"La Dolce Vita" means the sweet life…and life gets no sweeter than in sunny Italy

Fabulous food and wines…dreamy landscapes…history, culture…passionate people…lavish hospitality…time-honoured traditions

A land where pleasures can be as profound as the works of Dante…or as frothy as a cappuccino

Italy has a staggering amount to offer. Romantic cities. Timeless hill towns. Snowy mountains, idyllic islands, and a rivetingly beautiful coastline. Exquisite art and architecture…Outside the major cities, homes are enticingly affordable

Dear International Living Australia Reader,

A number of years ago, a reader sent me an email. He and his wife were thinking of relocating to Italy…and wondered if I would please send details about some of my favourite places in that country. Where should they start exploring?

To be frank, I didn't know how to respond. I've been visiting Italy for more than 25 years…and after every trip, I realise I've found more places to fall in love with. Italy is one of Europe's most magical and vibrant countries. The watery beauty of Venice. The bedazzlement of Florence. The Eternal City itself, Rome. Most travellers have a favourite Italian city, but not me. I adore them all.

And big-city life is only one option. Italy has many small art towns, which offer great attractions…medieval gems set amongst the lost-in-time landscapes of the Marches, Umbria and Tuscany. These regions make up central Italy…and they're places I could easily imagine myself living. Towns like Urbino, Orvieto and horse-mad Siena. Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis…San Gimignano of the starry nights and medieval stone skyscrapers…

Let me give you a flavour of just one of these enchanted towns. A while back, I spent some idyllic days in a little rented cottage on a wine-growing estate near San Gimignano. The surrounding countryside is completely unspoiled—a golden land of vineyards, olive groves and sunflowers…gentle wooded hills crowned with castles and medieval villages. Walking back from the town one night, the road home was lit up by the twinkly lights of what must have been thousands of glowworms.

A place where the clocks seem to have stopped a couple of centuries ago, San Gimignano is incredibly lovely…a background image from a faded Renaissance masterpiece. Even if you're not on the property trail, it's worth crossing continents just to absorb the atmosphere. My visit coincided with its main summer festival...and Italy's calendar is studded with all kinds of colourful festivities and saint's days. Everybody—even kiddies—seemed to be gadding about in medieval costumes.

If you enjoy the good things in life, I think you should take a look at what Italy has to offer. And that applies whether you're considering buying a home in the sunshine for retirement…or as a bolt-hole for holidays. Italy is the perfect place for enjoying extended adventures. Stay a month, stay a year, stay forever…

If you've ever dreamed of a home in idyllic Italy for less than $210,000…of waking up to a view straight from a Renaissance painting…

…then I can tell you exactly where you can pick up the keys to some incredible deals.

Italy has mesmeric locations that are practically unknown to foreign visitors—but where inexpensive properties such as this are on the market:

• A pretty, semidetached stone house for sale. The property is on two levels, with two-bedrooms, 60 square metres of living space, and great views. Price: €55,000 ($78,200).

Italy isn't only a lifestyle choice, of course. According to the World Tourism Organisation, with over 43 million annual visitors, it's the world's fifth most visited country. For investors, that means a steady demand for short-term rental accommodation.

These are uncertain financial times, admittedly. But if you're thinking of the tourist market, buying the right property in a country so steeped in culture, history and sensuous pleasures comes with few risks.

Honestly, can you imagine the tourist stream drying up anytime soon?

Of course not. Italy has been right near the top of the world's holiday wish-list ever since the aristocratic Grand Tour got underway in the 18th century.

As a property market, Italy is mature and proven…and so are its charms

Unlike in parts of 'the New Europe', Italian ski and seaside resorts aren't two-season-wonder locations. In Italy, they have a longstanding property track record. Yes, rentals are seasonal, and outside the cities and ski resorts, few tourists are around in winter. However, many seaside resorts and countryside properties attract the same families back summer after summer.

What's more, the country has excellent infrastructure. (Accessibility is always an important factor when buying a property as a tourist rental.)

Although property values in Italy are cooling—and it's a buyers' market—they're certainly not heading toward permafrost territory. Obviously, even Italy isn't immune to the downturn that swept the world. To give you the full picture, some cities have experienced quite large falls. Naples fell around 19%, but it was way too overpriced to start with.

But looking at the figures from a nationwide perspective, the dip in overall housing values was a mere fraction compared to the plunge in some other major European countries.

In part, this is because Italian banks had more conservative lending practices than banks in the U.S. or U.K. Unlike their counterparts, they only offered mortgages of up to 70%. There is no huge cache of repossessed homes flooding the market.

Also, the Italian housing boom of the previous decade didn't trigger the same massive increase in new builds, which happened in countries such as Spain. Even during the boom, price rises were relatively sensible across most parts of the country.

But to be frank, it's hard to see how many countryside and village properties can get much cheaper than they already are. My suspicions are that if they're not snapped up soon, some owners will pull them off the market and wait for the economic tide to turn.

Your personal guide to the good life

Steenie Harvey here and I've been roving around Italy for over two and a half decades. I've been on the beat for International Living covering all parts of Europe for many, many years, but Italy holds a special place in my heart.

Last year, I took a scouting trip to an overlooked part of Central Italy. Crisp blue skies, dreamy hill towns, the diamond-bright peaks of the Apennines…

…and sleeping beauty properties at exceptionally alluring prices.

In one medieval hill village, I viewed a two-bedroom apartment in the historic centre of the village. Fully renovated, it has 100 square metres of living space, a nice terrace and a shared garden.

The price? €105,000.

That equates to around $149,300 in dollar terms.

A steal of a deal—if it's still available. But my contact in this region had a number of enticing examples for under $126,300. Properties like:

• A house with stunning views, located in a nice village, just a 30-minute drive from the sea. The house consists of a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace and balcony, two bedrooms, and a bathroom with a shower. The house is situated near the centre of the village, and is in good condition and well restored. Price: €38,000 ($54,000).
• A 62-square-metre, one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. It has a kitchen, living room, and a nice view over the countryside. It's located less than two kilometres from the sea. Price: €58,000 ($82,500).
• A nicely finished, detached house with two bedrooms, set over 75 square metres of living space. It has a nice-sized garden at the rear. It's described as being in excellent condition. Price: €89,000 ($126,300).

Get to know 'the real Italy'

Maybe you're wondering why homes in this corner of one of the world's most beautiful countries—homes that are less than a couple of hours' drive from Rome—are so affordable?

Simple. Because it's one of those unsung parts of Italy that few foreigners have heard of. Guidebooks devote only a couple of pages to this region—if they mention it at all.

But that's good news for you.

You see, this lovely region of olive-dappled countryside is seriously undervalued. Although it's as scenically gorgeous as Tuscany and Umbria, comparable property value is often up to 70% cheaper.

Come visit and you'll be baffled as to why it has been ignored for so long. Its palazzos might be faded, its watchtowers crumbling—but its unsung hill towns are as photogenically stunning as those in high-priced Tuscany.

Dotted with vineyards and small farms, this is the old Italy where rustic charm has survived the centuries intact.

But word is getting out.

You've probably heard of what's known as 'the Ryanair effect'

The budget airline comes in…European holidaymakers fall in love with astoundingly cheap properties…prices rise.

Ryanair, Europe's biggest budget airline, is now serving this central Italian region. And the airport is only a 30-minute drive away from some really beautiful hill villages—including the one where I viewed the €105,000 property. The beaches are even closer—20 minutes.

If you didn't want to live here full-time, these village homes would make for a great holiday rental. Pulling in $700 a week in summer should be easy.

Most towns and villages are within an hour's drive of the Adriatic. So in late spring, the sea and mountain combination means you could be skiing in the morning and beach-bumming in the afternoon.

The sands here are smooth and golden—and even in winter, the waves sing of summer's promise. It's a whispered lullaby of sizzling sunshine and balmy evenings, of fishing trips and harbours jostling with white-sailed yachts. Piazzas erupt with parties. Lengthy meals are enjoyed al fresco.

And did I say that from almost every little settlement, views are sensational? You can always see another collection of spires, towers and rooftops lying like buried treasure in the folds of the mountain foothills.

For many people, where to find the world's most passionately indulgent lifestyle is no secret. At the last official count, 5,014,437 foreigners were living in Italy.

Living there and enjoying la dolce vita. That's local lingo for 'the sweet life'. And I can promise you, life is sweeter there than honey.

Whether you choose to live near the Mediterranean, the Adriatic or the Alps, Italy offers the kind of life that can't be duplicated anywhere else on the planet. No argument.

Even some of its better-known beauty spots might not necessarily be beyond your budget. Take Lake Como, where snowcapped peaks are mirrored in serene, sapphire waters.

This is where Hollywood actor George Clooney comes to seek peace and privacy for three or four months each year. He has bought Villa Oleandra, in Laglio village on Lake Como's shores.

Crowned with ancient churches, all the villages girdling the lake are storybook affairs. Cobbled streets clamber up towards the forested hills; sparkling waterfalls descend into little rivers spanned by arched stone bridges.

Draped in wisteria, lakeside village houses are often painted in warm summer shades of daffodil yellow, peach, pink, cream and butterscotch. Perfumed gardens brim with statuary and all kinds of exotic flowers. To me, $240,000 for a property in this corner of heaven sounds pretty reasonable.

Yes, just $240,000 for a lake-view apartment on Lake Como's shores. It has one bedroom, one bathroom, and has been fully restored.

It's through one of the recommended real estate contacts you'll find in Escape to Italy (more about this in a moment).

No guarantees you'll run into gorgeous George, but the UK Times reported that on his arrival, he wrote to his neighbours, apologising for any "inconvenience" his presence caused them. He said, "My greatest desire is just to live in this wonderful village and walk along its lovely streets."

Don't buy—or rent—until you've read Escape to Italy

The composer Giuseppe Verdi was spot on when he said: "You may have the universe if I may have Italy."

Even in these credit-crunched times, there's no good reason why you can't have it too.

If you've been a regular reader of our email Postcards and International Living Australia magazine, you'll know we rate Italy as one of the best sunshine buys in Western Europe.

Which is why we put together Escape to Italy: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well and Enjoy the Good Life For Less.

What we found is this: Outside the big cities, Italy is far less costly than you probably imagine.

You see, if you've visited Italy as a tourist, chances are you've spent your time in and around the cities of the north. And that you've hung around tourist bars and restaurants charging tourist prices. Relatively few foreigners ever venture south of Rome or the Amalfi Coast.

If you've never explored the country's lesser-known regions, you won't have a clue how astonishingly inexpensive property (and everything else) can be.

Of course, it's understandable why relatively few Australians ever travel as far south as Calabria. Or to the neighbouring regions of Basilicata or Apulia. Or to Molise where the mountains meet the silvery-blue Adriatic.

It's the time factor.

You see, the problem with Italy is this: there's far too much to see and savour. It's different if you live here—the potential for short breaks is incredible. But experiencing all its splendours on a few holiday trips isn't possible.

Agreed, it's a sin for any visitor not to explore the watery glories of Venice…or to take in the opulence of Rome and Florence. Or to visit Umbria, the green heart of Italy, with its medieval walled towns perched like tiaras on hilltops and pilgrimages to Assisi, birthplace of St Francis.

Then there's Liguria's Cinque Terre where fishing villages are slotted into the niches of towering cliffs. And it's hard to resist the charms of rural Tuscany, with its classic old farmhouses, vineyards, and fields of nodding sunflowers.

How can you possibly pack all this and more into a holiday?

Probably the only real solution of how to fit all of Italy's magic into one lifetime is to live here full- or part-time—and this is where we at International Living Australia can help.

Your roadmap to a dream life in Italy

Italy's 20 regions all have great things to offer both homebuyers and renters.

But where, specifically, should you look?

Well, in Escape to Italy: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well and Enjoy the Good Life For Less, you'll discover exactly what each region offers—and gain in-depth insights into the ones that make the most sense to us. You'll learn how much it costs to own or rent a home in all our favourite locations—old and new.

Say you're looking for a village house in good condition…but you don't want to pay more than $250,000. You won't find one overlooking the Amalfi Coast at that price, but explore regions such as Apulia, Basilicata and Calabria and you'll be spoilt for choice.

Italy's slower-paced south offers just as much magic as the north. Although incomes aren't as high down here, you're certainly not compromising on beauty, good food and all those things that go to make up the sweet life.

High above a clear-as-crystal sea, medieval villages rush helter-skelter down hillsides. New or old, houses are strung with bright scarlet capsicums drying in the sunshine; tiny jewel-green lizards scurry about everywhere.

Underlying the salty tang of ozone, the air is perfumed with basil, oregano and other sweet-smelling herbs. Even the smallest towns usually bear evidence of a Byzantine, Norman or even an ancient Greek past.

No, the landscapes aren't classical Tuscan—but that doesn't make them any less Italian.

Art treasures aren't as numerous, but Italy's deep south is still a land of lemon groves, vineyards and ancient chestnut woods; fishing villages, wine festivals, religious parades; and a wealth of traditions that are deep-rooted rather than something dreamt up by the heritage industry.

You'll see men playing centuries-old card games and women doing embroidery…donkeys carrying firewood and shepherds tending flocks.

But come to think of it, even an address in Tuscany may not be out of the question—if you steer clear of the tourist hotspots around Siena and Florence. In a village on Tuscany's wilder outer fringes, one of our contacts has a charming little stone house for $93,000. It's restored—there's no work to be done.

The point is that it's usually necessary to venture beyond the fashionable destinations to find sensible prices.

If you're prepared to explore…to come with me to places that have so far slipped through the foreign property-buyers' net…there are many delightful (and surprisingly affordable) homes within easy reach of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the unspoiled countryside.

Of course, purchasing a home in Italy is not the same as purchasing in Australia. It's not complicated once you understand how things work—but if you don't know the system, mistakes can happen.

Costly mistakes. It's a sad truth, but some buyers seem to leave their wits behind at Rome airport.

That said, the majority of transactions go through smoothly—and yours is likely to as well. But there's no substitute for checking all the boxes and doing the right legwork to give yourself peace of mind.

Armed with Escape to Italy, you'll have that peace of mind.

Romance and Reality

It's senseless to contemplate living in any overseas country without knowing exactly what makes that country tick. Or how its way of doing things may affect you.

So one of my main aims is to ensure that you arrive in Italy with all the knowledge you need to make an informed decision.

Sure, you'll discover where to find dream views among the rolling hills and deep green valleys, or a beautiful apartment in the centro storico of a classic hilltop town.

But I won't let you lose sight of reality—or of any potential pitfalls. Your magnificent view may be devalued by a tractor starting up next door at 5 a.m. every morning. The unique setting of a country home may be irrelevant if you can't get electricity to it.

So naturally, all the practicalities of relocating are addressed in full in Escape to Italy. And along with a guide to Italy's regions and their real estate opportunities, you'll get plenty of expert advice:

• A step-by-step guide to the legalities, costs and procedures associated with purchasing Italian property. Contact details for competent, trustworthy professionals to assist you in your purchase or rental.
• Restoration, building costs, and the role of a geometra—before you even set foot on Italian soil, you'll have a good idea of how much that old farmhouse will cost to restore. (Hint: building costs are much lower in southern Italy than the north.)
• The rental market. Outside northern Italy's major cities, you'll find lots of affordable options. Take the chic resort town of Matera in Basilicata, whose old town provided the setting for Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ. You can rent a two-bedroom, 110-square-metre apartment for just $925 a month.
• How to obtain the correct visa, a residence permit, a driving licence, and all the other vital bits and bobs of bureaucratic paper you'll need.
• Day-to-day living costs and utility bills—and how to get quickly connected to the electricity, water and telephone services. Obviously, utility bills will depend on property size and also the climate.
• Taking care of your health. Opt for local healthcare insurance and you'll find premiums are a lot less costly than back home. As a resident, you can even join Italy's National Health Service Plan and get free treatment—we explain how.
• Your various options for putting your kids through school. And much more…the investment climate, negotiating the tax system, business opportunities, resources for learning the language, etc.

Although most professionals speak English, this edition includes a special language primer. It will familiarise you with terms you may see and hear in the bank…on the highway…in the doctor's office…at the real estate agent's.

Eternally Rome

My colleagues and I didn't spend weeks eating ourselves silly and translating menus. (Though I must say that task was no hardship.)

And we've explored numerous locations beside Italy's famous—and not-so-famous-rural regions and seaside hideaways.

In Escape to Italy: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well and Enjoy the Good Life For Less, you'll find comprehensive details about city life too…about what it's like to live in Venice, Florence, and the country's fashion and business hub, Milan.

Plus, there's an entire in-depth section on Rome, the Eternal City. Doesn't it send shivers down your spine simply to imagine being in Italy's capital? To visit the Coliseum where baying mobs urged on gladiators? Or the Forum whose very stones are the same that the Caesars walked among?

The Vatican…the Trevi Fountain…the Arch of Titus…the Castle of St. Angelo…the Aurelian walls. With more than 2,600 years of history and culture, the whole of the city has been likened to a museum—albeit a museum with elegant shopping areas, green parks, and arguably Italy's most vibrant lifestyle.

Not surprisingly, Rome has long been a magnet to Australians. With several thousand expats living in and around the city, you won't find it difficult to meet fellow residents—especially as a number of expat groups are based here.

Rome is irresistible, but it's a world-class city—and quality homes are expensive. I don't pretend otherwise.

But how about a Roman rental? We've identified local sources where you can find reasonably affordable properties. If you know who to contact—and I'll tell you in Escape to Italy—you can rent a furnished apartment in the historic centre for less than $1,400 per month. (Rentals in provincial towns and cities are far cheaper.)

Or consider buying a home near Rome rather than in the capital itself. For example, there's a small medieval town in the Lazio region, which is only 40 kilometres north of Italy's capital.

It boasts a 12th-century hospital, a castle, and several churches dating from the Medieval and Baroque eras. The picturesque centre, complete with cobbled square and grand, stone town gates, is often used in movies.

A totally restored apartment in its historic centre, with a living room, kitchen, bathroom and one bedroom, is €60,000 ($85,200).

It's not one-off. Our Lazio contacts have other appealing options too.

Don't leave it too late

Another piece of news for those with an eye for potential easy profits. As with low-cost airlines, train links—particularly high-speed trains—have a dynamic effect on property prices. Trenitalia is currently investing around €2.5 billion on cleaning up and renovating stations in three major cities—and a number of high-speed train routes are being introduced.

When better transport comes into play, higher house prices tend to follow, often by as much as 40% in two or three years.

But I don't have enough space to tell you everything that I'd like to. If you share my own passion for Italy, I urge you to get hold of Escape to Italy.

How Much Would It Cost To Figure All This Out On Your Own?

Let me put it to you this way…

It took me SEVERAL MONTHS and SEVERAL TRIPS to uncover all the secrets you'll discover in Escape to Italy.

That's GREAT news for you.

You see, YOU don't have to do ANY of the on-the-ground leg-pounding that I did.

You can simply click around on your computer screen and discover all of my hard-won secrets…from the comfort of your own home.

So how much…then…does it cost to get your hands on a copy of Escape to Italy?

Well…considering how much we've invested in this project, we could easily justify charging several hundred dollars. Probably a lot more.

But we're not going to ask you for that much.

That's because we want to make it as affordable as possible for you to discover all of my secrets for living well for less in Italy yourself.

So instead of asking for $300…or even $200 (which would be a MASSIVE bargain for this kind of info)…

…we're only asking for $99.

For just $99 you can get your hands on the most complete, the most comprehensive, and the most cutting-edge resource on living, working, travelling and retiring in today's Italy in the entire world.

Order Escape to Italy: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less and you'll also get a free bonus report

It would take a lifetime to see and experience all Italy has to offer.

But I assure you, whatever attracts you to Italy—the food, the scenery, the affordable property or the sensuous, self-indulgent lifestyle—you'll find all the information you need inside Escape to Italy.

We've removed the guesswork and hassle of buying (or renting) the home you dream of…and we take you as close to living and investing in Italy as you can get without us buying a ticket, flying you there, and hiring a private guide for you.

Order today and we'll also send you…

Special Bonus Report: Top Italian Retirement Havens (value: $39, complimentary to you).

Who wouldn't want to live in Italy, Europe's most intriguing and seductive country? Just think of its warmth, style, and wonderful food…its excitable people and their zest for life…its art treasures and the architectural glories of its magnificent past…Even if you've never been there, Italy is one of those places.

Italy is undeniably romantic. From the days of the Grand Tour when the first tourists stood in the shadow of the Coliseum, Italy has attracted expats. As many of them have found out it's not all about the big draws like Venice, Rome, and Florence.

The Italian Lake district is admittedly well-trodden, but what do you know about the islands of Sardinia and Sicily? Or of Abruzzo, a hilly region on the eastern coast that shares the same attractive sandy beaches as Le Marche, but where properties are sensibly priced? Or of Apulia in the Deep South: a languid land of olive trees fringed by the Adriatic Sea? Although Italy is not generally perceived as being a bargain location for property buyers, there truly is something for everybody.

And this digital report will share with you our top retirement locations in beautiful, historic Italy.

And the best part is that we publish Escape to Italy electronically…so it's much more useful, colourful and interactive than ever before. Plus, you'll have access to it as soon as your order has processed.

Try it out…even take it to Italy in search of your dream home or investment. We're so confident you'll realise your dreams in Italy that we'd like to offer you a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If at any time you decide that Italy isn't for you, simply let us know within 30 days and we'll refund you the full price…no questions asked.

Try it today. Explore all Italy has to offer. And if, after exploring her delights, you decide that Italy is not the place for you, you have our 30-day money-back guarantee—no questions asked.

Yours sincerely,

Steenie Harvey
IL's Roving Europe Editor

P.S. Order Escape to Italy: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less, and we'll also send you the special bonus report, Top Italian Retirement Havens, all for just $99.