Why We Chose This Small Italian Village
Cappuccinos and Tuscan sunsets… life in Chianni feels like a dream come true.
The hills of Tuscany roll out like a painting—olive groves, vineyards, and centuries-old stone villages basking in the golden sun.
For Rosette Eland and her husband Rob, this isn’t just a postcard scene… it’s their life.
Their days are filled with morning walks, fresh cappuccinos and cornetti at the local bar, evenings of pizza and wine that cost less than a night at the movies back home, and friendships that make them feel truly part of their little village of Chianni.
It’s proof that sometimes, when you take a leap, you land exactly where you were always meant to be.
Below, Rosette shares how her story unfolded—and what life is really like in a small Tuscan town…
From South Carolina to a Tuscan Dream
“A typical day starts early, going on my daily walk, coming back for a cup of coffee (or two) in
the garden, listening to the birds and looking out at the Tuscan countryside,” says Rosette Eland. “I constantly pinch myself and ask, ‘is this really my life?’”
Rosette and her husband Rob raised their kids in Cleveland and South Carolina, but they always dreamed about a life abroad in Italy. With their kids finally grown and scattered across the US, it seemed like the perfect time to move.
They decided that “life was too short not to pursue our dreams” and started planning to live somewhere new. They sold their house in South Carolina, donated many of their belongings, and headed to Italy. They were planning to stay long-term, and excitedly applied for the Italian retirement visa.
Not precisely sure where in Italy they wanted to be, they began their search in Milan, driving south toward the Adriatic Sea, thinking that the Abruzzo region could be the place for them. But along the way, they connected with some friends in Tuscany from South Carolina and discovered the village of Chianni. It was love at first sight! She and Rob found a modest apartment in town and bought it just three days before their 90-day Schengen stay was about to end.
Why Chianni? Rosette says the small town of perhaps 1,400 people, nestled in the rolling Tuscan hills, is full of energy and offers all the amenities you would want. “The view from our village is one of the best you can imagine—the Tuscan countryside as far as the eye can see!”
Chianni is located halfway between the big cities of Milan and Rome, with Pisa International Airport just 28 miles away. There’s a convenient bus from the village to the nearby train station, and a gorgeous beach in Cecina, just a 30-minute drive away. The locals are friendly and welcoming, even with the language barrier, as Rosette and Rob are still learning Italian. They love Chianni so much that they bought a house a few years later with a garden, three bedrooms, a bath and a half, and of course those gorgeous views they adore.
Comparing their new life in Italy with their former life in the US, Rosette says the food is much healthier, cleaner and more affordable. With much of what they purchase being locally grown, they are more dependent on what’s fresh and seasonal, which feels right and makes them more appreciative of the fresh figs, mushrooms, and pomodoro when they are ripe and ready. Their average grocery bill is perhaps $125 per week for the two of them. “We eat…a lot!” she laughs.
A casual pizza night with drinks and dessert for the couple is less than $60, and a fancy night out with a shared appetizer, two prima piatti (first course), and two second courses, a few drinks, and dessert may run closer to $115. They love that a delicious bottle of house wine at their local trattoria is less than $10. After Rosette’s early morning walk, she can stop at the local bar (cafe) for a frothy cappuccino and a freshly baked pistacchio cornetto for just under $3.
Utilities are reasonable as well, with water, electricity, and gas costing approximately $230 in total each month depending on usage, and they pay less than $10 each per month for unlimited data with their cell phone.
Healthcare is affordable, and the cost of medical services paid out of pocket is very low. Rosette and Rob have purchased private health insurance for $260 per month for the two of them, and it even covers medical care in the US when they visit their family.
“Our lifestyle is so different now—everything is walkable and we go days without driving our car,” Rosette says. “The history, art, architecture, and food here in Tuscany tell such beautiful things about the land and its people, and we love learning about it. We find our neighbors to be genuine and accepting and have been able to build lasting relationships and form community here.”
Rosette spearheaded a fundraiser to create a campo da calcio (soccer field) in town and to purchase soccer equipment for the local kids, and has started volunteering at the local tourism office. Other days are spent foraging for wild mushrooms and asparagus, or harvesting olives from her friends’ trees to make olive oil.
She and Rob enjoy the ease of visiting nearby villages by car or train, or hopping on a plane for a short and inexpensive flight to other European countries to explore new places, cultures and history.
Asked what words of advice she has for anyone thinking of moving overseas, Rosette says, “never give up on your dreams! It’s been one of the most important and life-changing decisions I’ve made in my life and I believe it was worth it.”
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