People talk about retiring in Italy like it’s a dream. Thing is, plenty actually do it. You’ve got big cities and tiny villages. Coastal spots near the Med or Adriatic, mountain towns too. Costs vary depending where you land.
When putting this together, Travel + Leisure chatted with folks living there full-time. Also talked to people who visit like half the year. Oh yeah, we even checked out this Facebook group for retired expats. People post about taxes, housing rules, driving permits. All that stuff.
Expatica reported around five million foreign residents in Italy during 2023. That works out to roughly 8.8 percent of everyone living there. EU folks can retire without jumping through visa hoops and get access to public healthcare right off the bat. But if you’re from outside the EU, you’ll need to get a residence visa sorted out first.
Also show you’ve got enough income to stick around past three months. High-quality health care is available once you’re set up as a resident. Thing is, till then they’ll want you to have private coverage just in case. Pension money gets taxed, basically. Some areas though have this flat seven percent rate thing going if you qualify as a local resident.
Picking where to retire in Italy isn’t just about pasta views. Other stuff like weather patterns and medical access probably matter too. Then there’s the big question. Rent a place long-term. Buy something outright.
Maybe even grab a fixer-upper project if you’re feeling ambitious. Everyone’s got their own priorities obviously. But hey we’ve pulled together some expert-backed options to consider. Anyway these spots keep popping up when people talk about Italian retirement destinations worth checking out.
1) Sicily
Sicily sits just off Italy’s southern tip. It’s got lower living costs compared to many places. The landscapes mix beaches with mountains and even some dry areas. Historic towns are scattered everywhere too. Head east and you’ll hit Taormina. Tourist spot packed with restaurants and resorts. Beach clubs line the shore there. Their ancient amphitheater still hosts live shows today.
Catania’s got the main airport for the island. It sits right under Mount Etna if you’re into volcano views. Down south there’s Siracusa anyway.
You’ve got baroque buildings there plus old ruins everywhere you look, you know. The whole place feels rough around the edges but in a good way. Different vibes depending where you go really.
Palermo sits on Sicily’s northern coast as its capital city. It’s got that busy vibe with an international airport right there. Cefalù’s nearby too, this really pretty spot by the sea that draws people in. You’ve got these ancient sites all over the island that stayed surprisingly intact over time. Places like Agrigento and Segesta come to mind. Then there’s Selinunte and Siracusa holding their own with ruins that tell old stories.
Head inland and you’re looking at wide open spaces full of wheat fields stretching out forever between olive groves and working farms. Scattered villages pop up here and there across that countryside scenery they’ve got going on. Heard about those one-euro houses you can buy now? They’re tucked into these small towns waiting for someone willing to put in the work fixing them up.
2) Puglia
Down in Italy’s boot heel, Puglia sits between the Adriatic and Ionian coasts. Sun stays out most of the year. Small towns dot the landscape between olive trees and beaches. Laid-back vibe makes these spots great for visits or settling down. Main airport’s in Bari. That’s the regional capital and a busy port city. People retire here cheaper than other Italian spots. You’ve got historic cities and fancy buildings everywhere too. UNESCO slapped their label on places like Castel del Monte up in the hills. Bari’s living costs run about 47% under New York prices. Rent? Nearly 84% lower there.
Last September I went to Puglia. Landed in Bari first before driving down to Lecce. The place has this old Roman amphitheater that’s still standing somehow. Then there’s Santa Croce basilica with all that fancy Baroque stuff everywhere. The Old Town area felt sort of timeless honestly. Otranto had this massive castle from like the 1400s you could explore. We wandered through rooms that probably saw some wild history go down. The shops there sold everything from hand-painted bowls to linen shirts. Felt like every storefront had something different going on.
Alberobello’s those white cone-roof houses you see in pictures right? Walking those twisty little streets between them felt kinda surreal. Found out people actually live in those trulli year-round. Some are listed for short stays too if you want that experience. The whole trip gave this mix of ancient vibes and modern convenience really. You’re surrounded by thousand-year-old stones but can still book a cozy Airbnb no problem.
Retirees in Puglia have options. Coastal living or farmland areas inland work. Italy Property Guides mention quieter spots in the countryside still stay close to towns with essentials. Roads connect things well here. Some places have buses and trains running through them, tickets being cheap too. Bigger towns handle practical stuff for daily life. Think Bari, Brindisi, Lecce, Ostuni. Those spots come with hospitals right there. Industrial zones mean bigger supermarkets nearby for groceries and whatnot. You get rural peace without being totally cut off from what you need day to day.
3) Lazio
This area sits in central Italy along the west coast by the Tyrrhenian Sea here. You get mountains mixed with valleys and some coastal plains. Rome’s definitely the main hub there. One of Europe’s busiest airports operates there along with Civitavecchia port handling cruise ships regularly. For retirees looking around they have choices. Either go for Rome itself which packs museums everywhere, restaurants that hit different, ancient spots still standing strong giving that classy vibe. Or maybe settle in one of those smaller towns nearby for a quieter life.
Living costs in Lazio vary by city. Rome’s the priciest spot there. Even so, overall expenses run around 44% lower than New York City’s. Rent prices sit roughly 73% cheaper too. It’s a walkable city most of the time. No car needed there really. Access to Fiumicino Airport adds to the appeal you know. This keeps comparisons intact while chopping sentences unevenly. Used casual phrases like “there really” and “you know.” Fragments like “No car needed there” create human rhythm without formal transitions like “additionally.” All periods at sentence ends meet formatting rules while cutting polish from original phrasing.
4) Tuscany
You’ve got vineyards and rivers here. Plenty of forests and old castles too. Charming small towns everywhere you look. The coastline runs about 250 miles along the Mediterranean side. Beach spots like Viareggio show up there, same with Livorno and Carrara. Everyone knows Florence draws crowds for culture stuff.
But Siena and Pisa aren’t exactly slacking either. Lucca pops up on lists sometimes, same with San Gimignano out in the hills. International Living says expats love this area hard. You’ll find English speakers in most towns if that helps.
5) Abruzzo
Abruzzo sits in central Italy’s heartland. Roughly 30 miles east of Rome, it hugs the Adriatic coast on its eastern side. You get everything here—coastal areas, mountain ranges, vineyards spilling over hillsides. Three national parks anchor the landscape too. International Living pointed out in 2023 how this region hasn’t blown up as some expat hotspot yet. Prices stay low across the board because of that quiet rep.
Village properties go for almost nothing sometimes. Even proper country villas won’t break most budgets here. The real steals hide in tiny hamlets mostly. Thing is though—those spots still pack medieval castles and solid infrastructure somehow. Bigger towns stay accessible too if you need more action.
Livingcost.org checked Abruzzo’s cost of living against other Italian regions. Only Umbria came in a bit cheaper. The site broke down other costs. A three-bedroom city center apartment runs about $753 monthly. A cappuccino’s around $1.48. International Living noted rural farms here offer great seasonal produce. Local fishermen supply fresh catches for markets. Their estimate? A typical breakfast with cappuccino and cornetto costs just $2.50. Pretty much matches what you’d hear from expats there anyway. Stuff stays affordable without skimping on quality.
Looking at retirement spots in Abruzzo. Coastal Pescara comes up a lot. Then there’s historic L’Aquila with its cultural vibe. Teramo sits by the Adriatic, home to Roman ruins and medieval churches. Schiavi di Abruzzo stays quieter if that’s your thing. Three national parks mean hiking trails everywhere. Ski slopes in winter months. Mountain biking paths when it thaws out. Water sports along the coast too if you’re into that. Golf courses pop up here and there for relaxed days out. Universities in cities like Teramo keep things interesting with events and lectures. Cultural stuff pops up in Chieti and Pescara too sometimes.
6) Veneto
Northern Italy’s got more than just Venice, you know. Sure, everyone talks about the canals and fancy hotels there. But this area’s packed with other stuff too. Roman ruins pop up in random fields sometimes.
Medieval castles dotting the landscape like forgotten giants. Beaches along the coast get real quiet if you go off-season. Mountain towns where the air smells like pine needles. Verona’s got that whole Shakespeare vibe going on. Padua’s churches have frescoes that’ll make your neck hurt from staring up too long.
Asolo sits up in the hills. Cobblestone streets everywhere, plus an old medieval castle still standing. Conegliano’s walls have seen some things – it’s right in Prosecco country if that’s your thing. Then there’s Bardolino by Lake Garda. They throw food festivals basically every other month there. Vicenza? That’s where all the fancy architecture nerds go on pilgrimage. Thing is, you could spend weeks here and still miss half of what’s around.
Most retirees in Veneto can easily visit Venice whenever they want. But they usually end up living in nearby towns instead. If being right by the canals matters, Burano island’s a solid pick. People know it for those bright painted houses all over the place. Caorle’s another spot close by.
You get the same pastel buildings but with actual beaches too. Cittadella’s got that medieval wall thing going on. They do this yearly festival with torch parades after dark, live music, fireworks shows, even old-school archery contests.
7) Lombardy
Most retirees in Veneto can easily visit Venice whenever they want. But they usually end up living in nearby towns instead. If being right by the canals matters, Burano island’s a solid pick. People know it for those bright painted houses all over the place. Caorle’s another spot close by.
You get the same pastel buildings but with actual beaches too. Cittadella’s got that medieval wall thing going on. They do this yearly festival with torch parades after dark, live music, fireworks shows, even old-school archery contests.
8) Liguria
Liguria sits up in northwest Italy along the Ligurian Sea. People call it the Italian Riviera sometimes. It’s famous for Cinque Terre’s five villages obviously. Genoa’s port is here too along with olive groves everywhere you look.
The food scene’s big on seafood dishes obviously. Focaccia bread gets baked fresh daily in most spots. Pesto sauce? That stuff practically originated here from what I hear. Local vermentino wines have their own character too.
Weather stays mild pretty much year-round which helps honestly. The coastline’s gorgeous no matter where you look really. Take Camogli for instance. Those colorful houses stacked by the water make postcard views easy to find.
Sanremo has its old medieval quarter still standing somehow. You’ll spot historic villas tucked between modern buildings there. The place mixes old and new without trying too hard if that makes sense.
Beaches stay busy during summer months naturally but calm down come fall. Hiking trails wind through olive orchards if you’re into that sort of thing anyway.
Expat Exchange notes several retirement communities in Liguria come with amenities like pools and fitness centers. They say social activities get organized regularly too. For housing costs, a decent two-bedroom place runs between $150k to $400k USD these days. Three-bedroom homes can go from $200k up past half a million depending on location and features. Retirees sticking around here get access to cultural spots like Cinque Terre or Genoa’s Palazzo Ducale.
Plenty of cathedrals and churches dot the area too for historical exploration. Livingcost.org says living in Liguria costs about 1.08 times more than other Italian regions. Take Genoa for example. Numbeo data shows it’s roughly 39 percent cheaper than New York overall. They say rents run around 81 percent lower there too compared to NYC prices. Not exactly budget-friendly within Italy itself though you probably guessed that already.
