Italy is a southern European country bordered by France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia, while also completely enclosing San Marino and Vatican City. Its long peninsula is bounded by the Adriatic Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the Ionian Sea, rising to its highest point at Mont Blanc in the north. The population and economy concentrate heavily around its major urban centres. Rome serves as the political capital, while Milan acts as the primary financial hub, with other major cities like Turin, Naples, and Florence anchoring their respective regions.
The housing market varies significantly between the northern mountains, the central hills, and the southern coast. The largest concentrations of homes are found in the major cities, led by Rome and Milan, where property prices are similarly high. Buyers face the highest costs in exclusive Tuscan coastal enclaves like Forte dei Marmi, which far exceed the national average, and in Florence. By contrast, regional cities like Turin and Palermo offer more affordable urban living, while the southern region of Apulia provides some of the least expensive housing options in the country.
