WebExpats In Abruzzo, Italy If you are looking to connect with expats in Italy, then this page brings together all the latest expat blogs Italy written, any interviews, articles and news Our dogs will always be a part of us. Searching for lost individuals can be very taxing on the mind and body, and it is important to have strong trusting relationships in the field. Take a break in their friendly restaurant and coffee shop. I take good care to have all the information and supplies we will need to make sure were safe and not lost: maps, GPS with tracks loaded , potable water locations noted, understanding daily expectations of a section (tappa) length and elevation changes, electrolytes, light source (flashlight or headlamp) etc. So the packing of remaining household items continues. I encourage you to browse the various pages of this site to better understand the objective of the project, which involves the Alto Vastese and Valle del Trigno Study Center (altovastese.it). Our lovely host, Marisa, bubbles with enthusiasm for the love of local foods, the heritage of the area, and the opportunity to chat with guests. No going back for me. Weve been pushing hard on updates, as we have decided to sell our home here in Roccaspinalveti and move closer to the Adriatic Sea, in turn being closer to my San Salvo cousins. John had been a professional chef for many years, and I worked in customer service and hospitality at a whisky distillery. So we felt it was time to close on a high note and we are very grateful and thankful to the wonderful guests we were able to host. Technically, we did a walk in the Parco Nazionale della Majella. The blog will be that story of my journey personally along with my husband, John, as we make the move and navigate our life in Italy. It is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm, and weekends from 10am to 9pm. The inside is all modern, with new utilities and lots of marble and porcelain tiling. We Americans might think of this more of a canyon or gorge! Latest Blogs by Irish Expats Living in Italy Green Holiday Italy Weve added a pellet stove in the living room to give us some heat on the main level and our plumber arrives soon to add our gas line, boiler and radiators. Apart from the stringent COVID cleaning regulations, which most days left me exhausted, there was the lack of privacy. Well at least most of the time. We are in a lockdown now, just a softer one. Our go-to source for tile at a reasonable price delivered was Edilizia Del Gesso srl in nearby Gissi, a great family-run builders supply company. This town is at the edge of Abruzzo with Molise (the next region south of us) just across the Trigno River. We all headed back up to the main trail and onward to Rifugio Di Marco and the meadows of the Majelletta. Four years ago, when we were looking for a house to buy in Abruzzo, our intention was to downsize from our chalet-style home in Virginia and find a country house primarily for just the two of us with one or two guest rooms. Expat Story #3. They are water resistant and by giving categories to each bag, I can quickly remove what I need with out having to search and repack. WebThis program aims to incentivise both foreign and Italian pensioners to take up residency in the south of Italy, and in Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia, in particular, by offering them a 10-year tax holiday on their retirement income for spending a minimum of 6 months per year in their Italian home. This successful venture not only gives us some additional income but allows us to share the love we have for this region with others. The hotel is family run and set up as a ski lodge, but I am sure as COVID restrictions are disappearing, many guests will return also for the local hiking trails. In the central and southern parts of Italy you can find places to live for 400 euro/month or so. Definitely a tough day, but invigorating and satisfying. After a long, precarious, rocky descent, we reached our final destination of the cammino: Abbazia Di San Liberatore in Serramonacesca. This bathroom was originally all pink, a color very popular years ago. John did all the refurbishing, maintenance, cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, vacuumed. There is a moderate number of youth and I believe the town has about 1700 people residing there. So I did my research and made a list of some village to village treks as well as some mountain trails. Still, we all gathered most weekends to enjoy the cooking competitions between the siblings. We entered the church, then worked our way through the complex of rooms & staircases, climbing higher against the cliffside. Being more of an outdoors person, nothing offered at my church seemed to call to me. Were in love with our house, with all its twist and turns from one level to the next, and as we slowly complete the interior and add our own touches, it is being transformed into our cherished home. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 5 of 5 Posts. And truth be told, much of my tribe are animal or outdoor lovers, active and love to hike or walk. I shifted gears, got certified with a police dog association and became a Special K9 Officer (strictly volunteer) for the Nelson County Sheriffs Office. So what else have we been doing besides hiking? John finished the renovation with a glass enclosure (Amazon.it), towel warmer and floor tile. Map, compass, GPS all became tools to help me get to where I needed to go. on your back, that you keep the weight to a minimum. As I had added an additional 3 miles on to yesterday to get to the B&B Roccamorice, we get a lift to the start of the trail. It was so heartening to see young adults getting gardening instruction as we walked past them early in the morning. John and Alex just go by end weight and shake their heads at me, but I reveled in it! You can also find my story at this link in both Italian and English. We will be ready to reopen in April, hoping that 2021 will be a safer and healthier year. How do I approach my living relatives in a manner that was not threatening and once I explained how I was related, would they be interested in getting to know me? Day 6 has come upon us. One more river crossing before the hermitage and some slippery rocks took Alex down into the water. A chance to cool off, marvel in the construction, share in its beauty with other hikers and families before we started our climb out of the canyon. , Until next time, thank you always for stopping here at my blog to catch up on our adventureshope you are having a great summer! But truly the strongest and incomparable bond I had was with each of my amazing dogs. We were determined to visit the quieter towns to truly experience Italy, and not the regular tourist stops. And during this search for my family, John received his Italian citizenship by being married to me (Jure Matrimonii). During this scorching, record-breaking, hot, dry summer, we simmered under our ceiling fans day and night. The entrance into the hermitage of San Giovanni is via a staircase and then through a narrow horizontal ledge that in the final part must be done belly on the ground. I think if we had done this fulltime while we were younger, it may not have been so taxing. One final hike to share with you today and I thank you for your indulgence. The 7 Best Places to Retire in Italy 2022 Guide to Living in Italy Pros and Cons of Living in Italy 2022 2022 Guide to Moving to Italy More Advice about Retiring in . When I last posted, we had just listed our home in Roccaspinalveti . It was a grand gathering with six of my cousins! Coming soon Home | Terms | Contact | RSS, American Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Alexa, American Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Sophie, Canadian Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Jasmine, British Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Sue, Australian Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Cherise Vecchio, Best expat retirement destinations on the planet, American Expat Living in Spain - Interview with Jiab & Jim, German Expat Living in Jordan - Interview with Bastian, American Expat Living in Germany - Interview with Cherie, Filipino Expat Living in United Arab Emirates - Interview with JM Kayne. We had run out of steam and wanted our cammino passports stamped and to receive our certificate Testimonium. The fresh recognition by UNESCO of Celestinian Forgiveness as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity further increases our responsibility in worthily cultivating the memory of this great person who distinguished himself in life for difficult and often innovative choices for the dictates of the Church of the time .The Way is 90 km long. Today we would have our greatest elevation gain, approximately 3400 ft. We did our best to get an early start to have the toughest part of the climb done during the cooler morning hours. Paola located her dad, and we had a few wondrous minutes chatting away. He is the type of mountain guide you can trust with you life, but also a fun guy who shares his wealth of knowledge and absolute love of the mountains with you. Our third day tested us our endurance, strength, and for me, a bit of courage needed. Then on to bucolic country roads with stone fences, trulli old and new and cultivated fields and olive groves. We have found a house but not just any house. But after the month of August, when European holidays end, it got quiet for us. Throughout my 27 years of active service, I never stopped learning. As this was Johns last major project inside, he went to tackle the outside house painting. All of this ties me closer to my family. John and I divided the labor. With only 10 shy of 1000-strong inhabitants, Schiavi di Abruzzo is just the tonic for a quiet, pleasant retirement location. I think that the trees were talking a bit to each other. All my clothes can be washed with me in the shower and dry in a matter of a few hours tops. Ill bring many of my potted plants and flowers and I have lots of trails, fields and woods to hike in just a step away from the house. After a steep climb, we entered the lovely meadows you see in the photo above. Our guests couldnt have been kinder with their reviews! Italy is beloved by expats, global nomads and retirees. We both have fully embraced our lives here. There we headed back up to this amazing structure in the cliffside. So we are preparing for this new adventure in Tufillo. John had a few projects, one being a retaining wall between us and our neighbors field. The weather has been clear (thankfully) and hot so spending most of the day on a lovely and well-shaded wooded trail was a blessing and a pleasure. So, to make this move to an urban setting (yes, even if its in a stunning medieval village) and not to feel closed-in, just tells me that this is what was meant to be for us at this time in our lives. After watching a handler and her dog locate a volunteer ( the subject) hiding in the woods, seeing the dog return to the handler, indicate the find with a jump, and returning to the subject with the hander, I was totally onboard. Finally we got a break with cooler Fall temperatures arriving. Climate. And Fall is of course harvest time here, whether its tomatoes, peppers, corn, olives, grapes. Vasto Italy. One of the biggest surprises of today, which absolutely wowed the three of us, was walking through the expansive area of shepherd huts ( le capanne in pietra a secco) and pasture enclosures of dry stone, hundreds and hundreds of acres. John and I along with our good friend, Alex, are getting ready to hike the Cammino di Celestino in a few weeks. Our packs all range in size around 40L. To give the house more flow from one room to the next, we decided to over-tile the kitchen, entrance hall all the way into the bathroom. Also, our immediate backyard was basically off limits to us as it was part of the package for our guests. Here there is so much beauty with the surrounding mountains and hilltop villages, local artists and artisans, welcoming citizens, and pristine beaches a short drive away. interesting to read this link mostly it seems to be accurate but i guess it depends as you say on the number of people in the property and the season. These rooms were traded back and forth amongst families and neighbors throughout generations, and ownership could be by a handshake, word of mouth or who has the lock on the door. After visiting a number of different villages, we kept coming back to Tufillo, a small medieval village with so much character and the nicest folks! So we had three great years, with exceptional ratings by Airbnb & Booking.com. We did get all our stamps required, but our certificate would be mailed to us. It all started with a trip to the medieval village of Scanno in the mountains of Abruzzo. True that some of my younger cousins do speak some English and they wanted to practice their language skills, but most of the day was in Italian. We were ready and Abruzzo Rural Property handled the rest. A tribe is a group of people, or a community with similar values or interests, a group with a common ancestor, or a common leader. We saw it in the mountains of Virginia, where we both lived for a number of years. hi all i,ll be in abruzzo mar 10 for three weeks hoping to find somewhere to buy for holiday home semi retirement been in building trade years have great practical skills but the beaurocracy of buying ahouse to renovate seems daunting all the websites seem to tell me to definately use a lawyer and geometra but some say not neccessary by all But as of June 1, it appears that COVID restrictions on inside eating will be lifted. We did have some lovely guests from Belgium in October, just before we closed for the season. I want to pack in as many experiences as possible before the ice and snow arrive later this year. I do have to say our feet are a tiny bit tired. Our contract gave us a few months leeway to get packed to move but we needed to find our new home. John opened up the narrow doorway between these two rooms with an archway for an elegant look. And Giacomo. John Wiankowski chose this town as his home in Belize. But hiking with Alex and Maria was a relaxing time; time for those conversations and observations that come naturally with friends. Retire in Bari iStock.com/Jacek_Sopotnicki This trip I just wanted to relax and completely enjoy my dining experience without using my phone. What ensued was me obtaining my dual citizenship and then the decision was made to retire in Italy. The movers will arrive at the end of this month to take our larger pieces of furnitureOh.. and if youre wondering, we are taking the statue of St. Joseph to our new house. I am still amazed that weve taken to a townhouse in the center of a small village. The accommodations were lovely with our gracious host, Oscar. So how did we find this gem of a house? Is Italy good for expats? What a blessing! Searches could be anywhere in the state of Virginia. The decision was made. To have completed it and to have seen and experienced what we experienced, unforgettable. Abruzzo is like that, it does have many national trains, just they go north not across the mountains to Rome. We were able to buy the perfect tub online from Manomano as well as the duel-head shower system. We headed home by train, picked up our kitties that were sulking at the kennel and Im already planning the cammino for next year! Until then wish us safe journey and a spirit of gratitude to enjoy this newly restored freedom. With only 10 shy of 1000-strong inhabitants, Schiavi di Abruzzo is just the tonic for a quiet, pleasant retirement location. Bursting with history and character, the town is known for its finely crafted, uniquely decorated stone houses and for some beautiful panoramic views. The three-storey property available here is an excellent getaway. We continued our vacation to other parts of Abruzzo, Marche, and Tuscany. But again, 20 years ago I may have viewed these as less of a challenge. 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