So you have fallen in love with Italy. Well, you are certainly not alone there.

But the slowly dawning realisation that a holiday or two a year in this wonderful country no longer suffices to feed your growing love affair, suddenly presents you with a whole new set of issues to confront. Not least of which will be the feelings of fear and trepidation of what may lie ahead:

Can I really do this?

Am I truly prepared enough to wave goodbye to my family, friends and neighbours, to my life in the UK, in order to move lock stock and packed-to-the-gunwales barrel to a brand new country?

The answer is, yes of course you are!

Thousands have done it before you, and many more will follow in your footsteps. The key to making a successful transition, however, is thorough investigation, oodles of preparation and a hearty helping of organisation. The more you can discover about Italy, Italian life, the Italian language,  Italian bureaucracy and the myriad of other criteria that will combine to make your new life so very different from your old, the more seamless your move will be.

There are indeed many things to consider before you take the first step on this new journey. First and foremost being the sort of life you wish to lead:

If you are hoping to work in Italy, but are not fortunate enough to be able to plan your future around a firm job offer or a transferral from your current place of employment, then it is essential that you research the Italian job market very thoroughly (the internet being your best source of information) before choosing your location. It is not a particularly buoyant market, and employees are often poorly remunerated, so randomly selecting an area of the country and simply crossing your fingers in the hope that you will find gainful employment is not to be advised.

If you are Italy-bound in order to enjoy a more relaxing retirement, then of course your options are far more extensive. It may be worth renting a property in your chosen area to ensure that those things that drew you to the country during your vacation time still remain as endearing when you are permanently installed. The “holiday glow” of a bustling Tuscan town, may wear thin when you realise just how much the tourist industry impinges on your day-to-day life, for example.

It is also important to ensure that you are aware of the typical weather patterns all year round. A Ligurian village that blazes glorious sunshine from June to September may well then present you with a long, cold and exceedingly damp winter;  a shock to the system for those expecting a milder clime just because they find themselves in a Mediterranean country.

Attempt to pick up some Italian before you move; just a few spoken words and a very basic comprehension of the language will facilitate no end your linguistic acquisition upon your arrival. In general, the Italians are pretty friendly and helpful people; more than happy to assist you on your learning curve. But it is worth bearing in mind that English is not spoken as widely or as well as we Brits tend to assume, and why should it be? You are, after all, in a foreign country and it goes without saying that your enjoyment of your new life, as well as the ease by which you are able to integrate, will be greatly helped by the ability to communicate.

The laws, rules, regulations and general bureaucracy are vastly different in Italy than in the UK. Here at the Overseas Guides Company we do our utmost to provide you with a vast cross-section of the information you will require in order to navigate the legal waters of property purchase, vehicle purchase, the obtaining of residency, medical care and many other aspects of Italian life. Never be afraid to ask a question or investigate a doubt, however silly or obvious the answer may seem to you; it is far better to be well-informed than to make assumptions.

So yes, it is possible and you can definitely do it. With the right amount of responsible research, and with enough gung-ho enthusiasm to help you through the occasional hiccup, a new life in Italy can most certainly be yours!