Thinking about moving to Italy? From world-famous cultural capitals to relaxed coastal towns, Italy offers an incredible variety of places to live for expats, retirees, and remote workers alike. Whether you鈥檙e drawn by the food, history, lifestyle, or career opportunities, choosing where to settle is often the most challenging part of the journey.
To help you decide, we鈥檝e put together a guide to some of the best cities to live in Italy, each offering its own unique blend of lifestyle, culture, and opportunity.
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With so many beautiful and diverse cities to choose from, each offering a different pace of life and set of opportunities, it鈥檚 worth taking a closer look at what each destination has to offer before making your decision.
Rome
Located in the Lazio province, Rome is a popular tourist destination worldwide. It鈥檚 also a fabulous choice for expatriates, especially those with families and children.
Rome is home to a variety of top-notch private and international schools. It’s also a friendly city that makes it easy for expats to feel comfortable and acclimate to Italian life.
This walkable city is best known for its incredible culture and historical sites. But it has much more to offer than just the famous sites of the Colosseum, St. Peter鈥檚 Basilica, and Trevi Fountain.
Rome also has a flourishing nightlife, with plenty of museums to visit and restaurants to try.
Florence
Florence’s small (and stunning) city offers a great balance between city living and village life. Tuscany has its airport, so it鈥檚 easy to travel in and out of Florence for business or pleasure.
It’s an excellent choice for expatriates looking to advance their careers, as well as for anyone in the financial or pharmaceutical industries.
Florence is home to many foreigners, and it’s a beautiful city that’s easy to navigate and full of interesting and exciting things to do.
It鈥檚 easy to feel at home in Florence, especially if you prefer a calm lifestyle to hectic city living.
Bologna
The safe, walkable city of Bologna is known for its welcoming, friendly atmosphere toward expats. It serves as one of Europe鈥檚 main educational centers and maintains exceptionally high educational standards.
For music lovers, it鈥檚 also one of Italy鈥檚 leading cultural centers (and a recognized UNESCO City of Music).
Pisa
There鈥檚 a lot more to Pisa than the Leaning Tower. This beautiful city in Tuscany is full of museums, cathedrals, and wineries.
It鈥檚 a walkable city that鈥檚 safe to explore, and it offers a great nightlife for those who love to go out and let off some steam.
Genoa
This historic port city is perfect for English-speaking expats who haven鈥檛 yet honed their Italian language skills.
It鈥檚 a great place to work, and it鈥檚 an LGBT-friendly town that makes it very comfortable for people of all kinds.
Oristano
Located on the island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea, Oristano offers a lower cost of living than most major Italian cities.
With beautiful beaches surrounded by clean water, it鈥檚 a perfect choice for any expat looking to live a quiet, slow pace of life.
Other Cities in Italy Worth Considering
Not sure which city above is best for you? There are lots of other great places in Italy that you can choose from. Four of our other favorite spots for expats are:
Bari
Treviso
Trento Padova
Trieste
How to Choose Where to Live in Italy
Italy is full of incredible cities, towns, and villages, and deciding where to lay down your roots can be difficult.
When planning your , decide whether you want to live in a major city or a small town. If you plan to work, consider the type of job opportunities available.
If you have children, weigh the options for education. Think about the cost of living and make sure you can afford the lifestyle you want. If safety is a priority, check out our article on the .
Do your research before you go, and you鈥檒l be sure to find the place that鈥檚 perfect for you.
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