we will learn the language before we go.

Is €25,000 a year enough to live on?

In theory, yes, 25000 euro a year should be eanough. Life in Southern Italy is cheaper. I found a list of average prices:

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/co … ntry=Italy

Regards,
Licia

Brilliant, thanks for your Help Licia.

I live in Salento (Lecce province, Apulia); if anyone would love to retire here, feel free to ask for any advice, I'll be pleased to guide you... there are many brits living around the area... some of them are well known!

Hello!  I retired to Southern Italy, Calabria. You can live very well on less money. However, summers are hot and very humid. Winters get into the 40s.  Very few speak English. The biggest thing for me is the "scourge of the siesta," as an Irish writer friend of mine calls it. Southern Italy takes the 1:00 - 5:00 siesta very seriously. NOTHING is open. 

The food is amazing. The wine extraordinary. The people beautiful and extremely polite.

So, if La Dolce Vita appeals to you ...

You should consider checking out Le Marche in central Italy.  It is a lovely, still unspoiled region, located near both the Adriatic sea and mountains and not overrun by tourists, as well as being quite affordable.  Check out the blog Gelato Journal dot com for insights from retirees from California who settled in Ascoli Piceno.   There are a number of other British ex-pats in the area near Amandola as well. Good luck!

I seen this that might be interesting to you Retired in Rome Journal:

Amalfi Coast the great escape for expat problems

johnhendersontravel.com/2014/03/11/retired-in-rome-journal-amalfi-coast-the-great-escape-for-expat-problems/

Verona! Well unless you want the sea but Lake Garda is beautiful and not too far away!

Thanks everyone for your responses. Very helpful.

Cheers.

Hello,
I too am considering retiring to Italia. I have been coming to Le Marche region for several years. It may interest you. It is not as much of a tourist destination, is soundly middle-class and is welcoming. I am looking for a flat now in Fano. The people have been so helpful at every turn. I just returned from having dinner with my landlord and his family at one of the many weekend festivals to be found in the region. The airport in Ancona would be convenient for you to return home as there is regular service to England.There are Brits and French couples/families living in this area.
Good luck with you decision. By all means visit and visit at different seasons.
Carol

We are living in Verona and love it, will have to check out Fano.
Just took the ferry around Lake Garda, absolutely beautiful!
Meg

Hi,
My husband and I spend 5-6 months /year in Italy, the rest in the US.  We would gladly live here year round, but we have children and grandchildren whose lives we want to be a part of. We chose Sefro, a little mountain village in Marche where beauty and kindness abide. Our village has less than 500 residents, but we have a lovely hotel and several very good restaurants, several coffee bars,grade school, bakery, post office, grocery store, pharmacy and trucks that come to us with beautiful produce twice a week.  There is also a clothing and shoe truck. We have a beautiful crystal clear river that runs through the center of town straight from the mountains. We are just minutes from larger towns with many more amenities. We are a little over an hour to the Adriatic coast and beautiful beaches. It is our idea of what retirement should be.
slh43

Sounds beautiful. Thank you.

Sounds lovely!

Hello. I am also considering retiring to Italy. I would like a Mediterranean climate, but I also like to experience the joys of citites. Bologa and Firenze are my favorite places, but so expensive. Can someone recommend a place on the Adriatic coast? I was going to move to Italy a few months ago. My spouse has passed away, but I am still determined to move, perhaps more than ever.

I encourage you to check out Le Marche (Ascoli Piceno in particular).  Very affordable, well connected and a beautiful city to boot!  We lived there for 4 years in 2001-2005, still own a home there and visit 1-2 times per year.  We will likely live there full time once my husband retires in a few years. 

Te ex-pat community has grown considerably since we lived there, which is nice because you can still connect easily with native English speakers while still enjoying the joys of Italian culture.

Thank you for responding to my question. I have not been yet to the Marche, but I will be in Italy in a few months and will put it on my itinerary..Best, Roberto Pagliaro