Italy holiday home prices in 2026: where foreign buyers are looking
Italy’s holiday-home market continues to draw strong interest from overseas buyers.
Five-room flats with a garage for €50,000: where to find them in Italy
Five or more bedrooms, including a garage, and prices starting at €50,000: this isn't real estate fantasy, but a concrete reality in many Italian cities. These apartments are often located in small or medium-sized towns, in hilly and mountainous areas, and hold enormous potential for those who know where to look.
Affordable new-build homes for sale in Italy
Dreaming of relocating to Italy? Our handpicked selection of affordable new-build homes makes it easier than ever to enjoy modern comforts without stretching your budget.
Building energy efficiency in Italy: one in two homes rated F or G
In 2025, 46% of Energy Performance Certificates (Attestati di Prestazione Energetica, or APE) issued for residential buildings fell into energy classes F and G, up by two percentage points on the previous year. Just 11% of certified properties were in classes A1–A4, down from 14% in 2024. These figures come from Saie — the Construction Fair for design, building and systems — based on SIAPE data. They highlight the challenges facing Italy’s housing stock and bring energy refurbishment back into focus ahead of the event’s 60th edition, taking place at BolognaFiere between 7 and 10 October 2026.
Villas and rural homes: foreign buyers boost Italy’s detached property market
The pandemic changed the way Italians think about their homes, and that shift has not faded. In 2025, according to an analysis by Tecnocasa Group’s Research Office of property transactions, detached and semi-detached homes — villas, smaller villas, rural homes and standalone houses — accounted for 21.6% of all residential sales. This share was largely unchanged from 2024, yet it remains structurally higher than pre-Covid levels.
Inside Sophia Loren’s Rome villa carved into an ancient quarry
Sophia Loren's villa is up for sale and will officially be on the market from September 2026, rekindling the interest of enthusiasts of history, luxury real estate, and Italian film culture.
Biccari is the Puglian village where €1 homes meet medieval history
Biccari is a village in the Daunia Sub-Apennines of Puglia, in the province of Foggia. It has just over 2,500 inhabitants and a rich historical, natural, and gastronomic heritage. Among its main attractions are the Byzantine Tower, the Convent of Sant'Antonio, Lake Pescara, and Monte Cornacchia, the "roof of Puglia." The village is also known for its "1 Euro Homes" initiative, the outdoor offerings of the Daunia Adventure Park and its Bubble Rooms, and specialities such as the Scorzone truffle and the award-winning pasta of Terre di Biccari. The main events are held in August.
Farmhouses and rustic homes for sale: country living may be closer than ever
Stone walls, exposed beams, a private garden, and silence as a soundtrack. For many, it's a lifelong dream, often postponed for fear of overspending or requiring a complete renovation. Yet today, there are farmhouses and rustic properties for sale on the market starting from €43,000, in good condition, located in some of Italy's most beautiful areas. From Caltanissetta to Frosinone, from Calabria to inland Tuscany to the hills of Piedmont, the opportunities abound.
Bare ownership: a niche market with significant discounts in Italy’s cities
Bare ownership (nuda proprietà) still represents a marginal share of the Italian property market.
Italy’s spite houses: the neighbourly feuds behind their walls
Some people decide to build a house not to live in, but to cut off their neighbour's electricity. Or they move their home brick by brick, rather than give in to pressure from an administration. These aren't movie gimmicks, but true stories, in Italy and around the world. Spite houses—called spite houses in the Anglo-Saxon world—are constructions born from personal conflicts, inheritance disputes, neighbour quarrels, and disputes with institutions. From Sicily to Bergamo and Beirut, some have become tourist attractions; others have entered architectural history books.
25 affordable mountain homes for sale in Italy
If the beach isn't your style, Italy's mountains offer a wonderfully atmospheric alternative, especially as autumn begins to paint the landscape in warm colours. There's nothing more charming than a countryside hideaway where you can unwind with loved ones and escape the pace of everyday life.
Six restored trulli with a pool for sale near Alberobello
Among the more than 1,500 trulli that dot the landscape of Alberobello, there's a complex that reinvents a trulli village as a contemporary residence. Located on Via Cavalerizza, it comprises six independent units and is for sale for €1,400,000 on idealista.
Foreign buyers eye Italian homes worth more than half a million euros
How much is a foreign buyer prepared to spend on a home in Italy?
20 country homes for sale in Portugal for a quieter life
More and more buyers are choosing to leave behind traffic and the fast pace of big cities, moving instead to quieter, greener and more authentic places.
idealista launches operations in France
idealista, Europe’s most-visited property marketplace, has announced its entry into France.Founded 27 years ago and now established as a leader in Italy, Spain and Portugal, the company is taking another step in its international expansion.
€1 homes in Campania: the villages taking part in 2026
Southern Italy has long been at the centre of a property initiative that has caught the attention of buyers around the world: homes sold at a symbolic price in exchange for a commitment to renovate them. In Campania, the scheme has already produced results, with two villages now standing out as its best-known examples. The €1 homes in Campania programme aims to slow depopulation and bring life back to historic centres, while also protecting the built heritage and supporting local economies.
Second home in Italy: how priorities and purchases have changed
Over time, the reasons people buy a second home in Italy have changed. For decades, a property other than the main residence was chiefly used for family holidays: a seaside flat, a mountain house or a small home in the family’s town of origin, used at weekends and during the summer.
Renovated homes for sale in Italy under €300,000
As autumn approaches, now is the perfect time to find your dream home in Italy. Our selection of renovated homes in Italy under €300,000 offers the ideal mix of traditional charm and modern comfort.
Buying a second home in Italy: 7 steps for a smoother purchase
Buying a second home in Italy can be a brilliant idea, but the costs and paperwork need careful attention.
Why neighbourhoods matter more than size in Italy
Savills’ third Italy New Build Survey points to a clear priority among people choosing new-build homes in Italy: the neighbourhood comes before square metres, a property’s exact position and its finishes.Across all age groups, buyers connect a desirable neighbourhood with safety, green spaces, conne
Buying a home in Italy: why foreign buyers are choosing villages
There is an Italy that sits outside the usual mass-tourism circuit: Apennine villages, quiet countryside, lesser-known lakes and stretches of coast where getting onto the beach does not mean joining a queue. This is also the Italy that a growing number of foreign buyers are choosing when it comes to purchasing a home. Data compiled by Gate-away.com for the first half of 2026 points to international demand following a different path from major tourist flows. It is more spread out, more curious and more deeply drawn to everyday Italy.
Private islands for sale in Italy: asking prices start at €1.5 million
Private islands for sale in Italy include a former Swarovski property in the Venice Lagoon, a 16th-century chapel near Marsala, traditional lagoon huts in Friuli Venezia Giulia and a Spanish viceregal fortress near Naples.Not every seller has disclosed a price, and several listings involve constrain
LEED Gold Certification: sustainable building standards and benefits
In recent years, environmental protection has become a central consideration in the design, construction and management of buildings.
Choose a sea-view apartment in Sicily and finally stop paying rent
Breakfast on a terrace overlooking the sea, with the first morning light coming through every window, does not necessarily have to be a luxury reserved for a select few. Sea-view apartments in Sicily can be more accessible than many people expect. In Palermo, Catania, Siracusa, Messina, Trapani and Cefalù, homes with panoramic views often have prices per square metre below those found along Italy’s more expensive coastal resorts.
Converting a garage into a taverna: rules, permits and costs
Taking on renovation work to create extra space at home can add value to the whole property, particularly when it makes better use of existing areas that have been left underused. Before choosing finishes, lighting or furniture, though, it is essential to consider planning rules, health and hygiene requirements, and the technical measures needed to tackle mould and condensation. Following the rules avoids penalties and helps ensure the new space is safe. Here is what needs to be considered when converting a garage into a taverna, an informal basement-style living or recreation room.