Living in Sicily

Our overview map is primarily aimed at holiday makers and prospective expats. Both will find in it all holiday lettings managed by Solemar Sicilia.

All those who have recently moved to Sicily may be interested in the activities listed on our map.

As already mentioned, the practical problems of living in Sicily can be solved. But what if you get homesick a few weeks after your move?

To prevent this, we recommend a holiday lasting several weeks in winter. This is because there are almost no tourists here and Sicily presents itself in its purest form.

And in the Sicilian winter, there are also the odd rainy day. This is perfect for thinking a little more intensively about the idea of living in Sicily.

So you're ready to live in Sicily? Very good! Then, of course, the first task is to find a new home.

Fortunately, in Bagheria and Santa Flavia there is a wide choice for every wish and budget. It starts with building land, continues with freehold flats and ends up with real castles.

We have compiled some information for you on this page:

Have you decided to stay in Sicily forever, do you speak very good Italian and are you possibly also a talented craftsman? Then you can skip this paragraph.

Otherwise you will need support. For example, with the maintenance of your garden:

Have you found an interesting property and are now wondering how to buy it?

You have already bought and now need electricity, water and gas? Would you like to re-register your residence and your car?

Strangely enough, you find a wide variety of experiences and opinions on all these topics on the Internet?

Welcome to the chaos of Sicilian bureaucracy. On this page you can find out where you can get help:

As this open Facebook Group shows, you are not the only English-speaking expat in Sicily. They are also active in the Bagheria and Santa Flavia area. So you're sure to find people who are on your wavelength here.

Fortunately, most Sicilians are very hospitable and open to new friendships. But most of them naturally speak Italian with a more or less strong Sicilian dialect.

And that leads us straight to the next topic:

Would you like to quickly create a first basis for your Italian? Then we recommend an intensive course at the best language school in Sicily - the Solemar Academy in beautiful Cefalù.

Would you like to progress from this basis to an advanced level? Then we are happy to reveal the three secret tips for success: firstly, "practise", secondly, "practise more" and thirdly, "practise even more".

To put this into practice, expats have formed study groups in Bagheria and Santa Flavia.

Would you like to stay mobile in Sicily - but preferably without your own car? Then Bagheria and Santa Flavia are the perfect "base camps" for you.

Both towns have good Trenitalia connections and a local bus company organises day trips throughout Sicily.

In Bagheria you can hire a car by the day. It will even be brought to your home.

But the best comes last: experienced bike dealers offer good bikes for everyday use - even high quality bikes made in Sicily.

Fruit and vegetables are available on every corner in Sicily and at incredibly low prices. So far so good.

But where can you find a health food shop, fashion shops or a DIY store? It's hard to believe that you can find all of this in Bagheria and Santa Flavia. Admittedly, some shops are an insider tip, but the English-speaking community will be happy to tell you about them.

And also here the best comes last: There is even a "Lidl" in Bagheria. So you don't even have to do without your favourite specialities from northern Europe in Sicily.

The economy in Sicily is anything but smooth. You can see this in public buildings such as hospitals.

However, this does not detract from the quality of medical care. On the contrary. Expats from the north in particular are always pleasantly surprised.

On this page you can find out how to get English-language support:

Good people are always in demand. That's true - and of course also applies to Sicily. But it is also true that Sicily has no industrial base and is therefore one of the economically poorest regions in Europe.

For expats, the most realistic chance of a job is therefore working from home in his original profession. Anyone counting on this should therefore make sure to have a good internet connection when looking for a property.

Fortunately, the expansion of the fibre optic network in Bagheria and Santa Flavia has been progressing well since 2023.

In many European countries, freelancers are exposed to frustrating bureaucracy.

In Sicily, however, everything is done to make it easy for freelancers to get started. This also applies to EU citizens who relocate to Sicily. All those who are not EU citizens need a residence permit.

Plus you have a lot of sunshine for free, no winter and low living expenses.

And another piece of good news: In Bagheria and Santa Flavia, there is a service for expats who want to live in Sicily: