A common question asked in our forum is "How much do I need to earn to live comfortably in Italy?" Following user Pola's question, a few users have tried giving an accurate answer. We thought it would be a good idea to have an article here on the website to answer this very common question.
By mid September, we were settling into the house, the children were attending school and we were actively searching for work. We had days that were very positive, whereby we'd been pro-active in delivering the translated CV's to various workplaces and the children were making friendships and going out after school. Then we experienced the other side of the coin. I wouldn't use the term 'reality started to kick in', because prior to moving to Italy we had already imagined it wasn't going to be easy, but I would say it was frustration kicking in more than anything else. We were hearing quite often that the lo
When thinking about owning a property in Italy it's nearly impossible not to picture the typical farm house in the country, most likely in the Tuscan style, surrounded only by lovely hills and an ocean of green grass. This image reflects what the majority of non-Italians look for when they consider buying a home in Italy, however, there are also a fast-growing number of buyers who prefer to own a home within a village. Usually those who choose to live within a town rather than out in the country do so because they prefer to live with the hustle and bustle of other people rather than in peaceful isolation.
This is part 4 of Fay's story of moving to Italy. You can find part 1 here and part 2 here and part 3 here.Part 5 is here. Remember that you can send us your travel diary, expat experiences and any other story you have about staying in Italy.
Would you like to visit Italy, but don’t want to leave your beloved pet behind? No problem! Here are some requirements when it comes to bringing your furry friend along for the ride, as well as some tips to make it as easy as possible. In general Italians aren’t a nation of pet lovers, although the joys of pet ownership seem to be catching on. The country tolerates pets, but there are rules to follow if you are a tourist in Italy with a pet and especially if you are staying on for a longer period of time.
This is part 3 of Fay's story of moving to Italy. You can find part 1 here and part 2 here.Remember that you can send us your travel diary, expat experiences and any other story you have about staying in Italy.
Originally from Australia and having studied in Sydney and Hobart in Tasmania, David Booker has held many exhibitions of his drawings and sculptures. His current graphite and pastel drawings exhibition, entitled 'Castelli di Cartone' features empty cartons and 100% recyclable natural corrugated cardboard. The boxes captured in the drawings are cleverly depicted. It's easy to forget that for a short time, each special box has it's own important purpose in our world, forgotten then strewn aside. David has made them the celebrities.
This is part 2 of Fay's story of moving to Italy. You can find part 1 here.Remember that you can send us your travel diary, expat experiences and any other story you have about staying in Italy.
Terrorism, Schooling and A Quick Trip, Paves The Road Ahead.
This is the first of a series of diaries about moving to Italy and experiences of travelling and living in Italy. Join us while we tell you the story of Fey, who moved from UK to a new life in Tuscany.
This is part 1 of Fay's story of moving to Italy. You can find part 2 here.Remember that you can send us your travel diary, expat experiences and any other story you have about staying in Italy.
Small towns carry on religious traditions that are colorful and can be of interest to the less devout as well as those of the Catholic faith. Sooner or later, visitors to small towns are likely to stumble on a religious procession complete with priests, nuns, and local devotees carrying crosses and other religious symbols, often accompanied by the town band, or by hymns sung by the marchers. In this photo, you can see one such procession in Grotte di Castro.
Take an evening stroll down the street in a small town in Italy in summer. You may find yourself in a piazza with a live band playing ballroom dance to a group of whirling villagers, or perhaps a jazz marching band parading to a free reception hosted by a real estate company. Who knew that summer evenings in small Italian towns could be this much fun?
In Italy, finding an unfurnished apartment in major towns and cities can be quite difficult. In Rome, you will hardly ever find an unfurnished apartment for rent. This is due to Italian laws that make it harder for the apartment owners to reclaim the apartment from their tenants, even when those tenants do not pay the rent! Moreover, in the past, an unfurnished apartment had not only no furniture but also no cabinets, no kitchen, no heater - in short, it tended to be rather less than what we would consider "unfurnished" in the United States. The moral is check what you are renting before you rent. However, the shorter is the rental period, the more items the apartment usually will include:
I enter a room packed full of exhausted foreigners and no one
to talk to unless you hold a precious number in hand. I realized then
that the permesso di soggiorno was not going to happen today. I left
the Questura and the Cabinieri guy was there with a creepy grin while
his comrades behind held the same smirks. He then asked me where in
the United States I was from and I said "San Francisco".
After being in Italy for about 6 to 7 months I realized it was about time to become legal. I started what I thought would be a tedious and annoying battle with paper work but felt I was up to the challenge. Besides I have experienced bureaucracy before in America. This couldn't be much worse, right?
Well the operation was stifling and I believe probably much worse due to my stupidity and not doing the matter earlier and by myself.
Before you can think about residency in Italy, you will need a Permission to Stay.
Permission to Stay in Italy ( Permesso di Soggiorno )
In Italy regardless if you are a tourist, student or some one trying to set up residence you need to have a Permesso di Soggiorno, permission to stay. Depending on your intentions in Italy you need several official documents and a few Marco di Bolla's (stamps) bought from the local Tabacchi (tobacco shop) prior to embarking on this treacherous process for getting a Permesso di Soggiorno.
"It is the law that, you must be registered for a Permesso di Soggiorno with in 8 business days of arrival in Italy."
.JPG "Music in the street , Bolsena")
