What time of the year is best for visiting Italy? Spring, of course.

The days are considerably longer and it offers the best combination of good weather and smaller crowds.

Medieval hamlets, relaxing beach towns and fascinating natural trails, interesting exhibitions and typical events. These are just some of the possibilities that the “Beautiful Country” gives you in spring.

Then let us suggest you some ideas to enjoy this time of the year in Italy which are also suitable as your second home in the bel paese.

The green lung of Italy: Umbria

If you are looking for a secluded, yet breathtaking view in Italy, the ancient village of Castelluccio di Norcia is truly one not to be missed. Located in the heart of Sibillini National Park, and rising atop a hill, you have views that go on for kilometres in every direction. From the incredible mountain range to fields of wild flowers, when all you desire is a place of peace and tranquillity, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, this is where you need to go.

Visiting the region during the springtime is something not to be missed, and as soon as you set your eyes onto the natural beauty while everything blooms to life, you are never going to want to leave. The terrain bursts with colour from the flowers while your nose fills with the sweet aromas of the budding plants as the occasional bee flies through to land on the tip of these bobbing flower heads.

plains of Castelluccio
Castelluccio di Norcia by Stefano Montagner – The life around me

If you are considering purchasing property in Umbria or more specifically in this south-eastern stretch of land there is most likely a location that does fit into your budget. If you can afford a large estate, there are beautiful country houses with exceptional views and large amounts of land. Many of them do have modern amenities, including a swimming pool. The top of the line properties in the region are going to cost well over 1 million euros, but these are for residences with a half dozen bedrooms and baths. Some are even small, transformed castles. In terms of price per square meter, the cost is rather affordable here, with the average sitting at around 1,300 euros per square meter. You just need to determine what sort of property is right for you.

It is possible to buy two or three bedroom apartments for around € 120,000 or even less. With this sort of a price, there is bound to be location that works for your budget, no matter what it is.

Discover Trentino Alto Adige

If you love the tranquillity of nature, there is no reason in the world not to visit Trentino Alto Adige. This wonderful region, whose valleys are awash with colours and fragrances of wild flowers in this time of the year, offers you many experiences to enjoy with your family and friends, from the mountain to the lake, by bicycle or on foot. At the same time you can also visit its lovely towns which provides you with many different places to discover, such as castles, museums and festivals.

Dolomites
Dolomites in Trentino Alto Adige by foto silenziose

Here you can find some very good bargains. For a wide 2 bedroom attic to be restored and situated in a mountain position you can spend as little as € 35,000. Or else in a valley like Val del Chiese, on the border with Lombardy region, you can get a 40 m² studio apartment for € 55,000 just at a short distance from the main ski localities such as Madonna di Campiglio and Pinzolo.

Sunny Sicily

And what about the beautiful Sicily? It offers its visitors a large number of possibilities not only for the summer with its crystal clear sea, but also in spring which is ideal for visiting great historic cities such as Palermo and Syracuse, not to mention the stunning north western coast of Trapani or taking a hike in the mesmeric Etna Park.

This is also the time for traditional events called “infiorate”, Italian flower festivals. Such Christian traditions celebrating the Corpus Domini feats are nearly as old as time itself. Locals create wonderful works of art with all kinds of flowers throughout the streets and squares of each village. The most famous in Sicily take place in Termini Imerese, San Pier Niceto and Noto.

Noto
Infiorata in Noto by fazen

Sicily is a wonderful place to visit and to invest. If you’re looking for a place in the sun the island is a very affordable land. As a matter of fact in the splendid Baroque town of Noto for instance a farmhouse in the countryside to be renovated will cost you as little as € 80,000, while you could spend around € 90,000 for a 2 bedroom town house in the very heart of the old town centre.

What else to say, pack your bags and visit Italy to discover its most beautiful landscapes!

[Featured image by RD Elsie]