How did you choose where to live in Italy?

Good question. I’d separate “nice place to live” from “easy place to arrive safely and get settled.” For the first month, I’d give extra weight to boring practicalities: a station you can navigate with luggage, reliable taxis after dark, a supermarket/pharmacy within a short walk, and a route home that does not depend on isolated late-night transfers.

If you are choosing between towns, test the weekday routine, not only the postcard version. Arrive by train with a bag, walk the streets you would actually use at 9pm, check phone signal inside the building, and look at how visible/active the street is outside tourist hours. I’d also ask locals about petty theft spots near stations, markets, beaches and event streets; the risk is usually manageable, but predictable.

My priorities would be healthcare access, transport depth, honest housing support, and a calm first-48-hours plan before beauty or price.

Disclosure: I work with Velatura; we put a compact Italy arrival-safety checklist here if useful: [link moderated]