As the capital of Italy, Rome reigns supreme. Its seemingly endless boulevards and neighborhoods maintain something for every seeker, from the boisterous zone of Trastevere to the more sedate Piazza Navona and the long promenade of Via della Coronazione.

An international city, Rome, rightfully holds its own with other cosmopolitan cities around the world. You’re never at a loss for an international film or worldly cuisine – from street kebabs and fine French dining to Roman specialties like saltimbocca.  Distractions away from work are virtually unlimited and available all year long, from the Spanish Steps to the Pantheon, the Vatican Museum to the Coliseum. 

Rome also offers several co-working options for digital nomads and boasts a vibrant office culture as evidenced by the small armies of Italians in tailored suits. Tourism and hospitality are Roman mainstays. Apartments are plentiful, sure to fit your budget and timeframe. You’ll fit right in as soon as you can throw a euro down on the marble counter, order an espresso and drink it standing at the bar. 

While Rome is rich in history, Milan maintains the national purse strings as the seat of the Italian stock market. Milan is famous for its fast pace, no-nonsense style and commuting office workers. The annual Fashion Week in Milan is a media magnet, and the city has no shortage of artists and creatives. 

Milano is the second-largest city in Italy by population, located between Rome and Naples, anchored by the towering Duomo, Italy’s largest church. Its region, Lombardy, has more in common historically and culturally with France than with its neighbors to the south. What Milan lacks in historic ruins and edifices, it more than makes up for with innovative green spaces and an urban livability that’s hard to beat. 

 Turin (i.e. Torino). Innovative, fresh, smart, fast and fun - Torino is nestled high in the foothills of the snowcapped Piedmont alpine range. A fertile ground for tech workers and start-ups, Torino is Italy’s version of Silicon Valley. Torino actively seeks to cultivate its reputation as the tech center of Italy, offering frequent economic incentives.  

Hiking trails, mountain biking, trekking, rock climbing - Torino offers endless outdoor entertainment as a cyclist’s paradise, and through the winter months downhill and cross-country skiing is plentiful. Within its notably refined architecture, this city houses nearly 80,000 university students and is an important academic hub in Italy. France is an urban reference point as Torino is geographically positioned closer to Paris than Rome. The TGV (high-speed train) link from Paris to Milano includes Torino as a stop, knitting these cities even closer together.  

Known to be the gourmet center of Italian epicures, the cuisine and wine are among the finest in Europe. Terraced hillsides and the fast-flowing Po River provide the earthly minerals for full-bodied red wines like barolo and barbaresco, plates of bagna cauda and truffled fresh pasta, chocolate and prosecco. Add these delicacies to a friendly culture, plus crisp Alpine air and you’re sure to discover something extra fresh.

All within a fork’s reach are its famous foods of tortellini, seafood and gnocchi, while Bologna itself, positioned in the heart of the Emilia-Romagna region, is a highly interconnected city. On Italy’s high-speed rail Florence is less than 45 minutes away, and Milan just over an hour. If you’re searching for a quaint and sensible city with easy access to major outlets, then Bologna may just be the place for you. 

The modestly sized, down-to-earth city of Bologna offers life on a more human scale. Locals are efficient and sensible, maintaining a practical prospective which makes everything feel manageable. You will appreciate the city’s grandeur, yet simplicity, as you stroll under its iconic 40km of porticoes, covered walkways insulating the sidewalks from rain and sun. 

Thanks to the 85,000 students from one of Europe’s oldest academies, the University of Bologna, young energy powers this city of progressive politics. The housing and co-working cultures reflect local demand for shared living and hot-desking. 

Magical Firenze graces the Arno River with red roofs and characteristic domes. Her storied history of successful medieval governance and prestigious renaissance wealth is known to all and omnipresent today. The ghosts of geniuses populate virtually every street corner, from Da Vinci to Michelangelo, Machiavelli to Bronzino, Botticelli to Masaccio, and the ever-famous Medici family. 

Florence has hosted travelers and seekers for centuries and is still welcoming to both short and long-term visitors. Apartments are abundant and mostly affordable; public green spaces are open, fresh and seemingly stuck in time. Tuscan cuisine is an endless journey through the open-air trattorias dotted throughout town.  

Florence’s traditional economic engines are, unsurprisingly, tourism and fashion, combined with jewelry and luxury goods. The flip side of gentility and a gourmet meal is found in the numerous new co-working centers, expansion of the quiet electric tram, pop-up contemporary art studios and expansive efforts of the city to attract and keep new business. Florence understands the future is ahead, while behind her is a solid foundation. 

As Italian cities brim with idyllic landscapes and Renaissance art, it’s the high quality of life and low cost of living which make buying a property seem like the next logical step. Be forewarned: purchasing real estate in Italy will open the door to a labyrinth almost impossible to navigate without a competent legal expert to support you throughout the process.  

Availability exists everywhere in the search for a new Italian address. However, one must be reminded, lawful immigration status in Italy depends on a certificato di residenza which is only obtainable on a residence which you are lawfully registered, whether rental or purchase.  

The Italian real estate market, for sale and rent, can easily be viewed in multiple languages on some major online real-estate platforms.   

It is suggested to first familiarize yourself with the market online and potentially shortlist options to visit in person. Also notable, renters enjoy many protected rights in Italy, and contracts come in a few basic formats as permitted under the law.  Home furnishings and linens are widely available and are of high quality throughout Italy, so there is no need to ship yourself a container of household goods. The sheets won’t fit, and your appliances will likely melt down or continuously throw your circuit breakers due to the higher voltage system.  

If you are one of the fortunato, Italy may be the ideal place for your work-life balance. Not to mention it's global-centric geographic location as perfect launching pad to other parts of Europe.

To obtain work authorization in Italy, it is necessary to have a permit to stay (i.e., permesso di soggiorno). Possible Italian visas include categories for elective residency and self-employment visas in the following four categories: (1) Officers and administrators of Italian companies (restrictions apply); (2) entrepreneurs; (3) freelance professionals; and (4) founders of startup companies  

The Italian constitution guarantees work for every citizen; as a result, Italians tend to view work as work, taking fewer risks than one might in other countries. Strong protections for employees stemming from the constitutionally enshrined right to work create costly and binding rules regarding hiring and firing. In general, you’ll often find Italians are reluctant to change professional positions, since the prize of an ironclad job is not an asset to be relinquished lightly, if ever. The present-day Italian economy lacks mid-range companies; instead, being led by larger, name-brand players in automotive, food and beverage and fashion industries - on the flip side are small family-owned companies who have safeguarded secrets of their trade for generations.  

This being said, there is a robust economic sector populated by artists, artisans, and liberi professionisti - freelancers. Vanguard cities such as Bologna and Torino are home to co-working spaces and startup incubators which have sprouted up in the past decade. Such spaces host web and fashion designers, coders and programmers, marketers, copywriters, editors and translators, and more.  

Italians love a good side hustle and have enormous respect for freelancers and small business owners. They admire a creative problem solver and embrace ingenuity. Although, bureaucratic frustrations do become apparent to those seeking to grow a business in Italy. You will be able to eventually complete tasks – perhaps on their adjusted timeline rather than yours.  

Freelancers who plan to stay in Italy to deploy their professional trade will want to connect with a local commercialista for guidance on opening a Partita IVA, a designation required for all lawful freelance work. Italy restricts freelance work to a specified declared category which must be acknowledged by both worker and contractor on official fatture, or invoices. The tax regime for freelancers was recently reformed to the benefit of professionals; gross income up to a generous figure (€65,000) is subject to a simple tax, while income over that amount is taxed more heavily.  

No matter what your employment situation in Italy is, you’ll want to connect with a local commercialista (accountant) for tax guidance. Even if you are earning all your income from non-Italian sources, you are still required to file Italian tax returns.  

Italy is tailor-made for a beautiful retirement chapter. With its fantastic food, fine wine, endless vistas and manageable pace, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more welcoming alternative to settle down. Italy dearly respects its elders, and this is evident in any town throughout the country. Parks are generally well-kept, towns largely pedestrianized, open markets almost always accessible on foot, and street cafés aplenty for morning and evening refreshments. Add all that to a top-notch medical system and relatively low cost of living and the retirement package is complete.

Retirement in Italy is supported by the Elective Residency visa, open to applicants who verify their liquid assets and passive income above a certain threshold. The visa is applied for and granted by the Italian Consulate with jurisdiction over the applicant’s residence. Accompanying the application can be an intimidating interview in which consular officials do their utmost to ensure the applicant will not engage in productive employment while present in Italy. After arriving in Italy, elective residents will apply for a permesso di soggiorno (permit to stay) in the comune where the domicile is established. Once that’s completed, there is little to do beyond pouring a prosecco and planning stunning short trips around the peninsula to enjoy all the amazing things Italy offers.

Globally, Italy leads the pack as a top academic destination, holding a place of honor ever since the Grand Tour became the sign of a well-heeled upbringing for eighteenth-century nobles.   

From daycare to university, Italian education is a guaranteed right offered at little to no cost through the well-developed public system. A sprinkling of élite private institutions, such as Bocconi in Milan, round out the mix.   

As a study abroad destination, Italy boasts a notable 316 programs. With its superlative cuisine, appealing language, artistic treasures and storied history, programs offer a rich blend of Italian cultural courses through a variety of majors, from business to fine arts. Fluency in Italian language is not a requirement for most programs, making Italy accessible to students who haven’t yet worked on their language skills. 

Italy also fills a special niche as a destination for intensive language learning. These programs have rolling admissions, bundle room and board with tuition, and offer value for cost by combining unique cultural experiences and excursions which frequently remain opaque to tourists.