How would you choose a region in Italy based on your favourite pasta?
While most people research property in Italy by price, climate, or investment potential, I’d rather use something more Italian.
Pasta.
Yes of course. Because in Italy, pasta is more than food. It’s identity. It’s heritage. It’s a beautifully twisted map of culture, climate, and lifestyle.
And if you’re thinking about buying a home in Italy, whether you’re ready to make a move or just daydreaming with a cappuccino in your hand, this pasta guide will give you a taste of what different regions have to offer.
Just follow the pasta.
Because if there’s one thing that reveals everything about Italy, the land, the people, the climate, the soul, it’s what they eat with a fork.
And it isn’t just about food.
Pasta is geography. Pasta is culture. Pasta is the most importan dish on italian tables and in Italian lives.
So, if I had to pick a home in Italy based on pasta here is where you should choose and what kind of house you can buy.
Emilia-Romagna — Tagliatelle
Signature pasta: Tagliatelle al ragù
Climate: Four distinct seasons; cold winters, warm springs, and sun-drenched summers, sometimes warm autumuns
Homes: Spacious country houses, brick or stone farmhouses, and villas
Culture: This is where you go if you love cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano, cured meats like Salami, and Parma Ham, fresh pasta, and regional pride so strong they correct your pronunciation of “parmesan”.
Ideal for: Retirees, slow-lifers, and anyone who believes lunch should last until dinner
Liguria — Trofie
Signature pasta: Trofie al pesto (basil, pine nuts, garlic. Ok we also can’t forget spaghetti with seafood in Liguria.
Climate: Classic Mediterranean: mild winters, breezy summers, coastal sunshine
Homes: Cliffside pastel houses, small apartments with sea views, ancient stone cottages
Culture: Ligurians are introverted but proud. They are not considered the friendliest people in Italy. They guard their pesto like state secrets and drink espresso while watching the waves. Expect hiking trails, fresh fish, and focaccia.
Ideal for: Writers, sea lovers
Calabria — Fileja
Signature pasta: Fileja with ‘nduja (spicy sausage paste that could double as rocket fuel)
Climate: Hot summers, short mild winters, and an unbeatable tan line
Homes: Affordable countryside homes, sea-facing apartments, and raw stone villas ready for restoration
Culture: Calabria is rugged and real. Here, nonna still bakes bread in wood ovens, and strangers give you fresh figs. English is rare, tradition is king, and the chili peppers are everywhere.
Ideal for: Adventurers, spice lovers, and off-the-beaten-path romantics
Piemonte — Agnolotti
Signature pasta: Agnolotti del plin (small, hand-pinched pasta stuffed with meat or cheese)
Climate: Cool winters, warm summers, and truffle-friendly autumns
Homes: Country estates surrounded by vines, elegant Liberty-style villas, and cozy mountain retreats
Culture: If Tuscany is on Instagram, Piemonte is in a Michelin Guide. Locals whisper about wine vintages and serve truffles. Classy without showing off, and very into risotto too.
Ideal for: Wine lovers, foodies with taste, and those who dream in cashmere
Puglia — Orecchiette
Signature pasta: Orecchiette con cime di rapa (tiny “ears” with bitter greens and anchovy oil)
Climate: Long, hot summers and mild winters that smell like olive trees
Homes: Whitewashed townhouses, trulli with conical roofs, and masserie (old farm estates)
Culture: In Puglia, life is lived outdoors. Expect siestas, loud markets, grandparents on Vespas, and 4-hour lunches. It’s chaotic in the best way.
Ideal for: Sunseekers, food lovers, beach bums, and digital nomads chasing peace
Tuscany — Pici
Signature pasta: Pici all’aglione (fat hand-rolled pasta with garlicky tomato sauce)
Climate: Hot summers, warm springs and mild winters
Homes: Stone farmhouses, rolling vineyards, and restored villas with cypress-lined driveways
Culture: You’ll find art towns, wine routes, Renaissance everything, and enough romantic lighting to make you weep over a tomato.
Ideal for: Dreamers, romantics, and people who want to live inside a movie
Umbria — Strangozzi
Signature pasta: Strangozzi al tartufo nero (long rustic pasta with Umbrian black truffle)
Climate: Mild, green, with a fairytale autumn and truffle-rich spring
Homes: Medieval hilltop homes, stone cottages in olive groves, and monastic retreats
Culture: Quieter and greener than Tuscany, Umbria is deeply spiritual, full of forests, saints, festivals, and hidden villages where no one locks their doors
Ideal for: Poets, introverts, and anyone who whispers, “I want Tuscany, but without the tourists”
Sicily — Busiate
Signature pasta: Busiate al pesto Trapanese (tomatoes, almonds, garlic, olive oil — boom)
Climate: Intense sunshine, mild winters, and a volcanic personality
Homes: Historic homes in cities like Ortigia or Ragusa, beach houses, and Baroque villas
Culture: Sicily is a world of its own, full of contradictions, drama, grandeur, and the most passionate street food scene. You don’t live here. You perform here.
Ideal for: Storytellers, drama queens, and people who like fireworks with their espresso
Sardinia — Malloreddus
Signature pasta: Malloreddus alla campidanese (tiny saffron gnocchi with sausage ragù)
Climate: Hot, dry summers; windy but mild winters, ideal for sea lovers
Homes: Rugged stone homes in the hills, coastal villas with infinite blue views, secluded retreats
Culture: Sardinia is Italy’s untamed twin. Locals speak their own language, guard their land fiercely, and live with a calm intensity that draws you in. There’s space to breathe — and think.
Ideal for: Escapists, nature lovers, and those who believe silence is golden. They have the best beaches in Italy together with Puglia.
Naples (Campania) — Pizza.
Yes, there’s pasta here. But Naples doesn’t care about your pasta list, it wants to feed you the best pizza of your life, yell at you a little, and send you home laughing.
Homes? Loud, colorful, lived-in.
Prices? Surprisingly reasonable.
Energy? Explosive.
Ideal for: Extroverts, pizza lovers, chaos connoisseurs.
How Should You Choose Your Region?
Ask yourself:
- Do you want seasons or sun all year?
- Do you want wine country, beach, or mountain escape?
- Do you speak Italian — or will pasta be your only fluent language?
- Do you want la dolce vita… or the wild, spicy version?
What kind of pasta do you want to eat on your terrace every Sunday?
Because whatever you choose, that dish will become your ritual, your comfort.
Contact us and we will share our thoughts.
