Living Abroad in Italy

by Moretti, John

• ISBN13: 9781566916349
• ISBN10: 1566916348
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-10
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing

Summary

Imagine yourself living in Italy. You head home to enjoy a glass of Chianti and a heaping plate of pasta. You know the locals and speak Italian with ease. You show visiting friends around with the confidence of one who belongs. Author John Moretti shows you how to make your dream take shape. He left his life as a small-town journalist in Vermont to make a home abroad in Italy. While some give up—daunted by the financial, bureaucratic, and decision-making issues that accompany a move so extraordinary—you'll be led step-by-step through the information you need on visas, money, jobs, housing, safety, language, culture, and history. John has done the research and made the mistakes—so you don't have to. There's a place that matches your budget, needs, and dreams: perhaps it's an apartment in the enchanting city of Rome, a villa in the snowy slopes of Piedmont, or a picturesque cottage in rural Veneto. So make it happen. With Living Abroad in Italy, it's easier than you think.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(2)
Welcome to Italy	3	(16)
Map	2	(5)
The Lay of the Land	7	(6)
Politics	13	(3)
Social Climate	16	(3)
History	19	(18)
Early History	19	(6)
The Renaissance and the Foreign Invasion	25	(2)
Unification	27	(1)
Modern History	28	(9)
People and Culture	37	(12)
Class Acts and una Bella Figura	38	(3)
Gender Roles	41	(2)
Business Behavior	43	(1)
The Arts	44	(5)
Planning Your Fact-Finding Trip	49	(14)
Preparing to Leave	50	(5)
Arriving in Italy	55	(1)
Sample Itineraries	55	(5)
Accommodations	60	(3)
DAILY LIFE	63	(96)
Making the Move	65	(10)
Red Tape	66	(5)
Moving with Children	71	(1)
Moving with Pets	72	(1)
What to Take	73	(2)
Language and Education	75	(8)
Regional Dialects	77	(3)
Learning the Language	80	(3)
Health	83	(10)
Types of Insurance	84	(3)
Pharmacies and Prescriptions	87	(2)
Potential Hazards	89	(1)
Environmental Factors	90	(3)
Employment	93	(12)
Self-Employment	94	(4)
The Job Hunt	98	(7)
Finance	105	(16)
Cost of Living	106	(2)
Banking	108	(3)
Taxes	111	(2)
Investing	113	(8)
Communications	121	(10)
Telephone Service	122	(2)
Email and Postal Service	124	(2)
Media	126	(5)
Travel and Transportation	131	(12)
Map	130	(2)
By Air	132	(1)
By Train	133	(2)
By Bus	135	(1)
By Car	136	(7)
Housing Considerations	143	(16)
Renting	145	(4)
Buying	149	(6)
Household Expenses	155	(4)
PRIME LIVING LOCATIONS	159	(88)
Overview	161	(6)
Map	160	(7)
Rome	167	(12)
Map	166	(4)
Housing	170	(6)
Getting Around	176	(3)
Milan and the Lakes	179	(14)
Map	178	(2)
Milan	180	(5)
Monza and Brianza	185	(3)
Lake Como	188	(5)
The Northeast: Emilia-Romagna and Veneto	193	(14)
Map	192	(2)
Emilia-Romagna	194	(6)
Veneto	200	(7)
The Northwest: Piedmont and Liguria	207	(10)
Map	206	(2)
Piedmont	208	(4)
Liguria	212	(5)
The Central Regions: Tuscany, Umbria, and Le Marche	217	(14)
Map	216	(2)
Tuscany	218	(5)
Umbria	223	(2)
Le Marche	225	(6)
The South: Naples, Puglia, and Sicily	231	(16)
Map	230	(2)
Naples	232	(3)
Puglia	235	(5)
Sicily	240	(7)
Resources	247	(1)
Contacts	248	(5)
Glossary	253	(4)
Suggested Reading	257	(1)
Suggested Films	258	(1)
Index	259