Expats favour Italy as an escape from Brexit Britain

If La Dolce Vita is the life for you, choosing the right Italian destination will make your dreams come true.

It’s not too late to escape from Britain’s politically frozen, chilly shores and its unknown future, with Italy just a short flight away. Choosing a location isn’t as easy as you might think, as many of the best-known, most romantic towns and historic cities don’t create as contented a life as do a number of lesser-known locations. Surprisingly, a recent report revealed cities and towns in the country’s northern regions are the best for a laid-back, fulfilled lifestyle.

Milan may well not be the most glamorous of Italian conurbations but, especially for the environment and its public services, it’s gained top marks as well as being good for leisure and cultural activities. For those expats intent on growing their careers it’s also a good choice, and for security, society and demographics it’s a top pick. Downsides are high rents and the difficulty of settling in as a newly arrived expat.

In spite of its now being underwater rather than on the water for a good part of this year, romantic Venice is a favourite for culture and leisure facilities as well as for the stunning beauty and historic heritage of its ancient buildings and cathedral. There’s a magic in this amazingly beautiful location that’s unique in the world. Another historic and cultural delight is Rome, with its ancient civilisation still recognisable in its architecture and its unique manner of combining the human scale of a village with its magnificent cultural draws based in its thousands of years of history.

For expats looking to explore further, Naples is a gritty destination attracting incomers to its combination of ancient and ultra-modern overlooked by its nemesis Vesuvius. Across the bay are the beauties of coastal resorts, hillside villages and the spectacular remnants of the volcano’s most famous eruption. Southern Italy is perhaps the most challenging location for expats in general, with Sicily’s capital Palermo a maze of streets, ancient areas and districts made famous in movies featuring the local mafia. Southern Italy’s quality of life is quite different from its first world northern hubs, but for digital nomads the south is a never-ending story of hardship and triumph over adversity.