{"id":13628,"date":"2016-09-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-02T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.smarteventi.it\/things-you-need-to-know-before-moving-to-italy.html"},"modified":"2016-09-02T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-09-02T00:00:00","slug":"things-you-need-to-know-before-moving-to-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.smarteventi.it\/en\/things-you-need-to-know-before-moving-to-italy.html","title":{"rendered":"Moving to Italy? Here’s what you need to know before you start living La Dolce Vita"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

<\/p>\n

\n

One of the first things you learn as an Italian living abroad is that most of the European population dreams about moving to Italy after retiring. I found this\u00a0puzzling for a long time: if they were so in love with Italy \u2013 and they were right to be \u2013 why would they want to retire there, rather than move straightaway? Sure it is better to enjoy the place you dream of when you are in your prime? It then transpired that this had much to do with the idea that most people have of what life in Italy is supposed to be like. Apparently moving to Italy leads to endless meals on seaside terraces, with the occasional swim in shallow waters or, for fans of the countryside, leisurely strolls through vineyards in Tuscany, about five minutes before sundown. I can definitely see this as a retirement plan, but I can’t help but think that these wannabe expat pensioners are missing out on everything Italy has to offer to someone younger and more interested in working, traveling and being creative<\/strong> than sitting on the veranda and surveying the fields for hours on end. The sheer amount of artistic and architectural treasures on offer is enough to keep you walking and gasping in admiration for weeks and on top of that there are new and innovative startups opening all over the country, collectives of young creatives experimenting with multiple art forms and several arts and music festivals, enough to satisfy even the more sophisticated of tastes. Are you excited yet? If you are all set and ready to pack your life into a suitcase and hope on a plane, I suggest you take a few minutes to read our checklist of things you should know before moving to Italy<\/strong>.
\n<\/p>\n

Are you moving to Italy for the weather? Beware where you settle!<\/h3>\n

It is a very common misconception, particularly among dwellers of northern European countries, that Italy should be a \u201cwarm\u201d Country, whereby \u201cwarm\u201d<\/em> is understood to mean \u201cindiscriminately hot with seasons ranging from scorching summer to pleasant spring\u201d<\/em>. That is most definitely not the case. Not all Italian regions enjoy a temperate, mediterranean weather<\/strong>. This particular kind of weather, in fact, is only prevalent in the South of the Country, whereas the North usually has bitterly cold winters, with enough snow on the Alps and the Apennine Mountains to keep skiers and snowboarders busy for months. And no, you can’t wear flip-flops all year. Or rather, you can \u2013 we are not stopping you \u2013 but you shouldn’t and I can promise that you will not want to.
\n