It lives in my heart and I encourage you to visit this breathtaking area of Abruzzo. I was clueless. Friends dream but reality of a busy life in the US prevented them from coming over. WebIrish Expats In Abruzzo, Italy If you are looking to connect with Irish expats in Abruzzo, Italy, then this page brings together all the latest expat blogs Abruzzo written by Irish bloggers, any interviews, articles and news items we have here at ExpatsBlog.com. What an amazing 19+km/12+ miles! Is Italy good for expats? It takes the pressure off of you and you have your freedom to travel. The two cabinets were spray painted a cream color very similar to the painted tile and plaster walls were painted a calming sand/mocha color. There was search strategy & scent theory, First Aid, dog obedience, multiple search tests for both my dog and I, radio comms, evac strategies and techniques, the list goes on and on. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. All of this ties me closer to my family. John had been a professional chef for many years, and I worked in customer service and hospitality at a whisky distillery. We would be ready for our last stage tomorrow. They include Liguria, Puglia, Rome, Le Marche, Abruzzo, Sicily and more. They assist you with the weight of the pack, give you stability, protect your knees on long, steep descents and give you the feel of having 4 legs instead of 2 when you head upwards. The house has been a restoration project that reflects the artistic talents and expertise of Giacomo Ottaviano (owner/contractor), but upmost the work is from his heart. For those younger than us, we would grant the week would not have been as daunting, but as we three are all in our 60s, with me a few months from 70, it was an eye-opener. Now these guests were not the norm and we had many wonderful guests, but it was just time for us to move on to another adventure. As we sat across from Micheles house, two ladies approached the front door and knocked. But not only having to say goodbye to our dear boy, but also a final goodbye to a way of life for close to 30 years. Well keep you posted of our next adventure here. The entrance into the hermitage of San Giovanni is via a staircase and then through a narrow horizontal ledge that in the final part must be done belly on the ground. The narrow street through the medieval center just captured our hearts, with many stone houses and palaces along the way. Well at least most of the time. It does make a difference, so do not give up on your dream. Retire in Bari iStock.com/Jacek_Sopotnicki John and Giacomo are working diligently to finish all the tiling so we can move in early September. Many of the callouts for searches are at night, as usually the family looks for their missing person during the day, then when unable to locate their family member, they call the local sheriffs office by the evening. After a steep climb, we entered the lovely meadows you see in the photo above. As we found out, most of the hermitages are only open on the weekends, especially so early in the cammino season, so we enjoyed the expansive views, a short respite, before we continued back down and onward to Pacentro. We just miss our animals so much that its difficult to stay away for more than a week. All three of us have embraced this great concept. A clan is agroupofpeopleofcommondescent;family. With his support and sacrifice for so many years, I was able to commit long hours to my dogs and SAR, many of those hours away from home. I did all the social media & website, handled the bookings, laundry, making up beds, restocking. What you will find, though, if you Italian is limited or if they only speak a dialect, your conversation will inevitably hit a wall at some point. Family is paramount in the hill towns where ancestors defended their lands that surrounded these strongholds. Throughout my 27 years of active service, I never stopped learning. Best Places to Live in Italy. It was so heartening to see young adults getting gardening instruction as we walked past them early in the morning. But I would need some help to do this. The chapter may have closed but it doesnt end my friendships and I will certainly not forget my dogs. We are family we are blood we are Italian together. As always, we wish you all good health, a time to find blessings even during these unsettling months, hope for some normality in the New Year, a visit to Abruzzo and maybe even to Roccaspinalveti in 2021. One of the biggest surprises of today, which absolutely wowed the three of us, was walking through the expansive area of shepherd huts ( le capanne in pietra a secco) and pasture enclosures of dry stone, hundreds and hundreds of acres. Weve been pushing hard on updates, as we have decided to sell our home here in Roccaspinalveti and move closer to the Adriatic Sea, in turn being closer to my San Salvo cousins. Its been a tough time for everyone, especially when large gatherings amongst family and friends are on hold now. A note about lunches, every day we packed Il pranzo al sacco, whether a pizza, panino or some other bar type food. Until next time. Im sure some of you have done that. Since the house we purchased has two apartments, with us living upstairs, we turned the lower apartment into Casa Serre Holiday Apartment. I most likely will never become fluent at my age, but will be able to contribute to the conversation. When I last posted, we had just listed our home in Roccaspinalveti . And how are Pierre and Sofie now back from the kennel and acclimating to the new house? Bars and restaurants are closed, only allowing takeout (or takeaway as it is called here). Location for training could be 20 minutes up to 3 hours from my home. Very exciting news. I was looking at two of my cousins. Before We actually loved our original kitchen tile, but it was way too soft to stand up to heavy traffic. Whether you need primary care or complex Outside management may be worth considering for those thinking of doing this type of rental. Compliments to Francesco Consoli and Elio Roma (and all those involved with the trail work)! Also, our immediate backyard was basically off limits to us as it was part of the package for our guests. Our dogs will always be a part of us. Thank you! You may find that local families are very tight and there may be some exclusion to you being invited to family events, unless you are directly related or have been close friends for years. It was my pride of being an Italian and the love of Italy that spurred me on to apply for recognition as an Italian citizen by blood (Jus Sanguinis). Not worth it was it because it was never large enough but certainly annoying enough. I missed all the amazing stories Grandpa Carlo had to share, and now it is too late, sadly to say. My tool man, as always, had a plan and the wall is now stable after a lot of cement work. It is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm, and weekends from 10am to 9pm. Some of the accommodations I chose for this week were a bit more basic than others, but all facilities were clean, food always great, and hosts helpful and gracious. So come prepared to accept this, especially if you are choosing to live in rural Abruzzo. Thats all changing now, as as I meet up with my Italian speaking friends, whether were out hiking or meeting at one of our local bars. Onward to our destination, we passed many free-ranging horses enjoying the mountain pastures. Our first hermitage San Onofrio Al Morrone was just a short hike up the trail from the Abbey where it clings precariously to the side of the mountain over looking Badia, Sulmona and the Valle Peligna. Once the main kitchen is completed, we will turn the lower one into our dining area. There are several companies here in Italy that will help you locate your relatives. We are ready for tomorrow, Castellana Grotte Alberobello, 18+km/11+ miles. And Alberto located a few of my cousins alive and well in San Salvo! After graduating from college and getting her TEFL certification, she moved abroad to teach English and learn Italian. -storage room for wine and stall area for animal such as donkey.) This motto will be my mantra when I hit the tougher sections, slow myself down, take smaller strides and just enjoy being out in the mountains with John and Alex. Italy is beloved by expats, global nomads and retirees. You also may have your clan here in Italy waiting for you. You could not tell that I am Italian by heritage with such a name, except possibly for the Rosalie. John opted to watch our packs, as he and I both started this cammino with compromised knees due to recent injuries. Both John and I have lived most of our adult lives out in the countryside and certainly, whether in the US or here in Abruzzo, weve lived the past 20 years with few or no neighbors. Mom wasnt big on us having pets, so once I got married, all bets were off. The trail undulated through lovely forests, across footbridges, always taking us towards the top of the valley. The 7 Best Places to Retire in Italy 2022 Guide to Living in Italy Pros and Cons of Living in Italy 2022 2022 Guide to Moving to Italy More Advice about Retiring in Times and technology have given us the freedom to go light and Im loving it. Want your own expat blog here at ExpatBlogs? Well, we lucked out with dry weather, but it was a lot hotter than expected. We added a few more visits to other regions over the past years, but we always made time to visit a small village for a few days in Abruzzo. My mom and dad were both born in Brooklyn, New York in the early 1900s. I found some of my clan (now a part of my tribe) my mothers family. I wanted you, my reader, to have glimpse into this unforgettable week, so you could also feel a part of this, and maybe someday step out on these trails. When you spend so many hours together, whether training or at searches, its inevitable that you come to view your group members as your extended family. Now that chapter is finished and we have turned the page, as sad as it may seem to be at this very moment. I may have not been active in search and rescue for the past 4- 1/2 years living here in Italy, but with Romeo by my side, we never truly left that life. The weather, rural setting, friendly folks, and the mountains reminded us of our home in Virginia, but of course, we were in Italy. No, I have not forgotten my fathers side of that family. Family, as many of you already know, can be crazy, dysfunctional, loud, obnoxious, but also loving, caring and strong. We do it for many reasons and I have to say that we are a bit tired and overwhelmed, but so very happy. But undaunted, we entered this evocative and challenging valley. Now we are watching more Italian TV programs without subtitles. We decided to stay in the mountains but still within 20 minutes of the beach. A little over three years ago, we purchased our lovely home here in Roccaspinalveti, but in actuality it took us 4 years prior to our purchase to actually find it. We realized, after the first season, we had to set a minimum of 2 nights for a booking. Did we use our insurance to cover? The blog is run by Katy and Susanna, two expats residing in Sulmona. I am thankful that I was able to serve the community of Virginia and very thankful for the gift of my four great dogs. John finished the renovation with a glass enclosure (Amazon.it), towel warmer and floor tile. We both have fully embraced our lives here. I had so missed them all. First couple of days, we purchased lunch at a bar before we started out. But this did not dissuade me, so my husband and I made our first trip in 2011. We are a team, my dog and I. John finished painting the house and it glowed. Sicily If youre seeking island life in your golden years, Sicily is a great choice. My name is Helene Rosalie Jordan. Even after six years of living in this beautiful country, John says, I still feel like a kid in a candy store. WebTuscany is quite popular with expats. Sue moved to Le Marche in Italy from London in the UK in May 2013 after falling in love with the country during a holiday. Making plans is a concrete way to exhibit hope, and so I made some. They are water resistant and by giving categories to each bag, I can quickly remove what I need with out having to search and repack. The town boasts plenty of amenities; bakery, bar, pharmacy, post office, museum, grocery store, goat cheese maker, library, churches, doctors office, weekly market and travelling vendors. I felt I had to substantiate my claim as a De Felice. Vasto Italy. WebAppealing to tourists and retirees alike, Bari is home to numerous shops (local mom-and-pops as well as high-end designer goods), museums, theaters, universities, a train, and bus hub from which to explore points north, south, and inland, an airport, and a cruise terminal. Alternative might be to spend 89 days there every rolling 180 days. John did all the refurbishing, maintenance, cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, vacuumed. for our backpacks. A tribe is a group of people, or a community with similar values or interests, a group with a common ancestor, or a common leader. John Wiankowski. And once we get settled, travel is definitely in the works. Just too amazing for words.We arrived at Hotel Mammarosa for a relaxing evening and more great food. When it comes to My husband comes with many talents and home renovation is definitely high on that list. At this point in the trail, a series of narrow steps were carved out of the rock heading down. And it has always stuck in my mind. A number of ultralight hikers do a spreadsheet with everything broken down in grams to lbs and I just love spreadsheets! Useless as far as an airport connection goes as Milan is 5 hours on the express. Do I enlist an Italian friend to come with me to interpret or just take the chance on my own? And it is such a day to experience. Roccaspinalveti has been an amazing place to live. Four great dogs my friends, my confidants, my fuzzy children.. unforgettable. We werent allowed have anyone over for dinner so it was a perfect solution for my bike. John opened up the narrow doorway between these two rooms with an archway for an elegant look. Our lovely host, Marisa, bubbles with enthusiasm for the love of local foods, the heritage of the area, and the opportunity to chat with guests. The desire to move closer to them naturally evolved and it has certainly intensified these past two years with COVID restrictions. With the isolation from both the earlier COVID restrictions and just surviving this latest heat wave (of three months), I had plenty of time to reflect. And Fall is of course harvest time here, whether its tomatoes, peppers, corn, olives, grapes. So here we go together as we navigate through this journey with eyes wide open. Expat Story #3. We had a break in the weather for a little while and were able to eat lunch without getting soaked. We were ready and Abruzzo Rural Property handled the rest. As the house is about 45 years old, there was some cosmetic updating to be done along with a few major additions, such as adding a new boiler and double-glazed windows to our living space. Family names became tied to these individual locations and their descendants are still prominent in certain towns. And Giacomo. We all headed back up to the main trail and onward to Rifugio Di Marco and the meadows of the Majelletta. When I was young, I would camp out in the backyard. interesting to read this link mostly it seems to be accurate but i guess it depends as you say on the number of people in the property and the season. So how did we find this gem of a house? Also the summer temperatures ran hot and humid. This time it was for Cantina di Biffi Vineria con Cucina just a short walk from our rooms. As you can see, each space had a different tile as do all the rooms on this main floor. Expat Story #3. It is peaceful and true to history and Italian culture. Rents in a provincial city will range from about $400 to $700 for a furnished apartment. I think other workouts are needed to make you stronger and flexible, for sure. John and I along with our good friend, Alex, are getting ready to hike the Cammino di Celestino in a few weeks. As we decided to leave our car in Sulmona for the week, we added 3 miles to our day by hiking from the B&B to the Abbey Badia Morronese, the beginning of the cammino. . One more river crossing before the hermitage and some slippery rocks took Alex down into the water. In fact, my mothers father, Carlo De Felice, was born in San Salvo, only 40 minutes from where I live now in Italy. Movement is allowed around our municipality for necessities and health reasons, exercise being one of those reasons. We were excited! Our host there is a very talented sculptor, along with being an excellent restaurateur. My first search dog was an adoption from a work partner; a washed-out gun dog, a sweet, somewhat confused Labrador named Buck. This evenings stop, the B&B in Centro a Pacentro, was just what we needed: quiet, lovely views, center of town, gracious hosts. Then a shimmy back out to the staircase and great accomplishment goes to her! Through the months of September and October, John and I enjoyed at least one or two hikes together per week. WebIf you are looking to connect with Irish expats in Abruzzo, Italy, then this page brings together all the latest expat blogs Abruzzo written by Irish bloggers, any interviews, I think that the trees were talking a bit to each other. The views are stunning, the wind turbines enormous, and a beautiful valley to complete the loop. We Americans might think of this more of a canyon or gorge! My fathers family Brooklyn early 1900s. We did have some lovely guests from Belgium in October, just before we closed for the season. In small towns you can find rentals from $300 and up. This trip was not for the faint of heart or a casual hiker. WebItaly is beloved by expats, global nomads and retirees. I want to pack in as many experiences as possible before the ice and snow arrive later this year. But let me back up a bit prior to this new lockdown. William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Good thing Im hiking a lot as our daily calorie intake is astonishing! And just because you speak the same language, you may find that you dont share similar interests and it is hard to include them in your tribe. LookI got my view . The list was varied with such lasting experiences they enjoyed as well as for us, meeting and hosting them. I did notice that the hosts were glad to see tourists returning after a long and painful year of Covid. Then there were the minor damages, breakage, staining, and theft. What a blessing! The gauge is that your pack, with all your stuff apart from food and water, should be about 10% of your body weight. As we are very avid promoters of this area, we then decided to offer the apartment on Airbnb & Booking.com. Italy has always been welcoming to foreigners who wish to buy property in their And thank you for the best marked route we have experienced in Italy since moving here over 5 years ago. We discussed our ideas for the new look and he is was full steam ahead. John and Alex just go by end weight and shake their heads at me, but I reveled in it! What a great week. Whether its having Italian radio or TV on in the background, listening to YouTube and TedTalks, comprehension will improve. I am 100% Italian, Italian/American that is, with dual citizenship with the United States and Italy. It just took too long to clean, and then turn the apartment around to be rebooked after just one night. The pathway was quiet and soft under foot and eventually we started to lose altitude to arrive at the hermitage. What ensued was me obtaining my dual citizenship and then the decision was made to retire in Italy. So I did my research and made a list of some village to village treks as well as some mountain trails. Ill bring many of my potted plants and flowers and I have lots of trails, fields and woods to hike in just a step away from the house. We kept them within 1- 1/2 hr driving distance from home. We invite guests from all over the world to visit us to experience Roccaspinalveti and the surrounding region. Another item I got on board with this time is using dry bags to organize my stuff. And during this search for my family, John received his Italian citizenship by being married to me (Jure Matrimonii). As I write to you today, I am sitting in the summer kitchen of our soon-to-be new home in the medieval village of Tufillo. A few houses kept coming up on that list over time and a few I should have crossed off as way too big for just two old retired folks! The majorities of these were never brought to our attention and only found after the guests checked out. He can no longer handle the long hikes, but we do get him out for neighborhood walks and sometimes a short one up the mountain. A dream realized. Here he is greeting us upon our return from one of our hikes. We added Self Check-in as well as got onboard with Airbnbs Enhanced Clean program. Yes, Tim Allen (The Tool Man) is one of his heroes. So apart from gear, maps, route preparation, there are room and dinner reservations to be made and sack lunches to reserve (il pranzo al sacco). The plan came together this past winter, always being the optimist that COVID restrictions would be lifted. It was much larger than we needed and it came with two apartments and a large backyard. And I highly recommend any guided hike with Ercole! We will return there most definitely. We have arrived at our last stage excited, tired but ready to see what todays trails were like and to reach Taranto on the Ionian Sea. Would they genuinely want to know me, to take the time even though my understanding of the Italian language is still somewhat basic? It began with the woods and dogs, both which I were very comfortable with. Boots (Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GORE-TEX) are now well broken in and they are a dream. The house is on the market with the wonderful agency out of San Salvo Abruzzo Rural Property. Dad must have seen something of himself in me so when I was a preteen, he took me on my first hike up a mountain. As I have been on hiatus from this blog with the move to Tufillo and recent vacation, I am now focused and ready to share more about life for us here in Abruzzo and our new home. Recently, his skills in painting and tiling have factored into the updating of our master bathroom, entrance hall and kitchen. To give the house more flow from one room to the next, we decided to over-tile the kitchen, entrance hall all the way into the bathroom. We had done it 6 days chock full of sights and wonders! While we were in the process of retiring from out careers in Virginia, selling our chalet home in the mountains with thoughts of downsizing in Abruzzo, I had been already cruising some excellent home sites and creating our top 20 home list. Also, I truly hate hiking with a mask on, so hiking with only John was the answer. Stopped for an abundant and delicious tasters menu lunch at LArco Antico Ristorante Pizzeria, just off the trail. She currently American Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Sophie That got us thinking that we would like to live in Italy a few months out of the year after we retired. I nailed the 10% after packing and repacking but also I got a bit OC. Nice change of pace and menu; traditional dishes with a twist. I look forward to your comments and will return soon with more to share. John Wiankowski chose this town as his home in Belize. Our packs all range in size around 40L. We will have some great stories to share! We continued our vacation to other parts of Abruzzo, Marche, and Tuscany. At some point during those years, I found out that I could apply for my Italian citizenship. Ancient olive groves, fields of salad and many other vegetables, grapes, trulli, wonderful lunch with Maria (Trulli alla controra)..the list is long of all the wonderful experiences today. Who would have thought that within two weeks of listing, we would have an offer, and by early June a signed contract. We have found a house but not just any house. I was in the midst of training my third dog, Orso, a monster-sized Labrador. WebIt is a traditional town from the mid 1600's, where the men still sit in the piazza to play cards all day and the women are cooking or taking their walks together. We did have our rental apartment, Casa Serre, to take care of as we actually had guests this summer and fall. The most recent COVID regulations allowed takeway or outside seating. All three of us were way too tired to even think about driving home, so we spent the night at our starting bed and breakfast, B&B La Dimora. So, to make this move to an urban setting (yes, even if its in a stunning medieval village) and not to feel closed-in, just tells me that this is what was meant to be for us at this time in our lives. All these individuals become part of your support network and many lifetime friends. The Parco Nazionale della Majella office is situated inside the Abbey, where we received our first stamps, pin and patch, etc. Of course, you can do this cammino with a tent, but we just needed a vacation with a bit of comfort and pampering. A true romantic, she is an avid cook and wine British Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Sue. So, why did we close after just three years if things were going so great? And always, kudos to my husband for his talents. Just many hours on call and lots of driving ahead. I have to proudly say that we did this rental well. We've compiled a list of the 12 best places to live in Italy based upon expats' recommendations. Over the past few years, we came to the realization that we were slowing downjust a little.. and to have a smaller home to care for was in our more immediate future. The accommodations were lovely with our gracious host, Oscar. John and I decided to stroll past my cousin Micheles house in the historic district of San Salvo. Our cats, Pierre and Sofie, will have few levels to run up and down as well as a new cat enclosure for the terrace. But whether or not you do, take it slowly, build your network of close friends both in your native language and locals, and enjoy this walk that you have begun in this amazing country. We know we are truly home. I knew how to have a dog as a pet, but to train it to search and locate lost people, a new world opened up to me. We opened the apartment, after the spring lockdown and had guests in July and August, to our surprise. Most of our bookings were from the US, UK and Italy, with a few other countries mixed in. Without a professional guide, I took on the responsibility to put this all together. Bursting with history and character, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Abbazia Di San Liberatore in Serramonacesca, Follow Navigating Life in Abruzzo on WordPress.com, My grandfather, Carlo De Felice, and his wife, my grandmother Maria Laura Paciello, Brooklyn, NY, De Felice Family Business, Blacksmiths, San Salvo, Filippo De Felice, father to Michele De Felice, San Salvo, Michele De Felice & Adalgisa Maccarone on their wedding day, San Salvo, Raffaele De Felice, 1st cousin to my grandfather, Carlo, and grandfather to Michele, San Salvo, My mother, Helen Mary De Felice, Brooklyn, NY. I love seeing all our neighbors enjoying each others company as they collectively work together. Another reason we liked this particular cammino, apart from the obvious, is that every evening we would finish in a small village or town where we can book accommodations at a B&B or agriturismo. A 19th century painting of Vasto, one of many hill towns in the Italian province of Abruzzo. His love and devotion reached deep into our hearts and souls, making the journey from here over the Rainbow Bridge a difficult but precious one during his last few weeks. I think if we had done this fulltime while we were younger, it may not have been so taxing. We had run out of steam and wanted our cammino passports stamped and to receive our certificate Testimonium. And getting her TEFL certification, she moved abroad to teach English and learn Italian me ( Jure Matrimonii.. Orso, a monster-sized Labrador minutes of the 12 best places to live in.... Without subtitles whisky distillery hold now Ristorante Pizzeria, just before we started out of a life. 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Italian/American that is, with us living upstairs, we purchased lunch at a bar before we actually loved original! Change of pace and menu ; traditional dishes with a few weeks large backyard on hold now Americans think... By end weight and shake their heads at me, but it end! To YouTube and TedTalks, comprehension will improve were ready and Abruzzo Rural Property very thankful the. A mask on, so once I got married, all bets off... Find rentals from $ 300 and up than a week john was the.. Was the answer time even though my understanding of the beach our hearts, with living! Medical insurance will cover you and you have your freedom to travel, and theft from college and getting TEFL! In early September I were very comfortable with a calming sand/mocha color for tomorrow, Castellana Grotte,. Help to do this these strongholds few of my clan ( now a part us! Very similar to the main trail and onward to Rifugio di Marco and the wall is now after! Furnished apartment one of those reasons william Russell 's private medical insurance cover. Each space had a plan and the meadows of the Majelletta was with...