Blog Articles
Italian Mobile Phone Plans and Should You Keep Your American Cell Phone Account
Note: Mobile plan prices and carrier offerings change frequently. Verify current plans before committing to anything. One of the most pleasant surprises of moving to Italy is your cellulare (cell phone) bill. Americans are used to paying...
Getting an Italian Driver’s License Is Expensive and Complicated
Note: This post was written in October 2026. Italian driving license rules, fees, and requirements can change. Please verify current requirements with your local autoscuola (driving school) or the Motorizzazione Civile (Dept of Motor...
Not All of Italy Speaks Italian (Only)
Did someone tell you that you can take your Italian driving test in English? As of 2011, that's no longer true. What about French or German? Maybe. Italy has official minority languages. Most people think of Italy as a monolingual...
The Italian Post Office Is Also a Bank, Mobile Phone Company, and More!
If you're moving to Italy from America, you might picture a post office the way you picture the US Postal Service. You buy stamps and mail things. But Poste Italiane is something else entirely, which is why lines and waits can be long,...
What Do I Miss About America and When Will I “Go Home” Next?
As an American (now dual citizen) living in Italy since January 2018, I'm often asked when I'm "going home" and "what I miss about America." I am home. Northern Sardinia felt like home when I first started visiting in 2017, which made...
You Could Live in Italy All Year or Part of the Year
You're ready to move to Italy and live here year-round. Or... you're worried you'd miss people, your house, or something else about the country you're coming from. You have options! Ciao! I'm Debbie. I've been living on the Italian island...
Which Visas Allow You To Work (Remotely) In Italy
Note: This post was written in August 2026. Italian visa rules, income thresholds, and quota numbers change regularly. Please verify current requirements with an Italian consulate or immigration lawyer before making any decisions. Are you...
Moving Abroad Decisions Might Land on “Don’t Move” or “Live Somewhere Else Part-Time”
If you've spent any time researching or flipping through social media, you've seen the beautiful villages, lovely sea, and easy mornings with espresso in a sun-drenched piazza. The dream life is for sale, but so is the opposite. You might...
Not All Italian Language Certificates Are Equal
Are you applying for Italian residency or citizenship? Did you sign an integration agreement, and you need to certify your language skills? You might assume that any Italian language certificate will do, but it won't. Completion...
Are Foreign Residents Welcome in Italy?
Thinking about moving to Italy, and wondering if locals will accept you as their new neighbor... or if you will feel unwelcome? Italians, and Sardinians especially, are some of the warmest, most generous people I've ever met. But whether...
How Electricity Works in Italy
Are you living in Italy and your electricity keeps shutting itself off? You might need an electrician, but you might also have hit your electricity limit. In Italy, your electricity contract comes with a maximum power limit. It's...
What To Expect at an Italian Agriturismo Restaurant
Considering eating at an Italian agriturismo? You should! But before you do, there are some things to understand about the meal. An agriturismo is an experience. By Italian law, it can only serve what it grows and raises, or what very...
Property Surprises: Zone E and No House Number
Thinking about buying land in Italy and building your dream home or workshop on it? Today, we'll look at two common problems: land that is zoned "E" and new constructions with no house number or official address. In Italy, land zoning...
How To Handle “Non-Matching” (Discordanza) in Documents
Are you applying for Italian citizenship or residency? Prepare to hear that you have a "discordanza": your documents don't match each other. Italian bureaucracy requires exact matches across all your documents. Your name spelled slightly...
Will Italian Schools Teach My Kids Italian?
You might be wondering if schools will teach your kids Italian the way American schools offer English as a Second Language programs, where a dedicated class or specialist works with your child until they can keep up with the rest. The...
Does Italy Have Year-Round Tropical Weather?
You visited Italy, and wow, the weather was beautiful! A hot, humid summer cooled by swims in the sea. Crisp, breezy spring and autumn seasons. You might have imagined that we get sunshine and warm weather all year because it's the...
How Long Does It Take To Get Italian Citizenship?
How long does it take to get Italian citizenship? Like any other country, years. The shortest path is usually through family: a parent, child, or spouse. Perhaps a grandparent, but Italy changed the laws in 2025 to block citizenship via...
Is Moving To or Living In Italy Really “Stress-Free”?
Are you falling in love with Italy because of a relaxing and beautiful vacation you took here? Did a creator or coach promise you a stress-free move or sell you on a stress-free life here? Vacation Italy is wonderful. The food, the pace,...
“I Speak a Little Spanish… Do I Really Need to Learn Italian?”
A question we get from time to time is, "I speak some Spanish. Do I really need to learn Italian to move to Italy?" The question can make sense since people assume that Italian and Spanish sound and are similar. Those rolling R's, those...
Beware of “One Euro” Houses
The headline is irresistible. Social media posts and news articles promise that you can buy a home in a beautiful Italian village for just one euro, or some wildly discounted price. Ah, life in rural Italy... espresso in the piazza,...
You Need a Geometra
Nobody gives you a property purchase checklist. When you buy a property in another country, you don't even know what to ask. You assume that if you have a lawyer, a notary, and a real estate agent (and maybe also an architect) that they...