[00:00:00] Miles: The boiling hot sun beaches packed piazzas sizzling.

[00:00:05] Alessia: That image, la dolce vita.

[00:00:08] Miles: Exactly, and while that's still a huge draw for many, there's actually something else happening, a quieter shift, but well, pretty significant across Southern Europe.

[00:00:17] Alessia: What we're seeing more and more, especially, you know, Italy, Spain, Greece. It's this trend of really extreme heat waves hitting every summer.

[00:00:27] Miles: And that's changing things, isn't it?

[00:00:29] Alessia: It really is. It makes those traditional sun baked holidays, well, less appealing for some, and frankly just a lot less comfortable.

[00:00:37] Miles: That's a really crucial point, right? It's actually sparking this fascinating new idea. Coolcations.

[00:00:43] Alessia: Coolcations. Yeah. Yeah. Heard that term popping up.

[00:00:46] Miles: Basically, travelers are deliberately, actively seeking out cooler places for their holidays.

[00:00:52] Alessia: Not just looking for shade, but actually choosing the destination based on temperature.

[00:00:56] Miles: The European Travel Commission found that, get this, 28% of Europeans are now intentionally picking cooler spots.

[00:01:04] Alessia: Wow. 28%. That's a significant chunk.

[00:01:07] Miles: It is. And what's really interesting I think, is that this shift, it's apparently most noticeable among people from those traditionally hot places. Italians, Spanish, Greeks.

[00:01:18] Alessia: That says a lot, doesn't it? Yeah, when the people used to the heat started looking for an escape from it.

[00:01:24] Miles: It really does. I mean, they're, they're choosing a pleasant, say 25 degrees Celsius summer afternoon over getting absolutely baked at 40 degrees.

[00:01:33] Alessia: Well, who could blame them really?

[00:01:36] Miles: Oh, I know. I remember one July in Rome, the, the pavement, honestly, it felt like you could fry an egg on it.

[00:01:41] Alessia: Yeah. I can imagine

[00:01:43] Miles: You very quickly understand why locals, you know, instinctively head for the hills or the mountains in August. And this whole coolcation thing. It isn't just about a two week holiday, is it?

[00:01:53] Alessia: No, not at all. Our sources are showing this trend is actually having a profound impact on bigger decisions where expats are looking, where retirees are planning to settle.

[00:02:03] Miles: Even second home buyers.

[00:02:04] Alessia: Absolutely. If people are looking for long-term comfort, a place where they can actually live well, work remotely, perhaps, and just thrive year round, just survive the summer.

[00:02:19] Miles: So it's becoming a real factor in those big life decisions. Where to put down roots, where to work from, where to retire, maybe where to raise the family even.

[00:02:26] Okay, so that's our mission. We'll look at how climate change is, while it's literally redrawing. Italy's comfort map.

[00:02:34] Alessia: Reshaping where it feels good to be, especially in summer.

[00:02:37] Miles: And we'll explore how Magic Towns Italy has done some digging and identified these sometimes surprising coolcation havens

[00:02:44] Alessia: Thoughts that could be perfect for anyone dreaming of that comfortable Italian life.

[00:02:48] Miles: Whether you're just planning a trip or maybe thinking longer term, a remote work base, a place to retire, maybe even finding a family home.

[00:02:56] Alessia: Right. To really get why this is happening, though we probably need to look at the science bit first

[00:03:02] Miles: Good point. Let's set the stage. What's the scientific consensus here?

[00:03:06] Alessia: Well, the European Environment Agency, the EEA, they've put out some pretty stark warnings to be honest. They're projecting that Southern Europe broadly is going to face more frequent heat waves, more droughts. It's a clear trend

[00:03:22] Miles: And looking further ahead

[00:03:24] Alessia: By 2100, the projections show much of Italy, Spain, Greece, be significantly hotter and drier. Summers potentially much harsher than, well, anything we currently consider normal

[00:03:39] Miles: That sounds concerning. The environmental warnings are clear, but what about the knock on effects like economically?

[00:03:45] Alessia: That's where it gets really tangible. Think about farming agriculture, right? The EEA projects that farmland values in some parts of Southern Europe could plummet. We're talking 60 to 80% by 2100.

[00:04:01] Miles: 60 to 80%. Wow. That's huge.

[00:04:03] Alessia: It is. And Italy specifically might account for something like two thirds of those losses.

[00:04:08] Miles: Two thirds just in Italy.

[00:04:09] Alessia: Yeah. Under the higher end warming scenarios, we're talking about maybe a $100 billion drop in value for Italian farmland.

[00:04:18] Miles: Okay. That's a staggering number.

[00:04:20] Alessia: So this isn't just about, finding a comfy spot for your holiday. It's potentially reshaping whole economic landscapes.

[00:04:30] Miles: So the implication is today's hot property markets literally hot, might actually cool off in the future, both literally and figuratively.

[00:04:38] Alessia: That's definitely a possibility to consider. It suggests that for long-term comfort, maybe even for investment potential, these cooler zones, they might hold increasing value.

[00:04:49] Miles: Turning a climate challenge into perhaps some, a comfortable opportunity for people choosing where to live or buy. Will I actually be comfortable here in August, say 20 years down the line?

[00:05:01] Alessia: That's the question people are starting to ask, especially if you're thinking about retiring there or buying a place.

[00:05:07] Miles: And because that allure of Southern Italy in the summer, it might fade a bit if 42 degrees Celsius heat waves become, you know, a regular feature.

[00:05:15] Alessia: Absolutely. So for climate conscious expats, retirees, families, the advice is becoming. Maybe look at Italy's more temperate corners. Think about the long game.

[00:05:27] Miles: So are there parts of Italy that offer a kind of natural buffer, a built-in escape hatch from this rising heat?

[00:05:33] Alessia: Thankfully, yes. And this is where Italy's geography is just incredible. It. It has a natural solution. Microclimates.

[00:05:42] Miles: Tell us more. How does the landscape create these cooler pockets?

[00:05:46] Alessia: Mountains are key. You've got the massive Alps up north and then the Appennines, that huge mountain range running right down the spine of the country.

[00:05:57] Miles: Like Italy's backbone.

[00:05:58] Alessia: And these create amazing high altitude havens where summer is just gentler.

[00:06:03] Miles: So even within the same region, you can get big differences.

[00:06:06] Alessia: Italians themselves, you know, often escape the cities in August. It's almost instinctual they head for the mountain towns, the alpine lakes. Just for some relief.

[00:06:15] Miles: A practical tradition born from experience.

[00:06:18] Alessia: Totally. So when Rome is absolutely roasting, somewhere up in the Dolomites feels delightfully mild, yeah. Is a real testament to how varied the country's climate can be despite its southern location.

[00:06:30] Miles: So Italy has these natural cool spots, but with this new climate reality settling in, how do you actually find them, especially if you're not a local who instinctively knows where to go?

[00:06:41] Alessia: That's the challenge, right, and that's exactly what Magic Towns Italy decided to tackle.

[00:06:46] Miles: The coolcation zones. What was the method?

[00:06:47] Alessia: A specific geographical analysis combining different data points.

[00:06:52] Miles: Like what

[00:06:52] Alessia: They looked at the average summertime apparent temperature. It's the "feels like" temperature, which factors in not just the heat, but also the humidity.

[00:07:03] Miles: Ah, the humidity makes such a difference.

[00:07:05] Alessia: It really does. And they combine that with data on sunshine duration,

[00:07:09] Miles: Sunshine duration. Why that?

[00:07:11] Alessia: Well, the goal wasn't just to find cold places. It was to find places with warm, pleasant summers. Summers that feel like summer, but that rarely get uncomfortably hot.

[00:07:23] Miles: Got it. So warm enough, sunny enough, but not too hot.

[00:07:25] Alessia: Places where you still get plenty of clear skies perfect for, you know, enjoying that outdoor aperitivo at 5:00 PM without feeling like you're melting

[00:07:34] Miles: The dream. Did patterns emerge? Where do these comfortable spots tend to be?

[00:07:39] Alessia: Yes. Definite clusters appeared, right? Broadly speaking, you find them unsurprisingly in the Alps, way up north.

[00:07:46] Miles: Right.

[00:07:47] Alessia: Then all along the Appennine running down the country, and then there are also a few sort of elevated pockets on the southern mainland and even on the islands like Sicily and Sardinia.

[00:07:57] Miles: Interesting. So it's not just the north.

[00:07:59] Alessia: Not exclusively, no, but high elevations and those northern latitude. They are definitely the key factors. Keeping temperatures more moderate,

[00:08:07] Miles: But still sunny enough for that summer vibe.

[00:08:10] Alessia: Yeah, they made sure of that enough sunshine so it feels like a proper Italian summer just without the, you know, the inferno aspect.

[00:08:18] Miles: And what kind of places did Magic Towns Italy focus on big cities? Tiny villages.

[00:08:24] Alessia: They specifically avoided the really tiny hamlets.

[00:08:28] Miles: Why is that?

[00:08:28] Alessia: The idea was to combine that cool climate with other important things like culture, scenery or accessibility, things that matter if you're visiting or especially if you're thinking of living there, working remotely or retiring.

[00:08:43] Miles: Makes sense? You need amenities, a bit of life

[00:08:46] Alessia: Right? So every place they picked has that comfortable climate, an average daytime summer feels like temp well below the national average, but also offers something more.

[00:09:03] Miles: Let's hear about some of these places.

[00:09:04] Alessia: We've got 10 examples here, showcasing the diversity from north to south.

[00:09:09] Miles: Great. Where do we start? Way up north.

[00:09:11] Alessia: Yep. Starting with the northern alpine escapes.

[00:09:14] First up Courmeyeur. It's in the Valle d'Aosta region.

[00:09:18] Miles: Oh, right at the foot of Mont Blanc, isn't it?

[00:09:20] Alessia: Exactly. And its average summer apparent temperature, just 20 degrees Celsius.

[00:09:26] Miles: That's pleasant.

[00:09:26] Alessia: Really pleasant, crisp mountain air, amazing hiking, those views of Italy's highest peaks. It started as a 17th century alpine village. Now it's quite a chic resort.

[00:09:38] Miles: Sounds ideal for an active escape or maybe even a scenic place to live if you love the mountains

[00:09:43] Alessia: Definitely. Next, over in Lombardi we have Bormio. Average Tempe is even slightly cooler, 19.7 degrees Celsius.

[00:09:54] Miles: Bormio isn't that famous for spas?

[00:09:56] Alessia: It is. It's a spa town in the Valtellina Alps. People have been going there for the thermal bass since Roman times

[00:10:04] Miles: ancient wellness, and you mentioned a ski vibe.

[00:10:07] Alessia: Yeah, it's right in Stelvio National Park. You can actually soak in outdoor hot springs even in July. Imagine that.

[00:10:13] Miles: That sounds amazing. Great for a wellness trip or maybe for a family looking for something different in summer.

[00:10:18] Alessia: Absolutely. Then let's head slightly east to South Tyrol near the Austrian border. Vipiteno or Sterzing as it's also known

[00:10:28] Miles: Vipiteno. How's the temperature there?

[00:10:30] Alessia: Very comfortable. Average is 21.3 degrees Celsius. It's this beautiful medieval town, one of Italy's northern most small cities actually.

[00:10:40] Miles: And pretty you said?

[00:10:41] Alessia: Oh, yeah. Officially, one of the most beautiful villages of Italy. Think pastel colored streets. A medieval clock tower, all surrounded by stunning alpine scenery.

[00:10:53] Miles: A really charming, livable option maybe for someone who likes history and comfort.

[00:10:57] Alessia: Very appealing, if you want that alpine feel, but in a proper small town.

[00:11:01] Miles: Moving south down the Appennines, altitude becomes the big factor here.

[00:11:05] Alessia: Altitude is definitely king in the central and southern Appennine havens. First one Abetone in Tuscany.

[00:11:12] Miles: Tuscany, but cool.

[00:11:13] Alessia: Average temp is 19.7 degrees C . It's a small mountain village, also a ski station up in the Tuscan Emilian Appennines. It sits at 1,388 meters.

[00:11:26] Miles: That's quite high. What's it like in summer?

[00:11:28] Alessia: Deliciously cool summers . Lots of forests, great hiking trails. Italians themselves drive up there in August just to breathe the pine scented air.

[00:11:38] Miles: That's always a good sign when the locals head there to escape the heat. Sounds like a great spot for a summer home.

[00:11:43] Alessia: Now shifting over to Abruzzo.

[00:11:45] Miles: Pescasseroli, Abruzzo, that's known for its national parks, isn't it? Wild landscapes.

[00:11:50] Alessia: This charming town is right in Abruzzo's highlands. it's actually the capital of a Bru so's oldest national park founded way back in 1923. Famous for it home to bears and wolves. Perfect for hiking, wildlife spotting

[00:12:07] Miles: Sounds amazing for nature lovers, maybe for families wanting that connection to wild Italy or retirees seeking peace and quiet

[00:12:16] Alessia: Definitely. Now down into Molise. Campobasso

[00:12:20] Miles: In Molise. Okay. One of Italy's lesser known regions, perhaps

[00:12:24] Alessia: It is, but Campobasso is interesting. It's a small city, about 700 meters elevation with a medieval castle. The average summer temp is 25 degrees C.

[00:12:35] Miles: So a bit warmer than the others, but still comfortable

[00:12:37] Alessia: It's noticeably cooler in August than say down in Puglia near the coast, or certainly Rome. It might not be a major tourist hub, but that combination of comfortable summer weather and reportedly some bargain real estate prices, it's making it increasingly attractive.

[00:12:55] Miles: So a practical choice maybe for expats or retirees looking south

[00:12:59] Alessia: a smart, stable, long-term base, potentially.

[00:13:02] Miles: Okay. What about Puglia? Known for being pretty hot usually. Are there cool spots even there

[00:13:07] Alessia: There are. Take Monte Sant'Angelo. It's in the Gargano area. Average temp 24 degrees.

[00:13:15] Miles: Monte Sant'Angelo. Sounds familiar. Is there something famous there?

[00:13:18] Alessia: Yes. It has the UNESCO listed Sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo. It's a whitewashed village. Perched at 800 meters

[00:13:27] Miles: Okay, that makes a difference.

[00:13:29] Alessia: Its days are refreshingly mild up there, while the beaches just below are absolutely sweltering. Plus you have the sanctuary. A maze like medieval quarter, it's culture and coolness combined

[00:13:41] Miles: That sounds like a fantastic mix.

[00:13:43] Alessia: It's a unique proposition. Next, let's hop over to Campania

[00:13:49] Miles: Above the Amalfi coast, right?

[00:13:50] Alessia: 600 meters up. They call it the Land of the Gods because the views are just spectacular.

[00:13:56] Average temp, 24.3 degrees C,

[00:13:58] Miles: The Land of the Gods and cooler than the coast itself, I bet.

[00:14:01] Alessia: It's famous for its farms, especially its fiordilatte cheese, that delicate, fresh mozzarella that thrives in the cooler mountain air.

[00:14:12] Miles: So you get the views, the breeze, the cheese, and you're still just a short drive from the sea.

[00:14:17] Alessia: It's a refreshing escape from the intensity down on the coast.

[00:14:21] Miles: Okay, we've covered the mainland north to south. What about the islands? Sicily. Sardinia, notoriously hot in summer. Are there cool refuges there too?

[00:14:30] Alessia: Believe it or not? Yes. Yeah. Even Italy's hottest islands have their cooler corners usually high up. Let's start with Sicily

[00:14:38] Miles: Gangi, Sicily.

[00:14:40] Alessia: It's a historic hilltop medieval village up at thousand meters elevation in Sicily's Madonie mountains average temp 25.7 degrees

[00:14:53] Miles: A thousand meters in Sicily. That must feel different

[00:14:56] Alessia: Completely different. It's known for its Baroque architecture, but it also became famous as a poster child for Italy's one euro home scheme.

[00:15:06] Miles: Oh, the one Euro houses.

[00:15:08] Alessia: Over a hundred crumbling houses were given away, bringing in new life, new businesses, so you get panoramic views, traditional charm and a much, much gentler summer climate than the crowded Sicilian coasts

[00:15:20] Miles: Might even need a light jacket some evenings

[00:15:22] Alessia: You genuinely might. Unheard of down by the sea in August.

[00:15:26] Miles: Amazing. And finally, Sardinia. The, the other famously hot Island

[00:15:31] Alessia: Sardinia iss highest mountain town, Fonni, it's in the Gennargentu range also at a thousand meters

[00:15:38] Miles: Fonni. What's it known for besides being high up?

[00:15:42] Alessia: Well, it's actually famous for winter snowfalls and for its strong connection to Sardinian folk culture, traditions, costumes.

[00:15:52] Miles: Snow in Sardinia

[00:15:54] Alessia: in summer, it's a cool refuge. While much of Sardinia might be baking at 35 degrees C or more in July. Fonni is likely to be in the pleasant mid twenties

[00:16:04] Miles: Providing a genuinely comfortable summer experience for anyone living there or visiting.

[00:16:08] Ah, that's quite a tour. So it really drives home the point, doesn't it? Whether you're thinking about retirement and need that year round comfort.

[00:16:15] Alessia: Or you're a remote worker looking for a stable, pleasant place to actually focus maybe needing decent internet, which these towns are increasingly getting,

[00:16:26] Miles: Or a family looking for property that doesn't become unbearable for three months of the year.

[00:16:30] Alessia: These kinds of towns offer real practical advantages. They directly tackle that climate comfort question we talked about.

[00:16:37] Miles: It's truly fascinating this shift how climate comfort is becoming almost a key ingredient now in choosing where to travel and especially where to live or. Buy a second home in Italy.

[00:16:48] Alessia: It really is. It's moving beyond just, you know, is the nearest airport convenient or does it have a good cafe?

[00:16:55] Miles: Those things still matter

[00:16:56] Alessia: And while Italy. You know, it'll always be a love for its sunshine. No doubt about that. Definitely a growing number of people are adapting. They're adjusting their plans because global warming is pushing that wonderful sun into, well, sometimes dangerous extremes.

[00:17:18] Miles: Why not pick a town where you can still enjoy all the beauty, the culture, the food,

[00:17:22] Also sleep comfortably at night without blasting the air conditioning 24 7.

[00:17:27] Alessia: That's just smart, isn't it? Maybe more sustainable living too.

[00:17:30] Miles: Makes perfect sense. And you mentioned real estate trends are starting to reflect this.

[00:17:35] Alessia: Yeah. There are hints. Anecdotally, and in some market reports, it seems buyers are factoring climate comfort into their searches and decisions.

[00:17:45] Miles: Those properties in mountain towns, hill towns, maybe places once considered a bit too isolated, or remote.

[00:17:52] Alessia: They're starting to look more attractive, especially as summer bolt holes or even year-round residences for people prioritizing comfort

[00:18:00] Miles: and the local authorities, are they noticing?

[00:18:02] Alessia: They certainly seem to be, you see investments going into infrastructure in some of these areas, perhaps recognizing their growing role as the summer sanctuaries, not just for foreigners, but for Italians escaping the city heat too.

[00:18:15] The key takeaway, I think, is that Italy offers options within the country. There's a real spectrum, if you prefer milder summers, those options definitely exist.

[00:18:26] Miles: Whether it's that spa holiday up in the Alps or a cultural tour visiting high altitude shrines, or maybe a serious retirement plan in a breezy Appennine hill town.

[00:18:38] Alessia: These cooler zones are genuinely stepping into the spotlight now,

[00:18:42] Miles: and you can even see it in the language people use online, can't you?

[00:18:45] Alessia: Oh, yeah. Check out travel forums, property listings, you'll see keywords popping up, like seeking summer home above 500 meter elevation, or looking for milder summers, maybe north of Rome.

[00:19:01] Miles: As we start to wrap this up, the main message seems to be chasing a coolcation in Italy doesn't mean you have to give up on the essence of Italy. You don't lose the gelato or those incredible sunsets or the joy of just, you know, sitting in a piazza and watching the world go by.

[00:19:16] Alessia: Absolutely not. It just means maybe picking the right piazza, where there's still a gentle breeze blowing even in August.

[00:19:25] Miles: Now, if listening to this has got you thinking, maybe spark some curiosity about finding your own cool spot in Italy

[00:19:32] Alessia: And you wanna go beyond just these 10 examples,

[00:19:35] Miles: then Magic Towns Italy has developed something really usable. It's a fantastic town explorer tool on their website.

[00:19:42] Alessia: It's quite powerful.

[00:19:43] Miles: You can jump in and play with the data yourself. Compare different towns based on climate metrics, like it feels like temperature.

[00:19:49] Alessia: Elevations, sunshine, hours, all sorts of things.

[00:19:53] Miles: So if you're curious, say about which specific Tuscan village gets the most summer breeze, or you wanna see how different Southern Italian towns really stack up in terms of daytime comfort

[00:20:04] Alessia: Filter and search for exactly that kind of information.

[00:20:08] Miles: Really drill down and and find places that suit your personal comfort zone, your specific needs.

[00:20:15] Alessia: Whether that perfect spot for you is a medieval borgo that reliably stays below 25 degrees seed in summer.

[00:20:23] Miles: Or maybe a lakeside town known for having cool nights, which might be great for a family.

[00:20:28] Alessia: This tool is genuinely designed to help you make smarter choices, really tailored to what you're looking for.

[00:20:34] Miles: So go ahead. Maybe start planning your own Italian coolcation, or researching that dream move with a bit more confidence.

[00:20:40] Alessia: Your future self will thank you.