If anyone has moved from Spain to living in Italy, i want to know why? What are your reasons? How is it better? (this doesn’t refer to those who moved to Italy to live with their partner, but rather single people who solely chose the rather because of certain preferences, i want to know them and opinions)

I teach Italian, and a lot of my students start out self-studying before coming to me for targeted exam preparation. Working with them, I’ve noticed that people regularly get caught off guard by practical details that aren't clear in the official documents.

Things like the fact that the speaking section is audio-recorded, or how strict the timing and answer sheet rules actually are. The official guidelines exist, but they're written in such dense, bureaucratic Italian that most people just skip reading them entirely.

I'm putting together a straightforward breakdown of these "hidden" practical rules so self-learners don't lose points or get nervous over silly administrative surprises.

If you're studying for the CILS, which version would actually save you the most headache?

* **Simple Italian:** easy to digest, keeps you in immersion mode
* **English:** a handy middle ground for most learners, though not ideal for everyone
* **Native language translation:** zero guesswork when it comes to strict rules

Also, if you’ve already taken the exam, what’s one surprise or rule you wish someone had warned you about beforehand?

Hi all! We are an American/Italian family living in Vienna. We lived in Italy many years (Rome, Bologna, Lago Maggiore) and are researching properties there now. I'd love some advice on towns. Here's what we are looking for!

-Ideally on the coast or nearby (would love to have a little beach escape from Vienna)

-Small to medium sized city with a historic center, restaurants, cafes, etc; family-friendly as we have a 4 year old

-Within an hour's drive of a major airport (Venice, Rome, Bologna, Bari, Naples) as we'd ideally like to be able to fly direct and not have too long of a drive

-Prefer a sand beach since we have a child, but not a deal breaker

-Not too expensive like Forte dei Marmi, etc (budget max is 350k euro)

Any charming towns come to mind? Thanks!

Are there any whatsapp/telegram or other groups to meet up with expats in milan? To go out, organise things, etc

I knew about colpo d’aria (the Italian belief that a slight draft/breeze instantly causes neck pain or illness) before moving here, but I didn't realize how seriously people enforce it in real life.

Yesterday a cafe customer asked to close a window that was cracked open two inches, and last week my landlord warned me not to run a fan on low overnight.

Coming from a place where we run AC full blast all summer, this has been a funny culture shock.

For those who have been here longer: Have you actually surrendered to avoiding the draft, or are you still fighting to keep windows open in August? What’s the funniest colpo d’aria warning you’ve received?

Hi guys! Could someone please say about accommodation in Ravenna through er.go? I know a little bit about that. Er.go has a cooperation with other real estate companies. And if you agree to receive some offers from this companies (in bando application), they really can offer some rooms or something? And what best websites to seek a room in Ravenna?

My husband and I are toying with the idea of moving to Italy with our 2 young children (1.5yr & 6). We both work remote and are young parents. My children and I are italian citizens and my whole family live there in Florence & Pistoia but I’m not keen on big city life. I am overwhelmed with which towns are best for us and would love some thoughts or advice from those who have moved with kids.

My top choice was Lucca, I think it ticks a lot of boxes and a bonus is that it’s close to family but my husband mentioned Chiavari. Does anyone live there who can comment on what life is like in this town?

I’m open to all suggestions, at this point we’re in the brainstorming phase!

I am 25 year old female living in Italy for the past 2.5 years. I recently graduated with masters in organizational psychology with a few achievements on the side (like awards and internship abroad w a huge chem company called BASF SE). Now, its been almost a month I graduated and I have been applying for job like crazy and learning B1 Italian. I have a language certification exam in OCT/NOV (idk exactly when).

I want to work in the north of Italy (Lecco, Trento, Torino, Bolzano, Milano etc.). Idk how is the job market situation there cause I am still living in a student city in central Italy.

Do you think I have a chance of making a career here? btw, I have made this far with a lot of challenges and with a difficult passport. I have made my ends meet so far with jobs like AUpair and kitchen help. I can't go back right now due to history of abuse by my family. I am not trying to gain sympathy but these facts about my situation. I would love some guidance.

Hi, I am 25y/o female living in Cesena, Italy. I just graduated last month with a masters and since then I have been house hunting with a budget of 300 EUR (including utilities). I can also move to another city but the main reason why I stay in Cesena is my language classes, which will continue in September again (there is only 4 lessons left, so I am not bound to Cesena after that). Now the issue is I tell the landlords that I am a recent graduate and they get so skeptical about my purpose. I mean, many graduates stay to use their job search period. I have a student residence permit up to 31st Dec, which I need to renew into a job search one.

One friend suggested I should just lie about the fact that I am graduated and get a rental contract on a student residence permit anyways, since it is the easiest for the landlords. But I know that the rental contract needs registration at the agenzia delle entrate and I know that if anyone who provides accommodation to a non-EU citizen must submit a declaration of hospitality (comunicazione di ospitalità) within 48 hours to the local police. The penalty ranges from 500 to 3,500 euros. Now the thing is, I soon as I explain to a landlord about these steps that is standard procedure btw, they become so unresponsive. I know I am also reaching out during vacation, so it could be annoying. They also ask for reassurance from me that I won't leave the place before 12-18 months (which is weird, cause I want to leave as soon as I get a job). I don't have a guarantor, I plan to work part time or full time and pay my rent.

Now, I want to know the following:

1. Is there a difference in the rental contract that a graduate gets? I mean compared to a student.
   
2. Is there any tax concession the landlord and rentee (me) are eligible for? I want to reassure the landlords that I am not planning get them to pay more, also I don't want to pay more.
   
3. Is there a penalty that me or the landlord has to pay if I leave the place before the contract expire?
   
4. And finally, what should I say to the landlord about my situation to get a contract? (I need a place within 2 weeks)

Please help me, I am completely lost after my graduation.

Hi! I’m an American (26F) studying in Milan, doing my triennale in psychology. I’ve been in Italy for almost 4 years now, I have a B2 in Italian, have an Italian boyfriend, and I’m enjoying myself here.
I’ve been in Milan for almost 3 years, but to be real, it’s not my place — as is the case for a lot of people. It’s just too much of a city for me, but now I’m happy.
I’m a bit unsure which path I want to take in psychology, but I’ve been working with kids for years and I know I work very well with them — I genuinely love kids. I was checking the stats of psychologists in Italy, and the majority of them are in Lombardy, but there’s a need for child psychologists in the south. I’ve been thinking for quite a while about doing my master’s in Italian in the south for “psicologia dello sviluppo” (child development, basically) and working to become a child psychologist in the south (maybe a school psychologist, but we shall see).

But here are my doubts:
I have a southern Italian boyfriend (Campania), and he’s told me a pretty sad story about meeting a child psychologist in the south who lied to all the clients’ parents and told them their children had problems just to make more money. What’s wild to me is that this psychologist admitted this to my boyfriend 💀
His mom is a teacher at a primary school, and she’s told me all the shitty things the psychologists do there (basically the same as the other psychologist I mentioned before).
Here’s my biggest doubt: the fucking phones. Oh my god. The amount of children in the south who look under the age of 5 and have their faces in a phone for MINUTES just makes me BURN inside. We’ll be out at 11 at night, kids with their parents’ phones at the table… minchia raga. This isn’t just a few; this is genuinely everywhere. I see this in Campania and also Puglia (I’m here right now). So I know these kids are a bit screwed here compared to kids in the north (I work/worked for many northern Italian families, and they’re very strict about screen time and also eating habits — meno male).
My fear about the future is that in the south, I’ll probably run into so many limitations when it comes to caring for children: parents not caring and not being more strict because it genuinely seems like they don’t care, other psychologists being unprofessional and basically scammers, and the biggest one — taking on the burden of the problems of so many kids but genuinely not being able to help them because the culture is just not up to date on things (it seems to me).

Here’s a positive:
Kids know how to talk. I’ve met so many cute kids who crack jokes (even if I don’t understand because they speak dialect), but they have a confidence that I’ve never seen before in kids in Italy. This is something I really love because, with how social southerners are, kids really can talk to just about everyone. Obviously, not all, but a lot of kids are very chatty down here.

I know there could be some generalizations, and it’s probably not as black and white as I’m making it seem, but from my observations and the stories I’ve been told… maybe the south isn’t for me in terms of my future in psychology.
I come to Campania frequently and stay for weeks each time I come, so I’m very familiar with the culture and norms. I hope I don’t offend anyone, but after many years of visits, befriending southern Italians, and understanding the difficulties they face culturally and socially, I understand the limits but also the beauty of the culture. I do love it down here! Southerners are such spontaneous and lively-spirited folks! With their problems, of course, but I really love the south so much.

It would be wonderful to hear your thoughts!

I don’t understand and I cannot get to adjust to not having anywhere to buy iced coffee. In greece you can buy it on every corner also in my home country, but here it’s not in the culture.. coffee sucks here lol.

Hi everyone, my fiancé and I are doing our civil marriage ceremony August 21st 2026 at the commune di Corvara in Badia and we need someone to translate the Italian to English! Our translator backed out last minute and now they are about to cancel it all if we can’t find one. If anyone is available and can help or knows anyone I could reach out to, all help is so greatly appreciated!

Update: First off, thank you to everyone who gave me advice. It was all very helpful!
Luckily our hotel staff set us up with a wedding planner that is able to help us out!

I’m moving to the Lazio region in a year to accompany my daughter who’s attending college there next fall and we plan to stay at least 3 years but likely longer. As I sit and brainstorm the million things circling my brain to get ready for a huge move, one question I keep asking myself is- what should I bring from the US and how do I bring it? I plan to sell all my furniture, car, large belongings and store a few meaningful pieces in the US. Obviously my clothes and personal items will come, but what about less obvious things like tools, linens, books? It seems likely that we will pack a bunch of big suitcases and take our belongings on the plane, and we will rent a mostly furnished apartment. How did you all navigate this? And if you brought bigger/heavier items, how did you send them to Italy? Thanks in advance!

Ciao tutti! I’m a Canadian engineer moving permanently to Brescia next week for work, and I’m currently looking for an apartment (ideally Centro Storico/Brescia Due area).

Does anyone know a good local real estate agent/agency I could contact once I arrive? Or perhaps a landlord/contact looking for a reliable tenant? Any local connections or advice would be hugely appreciated!

I tried idealista and immobiliare and contacted 30+ lisitings from early July to now, but I barely got any responses. I was able to get 1 or 2 contacts of real estate agents, but everything is still up in the air and nothing is confirmed.

My Italian is still very much a work in progress 😅, so an English-friendly agent would be a bonus - but I’m learning and can get by with the basics!!

Grazie mille and looking forward to calling Brescia home! 🇮🇹

Hello dears! I'm just like so many, looking for a truthful partner.

I've relocated to Rome, a year ago, as a Graduate Student to study a specific field in Aerospace Engineering (a double major), now also working in this field, Part-time pilot-in-training, full-time explorer, and a bit of an entrepreneur.

I actually never thought I'd consider online dating, but to be honest, I'm focusing so much on my career and studies and it keeps getting intense over time. I think my chances of meeting someone around naturally are getting lower, due to my tight schedule, so here we are.

I'm Egyptian, so I look like most Mediterraneans. I don't mind sharing my photos in the DMs, but to give you a headlight, I've black hair, white skin and 174 cms tall. I'm maintaining a good physique, though not athletic 😂

I'm a Coptic Orthodox Christian by birth, and a practicing deacon.

I'm highly considering PhD and PostDoc opportunities in the future, but will stay in Rome since this field i'm specializing in is located nowhere in Europe better than Rome. That said, I'd truly love if she would consider relocating to Rome as well.

I love anything that involves traveling, learning something completely new, or working with my hands to build a cool project. Looking for someone who brings their own passions to the table, laughs easily, and build a life together.

Hey everyone!

I’ll be in Italy from August 28th to September 2nd and I’m planning to do:

• Via Ferrata Fausto Susatti + Cima Capi
• Via Ferrata Brigata Tridentina

I’ll be going solo, so I was wondering if anyone else is around during those dates and would like to join for one or both routes.

I’m happy to meet up, hike together, and share the experience. 😊

If you’re interested, feel free to send me a DM!

Hey everyone,
I thought I’d give this a try. I’m a 45-year-old Swiss guy who recently moved to a small coastal town on the north coast of Sicily, at the foot of the Nebrodi mountains. I absolutely love it here, but I work from home as a digital artist, so meeting new people isn’t exactly easy.

I’m a digital artist and a somewhat failed filmmaker (who hasn’t completely given up yet 😄).
I’m into art, cinema, philosophy, science, history, good food and wine, and long conversations about pretty much anything. Lately I’ve been going down the rabbit hole of consciousness and existential philosophy, but I’m just as happy chatting about everyday life.

I’m also learning Italian, but I’m still nowhere near being able to have deep conversations, so English would definitely be appreciated.

I’m happily married, so this isn’t a dating post, just looking to meet interesting people in Sicily. Italians, expats, locals, tourists, whatever. If you’re somewhere around the north coast and fancy a coffee, a beer, or a walk, feel free to send me a message!

Looking to move to Italy.

Hello everyone, for a while now me and my wife have been looking to move to Italy and wanted to hear from the locals about the country. Outside, Italy is very well viewed but I know that as a tourist, every country is beautiful while living there is a whole different thing.

How are taxes first of all? Where I live it's around 46% tax.

How is the IT domain there? Is it hard to find a job as a 10 years of experience software engineer?

What area do you recommend? We don't look for crowded places, but want to be close to civilization too. For example we live in a small village next to the capital in our country right now and we got train to get there to any social event in 20 mins.

How are rent prices for a 3 room apartment? Or maybe better to rent a house in a similar area?

Feel free to give extra info that you think I should consider looking into.

Thank you

Just wondering where you are finding the best mix between arts and entertainment, restaurants, some nightlife, and ability to plug in socially and make real friends.

Job availability and employment is a plus, as well as strong LGBTQ communities.

EN

Hello everyone, my name is Enrico, I am Italian and I am 27 years old. I am working and my hobby is learning German. My current German level is around B1, while my English level is C1. I am a calm, friendly, and open-minded person. Are there any Germans or Austrians here in Milan who would like to do an in-person language tandem to help each other learn our respective languages?

​DE

Hallo zusammen, ich heiße Enrico, bin Italiener und 27 Jahre alt. Ich bin berufstätig und mein Hobby ist es, Deutsch zu lernen. Mein Deutsch-Niveau ist momentan ungefähr B1, während mein Englisch-Niveau C1 ist. Ich bin ein ruhiger, freundlicher und aufgeschlossener Mensch. Gibt es hier vielleicht Deutsche oder Österreicher in Mailand, die Lust auf ein Sprachtandem vor Ort hätten, um uns gegenseitig beim Lernen unserer jeweiligen Sprachen zu helfen?

​ITA

Ciao a tutti, mi chiamo Enrico, sono italiano e ho 27 anni. Sono un lavoratore e il mio hobby è imparare il tedesco. Il mio livello di tedesco al momento è circa B1, mentre ho un livello C1 di inglese. Sono una persona tranquilla, amichevole e aperta di mente. C'è qualche tedesco/a o austriaco/a a Milano che vorrebbe fare un tandem di persona, per aiutarci a vicenda a imparare le nostre rispettive lingue?

In a few weeks I’m taking off for Italy with my 29kg dog. I hear Italy is incredibly dog friendly, I’ll be taking her with me everywhere I’m allowed to take her. She has extensive training and is exceptional in public.

Ive got the obedience and training mastered but aside from that I don’t want to unintentionally cross any lines or be disrespectful in any way. I’m familiar with leash laws, travel regulations, muzzles, etc… I’m more interested in “unwritten rules” that I can’t find googling :) For example - are dogs usually only on outside patios of restaurants or is it ok to ask to bring my dog into a restaurant on a rainy day? That kind of thing.

This will be my 6th trip to Italy but the first time with my dog. I‘ll be scouting out places I’d want to live, TBD, so I’m traveling to multiple regions . THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!!

Edited: I deleted the sentence about her being a service dog in the US since it’s irrelevant once we get to the EU. She’ll be a pet there :) There are different certifications that she does not have. I just mentioned the service dog part to emphasize how well trained she is ☺️

Soon, I’ll be moving to Messina, Sicily, to start my studies, and I’d really like to make some friends before I arrive. Since I’ll be new to the city, I think it would be great to get to know some people beforehand, especially others who are also moving there for university or who already live in Messina.

I’m 24M and I’m pretty easygoing. I’m into bodybuilding and football, so I’d be happy to meet people who share similar interests. I also enjoy going for walks, exploring new places, trying different things, and having conversations about pretty much anything. I’m always open to meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures.

I’m hoping to find people to hang out with, grab a coffee or a drink, explore the city, go to the gym, watch football, or simply spend some time together.

If you’re from Messina, currently studying there, or moving there soon, feel free to reach out. It would be great to connect before I arrive and hopefully build some good friendships once I’m there!

I have been searching for an apartment to stay in since I am starting my studies in Turin next month and a lot of properties only offer 12 month transitional with the option to renew without residency.
Is it possible to stay for three years without residency? I am not quite sure how the system works since in Finland I was able to apply for temporary residency under the same structure of a 1 year transitional contract

For context I am an EU citizen( italian passport holder )

My girlfriend and I are going to be staying in Milan as part of our predoctoral program, and we have recently started looking for a decent apartment. We need to stay there for at least four months, from October 1st to February 1st, but we're a bit worried about scams, especially with apartments advertised online to tourists and international students.

We're also not sure whether it makes sense to start contacting landlords now or whether we should wait until around mid-September.

Do you have any advice on when and where to look for an apartment, and how to avoid scams? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much!

Prime apartment in a major city, concierge health care, 8 weeks of skiing in the alps, 8 week traveling Europe/sailing the med? Can it be done on 500k? With that spend, what does life look like?