Italy

Why Italy?

Italy has been popular among Britons since the days of the Grand Tour. It has an incredibly rich cultural history spanning many centuries and is the birthplace of some of the world’s greatest artists and is home to many of its finest art treasures.

One of the oldest civilizations in the world, Italy has Venice and the Rialto bridge, opera, Pompeii and the Colosseum. It is the birthplace and home of many renowned artists and composers including Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Verdi and Puccini.

Visit Florence to see Michelangelo’s ‘David’ and original paintings by Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael and countless others, many contained in beautiful churches.

Throughout the country museums, monuments and cathedrals celebrate and commemorate its religious, cultural and artistic traditions. From the sunny southern slopes of the Alps to the lush orange groves of Sicily, Italy offers enormous variety in its natural scenery and, with 5,310 miles of coastline, an unlimited choice of beaches.

Because a good part of Italy grew up as a collection of independent city-states, customs and food vary greatly from region to region. This rich history is preserved in the colourful folk festivals that take place in all of Italy’s regions throughout the year.

Italy is also a very family-oriented society and one which is famed for its cuisine. It remains a country of great cultural sophistication and is now a centre of the worldwide fashion industry. Italy offers a good quality of life at relatively low cost and a relaxed lifestyle. Generally speaking Italians are friendly and outgoing. Property is still a bargain in many rural areas, especially older properties needing renovation.

No wonder then that Italy is the retirement choice of large numbers of retirees, not only from northern Europe but from North America and elsewhere.

The down side: foreign residents often complain about the inefficiencies and slowness of service, the poor plumbing and the horrendous traffic congestion in the cities. There is a high rate of petty crime such as pick-pocketing and house burglaries, although the violent crime rate is low.

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