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To get a doctor in Italy should not be a problem if you are from the EU ''I THOUGHT''!!!!!Actually what you need is a form I think it is 121 if you look at the website of the DHSS  it will explain all.It sounds easy to get this form - However upto December 2012 I had had  a business in the Uk for about 20 years before that i worked full time for the government!!.I paid all my social security payments as standing orders through my business account.When I contacted the office which is based in Newcastle to request the necessary form to show the ½ûÂþÌìÌà government that i had paid all my contributions and that i was entitled to free health care here.I was shocked to be told by a young lady that i was not eligible because I had not paid enough contributions in the last 3 years before I left the Uk.  I have proof of my payments  there was no explaination why and I have found it difficult to find any guidance as to who is eligible and how much I should have paid. at no time did the uk government tell me I was not paying enough!! I checked with my UK accountant and she also has been unable to discover who makes these rules and why.What shocked me more was when the young lady asked me was I on benefits and if so I was entitled to free health care.Silly me Why oh why did i put myself through running a business for all those years!! Just sit back on benefits and get everything for free.If you are lucky enough to get the form then you take it along to the local health system here and they will allow you to register with a doctor.Good news if you are over retirement age then you are eligible.If not the only way forward is to get a job here or to pay for treatment. 

Hi we have lived in italy for a year nobody in our area speaks any english. Prior to this I studied ½ûÂþÌìÌà evening classes for 3 years at a local  college 2 hours a week. My opinion is that you only learn when you live in the country. You must emmerse yourself in the language find somebody to speak to every day. (if that is possible for you)However we use  'Perfect Your ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ' Level 5  if you have previous knowledge this is really good. Web site www.teachyourselfextra.com. The course a book and 2 cds cost £34.99 from waterstones.For the verbs I have 'The Big green book of italian verbs'  isbn-13;978-0-07-148761-0. This is very useful.The aid that I have found most beneficial is to read children's books they have been written to teach the children ½ûÂþÌìÌà etc in an easy method.I read Geronimo Stilton books it takes some discipline but each day I spend an hour on these. you may laugh but it is amazing the useful vocabulary I have learnt, life according to a famous rat giornalist from the island of Topi.Actually many years ago I met a maltese lady on a ryanair flight back to Britain and she gave me the idea. She used it to keep her maltese language skills upto date.I  teach english here and I find children's  teaching books from Britain a great aid .I had a great present from a student Dizionario maxi book make www.vallardi.it. This is a brilliant dictionary much better than any I have bought in britain.I hope all this can be some help to you bear in mind it is really difficult for us english speakers to learn another language especially as we get older.My husband is from an ½ûÂþÌìÌà family and he struggles more than me.Buona Befana   

Thanks everybody for your prompt replies I have noted your advise sebastiano

Hi I know this is not the same route but we have travelled with a very large van from wales to piemonte on many occasions mainly from calais or dieppe. we use the frejus into torino. Apart from the tunnel cost and a small autostrada cost from the torino by pass we do not use toll roads. Our van does not travel any faster than 60 mph so we have very little gain. We have never found the need to use motorways and pay the exorbinate amounts especially in france where it is a great deal extra for the van.

Grazie I sent you a private message re the roof pricing etc I hope you received it

Hi Diana We are also just commencing on a refurbishment project in Piedmont ( I think we are truly mad when I read all this) We have had many quotes re the roof basically it is important to get everything included and listed as there is always a surprise !!. I noted your comment re restoration IVA being 10% how can I get this confirmed  as I had presumed that it was to be 21% plus the workers tax etc . Maybe I am confused. I would appreciate any help on this. Certainly in our area we have had to have the concrete re inforcement. Scaffolding is a huge cost we even considered buying in the uk and transporting over. (I am sure there is a business opening here)                

Hi grazie We have also purchased a rustico in piemonte in the mombercelli area. I am very excited about the garden as my I am trained in horticulture  and lectured for many years at the welsh college of hort, I used to specialise in med plants so at last i get to grow the plant in the best environment. I am busily designing my new garden. I completely agree with the other comments in fact our garden has a laurel bush very large which is about to be removed. Our house in wales has a laurel hedge boundary it is over 20ft high even though it is pruned. It also has multiple seedling around it's base. However it is very good for noise restriction. I feel the climate in monferrato is more kind and it would be a constant battle. I have noted that most people in our area use Pyracantha or cotoneaster hedging which is very beautiful, has white blossom in spring, lovely berries in autumn and the bonus of being prickly so good for security. It is also moderately fast growing. Just remember if you purchase plants that are fast growing they do not stop when they reach the height you want. Most people in Britain have overlooked this when planting leylandii. It has caused no end of problems!! I do consider laurel in thjis group. But still very useful in the right area. What part of piemonte are you in we could exchange growing experiences and also house renovation tips.(which we very much need) Julia G.