The 20 Best Places to Live in Italy

There are certainly many places in the world where you could live, but you want to decide on a location that suits your many interests. If you have dreamed of one day moving to Europe, Italy could very well be the country that is highest on your list.

This is certainly a location that has attracted many millions of people from around the world to visit at one time or another. Many more have decided to make that visit permanent by actually moving there. With so many cities and towns to choose from, you will find no shortage of potential destinations to call home.

When it comes to Italy, you will find a country of contrasts. You will find different types of weather depending on what region you are in. The culture can vary slightly from one region to another.

There are small towns nestled on the coast to large cities in the interior. You just need to take a look at all that Italy has to offer as a potential home and then choose the best place for you to live. To help you with that decision, we have put together the following list of 20 best places to live in Italy.

20. Turin, Italy

Located in the northern part of Italy, Turin is the capital of a city known as Piedmont. You will find it to be a delightful city that is well known around the country for its sense of architecture and its unique cuisine.

It is also a place where the Alps are located nearby, meaning that it is an ideal location to live for people who love to ski. There are many old cafes that line the downtown area, and the Piazza San Carlo is also a popular gathering point.

19. Verona, Italy

Here is another city that is located in the northern part of Italy. Specifically, you will find Verona to be located in the region of Veneto. It is actually a town that dates back to the medieval days and is built in a meandering fashion along the Adige River.

You will also recognize this as being the city that formed the setting for Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. This is a quaint town that many people find relaxing and serene, making it an ideal place to live in Italy.

18. Naples, Italy

Naples is a well known city in Italy that lies to the south of the country. As such, it will be a bit warmer here then the cities at #20 and 19 on our list. It is situated near Mount Vesuvius.

This is a volcano that is still active. You might know this volcano as being the one that almost destroyed Pompeii. There are centuries of art and various forms of architecture that gaze your eyes upon here. You will also find Castel Nuovo in Naples.

17. Rimini, Italy

When you live in Rimini, you will be smack dab on the Adriatic coast in Italy. This region is referred to as Emilia-Romagna. If you live here, you will likely notice a more electric and intensified atmosphere.

You will find a number of nightclubs located on the beach that will keep you entertained well into the night. There is also a fortress from the medieval days here that you can go and visit whenever you like.

16. Florence, Italy

Florence is in the region of Tuscany. You will find a great deal of Renaissance art here, making it popular with anyone who is into the art scene. There are also some great ancient architectural buildings that form the backdrop of the city.

You will find that it is a city that has a bit of everything. You will find it to be modern, yet centered on tradition. There is still a functioning bell tower here, which demonstrates just how far the city has come in the last few centuries.

15. Amalfi, Italy

If you love coastal living in a quiet environment, then Amalfi might be the place you want to settle down in. You will find this city located right on the bottom of some of the steepest cliffs that you have ever laid your eyes upon. It is located on the coast in the southwest region of the country.

There is a large cathedral in the center of the town and the entire place has a Byzantine look to it. The houses here are often hundreds of years old, so you will really enjoy the history of the place when you live in Amalfi.

14. Lucca, Italy

Lucca is number 14 of the best places to live in Italy. This is a quaint town located directly on the Serchio River. You will find it in the Tuscany area of the country. It is well known for how well it has preserved its Renaissance era walls.

These still circle the center of the town. You will also find that cobblestone streets are still here, right long the paths that are lined with trees. You can stroll around the downtown area every day that you live here and never grow tired of it.

13. Rome, Italy

Rome obviously needs no introduction. This is the capital of the entire country and is home to nearly 3 million people. That makes it the fourth most populated in the entire European Union.

You will find that Rome has just about everything you could want in a city. It has a modern infrastructure, even in the midst of its centuries of history. You will also find it located right next to Vatican City, which is an added draw to fervent Catholics who might be looking to relocate to Italy.

12. Cagliari, Italy

You will be hardpressed to find a more beautiful city to live in Italy than Cagliari. It is actually the capital of Sardinia and is located right on the coast. It is also a medieval city with its original wall still hovering over much of the town.

There is also a cathedral still standing from the 13th century. The Romans were famous here for their ceramics and other artifacts that are endemic to the area. You will have no shortage of things to do in this city.

11. Lake Como, Italy

If you like living by the lake, you might think that you out of luck when moving to Italy. That is not the case, as our 12th city on the list reveals. Lake Como is located in the northern part of the country. It has some great scenery in its backdrop, as it is situated right up next to the Alps.

You will love the look and feel of this mountain town that comes down to lakeside level. You will find that you will have different types of nature to appeal to your natural senses when living in Lake Como.

10. Bologna, Italy

Bologna is in the northern part of the country and is the capital of Emilia-Romagna. This city has a plaza that is rather large and has many colonnades with arches, complete with a number of cafes that you can enjoy some people watching at. This city still has a great deal of historical architecture dotting the landscape. Even City Hall is housed in a Renaissance era structure. There is also the Two Towers that have become popular with visitors around the world.

9. Trieste, Italy

Here is a city in the northeastern part of Italy. To be specific, it is the capital of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is nestled right up against a port, making it great for people who still love getting on fishing boats and like. It is located right between the coast of the Adriatic and the border of Slovenia.

8. Trento, Italy

There are many reasons why Trento is widely regarded as the 8th best place to live in Italy. You will find it in the northern part of the country. You might know of this city because of the Buconconsiglio Castle.

Just imagine being able to live in a place where you can walk to such a historic castle each and every day of your life. There is also a baroque chapel here that residents have enjoyed for centuries.

7. Genoa, Italy

Genoa is another port city that has made the list of the best places to live in Italy. It is in the northwest part of the country and has been a central part is sea trade for the region for centuries.

The old part of the town still centers around the Roman Cathedral named San Lorenzo. You will love the way the exterior looks, at it lined and black and white ornaments. There are narrow lanes in the center of the town that opens into a brilliant plaza where many of the local residents meet to enjoy the day.

6. Padova, Italy

Here is another city from the northern part of Italy that makes our list of best places to live. Not surprising, this city is well known for its history. There are a number of frescoes from Giotto that are still here. They date back to the early 14th century. You will also enjoy the basilica that is still here, as it contains a number of pieces of art that are well preserved.

5. Treviso, Italy

You have probably heard that many parts of Italy have quite a few canals. That is what you will find in Treviso. It is in this northeastern Italian city that you will find the entire area dominated by a series of canals that are still active.

There is a central plaza here that forms the basis for everyday local life. There is also a fountain that dates back to the 16th century. While it is no longer active, it used to dispense all kinds of wine. There are a number of museums and cultural locations that residents here get to enjoy.

4. Pisa, Italy

Pisa is a place that needs no introduction. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is well known around the world. It does still stand, dating all the way back to 1372. It was erected to be a bell tower for the Romans.

There is also an ancient baptistry in the center of town that residents still make use of to this day. You will love sitting in the plaza in Pisa listening to some of the many singers who belt out their vocals most days of the year.

3. Palermo, Italy

Palermo is a city that is located in Sicily. It has a cathedral that dates all the way back to the 12th century. Housed inside is a number of royal tombs. There is also the Teatro Massimo, which is where you can enjoy your fair share of opera performances if you are lucky enough to live here. The city also has a number of busy markets to enjoy.

2. Bari, Italy

The second best city to live in Italy is Bari, and it is a port city. You will love living here if you love to fish. It is still a very active area in the southern part of the country. The downtown area is signified by its narrow streets that still have a great deal of history to enjoy.

1. Avellino, Italy

As the best city to live in within Italy, Avellino is a small town that is located in the southern part of the country. It is surrounded on all sides by a mountain and is just a half hour away by car from Naples.

With this list of the 20 best places to live in Italy, you now have quite a few possibilities to choose from. Take some time to look it over and then start researching the opportunities that you will find in each.

You may just find that moving to Italy will be a dream that can actually become true for you. Enjoy the process of looking and planning, and then enjoy starting your new life in Europe.

You can also read:

• The 20 Best Things to do in Tivoli, Italy
• The 20 Most Beautiful Villages in Italy
• The 20 Best Things to do in Lucca, Italy
• The 20 Best Things to do in Terni, Italy
• The 20 Best Places to Visit in Italy 2022