Italian Retirement: Best Cities for Quality of Life
considering Italian retirement? News Directory 3 reveals Bolzano as Italy’s premier city for retirees, excelling due to robust social spending on the elderly and high life expectancy. Northern Italian cities dominate the top rankings, while southern cities lag, struggling with fewer public services, influencing the quality of life for those over 65. Trapani occupies the last spot, demonstrating poor performance across various metrics. This assessment of the best cities for quality of life takes a close look at social and health services. Wondering which othre cities made the list? Discover what’s next…
Bolzano Leads as Top City for Retirement in Italy
Updated May 28,2025
For retirees seeking an optimal quality of life in italy,the northern regions appear to offer the most advantages. A recent survey by Il Sole 24 Ore, an Italian financial daily, assessed various quality of life indicators for residents over 65, revealing a strong northern presence among the top-ranked cities for retirement in Italy.
Bolzano,near the Austrian border,secured the top spot,consistently earning high marks in quality of life surveys.The city excelled in social spending on the elderly, boasting a high life expectancy and ample access to libraries. Moreover, Bolzano reported low rates of medication use for chronic conditions and obesity.
Treviso, located north of Venice, claimed second place, demonstrating strong performance across the board, with the exception of its nurse-to-resident ratio. Trento followed closely in third, leading the nation in life expectancy.
Rounding out the top ten were como, Cremona, Verona, Vicenza, Lodi, Parma, and aosta. Notably,38 of the top 40 cities were located in northern Italy. Macerata, in central Italy, ranked 25th, while Nuoro, Sardinia, came in at 39th.
In contrast,the survey indicated that 36 of the bottom 40 cities were situated in central and southern Italy. These areas often face challenges related to public service availability, including hospital beds, and experience lower pension payouts.
Trapani, Sicily, landed at the bottom of the list, ranking 107th. The city struggled across nearly all metrics, including life expectancy, public spending on the elderly, and access to libraries and green spaces. Agrigento (106th) and Reggio Calabria (105th) also occupied the lowest rungs.
Other cities in the bottom ten included Vibo Valentia, Messina, Crotone, Terni, Caltanissetta, Caserta, and Cosenza. Rome found itself in the middle, at 63rd place, trailing behind Venice (24th), Bologna (27th), Milan (34th), and Florence (46th). Palermo ranked 89th,faring slightly better than Naples (91st).
While these rankings offer insights into social and health services, they may not capture all factors influencing quality of life. The survey did not consider climate, cost of living, or access to nature, all of which are crucial considerations for those planning their retirement in Italy.
What’s next
Future surveys may incorporate additional factors, such as climate and cost of living, to provide a more extensive assessment of the best places for retirement in Italy. This will help prospective retirees make informed decisions based on a wider range of criteria.