The Right Italian Property and Area

When choosing an area of Italy, there are endless considerations, as when buying property anywhere.

Italy varies dramatically from region to region in terms of culture, landscape and climate. You should try to research as thoroughly as possible the areas that appeal to you, but it is not realistic to expect to visit every single town and village in a region looking for the perfect place. Italy is such a diverse country that you could realistically spend years exploring and still find new places where you would like to live. Perhaps the better idea is to find a foothold from where you can enjoy living and use as a base for further exploration. Keeping an open mind on location can make property hunting easier and help you to find a property more quickly.

There are obvious things to consider such as the weather. It goes without saying that the south is hotter. Central areas have good weather in summer and mild winters. Mountain areas have snow in winter but very often have hot sunshine in summer as well. Bear in mind that the closer you are to mountains or to the coast, the more likely you are to find microclimates due to their influence.
Consider how you will travel to the property. If you plan to fly and can take advantage of cheap flights in quiet periods then you have much of Italy opened up to you by the budget airlines such as Ryanair. If you're flying make sure you choose an area that's within a reasonable distance from an airport the main airport being Ancona Falconara.

Consider how you want to spend your time in Italy. Distance from the coast or mountains is clearly a consideration if you want to spend your time there pursuing particular activities such as sailing or skiing. Judge distance by the time it takes to drive and not necessarily the number of miles as, in many places in Italy, the roads may be steep or winding and it can take an hour to cover 20 miles. Also bear in mind that there may be other alternatives to, for instance, the beach. Italy has plenty of inland lakes and rivers, which are often used for swimming or water sports.

Perhaps the single biggest point missed by foreign buyers is that the type of property you are looking for will also influence the area in which you should be little stone cottage with an acre of land in the countryside, but still not too far to walk for the bread. Understanding a region's property means understanding its geography, history and economy. The stone farmhouse with outbuildings and land is far more likely to be found in area's 15 to 30 kms from the coast or in central areas than coastal areas, than where towns are nuclear and there is little land.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, choose an area that you like and where you feel comfortable. Italy is a huge country and you cannot realistically hope to know every region well, much less every little village. However, most of the things to be enjoyed about Italy, certainly the food, drink and hospitality can be found everywhere so don't get too hung up on the search for the perfect place - there may be more than one!