Specialized agencies and international magazines agree that, for a foreigner, Italy is the best place to retire. Its advantages are diversely identified, but the judgments converge on the result.

After a life of work and sacrifices, it is worth moving to Italy to spend the last years of life. Why is it?Business Insider, a U.S. business and technology news website based in New York with millions of followers, affirms flat-out that Italy scores high in health and overall quality of life, while the Huffington Post - the most influential web-magazine - is more specific and underlines that small towns in Italy are not only quaint, but they can also be home to an affordable retirement property where you can enjoy beautiful vineyards, great food and temperate weather. International Living, a U.S. based magazine specialized in housing outside the U.S., regards retirement in Italy as a dream: great art cities match with landscapes that are as gorgeous as they are diverse.

Others pinpoint to single areas of the Peninsula. For example, the American Association of Retired Persons chooses Marche region, defined as a lovely land of vineyards, snow-capped mountains, and splendid beaches, which prides itself on some of the best fish dishes in Europe, and is trendy enough to have caught Dustin Hoffman as a tourism spokesman. Writer Jason Moretti, in his book "Living in Italy" agrees and states that "nature lovers will get more pristine beauty for their money in Le Marche than anywhere else".

Even the Wall Street Journal chooses Italy. Its preference goes to Lucca, thanks to its little town's charm, and Abruzzo, a region whose many protected hill towns of great beauty and charm impressed American reporters. U.S. News shares the same opinion: Abruzzo tops the list of its latest world's 21 best areas for retirement: it is rich with culture, history and romance, at prices that even retirees working with modest budgets can afford to embrace.

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