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 looking. Many people have a picture postcard image of their
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!
|
