Finding a Home in Italy: How We Chose Where to Live

Choosing where to live in Italy is probably the hardest decision of this whole process. There’s just too much to love. The country is so incredibly diverse—from the snow-capped Alps to the rolling Tuscan hills, from the ancient cities to the sun-drenched coastline of Sicily. Every region has its charm, its quirks, its “this is it” moment.

But you can’t live everywhere. You have to choose.

For us, it came down to a mix of practical needs, personal preferences, and gut feelings. This wasn’t about finding the “best” place in Italy—because that doesn’t exist. It was about finding what felt right for us.

What Mattered Most: Our Non-Negotiables

1. Weather – I grew up in Poland. I’ve done my time with cold, gray winters. My wife and I both hate shoveling snow, layering up in heavy coats, dealing with hat hair. We love to ski, but we like to visit the snow on our own terms. A mild winter was non-negotiable.

2. Access to Transportation – Travel is a huge part of our lives, and even in retirement, we plan to keep moving. That means we need to be within an hour’s drive of a major airport with solid connections to the rest of Europe.

3. Public Transportation – While we’ll have a car, we don’t want to rely on it for everything. A good train network and easy access to major routes was a must.

4. The Sea – We’re from California. We need the sea to survive. Not just for vacations—everyday life. The idea of living in a landlocked place felt unnatural. Beaches, sea views, salty air? Non-negotiable.

5. Infrastructure & Healthcare – We’re not 20 anymore. Proximity to hospitals, reliable services, and overall quality of life mattered. It had to be a place we could age in comfortably.

Breaking It Down: The Contenders

Southern Italy: Warm? Check. Well-Connected? Check. But…

We looked at the south first. The warmth was appealing, and the pace of life was tempting. But the further south we went, the more infrastructure became an issue. Transportation is good but not great. Some areas felt a little too isolated, especially in winter. And those hot, sticky summers? We’re not sure we’d love that year after year.

Adriatic Coast: Le Marche & Abruzzo – Affordable & Up-and-Coming

Next, we considered Le Marche and Abruzzo. Both regions are stunning, still relatively affordable, and starting to gain traction with expats. The beaches are great, and the lifestyle is relaxed. The only downside? The landscape flattens out near the coast, making those incredible hilltop sea views harder to come by. Still, this area stayed on our radar—especially if we ever want to pick up a boat. Croatia is just a short hop away.

Northern Italy: Just… No.

We love visiting the north. Skiing in the Dolomites? Yes, please. A summer home on Lake Garda? If we win the lottery, sure. But living there full-time? Too cold, too expensive, too much snow. Hard pass.

Tuscany: The Classic Choice

Tuscany was always going to be a contender. Val d’Orcia is hands-down one of the most beautiful places on earth. Towns like Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino—each one looks like a postcard. Even in winter, the weather isn’t too harsh. Yes, it rains, but unless you’re in the foothills, it rarely snows. The food? Unreal. Truffles, wild boar, pecorino, pici pasta with a glass of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano—this is what life should taste like.

It had everything we wanted:

✔ Beautiful landscape

✔ Great food & wine

✔ Strong transportation links

✔ Mild winters

Could we live here? Absolutely.

How Can You Not Fall In Love?

And Then… We Remembered Liguria.

I spent time in Genoa and the Ligurian coast as a kid. At some point, while going through our list, I had a lightbulb moment: What about Liguria?

So we did some research. Then we went to check it out.

✔ Climate: A microclimate that keeps it mild in winter, warm but not suffocating in summer. Palm trees? Always a good sign.

✔ Mountains & Sea: The Apennines meet the Mediterranean, creating jaw-dropping views.

✔ Transportation: Genoa airport for quick trips. Nice airport (just an hour away in France) for international flights.

✔ Proximity to France & Monaco: Easy weekend escapes. I can channel my inner Dirty Rotten Scoundrel anytime.

✔ Beaches: Some of the best in Italy.

✔ Year-Round Life: It quiets down in winter but doesn’t feel deserted.

✔ Access to Skiing: Just 1.5 hours to some of the best Italian and French ski resorts.

✔ Food & Wine: This sealed the deal. Pesto, focaccia, seafood, the best olive oil, plus Rossese and Vermentino wines—two of our favorites.

And then there were the marinas. Every 2-4 miles, there’s a marina. We started thinking about owning a boat in Italy. Imagine spending the day on the water, pulling into a seaside trattoria, watching dolphins from the deck.

Once we visited, had a few meals, met an old lady selling homemade olive oil, tasted the focaccia—we fell in love. It felt right. It felt like home.

Was it just nostalgia? Maybe. But all things considered, it checked every box.

The Final Decision: Liguria Wins… But Tuscany Still Calls.

At the end of the day, Liguria made the most sense for our day-to-day life. The weather, the views, the access to everything we love—it’s exactly what we wanted. We chose Imperia, a town midway between Genoa and the French border. Close enough to drive to France for lunch and be back home in time for seafood pasta at our favorite local trattoria.

But we couldn’t fully let go of Tuscany. The landscapes, the food, the wine, the feeling of it—it’s too good to give up completely. So we made a plan:

☀ Winters & springs in Liguria—mild weather, sea views, travel hub.

🍂 Late summers & falls in Tuscany—truffle hunting, wine season, that golden light over the rolling hills.

A permanent home on the Ligurian coast. A small apartment in a Tuscan hill town for the best months of the year.

Cin Cin to Liguria!

Final Thoughts: Italy Makes It Possible.

And here’s the crazy part: We’re not rich. Not even close. And yet, somehow, in Italy, we’ll be able to afford two places—something that would be laughable in California.

This was our decision. It won’t make sense to everyone, and that’s okay. What matters is that it makes sense to us.

We wanted a place that felt like home. A place where we could slow down, enjoy life, and still have adventure at our doorstep.

This is it.

For your personal decision making proces, check out my book:

Escape Plan: How to Move from the US to Italy (eBook)

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