My life in lazio

I’m Emma, originally from Cornwall, and Italy has had a hold on me for the best part of 20 years. I kept coming back for the food, the light, the way life just feels different here. What started as a love affair with a country eventually became something I couldn’t ignore.

In 2023, I finally made the move. It wasn’t straightforward. There were obstacles I hadn’t anticipated and moments where I genuinely wasn’t sure it was going to work out. But it did, and I’m still a little amazed by that on a good day.

I now split my time between Rome and Lago di Bracciano, and there are still moments where I stop and think, how is this my life? The light through the shutters in the morning. The pace of a long lunch. The way ordinary days here feel like something worth noticing. I don’t take it for granted.

But I also know that getting here wasn’t just about luck or bravery. It was about making a decision to stop waiting for the right moment and actually figuring out how to make it work.

That’s the part that doesn’t get talked about enough.

Moving to Italy sounds romantic, and honestly, a lot of it is. But the visa process, the bureaucracy, understanding where to live and how daily life actually functions, that’s where the dream can start to feel overwhelming. Even with a background in languages and years of travelling across the country, living here has been a completely different education.

I learned by doing. Sometimes the hard way. And now I share what I’ve learned with people who are serious about making this move themselves, not just the beautiful parts, but the practical, unglamorous bits that actually make it possible.

Because a life like this doesn’t fall into your lap. You have to choose it, plan for it, and take it one real step at a time.

PS. I do have a well-documented love of stripy tops and a good Spritz. I imagine you’ve already noticed.