Hi

[borrini]

Hi all
Been reading this site for some time and thought I had better join in!
My ancestry is part Italian and I feel totally at home there. Considering moving when I retire (sooner the better!) therefore looking into all the issues of such a move. Visiting for a week at a time is totally different to living somewhere full-time. I know people who moved to Spain, wasn't as expected, then found it was too expensive to move back. Hope you won't find me a pain asking questions!!
B

[deborahandricky]

hi and welcome...........which part of Italy are you looking at ?

[borrini]

Hi R, D and M
South Liguria or Lunigiana. Are you there full-time, if so how long?

B

[Gala Placidia]

Welcome to the Forum, Borrini and best wishes regarding your plans. Do not worry about asking questions, it is very helpful.... at least most of the time. Cheers,

[Ronan]

Hi there,
I read your post with interest as I have just spent 2 weeks in my small house in Lunigiana with my family (wife, 3 year old and 8 month old) with a view to moving there for a year and I was nervous as to how we would deal with snakes, heat, fussy 3 year old diet, no language etc etc etc...We have a converted barn in a villlage called Paretola outside of Licciana Nardi, 10 mins from Aulla.

It was brilliant!

Our house is in a small village with no shops etc and the locals couldnt do enough to welcome us. The nearest shops, restaurants etc are a 10 min drive down off the mountain and any time they were going down to the shop, they would call in and see if we needed anything. And I don't have a word of italian!!! They simply genuinely love the idea that there is new life coming to their village.

I hardly saw my 3 year old son for a couple of the local farmers calling by to bring him to the fields and the animals.

I know that my experience in that 2 weeks is probably different to what you might be nervous about by committing and moving, but all I can say is that we feel really positive about the possibility of moving there for a year and if you don't have a place there already, rent for a few months and see how you get on. Weather wise, I have been there about 7 times now, during various seasons so if you can deal with the fact that it's not 250 days a year sunshine, then you'll love the place.

The mountains, coast line, food and locals are fantastic! Go for it...

I hope this helps...gis a shout back if you need any other words of encouragement!

[deborahandricky]

Originally Posted by borrini

Hi R, D and M
South Liguria or Lunigiana. Are you there full-time, if so how long?

B

Yep full timers here, its coming up for 4 years in Sept..........cant think of a nicer part of the country or world come to that

[borrini]

Thanks folks for your replies. I know a few people up in the mountains and it has been suggested to me that I buy a place there but it would be a long drive down to a decent restaurant etc. I suppose when you have always lived there you don't notice the lack of amenities. I would also like to be nearer the coast which would have the added benefit of better weather in the winter and spring. I like Pontremoli so a small village outside there would suit but would really prefer to be closer to La Spezia. I haven't really been into Aulla but saw a bad report on here about it. I wouldn't want to live anywhere where crime is rife as I live now in a place where it is very quiet. In order to make comparisons with England I think people on here who either have moved in the last few years or who have a holiday home will know the answers better than my asking Italian friends as they won't know the yardstick to compare by. Hope that all makes sense!

B

[Charles Phillips]

borrini - really you are asking for an impossible dream. You want to be near the coast, you want amenities, but at the same time you want a place free of microcriminalita. This does not compute. For sure you can find a delightful place 'up in the mountains' where it is too much trouble for the 'low life' malviventi to venture into...but you cannot have it all.

The best advice (frequently recommended on this forum) is to rent for a reasonably long period of time before deciding on a permanent move. You might find that what you presently consider as an unreasonable 'commute' to a main road becomes an irrelevance. Or you might find it is insupportable: it is all about how you can cope with (or even enjoy) these constraints, and if you don't try it out you'll never know.

[Gala Placidia]

I totally agree with Charles, you cannot have the best amenities in a small village. If you are looking at the coastal areas, such as Porto Venere or Lerici, prices are extremely high there. The Cinque Terre area is beautiful, but I would not live there. Great for a visit, though. It took us five extended trips to the area and plenty of discussions to get what we wanted. You can also rent a place for a while and see how you go. And try to be there at the worst possible time of the year.... say November or February when nothing much happens around. Things look different during the high season.

[borrini]

Sorry I do not think I am after the impossible dream! At present I live on the south coast in a large 'village' 6,000 app. people, we have a couple of nice restaurants and crime is extremely low. Also within 10/15 minutes drive there are loads of other places to go. What I wouldn't want is to pack in work and not be able to go out and socialise without a long drive on roads that are not what you would call 'well maintained'.
Everywhere has some crime I just don't want to live somewhere that you don't feel safe in the evening or worried about your property all the time.
After all when moving it should be for a better life than you have now and all things have to be considered.
I have been to the same area many times at different times of the year as I have distant relatives there and I love it, I love Italy. But I can't see me 'retiring' and not getting out and enjoying myself. Of course prices are a lot higher on the coast just as they are here. I will be back again in a few weeks so will visit the agents rather than just looking on the internet.