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From my own experience, local nurseries and seed stores sell what most people grow in the region; however, nothing wrong with experimenting with different varieties. Happy gardening!

With my very best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and all the best for 2012.

Fivizzano is a beautiful town in the Lunigiana region, at the border between Tuscany, Liguria and Emilia Romagna. We know the area through visits to friends. The fact that you have seen quite a few properties for sale in the area may be because there is a very active agent in the area. I think that right now there are lots of properties for sale not only there but throughout Italy and Europe in general. There is a credit squeeze at the moment and banks are reluctant to lend money. For this reason, sales are slow and it is a buyer's paradise at the moment, even if real estate prices in Italy have not dropped significantly as it has been the case in other countries. My advice is: visit the areas you like and take your time (unless you find your dream house.... which sometimes happen). You need to see as much as you can before deciding. Do not rely only on the information you get through the Internet, visit agents, both English-speaking and local. Compare prices. Carefully check the properties that interest you. Look for hidden problems. I do not know any of the agents that you mention, but perhaps other members may know them. Remember that location is most important. Actually, the three most important things when buying a house are: location, location, location. Find a town or a community where you feel at home and that has all the facilities that you need. You have a big job ahead. Enjoy it, because it is part of the fun of buying a house in Italy. Good luck!   P.S. The Lunigiana and  the Cinque Terre recently endured terrible floods that caused several victims and lots of damage. Not all the areas had problems, but it would be important for you to check whether the properties have been affected. Keep in mind that in Italy there are earthquakes and landslides. I do not mean to scare you, but you have to do a bit of research about the areas that you are interested in.

As I said before, it is difficult to choose a location in Italy as all regions have exceptional qualities. On the other hand, I want to clarify a point about Northern Tuscany. You will find plenty of places which do not have a steep terrain and it is true that it is an easy drive from France (We reside in Spain and we go to our place in Bagni di Lucca with an overnight at Antibes. Generally, we leave Antibes after breakfast, have lunch at Portofino and we will be doing our fresh food shopping at a large supermarket between Lucca and Bagni by 3 or 4 pm. From there, it is less than 20 minutes drive and we are home. Northern Tuscany is served by Pisa airport and there are good regular flights from France with Air France. You will have the same situation coming directly from Canada via Paris with the same airline. From Pisa airport, you are also very close to the southern part of Liguria, if the area interests you. But Liguria has its own airport (Genoa) and if you are near the border, you can fly to Nice. My advice is to look carefully at all potential areas, see how accessible they are, how easy it is to go to other interesting cities. We chose to be within walking distance from the downtown area, so we do not depend on the car all the time. Look at transport and facilities available. Think at maintenance of the property, particularly if you are not living there all the year. It took us some 2 years to find the property that suits us. Take your time. Rent a house or apartment in the area to see how you feel there. Generally, you fall in love with a certain region or town. This happened to us with Bagni di Lucca and we kept on coming back until we found a suitable place. Ask questions. Most people in the Community have gone through similar experiences. Good luck!

The worst that could happen would be something similar to the Argentinian crisis when all bank deposits were frozen and the local currency was devalued. I know a few people there who lost fortunes. Ever since that event, I profoundly distrust banks. I look at them as a necessary evil. Good to pay bills by direct debit, that's all. The best investment: brick and mortar that you purchase at a reasonable price. Even in the current situation.

We discussed this measure earlier on, although we thought that the limit was going to be 2,500 euros.... Well, it will only be 1,000 Obviously, they want to keep a tighter control than originally anticipated.

You would need a crystal ball to predict what may happen... or not. Unicredit is in trouble at the moment; however, it posted huge profits only a year ago. I find this article most interesting: It deals mainly with bonds and sovereign debt, but it gives you a hint of what may happen. I would keep only a money supply for paying bills, etc. I would not have investments placed with any bank at the moment, if I could avoid it. I am an optimist by nature and I think that Italy and the EU will pull through. Perhaps it is wishful thinking.... Time will tell.

Very sorry to hear the sad news. My thoughts and my prayers are with Carol, who will need plenty of support from friends. May Dave rest in peace. Please convey my condolences as I am not in the Abruzzo Forum. Thank you.

Hello and welcome! Many of us had similar dreams in the past and many have successfully gone through the experience of finding a home in Italy and enjoying it. We will all be happy to give advice and encouragement. If you use the search engine, at the top of the page, on your right, you will be able to find interesting information. Here is a sample I found for you: = You do not mention the area that you are interested in. We have part of an old mill in Northern Tuscany (Bagni di Lucca), and we are very happy with our choice; however, there are plenty of wonderful regions in Italy, you need to find the one that suits you best. In any case, don't rush. Think about the lifestyle you want and the facilities you need. Good luck and best wishes!

The ½ûÂþÌìÌà Welfare Minister crying seems to be fully justified: