The city of Lucca has always been my favourite. Not only because it is only 25 minutes away from our home and I go there at least two or three times a week, but also because you do not feel like a "tourist" there.
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In this icy cold weather, hot drinks and comfort foods are a must. Preparing and consuming them are good ways to spend time when we cannot venture outdoors.
Wed, 02/08/2012 - 06:10
The cold weather is affecting most of Italy and creating difficulties concerning energy supplies. Russia, the most important supplier, has been reducing the provision of gas up to 30% due to increasing demand in their area.
Tue, 02/07/2012 - 02:22
The San Francisco Chronicle publishes today this most interesting article:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/
Sun, 02/05/2012 - 12:45
Whenever we are in Italy, we love to visit antique and vintage markets and fairs, looking for that special piece that we would love to have. Sometimes, we find it...
Wed, 02/01/2012 - 02:47
One of my favourite activities in Italy is to visit those markets that sell antique and vintage items.
Tue, 01/31/2012 - 06:38
Some members may have noticed that I have been fairly quiet for the past month and a half. The reason for this was that we have been visiting our daughters who live in San Francisco (CA).
Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:59
The new Italian government has been announced and it is obvious that we will have a fight between technocrats and politicians.
Wed, 11/16/2011 - 14:24
A lot has been written about the dangers of overheating Teflon coated cookware. Toxic fumes can be extremely dangerous for our health. Personally, I have never liked that type of cookware and I do not buy it anymore.
Sat, 10/29/2011 - 06:24
In another thread, we were discussing Tuscan herbs and "funghi porcini". Tuscany is a paradise for herb lovers and many varieties, such as rosemary, sage and "nipitella" grow wild.
Thu, 10/27/2011 - 11:23
Comments posted
Ugo, I do not have any problems in Italy because I do not live here permanently. Italy is a lovely country with a terrible bureaucracy. And my husband is Italian...If you carefully read Crystal Bay's posts, they are not considering residing in Italy either. They only want to spend some holiday time.
Crystal Bay, other foreigners, including Australians, who do not reside permanently in Italy, but have a permesso di soggiorno have managed to buy and register a car in Italy. This is why I have indicated to you to contact Debra Kolkka, as she has first hand knowledge of the matter.Ugo, the incoherence in Italian bureaucracy and high taxes is what has made us decide not to live here permanently.
Well, Ugo, we are still paying in Italy a fuel tax which was originally raised to finance the Italy-Libya war... Almost a century ago... That says it all
This may also be of help http://www.exfin.com/foreign-mortgage-italy
Here is the full text of the Social Security Agreement https://www.ssa.gov/international/Agreement_Pamphlets/italy.htmlI trust that it may help
Hi again! I have not heard of any restrictions regarding the purchase of Italian property by Australians. Some years ago, there were some problems as a result of some type of retaliation, but those were lifted ages ago. If you want a good independent Aussie contact, my advice would be to write to Debra Kolkka, who has helped and given plenty of useful tips to lots of people. She is an award winning blogger (winner of an Italy Magazine competition) and she is not involved into estate or anything commercial. She owns property in Bagni di Lucca In Tuscany, and comes to Italy from Australia twice a year. She may also be able to tell you how she managed to buy a car here and the type of visa she had to obtain. Just contact her through her blog and here is what she wrote about a visit to Todi some time ago https://bagnidilucca.wordpress.com/2012/10/06/a-trip-to-todi/I have been in Todi a few times and it is a lovely town (well...many towns in Italy are lovely, difficult to choose a favourite one... We also know quite well the Trasimeno villages, as it is a day trip for us from Bagni di Lucca and my husband's family originated from one of those towns (Panicale), so we often go for lunch there.My advice regarding apartments stands and not only because of the stairs... Most old properties have plenty of them. We own a miller's house on the river at Bagni di Lucca and all those stairs certainly keep you fit. But it is a lovely 17th century building with 80cm stone walls in an irreplaceable position. Worth the extra effort.another piece of advice. Try to keep away from ruins. They are a money pit. There are plenty of properties in reasonable condition and at a reasonable price available in Italy at the moment. This is a buyer's market. Good luck!
There are plenty of townhouses in historical centers throughout Italy. Here are some examples for Todi, but you may make a search using the name of any other town http://www.casa.it/vendita-residenziale/immobile-terratetto+terracielo-in-todi,+pg,+umbria/lista-1If you want an apartment, you will have to research who the other owners are, whether they live or rent their place to others, the general maintenance of the property.... It may be a bit of a nightmare as there are plenty of buildings which are not properly maintained. No restrictions regarding purchase of property by Australians, that is ancient news!!!! I know quite a few Australians who have purchased without problems.
Hi CrystalBay, from a fellow Aussie who has been living in the EU for 19 years, but our case is different as we both benefit from dual nationality and EU passports.bmy advice is to contact your nearest Italian Consulate and enquirer about "elective residency visa" and long term stays. This blog from another fellow Aussie is also very useful https://bagnidilucca.wordpress.com/2010/01/31/getting-a-visa-for-a-long-stay-in-italy/There are no restrictions regarding the purchase of property and there are also reciprocal taxation and social security agreements in place, although you will not be able to get health cover, you will need to do this privately.As for purchasing property... I would be careful about purchasing an apartment, particularly the old ones that have no body corporate and are not properly organized as condominiums. Some property owners allow their units to go into disrepair and this affects the whole building. I would opt for a small town house, called "terratetto or terracielo". It would be all yours and you do not have t deal with neighbours...And if you haven't done it already, enroll in an intensive Italian course...Good luck with your plans!
Hello, as far as I know, there is not an Italian Language School in Bagni di Lucca, although I am sure that private tuition may be arranged. Have a look at this information https://bagnidilucca.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/learn-italian-in-lucca/
Hi, I agree in that there is such a thing as "the most beautiful town in Italy" asvtheyvare all beautiful. Lucca is a wonderful city and if it is your hometown, it may be your perfect choice. It is also very well linked to other towns and cities, which is important. Also the surrounding areas are beautiful.Some 8 years ago, we bought a holiday house in Bagni di Lucca, 25 minutes away from Lucca capital and we love our area. You can get lots of information about it by reading Debra Kolkka's blogs, Bella Bagni di Lucca and Bagni di Lucca and Beyond (with lots of useful tips about Lucca. These blogs have won several awards, including Italy Magazine's.enjoy planning your trip!