🇮🇹 Let's Get Moving... To & Around Italy!
We ride the rails & roads together, tell you what it's like working with an SMI agent to find your dream home, talk about finding the authentic Rome & Florence, ➕ more!
Thinking of ‘Striking’ Out? Let’s Talk Italian Transit – Andiamo!
Last week we heard from folks about some altered plans due to a one-day transit strike – and more are coming up. (Luckily, they are most often announced in advance.)
We have discussed strikes in the past, but with it being in the news, it seemed like a good time to talk a little bit about the Italian transit system in general, specifically buses 🚌 and trains 🚅! They are primarily what you’ll use to get around the country.
The Italian transit system is, more often than not, a model of efficiency. Sure, delays and cancellations (and strikes!) happen, just like with any other local, national, or international mass transit system. But on the whole, if your train time says “15:13” you’re likely departing at 15:13!
Trenitalia is the national carrier and runs most of the trains in Italy. Services run the gamut from the high-speed lines called Frecce (arrows) and then either Rossa (red), Bianca (white), and Argento (silver) to Intercity (just what it sounds like) and regional (consider these the “locals”). Other carriers, like Italo and Trenord, complement Trenitalia routes locally or on high-speed lines with similar prices and levels of comfort. Consider those in your planning, too.
Protip: First-class tickets are often not so much more than second-class, and while doesn’t always pay to upgrade for shorter trips, on popular lines in high tourist season, first-class can definitely offer a better comfort level – or at least more breathing room!
Buses can be trickier to figure out in Italy. Tickets are sometimes purchased at a tabacchi (tobacco shops), sometimes in a station 🚉, sometimes on board. The best thing to do is check out the local transit agency’s website for your destinations. For instance, Autolinee Toscane in Tuscany and ATAC in Rome. They list all bus schedules and routes and now offer apps to buy tickets right on your phone. That is definitely easier than in the past, when more than one tourist was fined for not having the proper ticket on board!
The same goes for trains. You can still buy tickets at a machine or window with an actual human for assistance in most stations, but the tip here is to download the Trenitalia app, which offers everything you need to navigate and buy tickets, right in your hands and on the go. It’s changed Italian travel forever and for the better!
Got any tips and tricks of your own? Email them to richard@smartmoveitaly.com.
What’s It Like To Work With A Smart Move Italy Property 🏡 Finder?
When you decide you’re ready to take the plunge and begin your search 🔍 for that dream property in Italy, it can be overwhelming. I know — I’ve been there! And here is the biggest lesson I learned — having a steady helping hand matters — a lot.
When I was financially ready to do this crazy thing I had only ever dreamed about for decades, it was a joyous moment. I ripped open the laptop, immediately created accounts on Immobiliare.it and Idealista.it, and started bookmarking places of interest. I planned a trip to see places in person. I was rolling.
But then I remembered that I needed to communicate with brokers who may speak a level of English akin to my then-level of Italian… and that might lead to missing key details in an already murky transaction process.
So, I stopped looking for properties and started looking for help. That’s when I found Smart Move Italy (and now I’m part of the SMI family! 🙃).
The first step is a consultation call: 1. To make sure you feel comfortable with what they offer and 2. For them to make sure they are the right folks to help you. They walked me through their services, from the search phase to any negotiations to closing. Here’s an important thing I learned on that call – if you reach out to an Italian agent interested in pursuing their property listing, that agent works for both you and the seller! You need to have your own agent reach out for you to act on your behalf the entire time, ensuring smoother sailing through the rental or purchase process without any conflicts of interest.
I was sold on SMI, and soon I was paired with Ilaria Lascialfari, who, in addition to being a licensed real estate agent, is primarily an architect. (That would come in handy when I had my eye on a fixer-upper that she quickly tabulated costs for renovations that put me well out of my price range! See more on Ilaria below.).
Ilaria sent me listings, I sent her listings, and ultimately, we met up in Lucca for my site visits. We saw about six places in total, and, in the end, I closed on one of the first listings I looked at when I began my search. I couldn’t have gotten there without Ilaria and the team's help, which continued through getting me a codice fiscale, managing the inspection, helping with transferring funds to Euros, and procuring a proxy to represent me at closing.
I won’t say the whole process was all a cakewalk, believe me! But I breathed so much easier knowing I had Ilaria’s help and SMI’s many resources on my side. It was money very well spent.
Ready to explore your Italian property options? Click here to request your complimentary consultation call. I feel confident in recommending the experts at SMI – or I wouldn’t be here!
Get To Know An SMI Agent: Ilaria Lascialfari 🙌
PerTe would like to introduce you to the heart and soul behind Smart Move Italy – the people who power it! This is a great way to get to know a little more about the folks whose names you may see on our site or mentioned in videos and AMAs. Perhaps you’ll meet someone you read about here in the future!
It seems appropriate to begin with Ilaria, since she was a part of the journey above.
Ciao, Ilaria! Tell us what you do at SMI:
I am a property purchase assistant, which means I am a personal consultant helping clients in their property search. As mentioned, the important element is that I am on the buyer’s side only. I am independent, and my goal is to protect my client.
I also am an architect with my own office and team, so, if needed, I offer post-purchase services such as full renovations, minor refurbishments, interior design, etc.
What was your favorite case to work on and why?
I have several good ones! But I’d go with one of my first cases: Husband and wife, just retired, from Australia. They had sold all their belongings and wanted to move to Italy in a place they had never been to, an unknown small village found online. They bought a house only after a single virtual tour! It gave me a better understanding of how amazing and adventurous people can be — how they can really dive into new experiences with great courage and strength and driven by such a big love for this (my) country. Years later, I know they’re still doing great, and it really makes me happy that I helped them to make this happen.
What’s the best thing about what you do and the hardest thing?
Best is helping people achieve their dream — often it is a lifetime one!
Hardest is when criteria are not realistic or way too narrow and that makes the search quite frustrating for everyone.
Favorite place to travel in Italy and abroad?
In Italy, Sardinia (please do not say this too loud 😆) and also Venice in hidden corners out of the touristy areas (I always go for architecture biennial).
Abroad: EVERYWHERE! I love traveling. By airplane, car, train… staying in hotels, Airbnbs, but also my super cool designer tent. I like both major cities or quieter countryside spots.
Favorite thing to order at a restaurant?
I like to go out to try things I do not eat at home, so usually my first choice is not Italian food. I love Vietnamese and Japanese ramen. Bet you’re disappointed! 😂
Location Spotlight📍Lido di Jesolo 🏖️
This one’s beach-y keen!
Lido di Jesolo is a family-friendly vacation spot for Italians and Europeans that tends to be less expensive than other beach destinations in Italy since it’s off the radar for non-EU travelers. It’s a strip of beach between the Venice Lagoon and the Piave River in Veneto. The fun pedestrian-only shopping and dining district often has music events, performances and active nightlife too, with gelato and aperitivi at every turn! It’s about an hour’s drive or bus ride from Venice, or for a more scenic route there’s a vaporetto (a public waterbus – they are the main way to get around Venice) at Punta Sabbioni 30 minutes away.
Just 100 meters from the sea, and in a recently built development with a pool, solarium, and communal green areas, this €320,000 apartment is located on the ground floor with a private garden. The one-bedroom, one-bath unit comes fully furnished and with a private parking space.
Want more? Subscribe to Vendita and get 30 property picks sent to you every Sunday. To subscribe via email, click here or join our Telegram channel.
And if you’re thinking about buying a property in Italy, you don’t have to do it alone! Book a free 10-minute property purchase discovery call here.
Ask Samantha Anything (ASA): Finding The Authentic Life In Florence and Rome
Hi Samantha: We’ve narrowed down to Florence or Rome for our move to Italy. (Yes, big difference — we know! But many reasons for both.) We love these two classic cities, but don’t want to live among tourist chaos! Any suggestions for us?
Ciao, Andrea! Congratulations on your pending move to Italy, and choosing to live in one of these iconic cities will have their pros and cons. I always describe Rome and Florence in this way — Rome is Gladiators, Florence is Renaissance. This description tells it all when you are thinking about lifestyle, size, and vibe.
Rome is a big city (over 4 million) and Florence is small (about 400,000). Both are international and have something different to do, see, and experience every single day. Each has its own personality and I think that people choose one over the other based on their own approach to the Italian lifestyle and what feels better to them.
Both cities are hectic with tourists and can be overpriced in some spots, renting can be difficult and expensive, and they are hot and busy in the summers.
If you are looking to live an authentic Roman or Fiorentina lifestyle, there are neighborhoods, outside of the tourist areas that have local shops, butchers, bakers, bars where everyone knows each other and there is very little English spoken. This, in my opinion, is what you should aim for.
The center of each of these cities can be alluring, but the crush of tourists can be very tiring and you will never really feel like part of the community — because there is very little “community” left in highly tourist/transient areas. But local areas like Le Cure or Campo di Marte in Florence or Monteverde or Balduina in Rome are close enough to the hustle of the center, but far enough away to live locally.
I recommend trying to stay in each city for an extended time to get a better feel for each and decide if you are a Gladiator or Artist at heart!
*Please send your questions to richard@smartmoveitaly.com.
YouTube Sneak Peek ▶️ Bologna Was Music 🎶 To Their Ears
Lynn and David share their journey of relocating from New York to Bologna in our latest episode. Watch as they discuss their love for music, the joys of cooking, and the vibrant cultural life in their new city.
Discover how they adapted to their new environment, made friends, and embraced the Italian lifestyle. From the beauty of their spacious kitchen to the excitement of local concerts, this couple reveals what it’s like to start anew in a foreign country.
Maybe this video will have you singing a new tune about moving to Italy!
If so… join A New Life in Italy today!
PerTe è finito for this week. But don’t forget — we always have lots more to share with you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
As always, thanks for being a part of the Smart Move Italy famiglia. A presto! 👋