Property Guides

Rome’s first female Mayor

Germany has Angela Merkel, the UK has Theresa May, but what about Italy? Are the Italian people ready to put a woman in a position of power? Given the opportunity, maybe so. In June, the Five Star Movement (M5S) made significant victories in local elections, with women achieving the positions of Mayor in Rome and Turin. Turin is known as the home of Italy’s automotive industry, although much of Fiat’s production has now left Italy for cheaper locations. For 16 years, it was a core Democratic Party constituency, and previous Mayors have attempted to turn it into a tourist area. Rome, the countr

Spotlight on the South: The rich and exciting history of the Cathars

When driving around the winding mountain roads and rugged countryside of the Languedoc Roussillon, you cannot help but notice the extraordinary ruined monument, built by the Cathars The Cathars were followers of a rival church in early medieval times, who dismissed the riches and ceremony of the Catholic church in favour of purity and equality. Catholics at the time named the Cathars as nothing short of heretics.

One Million Bank Accounts Closed by Spanish Banks

Bank accounts in Spain are being closed down. What do you have to do to make sure this doesn’t happen to you? Spanish banks have closed up to one million bank accounts. This sounds dramatic and some believe impossible, but the banks are required under the Law to do so. In order to restrict money laundering, all banks in Spain were required to obtain photocopies of identity cards or passports of each and every customer by the end of 2015.

The main effects of Brexit on UK property owners in France

Most expats woke up on the morning of June 24th to something of a shock: even though the polls showed that the EU referendum vote was going to be a close run thing, deep down most of us thought that we would remain in the EU. France Property Guide considers the impact of this decision on the 320,000 or so expats in France and on future buyers in France. There were 28 member states in the EU, France being one of them. This number will be decreasing to 27 when the much-discussed Brexit eventually takes place.

What Brexit Means for Expats in Portugal: The Latest

With headline news regarding “Brexit” slowing down a little, one would be forgiven for describing the current state of affairs as something of an anti-climax. However, there’s still a new reality on the way for expats in Portugal, which we explore in this article. Truly fleshed out details of the realities of “Brexit” in the aftermath of the UK’s “out” vote remain rather thin on the ground. News headlines in the past couple of weeks have been dominated by the “short and sharp” Tory leadership contest, followed by the appointment of Theresa May as Prime Minister. The disarray in the opposition

Summer Events in Italy

Summer in Italy is full of festivals, concerts, processions and great food. So, join in with the locals and immerse yourself in the tradition and culture. An Italian summer is full of local events, usually involving food and music in the town Piazzas. Be prepared to stay up late to fully enjoy these events which are primarily organised for the locals, who won’t consider coming out until after 9pm, when they eat and take a walk in the cooler evening air. Most of the events have developed from many years of tradition, only to be discovered relatively recently by tourists. Here are five of the bi

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