How's the property market in Piedmont in 2012?
January 2012
The Euro is at a low, so a great time to buy into Euros (It has stuck around €1.2 - £1 for a couple of weeks now)..
How's the property market in Piedmont in 2012? - Read more
Italy's economy doesn't melt property prices
November 2011
What's the latest on the downturn in the economy as far as property prices are concerned?
Italy's economy doesn't melt property prices - Read more
Is it a good time to buy property in Italy?
November 2011
At the moment the news is flooded with everything bad about the Italian economy. I'm no economist but I'm more than a little sceptical, and suspicious..
Is it a good time to buy property in Italy? - Read more
Want to only pay 5% income tax??
October 2011
Why pay more? Italy needs a big boost to its economy and one thing that's really lacking is encouragement to run your own business..
Want to only pay 5% income tax?? - Read more
It's raining in Piedmont!
October 2011
I really can't remember the last time it rained. A month ago? Two months? I'm really not sure. But today the rain has come and it's almost welcome..
It's raining in Piedmont! - Read more
2011 Alba white truffle festival
September 2011
Autumn also sees the start of the month long famous Alba White Truffle festival (Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba). We love this event..
2011 Alba white truffle festival - Read more
Flying above Turin without an engine
September 2011
My son is passionate about planes. At the moment he's studying one of Trevor Thom's technical flight manuals his grandmother had sent him..
Flying above Turin without an engine - Read more
Buy-to-Rent in Piedmont Italy (vacation rentals)
August 2011
I'm always asked about the rental potential of homes here in piedmont, Italy. Fact is, it's excellent. There's a big demand and very few properties available..
Buy to Rent in Piedmont Italy - Read more
Buying property in Italy in the middle of a crisis
August 2011
There are mixed views on wether or not now is a good time to buy a holiday house in Italy. Prices are low but could they drop much further, plummet? Although it's possible, it's very unlikely..
Buying property in Italy - Read more
The Piemonte Shopping Outlet
July 2011
Italy is famous for many things but certainly not customer service. I love Beppe Severgnini's description in his brilliant book 'La Bella Figura'. He explains what the difference is between Italian shop service and, well, anywhere else...
The Piemonte Shopping Outlet - Read more
Top Gear in the Langhe & Monferrato Piemonte
June 2011
We love BBC Top Gear so it was great to see the Monferrato and Langhe in this week's show. Jeremy, Richard and James drove three hot hatches from the Tuscan town of Lucca, up to Canelli in the Monferrato, then Alba and the Langhe.
Top Gear in Piemonte - Read more
Masterclass hammering a car around Mirafiori
June 2011
Luciano led us to the car. A brand new Alfa Romeo Mito Cloverleaf. Low profile tyres, sports suspension, snazzy paint job, 170bhp..
Masterclass around Mirafiori - Read more
Two Greedy Italians in Piemonte Italy
May 2011
I don't often watch cookery programs. There are so many on UK TV now, trying every format imaginable but by accident I caught part of 'Two Greedy Italians' a couple of weeks ago. It was that beautiful Alfa Romeo Giulia that caught my eye!
Two Greedy Italians in Piemonte Italy - Read more
A visit to the Turin Motor Museum
May 2011
Turin is one of Italy's two 'Motor City'. The other is Bologna so it was always a bit of a surprise that Turin had such an awful car museum (Il Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile)..
A visit to the Turin Motor Museum - Read more
The Peonie of Carmagnola Italy
May 2011
I can't say I had ever heard of Peonie.. so when we were invited to visit a nursery solely dedicated to the growing of them it was a chance to learn something new.
The Peonie of Carmagnola Italy - Read more
What's the best place to buy in Piemonte?
May 2011
Buying a home abroad is certainly an adventurous undertaking. Many dream of doing it, relatively few actually do.
What's best place to buy in Piemonte? - Read more
Pralormo Tulip Festival 2011 - Messer Tulipano
March 2011
Back in November we went to visit Castello di Pralormo (Pralormo Castle). It's located about 25km south of Turin and just a few minutes from our Roero home...
Pralormo Tulip Festival 2011 - Read more
The Spring Property Market
March 2011
Spring has arrived! The clocks have just gone forward an hour so it's that bit harder to get up at 6,15am to get my son to school. O well, just another 4 years!
The Spring Property Market - Read more
The Italian Queue
December 2010
Twice a year we have to go through the same ordeal because it's twice a year we have to visit my son's school for his half-year school reports...
The Italian Queue - Read more
A Visit to Turin
December 2010
Open most guide books on Italy and you will probably do well to find one page on Turin. Usually overlooked because of it’s association with industry and the manufacturing of cars..
A Visit to Turin - Read more
Crashing Vespas
December 2010
It's inevitable that when you move to a new country with young children they will grow up with a lot of the traits of the nation you decided to settle in. Obviously in my case, Italy..
Crashing Vespas - Read more
The Fiat 500 and Spanner Heaven
November 2010
It's easy to forget how difficult old cars are to drive. We're so used to modern cars that are more like armchairs with surround sound and effortless engines..
The Fiat 500 and Spanner Heaven - Read more
International White Truffle Festival Alba 2010- II
November 2010
The Alba International White Truffle Festival (Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba 2010) is now over for another year. ..
Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba - Read more
The 80th White Truffle Festival, Alba - I
October 2010
An Italian that I recently met for the first time asked me that question all us stranieri get asked, 'why do you live in Italy?' My reply was something like 'next silly question?' Italy isn't perfect ..
The 80th White Truffle Festival, Alba - Read more
Discover the Langhe in Piedmont
September 2010
The area that lies between Alba to the north and Ceva to the south is known as the Langhe – which literally means ‘the tongues’, probably because the hills jut out like tongues, or there are other theories. ..
Discover the Langhe in Piedmont - Read more
The Langhe People and the Wine Harvest
September 2010
You can dream of living in a great place, and that dream can become reality. But then life flashes by you with the velocity of a jet airplane loaded with all the responsibilities that are ours for the journey..
The Langhe People and the Wine Harvest - Read more
An Unforgettable Day Climbing Rocciamelone
September 2010
With the first light of the morning, in the company of two friends, an unforgettable day starts. From the hut La Riposa (2200 m) we move towards the top of one of Turin's well-known and admired...
Unforgettable Day Climbing Rocciamelone - Read more
Classic Fiat 500 - the Italian Icon
August 2010
Italy is a country of icons - Pavarotti, spaghetti, pizza, Ferrari.. the list goes on. Strong images that spring to mind when we think of the Bella Paese ..
Classic Fiat 500 - the Italian Icon - Read more
Explore the Roero in Piedmont
August 2010
The Roero is by far the smallest of these big Piedmont areas. It’s principle town is Canale, a gem in itself. During the 2006 Winter Olympics Bill Gates stayed there ..
Explore the Roero in Piedmont - Read more
Learning to Ride in Piedmont
July 2010
Once the idea got into my head of riding a motorbike again, no matter what fears I had, and there were plenty, I still wanted to do it. It was just a case of finding how to do it...
Learning to Ride in Piedmont - Read more
A Rose for a Vineyard
June 2010
The Piedmont areas of The Langhe, Roero and Monferrato are famous wine growing areas. Any wine producer will tell you the wine is not made in the cantina but in the vineyards....
A Rose for a Vineyard - Read more
Life on Two Wheels in Piedmont Italy
June 2010
I'm pretty sure it was Ewan Mcgregor and Charley Boorman that did it. I had injured my back when logging a few dead trees on the land we have at the back of our house. I had slipped a disc..
Life on Two Wheels in Piedmont Italy - Read more
World Ice-Skating Championships, Turin 2010
March 2010
The Winter Olympics is the same for me every four years - just when it starts to get going and I make time to watch it, it's all over. Then there's the disappointment that it's finished..
Ice-Skating Championships, Turin 2010 - Read more