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Itineraries & Guides

My Favorite Hidden Gems in Milan, Italy
Italy ► June 2, 2024

My Favorite Hidden Gems in Milan, Italy

Milan gets a lot of hate when it comes to Italian cities. And I’ll be 100% transparent; I am a former Milan hater. My hate was solely based off visiting the city on a gloomy...

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How to Visit the Tivoli Gardens at Villa D’Este
Italy ► May 31, 2024

How to Visit the Tivoli Gardens at Villa D’Este

Any of my fellow millennial women reading this will recognize and know the Tivoli Gardens from The Lizzie McGuire movie. Even if you don’t have your own Paolo to whisk you off into the sunset,...

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How to Spend One Day in Bergamo, Italy
Italy ► May 31, 2024

How to Spend One Day in Bergamo, Italy

About 45-60 minutes outside of Milan (traffic-depending or train schedules), you’ll find Bergamo. Bergamo is a unique medieval town that has since expanded into quite a modern city as well, depending if you venture to...

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My Favorite Hidden Gems in Rome
Italy ► May 31, 2024

My Favorite Hidden Gems in Rome

Rome is such an incredible city to visit. Of course you must-see the Coliseum, the Vatican, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and so on. BUT, what if I told you there are some incredible hidden...

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The Best Cafes in Porta Venezia, Milan
Italy ► May 30, 2024

The Best Cafes in Porta Venezia, Milan

Porta Venezia is a favorite neighborhood of many Milanese and expats living in Milan. It has so much to offer: a bustling expat community, access to some incredible shopping on Corso Buenos Aires, and a...

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How to Spend One Day in Procida, Italy
Campania ► May 30, 2024

How to Spend One Day in Procida, Italy

Procida is a small and serene island located off the coast of Naples. It is often overshadowed by nearby Ischia, but it makes a great afternoon or day trip from Naples given the easy access...

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The Best Brunch Spots in Milan, Italy
Italy ► May 30, 2024

The Best Brunch Spots in Milan, Italy

As an American, the weekend can truly mean one thing for a food lover: brunch. Yes, that perfect mid-day meal with friends to recap the week together. I was nervous that Italy wouldn’t have the...

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How to Spend One Day in Florence, Italy
Italy ► May 30, 2024

How to Spend One Day in Florence, Italy

Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, so it is no surprise more and more tourists have been flocking here in recent years. If you find yourself wondering how to spend one...

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How to Spend One Day in Turin, Italy
Italy ► May 30, 2024

How to Spend One Day in Turin, Italy

Torino, or Turin, Italy is the capital of the 3 C’s: cars (Fiat is from here), coffee, (Lavazza is from here), and chocolate (gianduia is from here). So honestly, what isn’t there to like about...

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How to Spend Three Days in Naples, Italy
Campania ► May 26, 2024

How to Spend Three Days in Naples, Italy

Naples, Italy is a chaotic, energetic, and passionate city located along the sea in southern Italy. It seems to get mixed reviews – people either love it or hate it. Well, I am here to...

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About Me

About Me

Sara in Italia, Italophile

Ciao! I'm Sara. An American who quit her job in the US and moved to Milan to seek out my journey of La Dolce Vita. Follow along for Italy guides, tips, and general rants about the pros and cons of moving to Italy.

sara.in.italia

📍American living in Milan
Sharing Italy travel tips, guides, and more! ✨
Follow along as I try to figure out my life abroad 🇮🇹

Italy and classic car lovers unite!! The @coppamil Italy and classic car lovers unite!! The @coppamilanosanremo is an official experience you won’t want to miss. 

What started in 1906 as a speed rally from Milan to Sanremo, today has shifted into a precision rally. Attend as either a driver/co-driver or a guest (like me!) and you’ll have a blast. The teams drive through Lombardy, Piedmont, and wrap up in Liguria. 

So, if you love the idea of vintage cars winding through scenic Italian landscapes, you may want to look into joining next year’s rally (or at least seeing it it may pass through your town). 
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#lifeinitaly #livinginitaly #coppamilanosanremo #classiccars #expatinitaly 
Classic car rally in Italy, hidden gems in Italy, unique experience in Italy, car experience in Italy, classic car race, historic cars, life in Italy, Italian adventure
How to apply for the permesso di soggiorno in Ital How to apply for the permesso di soggiorno in Italy!!

Moving to Italy sounds great (and it is!) but before you can truly enjoy your new life abroad, you have to take care of some housekeeping. The first up, and one of the most important tasks, is filing for your Permesso di soggiorno (residency permit) so you can be cleared to legally live in Italy. 

The process is a pain. Depending on which city you live in likely determines how long processing this will take. For example, I’ve heard horror stories about the wait times in Florence. But Milan, despite being a large city, seems to process these fairly efficient. 

It’s your first introduction to Italian bureaucracy and the most important thing is completing this WITHIN 8 DAYS OF YOUR ARRIVAL IN ITALY!

📌Save this guide for your future move to Italy so you don’t miss a single step. 

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Ciao! My name is Sara, I’m an American living abroad in Milan, Italy. I share Italy travel tips, content, and advice. Follow along to see more about my life in Italy. 🇮🇹 
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#movetoitaly #livinginitaly #lifeinitaly #movingtoitaly #americaninitaly 

Moving to Italy, how to apply for permesso di soggiorno, residence permit in Italy, Moving abroad, how to move to Italy, living in Milan, life in Italy, how permesso di soggiorno works
I had a new “first” as an American living in Italy I had a new “first” as an American living in Italy this week (and it was a bit of a culture shock for me) - the condo assembly. 😅

I truly wish I could have had a secret camera in the room. As an American, my understanding is most condo associations elect of a board of directors to make most day-to-day decisions. Of course if there is a bigger decision, the condos vote (usuall 1 vote for household). Well, that process is very different in Italy! 

Here, the amount of votes are determined by condo size. And everyone, I mean EVERYONE, seems to have a (loud) opinion on every topic. My imagination of a calm meeting amongst neighbors was quickly replaced by reality. 

Anyways, I love living in Italy but these experiences make me laugh at how one thing can differ so much one place to another. 

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Ciao! My name is Sara and I’m an American living in Milan, Italy. I love sharing snippets of life in Italy, Italy travel guides, and Italy travel tips. Follow for more! 🥳
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#lifeinitaly #livinginitaly #americaninitaly #italycultureshock #americanabroad 

American in Italy, Italian culture shock, American abroad, moving to Italy, buying property in Italy
Hidden costs of owning a car in Italy. 🚙🙃 I was s Hidden costs of owning a car in Italy. 🚙🙃

I was soooo thrilled after getting my license in Italy! Then, I was humbled veryyy quick by all of the beauracracy and costs that come along with it. 

My biggest shock was perhaps the Area C payments (despite being a resident within Area C) and only receiving a discount for a limited number of entries a year. 🫠 Why…

Do any of these shock you? Or are there any other costs I have still overlooked (keep in mind as a foreigner it’s hard to know sometimes what to pay - like this bollo!). 

Save this post if are in the market for buying a car in italy and all of the costs attached to buying a car in iraly. 😵‍💫
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#americanabroad #livinginitaly #lifeinitaly #movetoitaly #americaninitaly 

Moving to Italy, costs of living in Italy, life in Italy, American abroad, moving abroad, buying a car in Italy, hidden costs Italy, culture shocks Italy, American in Italy
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