I know that this question has gone around and around a few times on the forum but I thought I would ask again for my own specifications.

My husband and I will be visiting Italy and looking around at different areas as to where we want to live. What is your favorite place to live in Italy? And why? Where would you suggest a good place to live in the beginning...granting..my husband works in IT and would need to work (but possibly may be working in London when we first move and forced to be away during weekdays)

I'm not to fussed about myself working but if I did I would possibly want to teach English or work in community work if I could as that is what I do at the moment!

We are also concerned about the colour of my skin. I have read heaps about discrimination and racism...any comments?

Our Italian friends have given us much advice as well as where they think we should live..which is helpful since they know what type of people we really are..but I believe they are a bit bias in some ways to suggesting their own home town(does that make sense)most advise otherwise we have been given was to live in the North because of a better opportunity for my husband, but for some reason I have an interest for Tuscany...but have been warned to that the south is harder to live in if you have dark skin..is this true or speculations! I hate to generalize..just wondering where the truth in this lies!

We are mostly drawn to the countryside as well as beaches..as we live on a beach at the moment. The areas we are most interested in at the moment are Genova, Tuscany and Bologna. Anyone in these areas?

It would be helpful to hear from people who have dealt with some of these issue upon moving or even the long term visitor...

ps....anyone run a B&B..I'm interested by that as well!!!

Pheeewww ! Feel like I have asked a million questions!
ciao!

Hi Jessabella

My wife and I are in Tuscany by the sea and love the area. It really depends on what you and your husband are looking for in terms of social life and work (would your husband be able to work from home if he's in IT?).

The south is probably cheaper for property, although the north has more employment. If you want any specific info for around this (Livorno/Cecina) area please ask, and if I don't know, I'll try to find out. Others I'm sure, will help with the north and the south.

I haven't seen any evidence of racism at all (certainly not for skin colour, as any prejudice on the news seems directed at other EU countries whose expats are seen to be responsible for comparitively more crime in relation to their percentage of the population). I'm surprised about the advice you have been given about the south - I worked for an Indian in the UK who owns a house in Sicily, and he said it was the only place in Europe where the residents were darker skinned than he was, and he had no problems at all.

If you are able to visit for a while, I'd narrow your search down to as few different places as you can, then spend as long as possible in each to see what you think.

Good luck!

( Note I added a Title to Markymark post Because I think the suject is important )
Razism in Italy : I think we should make a full thread out of this subject since I assume there are several opinions - Anyway when I grew up I always heard Italians critisizing Americans for being razist however Italy had no black so it was easy just to critisize. Now I believe there is some level of razism.
It might not be the skin color however: If you are black professional you will be treated as a professional ( I think ) - However there are many blacks immigrants now with no real job and they are not treated equally - So if your husband is a black IT professional I don't think there will be any more issue in Italy than any other country. For me each society has its own level of razism against minority so I cannot say Italy it will be 100% razism free ...but I think it will be no worse than any other place in Europe and after a while I assume you will integrate pretty well. I am not politician so I tried to be honest in my answer !

My two cents from traveling in Italy recently. My wife and I traveled in Venice, Rome, Naples and through Pompei with another American couple who happen to be black. I can honestly say as tourists, I witnessed no discernable discrimination or racism.
James

Thanks for the comments..although my husband is not black..he is as white as it gets
we were just worried about my skin colour...I think the only place in Europe I haven't seen any racism is in London..but then again I was only there for 6 weeks!

all advice is appreciated!

I'm married with an american black woman.
We are actually living in the US and we didn't spend a lot of out time togheter in Italy.
My wife lived in Italy off an on (she studied there) for about a year before we moved to the US. When I told her about this post, she said that there is racism in Italy...there's racism in every country...but in Italy it's not about skin color, it has to do more with the country that you emigrate from. A black professional will assimilate more and be more accepted than say someone from Albania, or a Rom. Of course, this may be different in other regions...my wife lived in Florence and Milan, and she has traveled to many other areas in Italy.

Tell youre wife I said thanks for her comments! I agree there is some sort of racism in every country..although Ive only been to 5 other countries...there are various factors!

I’m living in Sicily since 2007 and I must say I think people around here are less racist then in Tuscany for example. Maybe it has to do with the fact that a lot of Sicilian families had to emigrate because of the poverty. Most of them weren’t really treated in a warm way in Germany or US.
I live in Balestrate ( a nice town on the see, 45 minutes driving from Palermo) and I work in Palermo at ISMETT. This hospital is part of the UPMC Pittsburg and we have a lot of American colleagues. They seem to be doing well here, enjoying the good weather and food. Palermo is a town full of life, with a lot of things to see and to do, good schools and warm people.
So I will suggest finding a job in Palermo and rent/buy a house close to the see.

Thank you for your suggestions.. I will have a look at the area!

I lived in Italy for 2 years many years ago with 4 black roommates. Traveled with my black friends all over Italy and Europe.
My friends and other black people I knew in Italy were free to marry Italian women. Many black service men married Italian
girls during and after WW 11. Franco Harris the great running back for the Steelers has an Italian mother that is black father
met in Italy. I saw Italian women even prefer black men. Can't believe it would change for the worse now.

In France there were famous American black singers of the 1920's 30's and 40's who lived
normal lives in France while America had seperate drinking fountains for blacks and whites.
France for example and probably Italy have never had laws against interracial marriage.

This is what the U.S. courts said about interracial marriage in the 1950's:

"Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents.
And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the
races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix."
Notice how they use God and reglion to justify their reasoning.

They also thought that different races had different types of blood
such as black blood and white blood. We know this to be bull sh*t now.

The American Melting Pot? Miscegenation Laws in the United States ...Laws prohibiting miscegenation in the United States date back as early as 1661 and .... Ultimately, the Court found the laws against interracial marriage ...
http://www.oah.org/pubs/magazine/fam...uz-berson.html - 29k - Cached - Similar pages

Mr. and Mrs. Loving (1996) (TV)I've known about the Loving case since I was a child, and I had some doubts ... with other users on IMDb message board for Mr. and Mrs. Loving (1996) (TV) ...
www.imdb.com/title/tt0117098/ - 47k - Cached - Similar pages

Mr. and Mrs. Loving (1996) (TV) - IMDb user commentsMr. and Mrs. Loving on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more. ... So the Supreme Court was not being asked to "create" interracial marriage in the Loving case. ...
www.imdb.com/title/tt0117098/usercomments - 45k - Cached - Similar pages