No place I’ve lived in or visited has shaped me as profoundly as the Italian region where I was born, despite living on different continents for most of my life. Yet, every time I visit, I feel as if I’ve come home. Whether Sicilian-born or of Sicilian descent, we are forever tethered to our roots, no matter where life takes us. As the saying goes, you can take the girl away from the island, but you can’t take the island away from the girl.
Recently I read about an American couple who, after vacationing in Sicily, decided to retire there. They had set out to visit the land where their grandparents were born and ended up falling in love with it. They purchased a small property in the Sicilian countryside and started a farmstay bed and breakfast. And now, several years later, they are happily living out their rural Sicilian dream.
Their story struck a deep chord within me. Several years ago, my parents surprised everyone by choosing to retire in the Sicilian town at the foot of Mount Etna they had left decades before. I felt abandoned, even betrayed. Our friends were equally shocked and confused. Sicilians are known for their strong sense of family unity; it seemed unnatural that they would move so far from their children and grandchildren.
Reading about the American couple brought back the same question I had asked myself back then: Why would anyone uproot a life of ease and comfort to start anew in a country notorious for its poor infrastructure and the inefficiency of its public system?
Southern Italy, principally, faces significant economic challenges, including slow productivity and high unemployment. Public services are sluggish and disorganized, complicated by a convoluted bureaucracy. Unlike in the U.S., where most customer service inquiries can be handled by phone or email, in Sicily nearly everything must be done in person. This often means spending hours waiting in a crowded room for your name to be called.
On one of my visits there, I remember receiving instructions to arrive early at the town’s water and sewer office just to secure a ticket, so that two hours later when the office officially opened, I would be among the few people standing in line to be seen in the narrow window of time reserved for the public.
Cell and internet service are often spotty at the higher elevations. Whenever I visited my parents at their summer home on the slopes of Mount Etna, the only place I could get a decent signal was at the far end of their terrace, overlooking the valley below. On a clear day, that is.
I could go on and on listing all the reasons why making a permanent home in Sicily may not be the idyllic solution you’d envision.
Intrigued by the couple’s story, I decided to explore why so many foreigners are drawn to the Southern Italian countryside. After delving into countless travel blogs and YouTube videos, I discovered that Italian rural living is becoming increasingly popular among American retirees, particularly couples of Italian descent—a modern-day trend known as reverse migration. Sicily is seen as an ideal retirement destination primarily due to its ideal climate, lower living costs, and affordable healthcare. Never mind that said healthcare system is plagued by long waiting times for non-urgent specialist appointments and life-saving diagnostic screenings.
But the more I learned about these expats’ personal journeys, the more I realized that Sicily’s allure goes beyond finances and weather. What truly draws people to the region is the relaxed, laid-back lifestyle, the immersive cultural experience, and the rich, fertile landscape. And, of course, the food! Everything is locally sourced, whether grown, fished, or farm-raised. Above all, it’s the warmth and acceptance of the locals that make this place special. You might think I’m biased, but I believe Sicilians are among the friendliest and most generous people on earth. Sicilians appreciate life’s simple pleasures: good food, time with friends, and the natural beauty of their surroundings. There is a strong sense of community and solidarity among the inhabitants.
Neighbors are always willing to lend a hand. Accidentally locked out of your house? No worries—just head over to the neighbor for advice, and before you know it, Fabio the locksmith from across town is on his way. Need some junk hauled off or want to get rid of an old refrigerator? Fabio knows a guy with a truck who’ll gladly take it away for just the cost of gas. And if the volcano erupts and spews ugly black sand onto your roof? Naturally, you call Fabio! It turns out he’s not just a locksmith; he’s a skilled handyman who’ll have your gutters cleared in no time.
Almost everyone has a small vegetable garden or a few fruit trees, yielding enough delicious produce to feed a village. My mother never had to buy a lemon—someone always had a tree in their backyard or an orchard to share from. “Supermarket lemons are for city folks,” she’d say. And when a neighbor drops by with a basket of freshly laid eggs, salmonella is the last thing on people’s minds. Backyard chickens, organically fed and free from the cramped conditions of industrial farms, produce the safest eggs. What could be better than enjoying breakfast on the terrace with freshly whipped zabaglione?
One of the most important services is provided by the local pharmacy. In Sicily, pharmacists are more than just dispensers of medicine—they’re trusted members of the community, trained to treat minor ailments and always ready with a recommendation for the appropriate therapy.
And Sicilians welcome foreigners with open arms. Foreigners help revive sleepy villages steeped in history, buying up and restoring aging properties. They restore abandoned vineyards and olive groves and help repopulate areas left empty as the younger generation moves away in search of better paying jobs. They bring business to the area and attract tourists. It’s a win-win.
It took me years to come to terms with my parents’ decision to move away. Over time, as I visited them often and witnessed how well they had adapted to the simpler lifestyle, I came to understand that they had never really left it. They had simply put their lives on hold until we, their children, no longer needed their support. Now that they’re both gone, I’m comforted by the knowledge that they lived their last years to the fullest.
In Sicily, progress unfolds at a slower pace than in the rest of Italy, which is perhaps the secret to its enduring charm. Not much has changed over the decades, and when you see what progress has done to the rest of the world, it’s easy to understand why we yearn for a stress-free, healthier, and more authentic way of living.
What do you think? Would you take such a life-changing step in pursuit of a simpler life? Let me know in the comments below.
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