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Scroll Instagram or YouTube for five minutes and you’ll find them: smiling expats offering you the secret to moving to Italy—wrapped up in a tidy little “virtual Move to Italy workshop,” yours for the bargain price of a few thousand dollars.

You’ll get hours of pre-recorded videos. Interviews with real estate agents, lawyers, and “what I wish I knew” chats with people who moved from Texas to Tuscany and now make olive oil. All very inspiring.

And while we’re happy people are sharing their stories… we can’t help but notice that these workshops are often missing one very important ingredient:

Italy.

You Can’t Smell the Bougainvillaea Through a Screen

We’ve been running our Move to Italy Retreats since 2018—small group experiences right here in the Italian countryside. And we believe, quite passionately, that if you’re thinking of making a life-changing move, it’s something you need to feel in the flesh.

We’re not saying a virtual move to Italy event is all bad. But moving here isn’t a theoretical exercise. It’s real. It’s sensory. And you simply can’t smell the lemon trees or taste the wild boar ragu through your laptop.

No video can tell you what it feels like to wake up to church bells and birdsong, or how a home really feels when you step inside it. You can’t scroll your way to the smell of fresh espresso drifting down a cobbled lane—or the sound of someone shouting “Buongiorno!” from across the piazza.

As past attendees Andy & Kim from California, put it:

“We watched one of those online courses before we came and honestly, we both ended up more confused than when we started. Half of it was out of date, and the rest just didn’t make sense without context. We thought—do we need a qualification to move to Italy now?”

Can You Really House-Hunt from Your Sofa?

Many virtual events promise access to realtors, renovation experts and legal advisors. Ours does too—except, you know, you meet them in person. Over a glass of wine. While watching the sun set over a valley that you might just move to.

At our retreat, you’ll:

• View real homes for sale that match your actual budget and preferences (not fantasy listings)
• Ask questions directly to local estate agents, a property lawyer, and a geometra (the renovation expert you’ll definitely need if your dream home has a roof older than Shakespeare)
• See firsthand what a €50,000 renovation project actually looks like—and whether you’re up for the adventure

And while you’re at it, you’ll enjoy four-course dinners, daily aperitivi, and the camaraderie of others who are just as Italy-obsessed as you are.

As Susan from San Francisco told us:

“There’s no way I could’ve got this experience sitting at home watching videos. Seeing the houses, talking to locals, asking off-the-cuff questions—that’s what gave me clarity.”

Zoom Can’t Feed You Pasta

We get it—buying access to a video course feels efficient. You can binge it in your pyjamas. And while the person who sold it to you wakes up each morning to count their overnight cash flow, you’re still left wondering: But could I really live there?

Italy isn’t just an idea. It’s a place of quirks and contradictions, bureaucracy and beauty. Moving here isn’t about memorising a checklist. It’s about standing in a town square, watching life happen around you, and thinking: Yes. This feels right.

As Sarah from Dubai said:

“I needed to walk the streets, smell the rosemary, and see what a €100,000 house actually looks like. You can’t do that through a screen.”

In-Person Beats Pre-Recorded Every Time

Here’s what our in-person Move to Italy Retreat includes:

• Accommodation in a restored Italian farmhouse in Le Marche
• Property visits tailored to your budget
• Meetings with estate agents, a lawyer, a geometra, and expats who’ve already done it
• Presentations over dinner and aperitivo, where you can ask your questions, not just listen to someone else’s
• Beautiful meals, honest conversations, and a whole lot of laughter

And yes—there’s wine.

Want to Move to Italy?

Come and Experience It First

If you’re serious about making the move, invest in something tangible. Come to Italy. Walk the cobbled streets. Ask the awkward questions. Taste the wine. Smell the herbs in the breeze. Meet real experts, not avatars.

Because honestly—if you’re going to change your life, wouldn’t you rather do it in person, with a glass of prosecco in hand, rather than from a PowerPoint?

Join us in Italy and see what the virtual workshops are missing.

👉 Find out more about the Move to Italy Retreat.

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