Guide to Tuscany

Introduction

As the inspiration for countless books, memoirs and stories of ‘going native’ overseas, Italy's Tuscany has long been derided as past it’s prime in terms of buying property abroad. Dubbed ‘Chiantishire’ by its detractors as an extension of Middle England on the Continent, Tuscany has been one of the most popular tourist and property destinations for years.

In fact, along with the Costa del Sol and the South of France, it was one of the first locations for overseas property buyers to head to, and grew up quite organically from visitors going there on holiday, and then, over the course of a number of years, deciding that they would like to purchase a property there for the future.

With culture, cuisine and scenery in spades, Tuscany is an ideal destination for overseas property buyers and with the continued development of the market, and the evolving of the buying public, the region has more to offer than Chianti in a basket!!

The region

The Central Italian region of Tuscany is bordered by Emilia-Romanga, Liguria, Umbria, Marche and Lazio, placing it right at the heart of the country. The regional capital of Florence is an historical and immensely popular spot for tourists, and with a large proportion of the region being hilly or mountainous, produces some spectacular scenery.

Unlike many of the other historically popular places for British buyers of overseas property, Tuscany is as equally about buying inland as it is about being near the coast. With towns like Pisa, Siena, Lucca, Prato, Arezzo, Cortona and Montepuliciano to explore, not only are buyers going to have a wealth of places to visit during their stays in the region, there are plenty of tourists coming in who like to rent property for the duration of their visit.

Tuscany also has a long coastline, which goes to make up the beginnings of the Italian Riviera, taking in towns like Livorno and Cecina. In this the island of Elba, famous as the final destination of the exiled and defeated Napoleon Bonaparte, can be included, just off the coast in the Mediterranean.

Despite the wonders of the towns and cities around Tuscany, it is the countryside that attracts most British buyers to this part of Italy. The rolling hills, peaceful atmosphere and abundance of local producers of red wine have long been the stuff of dreams for future expats, and the wealth of books and memoirs of life in the Tuscan hills is testament to the importance of the region in the culture of British overseas property buying.

Climate

Generally, the climate in Tuscany is very mild, and will be considerably warmer than the UK. However, given the geography and topography of the region, there are some variations as the hillier interior of the region is more prone to cooler temperatures and more precipitation than the coast. Being by the sea in Tuscany will result in hotter summers and drier winters, while in the hills the winter nights can get very cold and much wetter than lower down on the coast. Average temperatures in July and August can reach 30 degrees C, while in the middle of winter it will be closer to 10 degrees C.

Getting there

Italy, being one of the most visited countries in Europe, is particularly well-served by airlines. Charter, scheduled and low cost carriers all run frequent services to international and regional airports, while the flag-carrying airlines are also present in large numbers. Tuscany’s biggest airports are Pisa and Florence, but it is easily possible to get a low-cost flight to Bologna or Genoa and drive down into Tuscany.

Italy has the options of allowing visitors to drive or catch the train to the northern parts of the country, and Tuscany is perfectly-situated for this. Ferry services are frequent across the channel, and with clear, smooth toll roads through France, the journey is much less stressful or time-consuming as might be imagined. Eurostar services run direct to Avignon in the south of France throughout the summer, or there are changes available in Paris to reach northern Italy for one of the most relaxing and picturesque ways to travel.

Property

The popularity of Tuscany as a destination for overseas property buyers over the years is borne out by the fact that it is almost impossible now to buy an original country property to renovate and restore. This is one of the parts of the world where buyers have been conforming to the stereotypes for years and the resale market is full of restored (or part-restored) projects that have been thoughtfully renovated to the exacting standards of their British owners.

Any properties of this type that do come onto the market are snapped up for well above what they might fetch in the domestic Italian marketplace, and many of the local tradespeople have made a healthy living from working on the projects.

In many cases, the best way to get hold of this kind of property in the Tuscan region is to find someone who bought and no longer wants or can afford to renovate the property themselves. If you can find this kind of project that has barely been started or is only a short way through the renovation process, you will still be able to put your own mark on the property and add the touches that will make it your own. What some sellers of renovated properties in Tuscany have found is that it can be difficult to persuade buyers that their individual style quirks are what they are looking for in their dream property in Italy.

What is more common on the market in recent years is that townhouses and properties in mountain villages that are in need of renovation are being offered to overseas buyers. These properties satisfy the need to renovate and restore, while offering buyers a little more of an active community life in the towns and villages of the countryside.

Some of the larger familial homes in Tuscany are being converted into apartments for buyers who are not so keen on the renovation game themselves but still want to live in a rustic and original property. Aimed at the same market, some new-build developments are arriving in Italy at the moment, but these are still rare compared to most other European countries.

Finally, another option of overseas investors is to buy in a borgo, one of the traditional mountaintop hamlets that were historically part of a wider estate or community and are now being converted completely for more modern usage with facilities and amenities to meet the needs of today’s buyers.

Prices can vary wildly in Tuscany with the quality and habitability of the properties, but it is possible to find a farmhouse for renovation for as little as €65,000 (£52,000). However, complete renovation of a property of this kind to bring it up to modern standards will cost in the region of another €200,000 (£158,000). A restored country property, (or rustico), will be around €380,000 (£299,000) with swimming pool and some land.

At the other end of the spectrum, ultra-modern new-build villas not far from Pisa on an exclusive development will cost from €449,000 (£353,000) for a two-bedroom property.

Local life

Tuscany is known for having two different faces – the arty, historic cities of Siena, Lucca, Pisa and Florence, which are also now the centres of commerce; and the slower pace of the countryside with the villages, castles and villas. Running through both parts of the region are some of Italy’s most famous wine varieties. Tuscany is home to Chianti, Montepuliciano, Morellino di Scansano and Brunello di Montalcino, and you will be able to become an expert in all of them with some hard work!

Conclusion

Tuscany has a lot to offer overseas property buyers still, and it is sometimes unfairly seen as another English enclave in the wider world. For sure, prices are higher than will be found in many other parts of Italy, but the lifestyle, scenery and climate are ideal for many British buyers of overseas property. As Italy embraces a degree of new-build development in some areas of the country, hopefully prices will allow more people to enjoy the charms of Tuscany in the future.