# plans for Italy



## mvj1

Hi there,
I currently live in Malta and looking to purchase a property in Southern Italy or Sicily. Can anyone advvise of the pro's and con's as well as any specific area's suitable for a retired lifestyle ?

Any assistance would be appreciated
MVJ


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## Stravinsky

mvj1 said:


> Hi there,
> I currently live in Malta and looking to purchase a property in Southern Italy or Sicily. Can anyone advvise of the pro's and con's as well as any specific area's suitable for a retired lifestyle ?
> 
> Any assistance would be appreciated
> MVJ


I moved your post to the Italian forum from Spain as it must have been in error there


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## symbolrate

*reitirment in calabria*



mvj1 said:


> Hi there,
> I currently live in Malta and looking to purchase a property in Southern Italy or Sicily. Can anyone advvise of the pro's and con's as well as any specific area's suitable for a retired lifestyle ?
> 
> Any assistance would be appreciated
> MVJ


Well hope I can help. I am originally Maltese, now British Citizen having lived in the UK for 38 years and have now mostly retired in Southern Italy but still have my small house in Liverpool. We bought this house here 5 years ago but only really spending most of the time here since I retired last year. So hopefully, have got all the answers you want. 

We love Italy and have longed to live here but always looked expensive having been on holiday in several areas from the north to the south. In the end we ended up buying a small place here in Calabria which climate wise is very similar to Malta but with the added advantage of the beautiful landscape with the mountains as the backdrop. Calabria character is so much like Malta was 50 years ago in my childhood. Ways of life is really nice and family orientated. Good genuine food seems to be a priority here and I don't mean posh restaurants or anything like that. The markets are full of good local food and really you need to get on an air malta flight to reggio calabria and spend a few days touring the region. the hotels and apartments at this time are very reasonable and i strongly advise you to get the feel of it before you jump in. It was a lot easier for us because being from Malta we had learnt italian when at school although the years in the UK locked up our mouths for many months... now it is being oiled by our presence here and we feel really at home. 

A fair question would be why did I choose here and not Malta my birthplace and where I still have brothers and sisters. Simply put, while I love my family, I think they have spoilt Malta for those that live there so I am only a stones throw away but enjoy the best of the Med climate and environment with the added bonus of no industry as the west side is purely tourist oriented which is only July and August for the Italians, the rest is pure bliss. We have just returned from a seven weeks in England to get away from the hustle bustle here and see our children in the UK. 

Pros there are lots; the people are friendly especially if you make an effort with the language(there are free Italian lessons for foreigners at the local school which we attend),the area is not polluted with industry or traffic fumes, the food is really good and I mean good genuine local stuff, and on and on, cons we only have one and that is the health service which is probably ok but being used to an efficient NHS (believe me it is!) we have swapped over yet so I just fly Easyjet back from Naples (three hours train for 10 Euros) for hospital appointments etc. 

So if you want more advise at further length, please pm me and we can discuss further. 

Francis


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## mvj1

Hi Francis,

Thank you for your kind and co-operitive response !

To be honest, I am new to this site and don't know how to private mail you. Could you advise please, so I can mail you by return.


Regards Mark


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## mvj1

mvj1 said:


> Hi Francis,
> 
> Thank you for your kind and co-operitive response !
> 
> To be honest, I am new to this site and don't know how to private mail you. Could you advise please, so I can mail you by return.
> 
> 
> Regards Mark


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## symbolrate

you can write to me direct at [email protected] , 
francis


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## mvj1

*Thank you !*

Hi Francis,

I appreciate your mail and will PM you as per your suggestion.

Regards Mark


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## Oritana Linda

*Moving to Puglia!*

Hi MVJ,

I've just moved here myself (June) and loving it! Puglia is quite an undiscovered treasure, which I believe will increase it's popularity in the years to come. I chose this area because of pricing on houses and the architecture of the same! Been very lucky with the choice of real estate agent who has put me in touch with the right handymen and so forth, have heard horror stories from other expats! Of course it is Southern Italy so don't expect things to work as they do in Northern Europe, but I have so far not noticed anything which resembles maffia or such!
Best of luck!
Linda
(could put you in touch with my real estate agent or guide you towards some good websites, but not sure if I'm allowed on this forum after reading the agreement I just signed)





mvj1 said:


> Hi there,
> I currently live in Malta and looking to purchase a property in Southern Italy or Sicily. Can anyone advvise of the pro's and con's as well as any specific area's suitable for a retired lifestyle ?
> 
> Any assistance would be appreciated
> MVJ


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## mvj1

*The South*

Hi Linda,

Thank you for your reply.

Glad your move went well. So many times, it appears that people encounter so many hassles, that's why we are trying to use Gozo as a base to research as much as we can etc....

Living in Gozo/Malta, we are now used to the lack of urgency with most things, but I guess that's one of the reasons we are here ?

Can you tell me how your intergration is going and what level of Italian language skills you had before you relocated ?

Regards Mark


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## Oritana Linda

*Integration & Language...*

First of all I speak Zero Italian, or rather "I spoke Zero Italian". Having lot's of handymen around the house I have picked up quite a bit and made good relations with several hardware shop owners etc. I am just about to decide on a Italian language course, leaning towards Rocket Italian (if you have any suggestions on that I'd be glad to hear). Have been looking for a teacher and quite a few showed interest but then no follow up and since we are starting a business here I think a online course is best for me so I can study when I have time.
Integration... We've made some great new friends and I feel confident that our relationship with them will improve 100% when we can communicate in other ways than body language/dictionaries etc etc. But we are having fun along the way!!
I have lived abroad (away from Sweden) most of my life and must admit that wherever that has been I've had a close group of ex-pat's alike around me. Here I didn't think that would happen here as there are basically no tourists even, but we have found some foreigners and tend to stay in touch occasionally as we still don't speak Italian it is nice to meet for a chat!
When I am alone with an Italian person I am able to lure some English out of them but in front of other Italians they will not even attempt to talk.
I recommend the site "gate away" and our agent's company is Oikos Immobilare, I am restricted from entering the websites but maybe you can find it anyway?!
Ciao e Buona Domenica! (or something like that!)
:welcome:



mvj1 said:


> Hi Linda,
> 
> Thank you for your reply.
> 
> Glad your move went well. So many times, it appears that people encounter so many hassles, that's why we are trying to use Gozo as a base to research as much as we can etc....
> 
> Living in Gozo/Malta, we are now used to the lack of urgency with most things, but I guess that's one of the reasons we are here ?
> 
> Can you tell me how your intergration is going and what level of Italian language skills you had before you relocated ?
> 
> Regards Mark


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## athertina

mvj1 said:


> Hi there,
> I currently live in Malta and looking to purchase a property in Southern Italy or Sicily. Can anyone advvise of the pro's and con's as well as any specific area's suitable for a retired lifestyle ?
> 
> Any assistance would be appreciated
> MVJ


I can only recommend an area named Melilli, as it is where my father's holiday house is and is the only place I know. It's in-between Syracuse and Catania. I was there 4 years ago and plan to commute there soon. It was progressing very fast at the time, a school was being built on the mountain. I call it little Toormina. Yes civilisation is on a small/low mountain. Transport exists. At the base of the mountain (1Km?) is a huge shopping complex which accommodates the surrounding towns. It's the best of both worlds, old and new. Quiet, retired atmosphere in the residential areas. It could become a tourist attraction one day. Possibly a good investment. Regards, Tina


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