[00:00:01] Speaker A: It's Saturday morning in Italy and you're listening to the Magic Towns Italy podcast.
[00:00:05] Speaker B: Okay, let's start with the big one, shall we? Property.
Most people, they dream of Italy. They picture, you know, Tuscany, Rome, and then they see the prices and poof, the dream deflates. It just feels impossible.
[00:00:21] Speaker C: Right, that's the common perception, definitely.
[00:00:23] Speaker B: But what if owning a piece of Italy, a proper, charming home, was actually within reach? Maybe less than you'd pay for a year's rent in London or New York? Well, that perception of Italy being uniformly expensive, it's largely a myth once you step outside those really famous hot spots. Our latest research actually points to five incredibly livable, well connected towns where you can still buy property for under a thousand euro per square meter earned.
[00:00:55] Speaker C: A thousand euros?
[00:00:56] Speaker B: Yeah. And these aren't remote, forgotten villages cut off from everything. They have real Italian charm, good local infrastructure, that authentic lifestyle, just without the huge crowds or the crazy costs.
[00:01:08] Speaker C: Okay? That's the game changer. So, for anyone listening who sighed over Italian property websites, get ready. Here's our top five countdown for affordable Italian property. This is where it gets real. Taking us off at number five, we've got Feltre in Veneto. Now, Veneto makes me think Veneto prices. So how does this work?
[00:01:28] Speaker B: Most people think that, but Feltre, it's d different. It's a Lovely town, about 20,000 people up in the province of Belluno. It has this really rich Venetian past. You can see it in the architecture here. A decent size house, say 100 square meters, averages around 100,000.
[00:01:47] Speaker C: A hundred thousand, okay. That's attainable.
[00:01:49] Speaker B: Very.
And it's fantastic for nature lovers. Great hiking trails, nearby, places like Lake Stua, Lake Corlow.
Stunning scenery, plus it's practical. Only about an hour from Treviso and Venice airports. And it's got good local stuff too. Schools, shops, good for families.
[00:02:09] Speaker C: Nice. Okay, heading west for number four, Bagna Cavallo in Emilia. What's the vibe there?
[00:02:15] Speaker B: Bana Cavallo is quite special. It's smaller, about 16,000 people.
And it has this really unique circular main square. It's all surrounded by porticos, these covered walkways.
It's so picturesque, it's even been in Italian films.
Property prices similar to Feltre, around that hundred thousand mark for 100 square meters.
And connectivity is a big plus. It's only 40 minutes from Bologna airport. And it has its own train station, which is super handy.
[00:02:47] Speaker C: Right. Good transport links are key, and if.
[00:02:49] Speaker B: You want the seaside in summer, you're only about an Hour's drive from the Adriatic coast.
[00:02:53] Speaker C: Okay, number three, we're heading south now to Marsala, Sicily. Now, Sicily, everyone dreams of it, but.
[00:03:00] Speaker B: Is it genuinely affordable in places like Marsala? Yes, surprisingly so. It's a bigger town, maybe 80,000 people, and location wise, it's brilliant.
Just a 15 minute drive from Trapani Airport.
[00:03:15] Speaker C: 15 minutes, that's nothing, right?
[00:03:18] Speaker B: And Marsala itself is gorgeous. It's perfectly placed between lovely beaches and the amazing Egadi Islands. Just offshore.
The historic center is this beautiful, walkable baroque gem and property, again, around 100,000 for 100 square meters. But honestly, you might even find better deals if you look around.
[00:03:42] Speaker C: And those islands you mentioned, easy to get to.
[00:03:45] Speaker B: Super easy. You can hop on a ferry and be on Fabiana, which is just breathtaking, in about 30 minutes. Perfect day trip.
[00:03:52] Speaker C: Sounds incredible. Okay, on to our second pick. Number two takes us to Narni in Umbria. What makes Narni stand out?
[00:04:01] Speaker B: Narni really feels like the heart of undiscovered Umbria. It's smaller, about 18,000 people.
If you're after a quieter, more intimate vibe, surrounded by lush, green nature, Narni is just, well, it's a gem.
[00:04:17] Speaker C: And the price, Even better.
[00:04:20] Speaker B: Even better. Here you're looking at an average of around €85,000 for that 100 square meter house.
[00:04:27] Speaker C: Wow, 85,000.
[00:04:29] Speaker B: Yeah. And despite its size, it's really well connected. It's less than an hour from three airports, including Rome, Fiumicino, which is obviously a major international hub. Plus it's steeped in history. You've got things like the ancient Roman aqueduct, Ponto Cardona. It's got real depth.
[00:04:46] Speaker C: Amazing. Okay, drumroll.
[00:04:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:04:49] Speaker C: Number one is Casale Monferrato in Piedmont. Now, Piedmont, often compared to Tuscany, but maybe easier on the wallet.
[00:04:57] Speaker B: Precisely. That's the appeal. Casale Monferrato has about 32,000 residents, so it's a decent size. And location wise, it's fantastic. Only a 47 minute drive from Milan Malpensa Airport, another huge international gateway.
[00:05:14] Speaker C: 47 minutes to Malpensa and the cost.
[00:05:16] Speaker B: For a 100 square meter place averages around 95,000.
So still under that magic 100,000 mark. But the real draw here is its location within Piedmont. It's in a stunningly scenic area right near the Langhe region, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
[00:05:33] Speaker C: Ah. Famous for wine and truffles, right?
[00:05:35] Speaker B: Exactly. Think rolling hills, vineyards, very Tuscany like charm, but genuinely fewer tourists and significantly lower prices. And Casale Monferrato itself has everything you need. Hospitals, shops, lovely green spaces. It ticks a lot of boxes.
So these five towns, they really offer this compelling mix. You know, affordability, good infrastructure, real local life, far from the usual tourist crush.
[00:06:04] Speaker C: That's incredibly useful.
[00:06:06] Speaker A: That's it for this week on MagicTowns Italy. You can create a free
[email protected] and explore over 2,000 towns, including those offering the 7% tax scheme, as well as download dozens of expat guides.
We have over 200 data points per town, more than Italy's statistics authority itself, covering everything from property prices to schools, healthcare, crime and more. If you want full access to filters and unlimited searches, upgrade to MagicTown's premium Use the Code podcast for 20% off an annual plan. Thanks for listening. Our next podcast will be live on Saturday at 9:00am.
