Episodes

Italy has a way of making us see our own lives differently. People visit for a week and come home asking questions they weren’t asking before. Not just about Italy, but about themselves. Why am I always in such a hurry? Is this really how I want to spend the next twenty years? When did life become something to manage instead of something to experience? In this episode, Samantha explores why Italy has a way of making us reflect on time, success, connection, and the kind of life we truly wan...

Most people don’t start by making a plan to move to Italy. They start with a Google search. Questions about Italian visas, cost of living in Italy, healthcare, residency, and whether moving to Italy is actually possible. But those aren’t the real questions. In this episode, Samantha breaks down the stages people move through before deciding to relocate, and what they’re actually trying to figure out at each step. If you’re somewhere between dreaming and doing, this will help you understand wh...

Can You Grow Old in Italy? The Question Nobody Wants to Ask Most people spend years planning how to move to Italy. They research visas, property, healthcare, taxes, and where they want to live. But very few people ask the question that may matter most: What happens twenty years later? In this episode, Samantha tackles a topic that is rarely discussed among expats and future retirees: growing older in Italy. What happens if you can no longer drive? What if your spouse passes away? What if y...

Thinking about retiring to Italy in 2026? Before you sell everything and book the one-way ticket, this episode is your reality check. In this episode of A New Life in Italy, Samantha Wilson breaks down what she would personally do right now if she were planning a retirement move to Italy from scratch today. Not the fantasy version. Not the Instagram version. And definitely not the “figure it out later” version. After a recent situation where a client became completely derailed by misinforma...

The world feels uncertain right now, and for many people dreaming about Italy, that uncertainty is creating one very big question: Is this actually a smart time to buy property in Italy? In this episode, I’m taking a realistic look at what’s really happening in both the U.S. economy and the Italian property market, why foreign buyers are still purchasing homes in Italy despite global uncertainty, and how buying property in Italy is often more about lifestyle than speculation. We’ll talk honest...

Well hello there, and welcome back to another episode of A New Life in Italy. I’m your host, Samantha Wilson. Today’s episode is one of those that might completely change how you see Italy. Because if you’ve ever tried to apply for a visa, buy a home, or deal with a comune… and walked away thinking “what is going on here?”… you are not alone. So today we are unpacking why Italy feels so complicated and what is actually happening behind the scenes. This episode is for anyone who is pl...

Thinking about retiring in Italy or reducing your tax burden? Italy’s 7% tax regime sounds almost too good to be true… and for some people, it is incredible. But for others, it can lead to the wrong move for the wrong reasons. In this episode of A New Life in Italy, Samantha Wilson breaks down exactly how the 7% flat tax works, the recent expansion that added 74 new towns, and the lifestyle trade-offs most people don’t consider until it’s too late. This is not just about saving money. This is ...

Thinking about moving to Italy but not planning to retire? Then at some point, probably soon, you'll face the question: what am I actually going to do for work? In this episode of A New Life in Italy, Samantha Wilson sits down with Aisling, an Irish expat who moved to Italy, changed careers in her late 30s, and built a successful freelance business teaching English to corporate clients. If you’ve ever considered teaching English in Italy, freelancing, or starting over in a new country, this ep...

You’ve planned it, dreamed about it, and finally made the move to Italy. But what happens next? In this episode of A New Life in Italy, Samantha Wilson shares the real experience of the first 30, 60, and 90 days after arriving in Italy. This is the phase no one fully prepares you for and where most people feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure if they made the right decision. If you are planning your move to Italy, currently applying for a visa, or have recently arrived and feel like things are h...

Have you ever noticed something strange when you visit Italy? You eat pasta. You eat bread. You eat pizza. And somehow… you feel better. People say this to me all the time. The bread doesn’t bother their stomach. The pasta doesn’t leave them bloated. They feel healthier even though they feel like they’re eating more. So what’s going on? In this episode of A New Life in Italy, Samantha talks with Dr. Anna Toker, a board certified colorectal surgeon with nearly 30 years of experience studyi...

What if you are not actually short on time… you are just investing it in the wrong places? In this episode, I sit down with international time management specialist, best-selling author, and life designer Kate Christie for a conversation that is about so much more than productivity. We talk about ownership. About intention. About what happens when life cracks you open and forces you to reassess everything. And about why “later” is a dangerous word. Kate shares how she walked away from corpora...

No one really talks about this until it happens to you. You wake up sick in Italy and suddenly everything feels heavier. New system. New language. New rules. And a lot of what you think you know about healthcare no longer applies. In this episode, Samantha records in real time, still in pajamas and actively sick, to walk you through what actually happens when you get sick in Italy. Not the official version. Not the perfect government website version. The real life, boots on the ground experienc...

Planning a move to Italy with your spouse or children can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to visas. One of the biggest mistakes families make is assuming Italy offers an automatic family visa or that loved ones can simply arrive together without careful planning. In this episode of A New Life in Italy, Samantha Wilson walks you through how family visas in Italy actually work, why so many families get delayed or separated, and what you need to know before you make a single move. Ita...

How much does it really cost to move to Italy? In this episode, we break down the real cost of moving to Italy so you can understand what to expect financially and emotionally before making a big decision. Not the Instagram version. Not extreme worst case scenarios you find online. Real numbers, real planning, and the real life behind the move. In the first episode of Season 4 of A New Life in Italy, Samantha Wilson walks you through the true costs of relocating to Italy, including one time mo...

This season finale is a look back at the questions that mattered most. The ones you saved, shared, and replayed because they helped you make smarter decisions about moving to Italy. In this episode, I revisit our most popular topics from the true cost of living in Italy and whether €2,000 a month is realistic, to buying property, renovation surprises, investor visa rules, document apostilles, and what foreigners really need to know before making a move. It is also a thank you. Your messages, v...

In this episode, I’m breaking down what’s really happening in Italy’s rental market right now — the good, the bad, and the red flags you need to know before you commit to a property. More people are searching for rentals from outside Italy than ever before, and with that has come a noticeable rise in scams, misleading listings, and contracts that can’t support residency. While there are absolutely excellent properties, owners, and agencies out there, there are also situations where things aren’...

In this episode of A New Life in Italy, I’m diving straight into a topic I know so many of you are curious about. Opening a business in Italy. Living here. Working here. Figuring out how to blend the life you want with the work you love. This one comes up in my inbox almost every single day, so let’s break it all down together. I start by clearing up one of the biggest misconceptions. Yes, almost anyone can open a business in Italy. Truly. But if you actually want to live here and work in that ...

In this episode of A New Life in Italy, I, Samantha Wilson, explain why a visa is much more than just an entry ticket—it’s your first step toward long-term residency, EU rights, and even Italian citizenship. I start by breaking down the role of a visa: it gives you official permission to enter Italy for purposes like retirement, work, study, or family reunification. But a visa is just the first step. Once you arrive, you apply for a permesso di soggiorno (permit to stay), which allows you to le...

In this episode of A New Life in Italy, Samantha Wilson explores one of the biggest questions for anyone thinking about a move to Italy: Is now a smart time financially? With global economic and political uncertainty, it’s normal to hesitate before making such a big life change. But as Samantha explains, the timing might actually be better than ever for relocating—whether for retirement, remote work, or property investment. She highlights four key reasons why moving to Italy isn’t just a dream—...

In this episode of A New Life in Italy, I’m pulling back the curtain on what really happens after you get your Elective Residency Visa. Everyone celebrates when that visa finally arrives in their passport — and rightfully so. It’s a huge accomplishment. But here’s the thing most people don’t realize: getting the visa is just the beginning. The real adventure (and sometimes, the real frustration) starts once you land in Italy. I talk about that mix of excitement and nerves when you first arrive,...

Before you even start a visa application for Italy, it’s important to know what to look out for. This episode explores the often-overlooked complexities of choosing the right visa and how to avoid frustration, delays, or unexpected roadblocks, with the help of Host Samantha Wilson. Many visa challenges arise long before a visit to the consulate. They often stem from selecting the wrong visa based on incomplete information or unrealistic expectations. The episode highlights four major red flag...

You don’t have to move to Italy to start living like an Italian. In today’s episode of A New Life in Italy podcast, I’m joined by Amy Laparelli, travel planner and founder of Away to Italy. Amy has created a step-by-step approach to planning a trip that’s just right for you—one that also embraces the art of slow travel. This topic resonates with countless people, and struggling to put slow travel into practice is completely understandable. For many, Italy is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, an...

Ciao a tutti! In this episode of A New Life in Italy, we’re delving into a crucial topic that often causes hesitation for those dreaming of moving to Italy: finances. From money management to taxes, investments, and retirement planning, these elements can significantly influence your decision to relocate. I am joined by Alex Ingrim, co-founder and president of Liberty Atlantic Advisors, a cross-border financial planning firm that specializes in helping Americans navigate the complexities of man...

Ciao, friend—and welcome back. This week’s episode is a special one, because it follows our biggest event of the year—the Move to Italy Bootcamp. Thousands of you joined me, and let me tell you... reading your stories, your fears, your dreams—it reminded me of something I say all the time: moving to Italy isn’t just about documents and checklists. It’s about creating a life. And if there’s one place where life in Italy truly lives, it’s the kitchen. So in this episode, I want to explore how l...