From Milan’s fashion quarters to the sun-soaked cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, AMC handles moving to Italy door-to-door. We pack your household goods in Ireland, transit them safely across Europe, and coordinate local delivery even into ZTL (limited-traffic) zones common in Italian cities.
Italy isn't one country so much as a collection of regions that happen to share a language. Life in Milan is nothing like life in rural Puglia. Life in Florence is nothing like life in Naples. Where you land shapes everything: the cost of living, the work opportunities, the pace, the bureaucracy you'll face, and how long it takes to feel at home.
The Irish who move to Italy broadly split into a few groups. Here's where they tend to end up, and why.
The capital, and the most common landing spot for Irish people arriving without a fixed plan. Rome is genuinely international, has a large expat community, and has enough English spoken in professional settings to make the first year manageable before the Italian kicks in. It's not cheap. Central Rome rents are among the highest in Italy, but it's far cheaper than Dublin. The Vatican, English-language media, international schools, and a well-worn expat infrastructure make it the path of least resistance for a first Italian move.
For career-first moves: finance, fashion, design, tech, pharmaceuticals. Milan is Italy's economic centre and operates at a pace closer to northern European cities than the Italian south. It's the most expensive city in Italy, the most international, and the one where Italian language skills matter least at the beginning. If you're arriving with a job, Milan. If you're arriving without one, Rome or somewhere smaller gives you more runway financially.
Retirement, lifestyle, and the arts. Florence has one of the largest English-speaking expat communities in Italy (American, British, Irish), built around the university sector and the art world. Tuscany broadly attracts people who've run their numbers and decided they'd rather have a farmhouse near Siena than a semi-detached in South Dublin. Property values have climbed in recent years but remain significantly below comparable Irish rural property.
A city that comes up repeatedly among Irish people who've done their research. It's a university city (one of the oldest in the world), which makes it young, culturally active, and affordable relative to Rome and Milan. The food is better than both (this is a hill Bolognesi will die on). Good train connections north and south. Worth considering if you don't need to be in a capital.
The real value is in the south. Naples, Bari, Palermo, Lecce are cities with culture, food, coast, and cost of living that feels almost implausible by Irish standards. The tradeoff is real: bureaucracy moves slower, infrastructure is patchier, and building an expat community from scratch is harder than in Rome or Milan. But for people who specifically want to live Italian life rather than expat life, the south delivers it more purely.
Several Italian municipalities in depopulated southern and rural areas have run programmes offering properties for as little as €1 for buyers who commit to renovating and residing. Molise, Calabria, and Sicily have all had versions of these schemes. The devil is always in the detail that includes renovation costs, bureaucratic requirements, and the realities of rural Italian life are significant. But if you've seen this in the news and it's what brought Italy onto your radar, it's worth researching. We have moved people to some genuinely remote corners.
Dublin to Rome is roughly 2,800 km by road. Dublin to Milan is about 2,200 km. It's a long haul, and the Italian side of the Alps adds complexity for northern destinations. Here's how the move typically works.
Your belongings share a truck with other shipments heading south. Collected in Ireland, consolidated, driven through the UK, across France, through Switzerland or along the Mediterranean coast, and delivered to your Italian door. Groupage is the right option for studio flats, one or two-bedroom apartments, or anyone not moving a full house.
Timeline: 10-18 days from collection. Italy is further than Spain or Portugal, and groupage depends on enough volume heading in the same direction to fill a truck.
Your own truck, your own timeline. The right choice for 3-bedroom houses or larger, or when your move date is fixed and you can't wait on a groupage schedule. Faster (typically 7-10 days to most Italian cities) and more expensive.
Less common for Ireland-Italy given the road option is competitive, but available. A container from Cork or Dublin to Civitavecchia (Rome's port) or Genoa takes 3-5 weeks. Makes sense for very large moves where timeline is flexible and budget is the priority, or when shipping a vehicle and want to keep costs contained.
One thing specific to Italy: historic city centres (Rome, Florence, Bologna, Naples, Siena) often have severe access restrictions for trucks. ZTL zones (Zona a Traffico Limitato) restrict vehicle access to historic areas, sometimes entirely. Deliveries inside ZTL zones require either a permit or breaking the move into smaller vehicle legs. If you're moving into a historic city-centre address, tell us at the survey stage. We plan for this.
Italy is an EU member. Moving household effects from Ireland (also EU) is relatively clean. Used personal belongings and household goods you've owned for 6+ months are generally exempt from import duties and VAT when moving your primary residence.
What you'll need:
Items that are new, in original packaging, or commercially purchased are not covered. Declare them separately.
Important note specific to Italy: Italian customs can request that the shipment owner be physically present at the point of customs clearance before goods are released. This doesn't always happen, but it does happen. If you're flying to Italy separately from your belongings, make sure you're reachable and can travel to the port or depot if needed.
Vehicles require a separate import process and are not covered by household goods relief. See below.
Italy's vehicle import process is more involved than most. The costs depend on the vehicle, and the paperwork involves several agencies. Here's the plain version.
What happens when you import a car:
The practical process involves a motorizzazione civile (vehicle licensing office), your comune (local council), and often a patronato or CAF office that handles the paperwork for you. Budget a few hundred euros in administrative fees on top of any taxes.
A number of Irish people moving to Italy sell their car before leaving and buy locally. Italian used car prices are broadly comparable to Irish prices, and you avoid the re-registration process, the IPT, and the uncertainty of whether your particular car will pass revisione.
If you're bringing the car, AMC can transport it as part of your removal or separately. We quote for vehicles alongside household goods.
Both Ireland and Italy are EU countries. The process is more straightforward than moving a pet outside the EU, but there are specifics.
Your pet needs:
Italy follows standard EU pet import rules. There's no quarantine for pets arriving from other EU member states with the correct documentation.
Dogs also require tapeworm treatment in some circumstances. Confirm with your vet before travel, as requirements can be updated.
Italy doesn't have nationwide breed-specific legislation for dogs, but some regions and municipalities do. If you have a breed that's sometimes restricted (Rottweiler, pit bull type, Doberman), check local rules for the region you're moving to.
Pets travel by air to Italy: in the cabin for small animals, as cargo for larger dogs. AMC doesn't transport live animals directly, but we can recommend specialist pet relocation services we've worked alongside.
Italy has a reputation for bureaucracy. It's deserved, but not as bad as the reputation suggests if you know the sequence.
This is a practical overview, not legal advice. For complex tax or visa situations, use a professional who knows both Irish and Italian law.
Your Italian tax ID. You need it for nearly everything: opening a bank account, signing a lease, setting up utilities, registering a vehicle, accessing healthcare. Apply at the Italian consulate in Dublin before you leave. This is the fastest route. You can also apply at an Agenzia delle Entrate office on arrival in Italy, but the Dublin application takes this off your plate before you're trying to manage the rest of the move simultaneously.
If you're staying longer than 3 months, you need to register your residency at the local Comune (town council). Bring your passport, proof of address, codice fiscale, and proof of income or employment (or sufficient funds). You'll receive a certificato di residenza. This is the document that unlocks everything else: health registration, driving licence conversion, residency-based discounts on public services.
If you're moving from Ireland but keeping Irish citizenship and staying in Italy long-term, you should register with AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all'Estero). This is for Italian citizens abroad, so only relevant if you or your family have Italian citizenship or dual nationality. Otherwise, skip this.
EU citizens registered as Italian residents are entitled to use the SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), Italy's public health system. Register at your local ASL (Azienda Sanitaria Locale) with your residency certificate and codice fiscale. Italy's public healthcare is genuinely good in the north and centre; variable in quality in the south. Many expats supplement with private health insurance, particularly for faster specialist access.
Irish driving licences are EU licences and are valid in Italy. If you establish Italian residency, you'll eventually need to exchange your Irish licence for an Italian one. There's a reciprocal agreement that allows for direct exchange without retesting. Do this at a motorizzazione civile office.
You'll need one. The process varies: some banks (Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, BNL) are straightforward for new residents with a codice fiscale. N26 and Revolut's Italian accounts also work as a bridging option while you sort residency. For rural areas, the local Banco di Credito Cooperativo is often the most practical option.
Italy is a longer run than Spain or Portugal. That adds time and cost, particularly for dedicated trucks crossing the Alps or taking the southern coastal route. These figures are a guide; your quote depends on a survey.
Prices are for road freight, collection in Ireland, delivery to Italy. Packing service, vehicle transport, and specialty items (pianos, antiques) are quoted separately.
If your Italian address is inside a ZTL zone or involves access restrictions, we may need to quote for a shuttle vehicle from a nearby depot. Flag this at the survey stage.
A. Costs depend on volume, access (many Italian old towns have narrow streets), and time of year. Request an obligation-free survey for an accurate price.
A. Groupage: 10-18 days from collection. Dedicated truck: 7-10 days. Sea freight: 3-5 weeks.
A. We can deliver close to most ZTL boundaries. For addresses inside restricted zones, we use a shuttle vehicle to complete the final leg. This adds some time and cost but is manageable. Tell us the address at the survey stage and we'll plan accordingly.
A. Very common in historic buildings. We assess access at the survey and bring the right number of people and equipment. Narrow staircases slow delivery down but don't stop it. The main impact is time — and occasionally, for very large furniture pieces, a decision about whether they go up the stairs or don't come at all.
A. We'll call you 24-48 hours before delivery. If your Italian address isn't ready, storage is available in Ireland. Let us know at booking and we'll hold the shipment until you're set up.
A. Yes, or someone you trust. We won't leave goods at an unattended address. If you're flying over separately from your belongings, coordinate the delivery date to one where you're on the ground.
A. Book a survey. In-person if you're in Leinster, video call if you're elsewhere in Ireland. We assess the volume, go through your options, and send a written quote within 48 hours.
A. Yes. We arrange ZTL permits or trans-shipment vans when trucks can’t enter city centres.
A. Absolutely. Boxes, wardrobe cartons, and tape can be delivered a week or more before move-out. See our various packing materials & sizes here.
A. Transport and packing fees are payable before departure; storage is billed monthly.
A. You can, but self-packed cartons are not covered by insurance. Professional packing ensures full cover.
A. We can store goods short-term in Naas or in our Italian partner warehouse.
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