Latest from Local Italy
Local Italy
4 hours ago
- Science
- Local Italy
Climate change could double summer rainfall in the Alps: study
Researchers said that in a scenario where temperatures rise by two degrees Celsius (about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the Alps and nearby regions could experience episodes of intense summer rainfall twice as often as currently. "With such warming, an intense storm currently expected once every 50 years could occur once every 25 years in the future," said the Swiss university, which conducted the study in collaboration with the University of Padua in Italy. "Hot air holds more moisture (around seven percent more per degree), intensifying storm activity", the researchers said. "As the Alpine environment warms faster than the global average, it is particularly affected," they added. The study used summer rainfall data collected from nearly 300 meteorological stations across the European Alps in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and Italy. They focused on record-breaking rainfall events -- lasting from 10 minutes to an hour -- that occurred between 1991 and 2020, as well as the temperatures associated with these episodes. "The sudden and massive arrival of large volumes of water can exceed the soil's absorption capacity," which can "trigger flash floods and debris flows, causing damage to infrastructure", said Nadav Peleg, a researcher at UNIL and the study's lead author. Researchers recommend "preparing urban water management systems and other infrastructures" that are ill suited to handle significant rainfall volumes. "Promptly updating engineering and urban planning standards" would help mitigate potential risks associated with these events, they added, while also emphasising the need to "limit global warming to 1.5C or less above current levels". According to scientists from the United Nations' IPCC panel on climate change, there is a 50 percent chance of global temperatures rising by an average of 1.5C by 2030-2035. "We are already observing a trend towards intensified summer storms and this trend is expected to worsen in the coming years," said Francesco Marra, a researcher at the University of Padova and a co-author of the study.
Local Italy
2 days ago
- Local Italy
Hotels, travel and beaches: How the cost of a holiday in Italy is rising this summer
The price of a summer holiday in Italy is rising once again this year, with hotels costing as much as 34 percent more in August than the summer season five years ago, according to financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. The average holidaymaker was set to pay 2.3 percent more for an Italy vacation in August 2025 compared to 2024, a study by consumer research centre Altroconsumo found. The increase was far less marked than the hike seen between 2023 and 2024, when prices rose by up to 20 percent, but still maintained the upward trend. Consumer rights watchdog Assoutenti said that high demand was 'encouraging operators to apply continuous increases in tariffs' that 'do not seem justified.' The hikes are upending the longstanding Italian tradition of going away for a long holiday over the August break, said Assoutenti President Gabriele Melluso. Instead, families are 'opting for shorter and more frequent trips spread over the months of June, July and September, when rates are decidedly cheaper,' he added. Flights Flights within Italy and to European countries were more expensive this year than in summer 2024, according to a study by Corriere della Sera newspaper, though the hikes weren't evenly distributed between June and September. Tickets cost significantly more in June (11 percent) and August (nine percent domestic, 10 percent to European countries) of this year compared to the same months in 2024. There were smaller increases in July (three percent domestic, 4.6 percent within Europe) and September (three percent domestic, 2.2 percent within Europe). Flights between Italy and the US, by contrast, were significantly cheaper (up to 24 percent) than a year ago, likely due to concerns around growing political tensions. Hotels For a family of four, the most expensive place to stay in Italy this summer was San Teodoro in Sardinia, where the average price of a week's three-star accommodation in August came to €3,015, a recent survey by Assoutenti found. Cheaper options could be found in Rimini (€1,030) a beach resort in the northeastern Emilia-Romagna region, and the neighbouring town of Riccione (€1,498), according to Assoutenti. The destinations seeing the sharpest hikes in accommodation rates this year were Alpine towns, with costs rising by an average of 16 percent and the price of a week's stay in Valdisotto in the Lombardy region costing as much as 25.1 percent more than in 2024. By contrast, a week in Florence was projected to cost 15.3 percent less than in 2024. Transport costs The steepest increase in transport costs this summer was for ferry journeys, with the average family of four with a car paying €1,343 for a return journey between mainland Italy and the Sardinian port of Olbia, according to Assoutenti. Overall, costs for these types of journeys between the Italian peninsula and major islands rose by an average of 9.7 percent between August 2025 and 2024, the group said. However, travelling by car has become cheaper thanks to a 9.8 percent drop in the cost of petrol over the past year, Altroconsumo found. Beach clubs The cost of renting a spot at one of Italy's private beach clubs rose by around three and five percent over the past year, Assoutent found. The average day rate for two sunbeds and an umbrella €32-€35 during weekends, according to consumer watchdog Codacons, though prices can vary significantly depending on location. In Sabaudia, south of Rome, customers could expect to pay up to €45; in Gallipoli on the southern coast of Puglia, €90; and in parts of Sardinia, as much as €120. The most expensive spot was at a club in Versilia, northern Tuscany, where an 'imperial tent' sets patrons back €1,500 a day.
Local Italy
3 days ago
- Local Italy
Americans in Italy: Retirement planning and is it getting harder to move from the US to Italy?
Welcome to our regular look at everything you need to know about life in Italy for The Local's readers from the US. This newsletter is published monthly and you can receive it directly to your inbox before we publish by going to newsletter preferences in 'My Account' or following the instructions in the newsletter box below. Many people retire to Italy from the US every year in order to enjoy a new, more relaxed lifestyle. If you're planning to do the same in future, you're probably already looking at what you can do ahead of time to make the move as smooth as possible. In that case, you're off to a good start. Readers of The Local who have retired here in Italy consistently tell us that planning well ahead is key, whatever your situation. For example, not everyone wants to go directly from full-time work to total retirement, so you might be planning a change in professional direction such as opening a B&B or running tours or workshops. First, you'll need to know whether you'll be legally able to earn an income in Italy. The elective residency visa – the most popular choice for retirees – does not allow you to work, so what other options are there? We look at this and many of the other practical considerations you may have questions about in the below article. Interest in moving to Italy from the US is on the rise, and the number of American citizens taking up residency here has increased in recent years. Some recent news reports from Italy might suggest so. You may be aware that there were sudden changes to the rules on claiming citizenship via ancestry made in March. The Italian government imposed a two-generational limit for eligibility, which left many would-be applicants around the world dismayed. Having Italian citizenship, or citizenship of any EU member state, would make a move to Italy considerably easier as it removes the requirement for a visa. But it's not the same thing as having residency. Italian relocation experts say that all is not lost: people affected by the change to citizenship rules may have other options to explore.
Local Italy
3 days ago
- Local Italy
What to expect when travelling to Italy this summer
Beaches For many who visit Italy during the summer, beaches are the biggest draw - but you'll need to decide whether you prefer a free public beach or are willing to fork out for a spot at one of the many privately-run beach clubs that dot the coastline. The average cost to rent two sunbeds and an umbrella at a beach club this year is €32-€35 per day during weekends, according to consumer watchdog Codacons, though prices can vary significantly depending on location. In Sabaudia, south of Rome, customers can expect to pay up to €45; in Gallipoli on the southern coast of Puglia, €90; and in parts of Sardinia, as much as €120. Crowds Summer holidays start relatively early in Italy, with schools across the country closed from the second half of June and many families taking the opportunity to cool off on the shores of beaches and lakes. It's not until August, though, that you'll really be competing for a spot to put down your towel, as this is when most Italians head to the sea to escape stifling temperatures inland. Expect to find beaches packed and many cafes, shops and restaurants in cities closed or open for limited hours, particularly during the mid-August Ferragosto break. An estimated 20.7 million visitors are expected to stay in Italy's beach towns between June and August this year, an increase of two percent on the same period in 2024. Though most Italian cities empty out during the summer, the Vatican's Jubilee Year celebrations in Rome are expected to draw additional crowds to the Eternal City. Weather Summer in Italy is always hot, with temperatures in the mid to high 30s (Celcius) in many parts of the country, and this year is expected to be no different. A series of "long-lasting and persistent heatwaves," with mostly sunny weather are currently forecast for July and August, says meteorologist Mattia Gussoni, writing for weather site Though projections are still subject to change, as things stand there aren't expected to be any record-breaking high temperatures. That means it's gearing up to be a summer that will likely be "fully enjoyed by tourists," says meteorologist Alessio Gussoni. Travel direct flight routes from airlines including Easyjet, American Airlines and Vueling. For those who prefer to travel by rail, a a new overnight train linking Marseille to Rome is due to run from July 4th until August 30th, and Italy's Trenitalia plans to resume a popular night train service connecting Rome to Munich, Germany, on July 15th. If you've seen recent headlines about overtourism protests in Spain over or the sudden closure of the Louvre due to staff being overwhelmed by visitor numbers, you may wonder if something similar could happen in Italy this summer. limit the number of visitors who arrive during peak seasons. However, as things stand, anti-tourism protests and walkouts in Italy are on a smaller scale than those taking place in Spain.
Local Italy
3 days ago
- Business
- Local Italy
Italy's beaches set for busy summer as tourist numbers rise
Italy's tourism boom continues as the country expects to welcome almost 21 million tourists between June and August, a 1.5 percent increase on last year's number for the summer season, according to the report published by Italian tourist operators' association Assoturismo Confesercenti on Friday. Around half of all those travelling in Italy this summer will visit Italy's beaches and coastal areas, the report said. Italians made up the majority of visitors to their country's beach destinations again this year, with just under 57 percent of all bookings coming from within the country. However the biggest increase was in the number of international visitors, by 1.8 percent, with Italian visitor numbers up by just 0.6 percent. Visitors were not distributed evenly around Italy's popular coastal regions, the study found, with more than 30 percent of all bookings made at the coastal resorts on the north eastern Emilia-Romagna and Venetian coastlines, or rivieras. These were followed by Tuscany, Liguria and Campania. The area most popular among foreign visitors was the Sorrento Coast, where 86.4 percent bookings came from abroad, particularly the US. After that, the favourite Italian seaside destinations for international tourists this year were the Venetian riviera (70 percent), the eastern coast of Sicily (67) and the Friuli-Venezia Giulia riviera (66). "Rivieras and beaches are a valuable heritage for local economies, supporting employment and growth not only in coastal regions but throughout the country, with a particularly significant impact in the South," commented Assoturismo Confesercenti president Vittorio Messina. While the tourism industry welcomed the ongoing upward trend, local residents in some of the more popular areas are increasingly protesting the impact of the influx of summer visitors. Mayors of some Italian coastal towns this week called for government aid to help them cope with the growing summer crowds. Speaking at a Slow Food event in Bologna on Sunday, the mayor of Cavallino Treporti in Veneto said that his village has fewer than 13,500 residents but becomes the "most visited" beach in the country in summer, recording some 150,000 visitors on Saturday. He called for a new law allocating more resources to small coastal towns, saying that public services struggle to cope in the summer months.
