The Ultimate Guide On Moving To Italy

Relocating to Italy is an exciting, yet daunting new journey to embark on. To make your move to Italy a little easier, we’ve created this quick guide to help you prepare for the relocation.

Here at My Baggage, we understand just how stressful relocating to another country can be and we try our best to make it a little easier for everyone. There’s lots to do and lots of information that you should make yourself aware of prior to making the big move. Doing so will help ensure that your relocation is successful and stress-free.

This guide contains everything you need to know before moving to Italy, so be sure to pay attention – you won’t regret it.

Italy is a country that’s jam packed with history, culture, rich heritage, ancient ruins, spectacular scenery and much much more, all making it the ideal relocation destination. It’s home to world-famous structures, such as the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Regardless of where you choose to set up home in Italy, it’s guaranteed that you will be surrounded by stunning, yet natural scenery and most importantly, perpetual sunshine.

Cuisine 

Italy is well known for it’s delicious cuisine and when you relocate there, it won’t be a challenge to find food that you like, simply because there’s so much to choose from and you couldn’t possibly dislike it all. The cuisine in Italy is regional, with each region specialising in their own food. When in Italy, you’ll be spoilt for choice, with a wide variety of delicious breads pasta, pizza, gelato, and fine wine, be prepared for your waste line to expand in due course.

Fashion

Fashion is extremely important to many people in Italy, after all, it is home to some of the worlds biggest and best fashion shows, such as Milan Fashion Week. When relocating to Italy, you’ll want to fit in, instead of standing out like a tourist. The only rules regarding fashion in Italy is wearing breathable fabricated clothes, this should be at the top of your list anyway And the only other rule is to be as bold and brave as you possibly can with your dress choice, that’s how to be fashionable in the fashion haven that is Italy.

Weather 

When relocating to Italy, many people expect the weather to be glorious all year round. However, the region that you choose to live in will ultimately determine this. Italy is split into three regions, the peninsula, the Alps and Central Italy. As i’m sure you can imagine, the Alps region will experience long, cold winters, whilst destinations closer to the peninsula will enjoy a Mediterranean climate all year round and if you relocate to central Italy, you’ll get rain, hail and sun!

It’s not difficult to see why people relocate to Italy. Here’s just a few reasons why someone would choose Italy as their number one relocation destination:

1. For the Mediterranean climate.
2. It’s a travel gateway for frequent travellers.
3. To be with friends of family.
4. To further career in a particular industry.
5. To set up a business.

It’s extremely important that you’re fully prepared before relocating to Italy. Relocating abroad is an experience that can be daunting and so, being prepared for it can minimise the likelihood of something going wrong and help you avoid making bad decisions – Here’s a few things that you should know before taking the huge leap and moving to Italy.

Cost Of Living

Whether you’ve already signed the papers and booked the flight, or you’re just considering moving to Italy, it’s wise to know exactly how much it will cost you to be an expat in Italy. The cost of living in Italy is rather reasonable, compared to other countries that you could relocate to. The cost of living will differ, depending on what part of Italy you will be living in. As you can probably imagine, living in densely populated and busy cities such as Milan, you should expect the cost of living to be higher than it would be in other parts of the country.

Employment

Those who are citizens of the European Union, have the right to work when in Italy without any work permit. However, if you are not a member of the EU, you will need to obtain a work permit for working in Italy. Your chances of finding employment in Italy will depend on your qualifications and your ability to speak Italian.

Italians are rather impressed by qualifications, as opposed to experience. So, if you have a great qualification in a particular area, but no experience, then you will stand a greater chance of getting employed in Italy. As well as this, Italians are more likely to hire those who can speak Italian fluently. This is simply because many of them aren’t fluent in any other languages, and so, they need workers that they are able to communicate verbally with.

Healthcare

Italy’s healthcare system is one of the best in the world , which makes expats feel more comfortable and confident with their decision to move to Italy. Prior to moving to Italy, you will need to get your healthcare insurance sorted. Once you have applied for your healthcare insurance and been accepted, you can then pay a fee to join Italian National healthcare system.  If you will be working in Italy, you could be eligible for a discount on your healthcare payment.

Moving abroad is a little daunting to you, yet you know exactly what is going on. Think about how your kids might feel about this relocation, they’re likely to be scared and uncertain about many aspects of the big move, including the flight and the unfamiliar house they will be living in.

There’s many ways you can make your children more comfortable with the relocation to Italy, have a look:

1. Stick to a routine.
2. Keep comfort items close by.
3. Bring treats and surprises.
4. Plan the flight with them.
5. Involve them in the relocation – Allowing them to help design their new room.
6. Help them learn some Italian.
7. Ship your luggage to your new home – allowing you enjoy the flight to Italy with your child.

When you relocate to Italy, a lot of things will be different and this includes the temperature. The high temperatures in Italy can either encourage people to take the leap and make the move to Italy, or it an discourage them. This shouldn’t be discouraging though, you simply need to be prepared and you will adapt well to the change in temperature through time.

If you’re not used to high temperatures, check out these tips on how to cope in sunny Italy:

1. Stay hydrated.
2. Dress accordingly.
3. Carry a cooling fan with you.
4. Spend some time in the shade.
5. Purchase a parasol or a pale coloured umbrella.
6. Do light exercise.
7. Eat well.

Relocating can be a strange experience for your pets and so, it’s important that you prepare and do all that you can to make the relocation a little easier for them. Many people think relocating with pets is a difficult challenge, but it’s actually pretty straight forward.

Although this experience might be exciting for you, relocating can sometimes be a traumatic experience for pets. As your pet will not be in the home they are used to living in, the change of scenery and potentially the change in heat too, could all be somewhat overwhelming for your pet.

It’s your job to make your pet as comfortable as possible with the relocation. You can do so simply by sticking to a routine that is similar to your current one. Doing things your pet is already familiar with, will make it much easier for them to adapt to such a drastic change in living.

Getting Your Pet To Italy 

Making sure your pet will get into Italy without bother should be at the top end of your long to-do list. Prior to travelling with your pet to your new home in Italy, there are some things that you will need to do. Firstly, you will need to check your pets documents to ensure they are fit to travel, secondly you will need to make yourself aware of the  quarantine requirements and indeed, any vaccinations they may need to enter Italy.

When relocating to Italy, you’ll want to take all of the important things that you own. This is something that sends many people into panic mode. Simply because of the stress it will cause, the money it will cost and the length of time it will take to arrive to your new home in Italy.

Airline Baggage

The most common way to get your belongings abroad is usually by checking them onto your flight as airline baggage. It’s a fast way to get your belongings to Italy, but if you’ve a lot to take with you (which you probably will), then it will cost you a pretty penny to get your stuff to your new home. Most expats tend to use another method to transport their luggage to their new home, but will check on one bag of essentials with them onto the flight.

Traditional Removal Companies

When relocating abroad, you’ll have large household items that you’ll want to take with you. International removal companies specialise in getting these larger items from your old home, to your new one. This is often a timely process, it can sometimes take up to two weeks for your belongings to arrive in Italy (depending on where they’re coming from). If you don’t plan on bringing larger items to Italy, then this option mightn’t be the right one for you as it’s an expensive method of transporting luggage and somewhat unnecessary if you’re not transporting large items.

Luggage Shipping Companies 

Relocating abroad isn’t a cheap thing to do, it’s actually pretty pricey and there can be a lot of hidden costs that you might not be prepared to pay. Using a luggage shipping company can allow you to get all of your belongings to Italy at an affordable price. When sending everything you own to Italy, it’s likely that your bags will be checked on as oversized baggage when you arrive at the airports. You can avoid these extortionate overweight baggage fees from your airline, simply by shipping your luggage abroad with a luggage shipping company, allowing you to save some money during this all important move.

My Baggage have broken the mould and provided expats with a brand new way to get their belongings abroad, making the whole process much easier and more affordable.

Affordable

At My Baggage, we like to make our services affordable for our customers. We understand that relocating to Italy can be expensive and so, we like to make things a little easier and indeed, cheaper for you. Our low prices is something that we’re proud of, we work hard to get the lowest price possible for our customers. So, if you have got a cheaper quote elsewhere, do let us know and we’ll see what we can do for you!

Convenient

All of the services we offer here at My Baggage are door-to-door services. This means that we will collect your items from your current home and deliver them directly to your new home in Italy. All you have to do is make a booking online, select a date that suits you, print the labels we send you and attach them to your shipment, then you can sit back and let us take care of the rest! Yes, it really is that easy!

Top Customer Service

Our team of Customer Service Experts are dedicated to ensuring our customers needs and expectations are met and that they’re satisfied with the service we provide. If you have any questions at any stage of your booking, or you need a little help and advice, simply contact our customer service experts via phone, email or live chat and they will be happy to assist you.

To ensure your worldly belongings arrive to your new home in Italy in a safe and timely manner, you need to package your shipment the correct way.

Here at My Baggage, we advise all of our customers to send their stuff in either strong suitcases or cardboard boxes, or indeed both if needed. If you plan on sending your belongings in cardboard boxes, please ensure that the boxes used are double or triple-walled and brand new, as used boxes might not be strong enough to support your goods through transit. As well as this, taping over any handles of your suitcase, can avoid damage to your case. However please note that packaging is not covered under our compensation.

Relocating abroad means that you will be sending a range of things, including some fragile and delicate items. When sending these items with My Baggage, we recommend for you to use internal packaging to protect them during transit. You can use materials such as bubble wrap or newspapers to cushion your items and minimise the chance of breakage.

You can read through our complete packaging guide to find out more information.

Here at My Baggage, we send luggage all over the world and make our customers travel experiences much less stressful and more affordable instead! However, our shipments can sometimes be delayed if they contain any items from our prohibited items list (link below). To avoid any delays or returns with your My Baggage shipment, please make yourself aware of all the items that are prohibited on our services.

Some Prohibited Items

• Aerosols
• Cash, Credit Cards, Debit Cards
• Liquids
• Medicines
• Passports or other confidential personal documentation
• Perishable Foods
• Plants

There’s also a number of other items you can send with My Baggage that won’t be covered under our compensation cover. This doesn’t mean these items are prohibited, it simply means that if you decide to take them, it will be at your own risk. If you do decide to take any of our non-compensation items, it’s strongly recommended that you take time to package these items carefully and appropriately. Find more information on how to package your items by reading our packaging guide above.

Find out more about My Baggage’s prohibited and non-compensation items.

When shipping from Italy to the UK or anywhere else in the EU, goods do not pass through customs clearance and therefore are not subject to import tax or duty. If, however, you’re sending to Italy from a country outside of the EU, such as Canada or the USA, you are then legally required to complete and send a customs invoice with your shipment.

Whether you are simply sending personal effects or a gift to a loved one; if your shipment does not have a customs invoice attached, it will not make it past your local country border, and you may have to pay return charges to get it back. My Baggage will automatically provide you with the appropriate customs documents for you to print, sign and attach to your shipment when you send luggage to Italy from outside the EU.

When completing your customs documents, it is important to do so properly and clearly. In order to demonstrate that your shipment consists of personal effects, you will be required to accurately describe each item included in the package. For example, you would declare: “4 x t-shirts, 2 x pairs of jeans, 3 x dresses” etc, as opposed to “10 x clothing”.

My Baggage has a quick and easy to use online booking system, where you can make a booking for your belongings to be shipped to Italy in just a few minutes! Simply follow this step by step guide on how to book with us and before you know it, you’ll be travelling to Italy stress and luggage-free!

Step 1 –  Get a quote from  the box below. 

Step 2 – Once you’ve got a quote, pick what service you wish to use. 

Step 3 – Enter your collection and delivery address delivery.

Step 4 – Pay for your shipment.

Step 5 –  Print off the labels we send you and attach them to your shipment. 

Step 6 – We collect your items on the collection date that suits you.

Step 7 – We deliver them directly to you at your new home in Italy!

• Easy to use online booking system.
• Convenient door-to-door delivery and collection.
• Full online tracking on all shipments.
• Email and text message notifications on your shipment.
• Quick collection and delivery – Express services offered on most routes.
• Shipping to over 200 countries, across 1,000 routes worldwide.
• Unrivalled customer support via phone, email and live chat.

So, what are you waiting for?