Is Italy worth it?
Italy tugs at your heart, but if you're wondering if the bureaucracy is worth it, you're not alone. Plus, a can't-miss sweet celebration, seaside location spotlight, language learning tips and more.
Oh, the red tape! 🤯 🇮🇹 😩
When I first met Italy in person, I was a backpacking college student on a tight budget, exploring a new continent with actual paper maps and printed train schedules. Wadded-up napkins with addresses and phone numbers of hostels scribbled on them overflowed from my pockets. With each train stop, a new adventure unfolded.
Italy seemed, to me, like a jewel box of indescribable beauty; a perfect balance of buzzing city energy and idyllic countryside calm. I was one glass of exceptional wine short of spinning on a mountain alla Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music.
Since then, I don’t want to say that the shine has dulled, because I still believe that Italy is magnificent and full of rich culture and breathtaking landscapes, but naivete gives way to wisdom.
It’s common to hear people complain about endless bureaucracy, long lines, a lack of efficiency, procedural minutia that defies logic, etc, etc… Anyone who has pursued citizenship recognition, a visa, a driver’s license, or a permesso di soggiorno knows this to be true.
Simply put, getting stuff done is hard.
There’s usually no way to avoid hard stuff. The path is through, not around. In this way, Italy mirrors life. The question then often becomes, is it worth it?
Establishing a life in Italy, on any level, takes a deep level of commitment because you’ll run into many roadblocks along the way. Some of them will seem insurmountable (like getting a citizenship appointment at a US consulate) but trust that they ARE surmountable. Many, many people before you have conquered the red tape, but not without a healthy dose of sweat equity.
Sometimes working with a company like Smart Move Italy helps you to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes appreciating the little victories along the way keeps you motivated. Sometimes finding a group of like-minded people who share your Italian dream provides a level of accountability.
One of the first Italian phrases I learned was non mollare mai - never give up. I’ve leaned on that when I’ve had to amend marriage certificates, when birth certificates from Italy get lost in the mail, when learning the language seems impossible, and when navigating my property search is confusing (at best).
As beautiful as Italy is, there’s also beauty in the journey. Yes, it’s hard. But hard things are usually worth it. Non mollare mai!
Perugia & Chocolate: A Classic Italian Combo
Each season in Italy ushers in its own cultural and culinary delights. Whether it be traditional festivals or signature dishes, every region has a distinctive event that is tied to the calendar. Autumn is a great time to visit Umbria in particular, not only for the bountiful harvest of olives, mushrooms, truffles, and saffron but for something a bit more indulgent: chocolate!
Internationally known for producing some of the world’s best chocolate, Perugia is the perfect spot to host the International Chocolate Exhibition every October. Events include exhibitions of chocolate art, baking and cooking demonstrations, workshops, entertainment and, of course, plenty of sampling. You’ll discover unexpected ways to use chocolate as well as creative flavors that you’ve never considered before (cocoa gnocchi, anyone?.
This year’s event takes place October 13-22 and will include over 100 exhibitors and over 6,000 chocolate products. If you have a sweet tooth (I do!), this is a not-to-be-missed experience.
What do you think? Would you love to go? Let me know!
Southern, Seaside Location Spotlight: Scalea, Calabria 🏖️
🏖️ Province: Cosenza 🏖️ Region: Calabria 🏖️ Population: ~10,429 🏖️ Elevation: 25 m
Hop on a southbound train from Naples and in about two and half hours, you’ll arrive in a sun-drenched land full of character, warm beaches dotted with bright umbrellas, fresh seafood, and outdoor markets. If this sounds like your ideal location, Scalea may be your slice of Italian heaven.
If you visit in mid-July, you can’t miss the Madonna festival, which features an elaborate and colorful procession that begins in the centro storico (historic center) and ends at the sea. Along the way, the procession winds past all the churches in town, locals carry colorful, handmade baskets on their heads and fireworks mark the path of the Madonna. The whole experience is reverent, quaint, and tied to the history of this beautiful spot along the Tyrrhenian Sea.
In Scalea, you’ll find both the real estate and cost of living to be relatively affordable, compared to other parts of Italy (especially in the north) and other parts of the world. Check out this comparison of housing costs in Scalea and Denver, Colorado (USA).
Average prices of residential properties in Scalea based on sales in August of 2023:
Mixing old-world charm with modern services, this southern seaside town just may have it all. Does Scalea sound like a place you’d like to explore? Let me know in the comments.
Also, don’t forget to subscribe to Vendita for 30 property picks sent to you every Sunday ☕️ (tip: this week’s issue will include a property in Scalea!). To subscribe via email, click here or join our Telegram channel. It’s completely free!
The Elective Residency Visa - A Game Changer!
Dreaming of a life in Italy but aren’t sure how you’re going to actually stay in Italy? If citizenship is not a possibility for you (and it’s not for many), don’t be discouraged! There are other options, one of which is the Elective Residency Visa (ERV).
Smart Move Italy’s experts are well-versed in the ERV process and can provide assistance from start to finish. The upcoming live ERV workshop could be just what you need to overcome one of the biggest obstacles to extending your stay in Italy.
Not sure if you qualify for the ERV?
The B1 Language Test - An Attainable Goal for Lovers of the Italian Language
Learning Italian to some extent is not just a basic requirement of living in Italy — it’s a beautiful journey and a lifelong commitment. For some, it’s also a requirement for citizenship. Specifically, for those pursuing a path through marriage and residency.
So what is a B1 level and how do you get there?
According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, a B1 level certifies that candidates:
understand the main points of information in conversations and texts on familiar matters relating to work, school and leisure time, etc. when clear, standard language is used
deal with most situations typically encountered when travelling in Italian-speaking countries
express yourself simply and coherently when talking about familiar topics and areas of personal interest
report on experiences and events, describe dreams, hopes, and ambitions as well as make short statements and explanations.
Passing the B1 test, which has both written and oral elements, is completely doable, but it takes a certain level of dedication and, in most cases, a level of formal training.
To get some first-hand insight, I chatted with a friend of Smart Move Italy who recently passed the B1 test (Auguri!). She suggests looking for practice tests online (like those from a Università per Stranieri) and reading children’s books to brush up on your skills.
The B1 language test is straightforward and there’s plenty of supplemental material available online to help you reach your goal. If you’d like to take a closer look at this test, you can find more details here.
Are you planning on taking the B1 test? Let me know in the comments.
Buying an Italian Property through an Auction
If your dreams of moving to Italy include pouring over real estate listings online, you’ve probably seen many options to buy an auctioned property.
Smart Move Italy’s favorite Italian Property Lawyer, Avv. Alessandro Clemente has some advice on this topic:
Buying a property at auction can be done, but it definitely takes some assistance…and courage! It can be a lengthy process with many moving parts. Has an auctioned property caught your eye? Would you consider this option? Let me know in the comments.
ASA (Ask Samantha Anything)
Email us at sophia@smartmoveitaly.com to submit your questions.
Dear Samantha: Does an ERV entitle me to healthcare through the public system in Italy? Helena
Dear Helena: As you may have heard, the Italian healthcare system is stellar. It is affordable, accessible, advanced, and it is available for all residents of Italy. The key word there is “residents.” If you are moving to Italy with an Elective Residency Visa, you will need to apply for a permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of your arrival. This is your permit to stay and will replace your visa. After you get your permesso di soggiorno (several months to a year after you apply), you can register for your residency.
Residency is a declaration to the comune (municipality) where you live so that you can get the benefits of residency. One of those benefits is access to the Italian healthcare system.
You can apply/subscribe to the health care system after you have obtained your residency and as a visa holder, you will have to pay a voluntary fee. This fee depends on your income, but if you qualify for the ERV, I can guess that you will pay approximately 2500 + euros per year.
The key is to enlist at the beginning of the year and not the end. This is because the voluntary fee is for one calendar year and it is not pro-rated. So, if you join in October, you will pay for the full year and only have three months of service. Where, if you join in January, you will pay for the full year and get the full year of service.
Are you inspired yet?
While this newsletter is an extension of Smart Move Italy, it is driven by you, the reader. I hope that you’re finding inspiration to create a life in Italy, whether that means part-time, full-time, or a lifetime. Wherever you are in the process, you can connect to your Italian dreams right here each week.
That being said, I’d love to hear what you’d like to see in future issues. In the coming weeks, we’ll continue with our location spotlights, talk about moving to Italy with kids (and pets), discover the benefits of living in the Italian suburbs, explore Italian traditions, and highlight some beautiful facets of Italian culture.
What are you looking forward to reading about (don’t be shy!)?
P.S. Follow Samantha on Insta or Threads.
Ciao for now!