Okay, full disclosure, I reviewed some of my recent posts about appreciating the small things, slowing down and being mindful, coupled with some amusing observations about living in Italy (see the posts here and here). Don’t get me wrong, life abroad, especially living in a small town in southern Italy, can have its eccentricities, but I don’t want to leave the impression that it’s all different in a bad way. After all, we’re here aren’t we? Expats from all over the world flock to Italy (or dream of buying a villa here) and there is a laundry list of reasons for this. Here are my top 10 to name a few:
1. Pace of Life
By far, the number one aspect of living in Italy foreigners quote as enjoyable is the pace of life. Everything is slower here. With the exception of the drivers, no one seems in a hurry to get anywhere or do anything fast. It’s easy to meander around smaller towns enjoying the sights, stopping for a leisurely lunch and appreciating the slow life. While the slow pace can be frustrating when it comes to administrative tasks, renovations, etc, in general, if you can accept that things will happen eventually and go with the flow of Italian life, it can have a tremendous positive impact on your well-being.
2. Fresh (and Cheap) Produce
One of the best advantages to living in Italy is the very fresh (farm-to-table) produce you can find everywhere – from local markets, to street carts, to trucks driving through neighbourhoods announcing their merchandise to many local supermarkets. Fruit and vegetables are readily available and, for the most part, significantly less expensive than what you’d pay at a grocery store in North America. Also, if you stick to locally grown produce, you can’t beat the freshness! Our favourites in Puglia are tomatoes (pomodori), cocomeri which is a cucumber/melon hybrid that tastes like a sweet cucumber and lemons (limone).
3. Local Markets and Regional Delicacies
Every town seems to have a weekly farmer’s market and you know how much people love farmer’s markets! Markets here are epic, with farmers selling local produce, products such as honey, olive oil, cheese, meat, fish and nuts, while at the same time you’ll find stalls where you can buy linens, artwork, clothing, shoes, kitchenware, you name it. We love chatting with the stall owners who will offer suggestions on what’s good that week. In addition to markets, there are so many shops and stalls selling products popular in the region (prodotti tipici). Where we are in Puglia, it’s taralli, a bread knot that’s typically made with olive oil.
4. Beaches!
I can completely appreciate the beauty of inland Italian towns, but for me, living in Italy means access to gorgeous beaches and the sea. Puglia is a beach holiday destination for Italians and foreigners. The area is small enough that you can drive between the east and west coast in an hour, taking in an incredible number of beaches on the Adriatic and Ionian seas. There are a number of commercialized beach resorts with umbrellas and fancy cocktails if you are looking to relax and swim in style, but still so many smaller unspoiled beaches with spectacular views of the seascape. We spent much of February on a secluded beach soaking up the sun and watching the crystal clear water (definitely something we aren’t doing in Canada in February)!
5. Stunning Architecture
Italian architecture boasts an impressive history. There are Greek, Roman and Islamic influences (Sicily) among others, which makes for some incredibly stunning buildings. The 16th/17th Century Baroque architecture that characterizes many of the towns in Italy is truly stunning. There is a huge concentration of Baroque style architecture in Puglia (called Lecesse Barocco), so you can find relatively small towns with massive, visually ornate churches, cathedrals and government buildings.
6. Natural Beauty
Italy is an outdoor lover’s paradise and a photographer’s dream. The picturesque natural landscape is one of my favourite things about living in Italy. Everywhere you look there is something incredible to see – from the mountain ranges of the north to the rolling hills and farmlands in the interior to the breathtaking sea views along the coastline. The climate and soils allow for a ton of greenery and in the spring, you’ll find colourful floral bouquets sprouting up everywhere.
7. Adorable Towns with Tons of Character
Italian towns photograph like postcards without much effort. They are simply beautiful and still in many areas unspoiled by excessive tourism. While travelling through Puglian towns, we typically beeline to the historical centre (centro storico) in each town so we can meander through winding streets, take in the tiny houses, exaggerated entranceways and ornate balconies. Most of the photos on this blog are scenes from Puglian towns. While the Baroque buildings are impressive, I love the narrow streets, old stone structures, charming piazzas and I can’t miss a decorative bicycle or aptly placed Vespa. Classic Italia.
8. Affordable Restaurants and Regional Delicacies
Depending on where you are in Italy, the restaurants can be quite affordable. In cities where they cater to tourists, you’ll have to venture into smaller neighbourhoods where locals might frequent restaurants for a good deal. In every town, you’ll find dishes typical of that region, even 50km can make a difference. The closer you find yourself to the sea, the more sea-based food you’ll find (obviously). On the east coast, mussels gratinee (cozze gratinate) was my favourite dish. On the west coast, it’s grilled squid. Cheeses and types of pasta are quite localized too, so you’ll find particular varieties served at practically every restaurant in one region. Outside of larger cities, there isn’t a ton of variety in terms of non-Italian cuisine (Italian food bears a cultural significance so they are passionate about their own local dishes made with traditional recipes) but find a dish you like and it’ll be on the menu in every trattoria!
9. Gelato Gelato Gelato
Italian gelato is the best. And better than ice cream (yes, I said it). There is even a World Ranking which is, not surprisingly, dominated by Italians. In Italy, gelato is on every corner and if you do some homework, you can easily find delicious, high quality gelato that will quickly become addictive, especially on a hot summer day. Like everything, there are regional specialities you can’t miss. Our favourite flavour is Sicilian pistachio, which is light and refreshing. In some shops, they’ll add fresh cream (panna) or meringue roasted with a torch. Yum!
10. Vino, Anyone?
We need to talk more about wine and wineries. There are wineries all over the world, you say, what’s so special about Italy? Um, hello. Wine in Italy is everything.
The mild Italian climate and fertile soils make it the perfect place for vine growth thus there are wineries everywhere, big and small. Living in Italy means constant access to so many wineries and wine options at significantly lower prices than you pay for so-so Italian wine at home. We love to visit smaller family-run wineries and try local grape varieties which we’ll never see on a shelf at home. It’s a more personal experience and the quality of wine you can taste is phenomenal. Since moving to Puglia, we’ve discovered Susumaniello and we are in love. Even simple table wine at a restaurant is of decent quality and so affordable (a half litre in the Salento region can range from 3 – 6 Euros).
Okay, that’s ten of my favourite things about living in Italy. There are others, but come visit (or pick up and move like we did) and you can discover what you love about this magical place.