About livinginitaly.life
From Sicilian Roots to Building Your Italian Future
We're Angelo and Sharon Rigano — and this is the story behind livinginitaly.life, the practical guide we wish we had when we started planning our own move to Italy.
Who We Are
Two Australian-Italians with Deep Sicilian Roots
We’re Angelo and Sharon Rigano, an Australian-Italian couple from North Queensland — and Italy has always been more than a destination for us.
- Dad
- The Rigano side
Angelo’s family roots run through the hills and coastal towns of eastern Sicily — Santa Teresa di Riva and Savoca in Messina province, where cousins still live today. Family stories, values passed down through generations, and an ongoing connection to that landscape have been part of Angelo’s life since childhood.
- Mum
- The Corica side
Angelo’s family — the Corica line — belongs to Fiumefreddo di Sicilia, right on the northeastern flank of Etna on the Ionian coast. The town, the river that stays cold even in summer, the citrus groves — all of it remains alive in her family’s story.
Italy is woven into our identity through family stories, recipes passed down through generations, values of family, generosity and shared meals, and an ongoing connection with people still living close to the mountain. As we approached our retirement years, we made a decision: we didn’t want to just dream about Italy. We wanted to prepare properly — and then actually do it.
Read the full personal story of our Sicilian heritage on our Our Story page, including the Rigano family origin story and the story of Fiumefreddo di Sicilia.
Our Journey
How a Dream Became a Research Project
What began as late-night scrolling through Italian property sites and house tours slowly turned into serious research. We quickly realised how overwhelming the decision is.
Each with its own climate, cost of living, healthcare access, walkability, community feel, and pace of life.
We found plenty of beautiful travel blogs and “best places to retire in Italy” listicles — but very little practical, data-driven, resident-focused information to help make a confident, informed decision.
That gap is exactly why we built livinginitaly.life.
Why We Built It
One stop, One place for Everyone Who Feels the Pull
We’re creating this as a practical knowledge repository for everyone who feels the same pull toward Italy — whether you’re:
- Planning to retire in Italy in your active “go-go years”
- Considering moving to Italy for work, lifestyle, or a complete change
- Simply wanting to live in Italy more deeply — experiencing the real rhythms, seasons, food, community, and slow living that define la dolce vita
We’re not travel writers or tourism promoters. We’re two people doing the exact same research you are — but building the tools and resources we wished existed.
Remove the overwhelm.
Give you clear, honest, practical information.
Help you find the right town, the right region, and the right pace of life for you.
What You'll Find Here
Your Complete Companion for the Italy Journey
We’ve built livinginitaly.life to be your end-to-end resource — from first dreaming to final decision.
Practical Tools
Town Explorer
Search and filter all 7,882 Italian towns by walkability, cost of living, climate, healthcare, transport and more.
Side-by-side comparisons so you can make confident decisions between your shortlisted towns.
Answer a few questions about your ideal lifestyle and discover towns that genuinely fit you.
In-Depth Guides
Region Guides
All 20 Italian regions explored from the perspective of future residents — not tourists. Honest insights on pace of life, seasonal rhythms, and practical considerations.
Guides on visas, healthcare, property, tax, and the realities of daily life — all written for Australians, Americans, and Britons planning the move.
The Dolce Vita Experience
Slow Living in Italy
What it actually feels like to live in Italy — the slow mornings, seasonal rhythms, food culture, and the deep satisfaction of belonging.
Our personal connection to Sicily and the towns that shaped our family — Etna, Fiumefreddo di Sicilia, Santa Teresa di Riva, and Savoca.
Everything is continuously researched and updated as we prepare for our own move in 2029.
How to Use the Site
Getting Started with the Town Explorer
The Town Explorer is our most powerful feature. We designed it to be intuitive, but here’s a clear five-step guide to get the most out of it.
1
Start Exploring
Go to the Town Explorer. You’ll see all 7,882 Italian towns with key data at a glance — population, cost of living, walkability score, climate type, and more.
2
Set Your Priorities
Use the filters to narrow down towns based on what matters most to you: walkability, cost of living, climate, healthcare access, region or province, and other factors.
3
Sort and Compare Results
Once filtered, sort the results by your top priority. Add towns to a shortlist or jump straight into the Compare Towns tool.
4
Dive Deeper into Individual Towns
Click on any town to open its detailed guide with full breakdowns, practical notes, and links to spotlight articles.
5
Use the Quiz for a Personalised Starting Point
Not sure where to begin? Take the Town Match Quiz first — it takes about 2 minutes and suggests towns that genuinely fit your lifestyle.
Pro Tip
Many people start with the Quiz → then explore the suggested towns using the filters. It’s the fastest way to cut through the overwhelm and arrive at a shortlist that genuinely excites you.
Prefer the Bigger Picture First?
How to Use the Region Guides
If you’d like to understand the broader landscape before diving into individual towns, head to the Regions page. Here you can explore all 20 Italian regions with summaries on climate, average cost of living, walkability, healthcare access, and how many towns are in each area.
Each region guide is written from the perspective of someone planning to live there — not just visit — so you’ll find honest insights about the pace of life, seasonal rhythms, and practical considerations for retirees and expats.
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Browse the Regions page and shortlist 2–3 regions that interest you
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Download a free detailed guide for each region you’re seriously considering
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Use the Town Explorer filtered to those regions to find the best towns within them
Sicily Guide Puglia Guide Abruzzo Guide Calabria Guide Campania Guide All 20 Regions →
Our Retirement Planning Series
The Practical Guides You Actually Need
Alongside our town and region data, we’ve built a comprehensive series of in-depth pillar guides covering everything you need to plan a move to Italy.
Visas
The Elective Residency Visa Guide
The complete 2026 guide to income requirements, the application process, and how to avoid the most common rejections.
Healthcare
Healthcare in Italy for Retirees
How the SSN works, what it costs, and what to expect from public and private care across regions.
Property
Buying Property in Italy as a Retiree
The process, costs, risks, and the due diligence steps that protect you.
Tax
The 7% Flat Tax Regime, Explained
How the southern Italy flat tax works, who qualifies, and which towns are eligible following the 2026 expansion.
Lifestyle & Budget
How to Afford the Dolce Vita
Realistic retirement budgets, cost comparisons by region, and how the 7% regime transforms the numbers for Australians.
Culture
The Art of Slow Living in Italy
What it actually feels like to live in Italy — and how to genuinely embrace a slower, more intentional pace.
Our Promise to You
How We Work
Independent & Honest
No sponsored content, no affiliate arrangements, no hidden agendas. We tell you what we find, including the parts that might complicate the dream.
Practical, Not Romanticised
We love Italy deeply — and we know real life involves bureaucracy, healthcare, tax, and waiting times. Both things are true, and we cover both.
Resident-Focused
Every guide and data point is researched with one question: “What would we need to know if we were actually moving here?”
Continuously Growing
This is a living project. We’re adding more towns, deeper data, new guides, and personal reflections as our own journey toward 2027 unfolds.
Join Us on the Journey
Italy Isn't Waiting for You to Be Ready
Whether you’re just starting to dream or you’re already deep in research and spreadsheets, we’re glad you’re here.
Italy isn’t waiting for you to be ready. But with the right information, you can be ready.
Start exploring today:
Take the Town Match Quiz Browse All 7,882 Towns Explore the Regions
We’d love to hear from you too. If you have questions, feedback, or your own Italy story, feel free to reach out.
Welcome to livinginitaly.life. We’re building this together.
— Angelo & Sharon Rigano
Our Heritage Stories
The personal side of the journey
Our family’s connection to Sicily is at the heart of this project. Read the personal stories behind the site.
Heritage
Etna: The Beating Heart of Sicily
Myth, fire, family, and the mountain that has always shaped both sides of the family story.
Heritage
Fiumefreddo di Sicilia
Sharon’s family roots on the northeastern flank of Etna — the cold river, the citrus groves, the Corica name.
Heritage
The Rigano Origin Story
Angelo’s family roots through Santa Teresa di Riva and Savoca, and the connection to eastern Sicily that has never broken.
Our Story
From Sicilian Roots to an Italian Future
The full personal story of how the dream of moving to Italy became a serious plan — and this site.
Ready to find your Italian town?
Use the Town Explorer to filter 7,882 Italian towns by the things that matter most to you, or take the 2-minute Town Match Quiz for personalised suggestions.
The information on this site is continuously updated and you may occasionally encounter small discrepancies. This content is for informational and inspirational purposes. It is not professional financial, legal, or relocation advice. Always do your own due diligence and consult qualified professionals where appropriate.
livinginitaly.life — independent research for people relocating to and retiring in Italy.
Built with heart from North Queensland to Sicily. Research current as of 2026. About Us · Region Guides · Town Explorer