Approaching retirement
 

I spent the first 20 years of my life in New Zealand, followed by four years in Australia, and I’ve been living in the UK since 1993. After 33 years in Greater London, I feel like it’s finally time for a change.

Now that I’m approaching 60, the winters feel tougher each year, and the daily Tube/train commute has really started to wear on me. I’ve always loved the ocean and warmer weather, so my wife and I are seriously considering retiring somewhere in southern Italy—most likely Salento in Puglia or Sicily (around the Noto area). Fortunately, we both have EU passports, which makes the move easier.

Over the years, I’ve also watched the UK change quite a lot—from what felt like a very prosperous country in the mid-90s, through Brexit, to somewhere that now seems to be struggling in many ways. Our sons are already working abroad elsewhere in Europe, which also makes the idea of moving feel more natural.

Salento is currently our first choice. When visiting, we particularly liked the areas around Nardò, Lecce, and Gallipoli.

Sicily is our second option. We’ve travelled around much of the island over four or five trips, and places like Noto, Modica, and Ragusa really stood out to us. I also love walking in the Vendicari Nature Reserve.

If anyone here has retired in either Salento or Sicily, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences—both the positives and the challenges.

We’ve also looked at Tuscany and parts of northern Italy, but they seem quite a bit more expensive, and being close to the ocean is important to us.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

The best thing would be to rent somewhere and see how you like it. I suspect Puglia might not be much warmer than London in the winter. Places that are dependent on tourism can be completely deserted out of season.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

I agree with philat98 , although renting adds cost, it could save you a great deal in the end.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

Wise one would rent over Dec/Jan, to get clear picture what like is place at its worst.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

Some good advice from others to rent firstly which makes complete sense, I like the idea of renting in Nov/Dec/Jan "at its worst". Can imagine these types of towns outside the summer season being dead, and I suppose if you retire, then it makes sense to try the off-season.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

I made the same choice over 20 years ago. What tipped it for me was driving round coastal Salento in March and not seeing another car or person for 3 days. I ended up in SE Sicily, where the coastal towns have a year round presence. Also Sicily has hills, which becomes important when there aren't any (see Salento) Noto is lovely to walk around in the winter, avoiding tour buses in the summer, useless for shopping but you are near the beach, even though Lido di Noto and Calabernardo arent top beaches. Living in the counry side around Noto is a good option. Going south to the Vendicari or San Lorenzo makes it all worthwhile. Marzamemi - again a tourist spot, and nightmare at weekends for clubbing Catanese. Other places which have year round populations are Pozzallo - great beach, not very pretty. Marina di Ragusa - overcrowded in the summer, Avola - working town but with improving beach, but a bit too gritty if you want Noto. Pachino - love it or hate it. Scicli gives you town with beaches 5km away, and would be my choice. However the sea on the east coast is always warmer.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

Although saying that, I think many people will feel the same about areas where they've lived for a long time. Be it English, Irish, French, Germans, Italians, Spanish, a lot of people I speak to don't feel they live in a wealthy country. Regardless of Brexit, it's similar speaking to Italian friends and they say the roads are getting worse, bridges and buildings falling apart, litter everywhere and no respect. Of course there are wealthier areas where people live in a bubble and things can look nice or have improved, but realistically cheap travel and globalisation also has downsides. Instead of improving the areas where we live, we all run away from problems until the same problems reach us again (sooner or later). Many don't want to work hard anymore and expect someone else will do the hard work.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

I think North Sea oil and privatization produced a wealthy feeling in the 80s and 90s. Both the UK and Italy are in economic decline and living by printing money.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

Salento has better beaches than Sicily; places like the small islands of Porto Cesareo are almost like the Caribbean, though, as you say, Salento is flat as a pancake! Sicily, with hills, makes things nicer, I feel. I stayed in Pozallo about 20 years ago, and yes, nice beach, but not much else, it was quite run down back then. Marzamemi, I can remember eating fritto misto di mare on a sunny afternoon, nice little tourist town in the summer! A disadvantage I see with Sicily, is been on an Island, for example, I have friend who retired north of Bari in Trani and he can travel to Naples in 2 hours by train. Or travel to Tuscany quite easily. Thanks for the Sicilian tips. Sicily is indeed a unique place, completely different from the mainland. Probably the most interesting place I have travelled in Europe, it's great fun.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

You are right there. Of course how we see wealth in Europe has also changed and while the previous generation were poor on paper, they seemed happier. Maybe because they went from nothing to seeing progress, it was a different feeling. But best example today are roads and nothing seems to last. If you are lucky enough to see a pothole repaired, the chances are high it will only last a few months. Probably similar with everything else and nothing is built to last.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

Some better beaches - Porto cesareo is lovely akin to San Lorenzo. Down to Gallipoli - just like the Vendicari. Sicily has more free beach, and we have the Aeolians and the Egadi. In my part we also dont get the snow Puglia now seems to get. For travel connections we are miles behind, but you find you want to travel less anyway when Sicily has everything you need.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

It's about trying both locations, which is my plan, renting in each location. Thanks for the info/comparisons.

A friend of mine asked why I don't move to northern Italy, being from NZ, I was amongst mountains and lakes my whole youth, I wouldn't appreciate it, it was the norm every time I walked outside. He still couldn't understand.............Sicily has both Etna and beaches anyway.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

Whilst it's true what has been said about the Winter, I'd try the Summer also. Months and months of heat and no rain isn't always that great. Sure you have some experience of that from Australia (depending on where exactly you were). Plus there's going to be lots and lots of tourists.

If you do look further north then Northern Lazio is a good, cheaper option that has a similar feel to Tuscany.

Re: Approaching retirement
 

Having lived as an expat for many years in both Italy and France my advice to would be retirees would be to sit down with each other and make a list of things you actually want to do in your retirement as you will be leaving behind friends a known situation and work.This means that you need to replace it with another lifestyle.So for example my wife was an art teacher so we decided that being close to art centres such as Florence and Siena suited us,so we bought in Umbria near the Tuscan border.It also had the advantage of good rail links. Certainly either rent or look to buy in the winter . For example where we lived could get down to well below freezing in winter and 40 in the summer. Two other things to bear in mind - medical facilities and the "litre of milk" test ie do you want to be driving kms when you run out of milk ?
And lastly seriously learn Italian-you will get so much more out of your retirement and will be invaluable for dealing with bureaucracy

Re: Approaching retirement
 

Sound advice.