Living (with) abroad in Tuscany

Paul and Lucy Spadoni periodically live in Tuscany to explore Paul’s Italian roots, practice their Italian and enjoy “la dolce vita.” Paul is the author of "An American Family in Italy: Living La Dolce Vita without Permission," an Amazon bestseller. All work is copyrighted and may not be reprinted without written permission from the author, who can be contacted at www.paulspadoni.com

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Wisdom on self-acceptance from a daughter who is beautiful in every way

This message has nothing to do with our Italian adventures, but it is too important to not pass on. At times like this, I wish I had a broad...

Friday, May 9, 2025

Lucy and I are snagged by the transit police on the Firenze tram

After nearly 25 years of both visiting and living part-time in Italy with spotless records, we were nabbed for not validating our transport ...

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Life as a foreigner and single woman in Italy is not all “la dolce vita”

Some years ago, I wrote a couple of blog entries (see links below) about what it was like to be a female foreigner in Italy, with knowledge ...

Monday, April 14, 2025

Chestnuts, once essential for survival, now just a thorn in my life

Chestnut trees and their fruit have been a vital part of Tuscan culture probably since the dawn of humanity. Lucy and I learned about the im...

Saturday, April 5, 2025

Our search for a physical therapist in Italy is a grand success

Lucy has her cast checked while in Gig Harbor in February. We are currently in the middle of our second encounter as official members of the...

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Driving in Italian cities without GPS not recommended!

We're home! Enjoying our other life again in Montecarlo, Toscana. Dang, how did anyone get anywhere in Italy before GPS? We arrived in F...

Thursday, February 27, 2025

40 years after a harrowing aerial crash, my friend the pilot and the lady who administered aid find some closure

All of my hobbies, skills and interests combined dramatically recently to produce a fascinating and satisfying result. They thrust me smack ...

Saturday, January 4, 2025

A message to my grandchildren . . .

What is it like to be a parent and a grandparent? What is the one thing that is most important to a person of my age? I’ll try to explain t...

Thursday, October 17, 2024

Wrapping up our most social excursion abroad . . .

On the top of El Castellot near Ferhan's school. Our most recent soggiorno in Montecarlo has come to an end, and it has been different ...

Monday, October 7, 2024

Our first doctor's office visit goes well

We reached another milestone today, our first doctor’s appointment under the Italian health care system. I enrolled us in the system a few ...

Thursday, September 26, 2024

With so many incredible Tuscan restaurants, it’s hard to pick a favorite

Montecarlo has more than a dozen restaurants, all of five-star quality. I wish we had the budget to dine out more often, but we don’t. Besid...

Saturday, September 21, 2024

One more small step: Enrollment in the Italian health care system

After dragging my feet for a few years, I have finally enrolled in the Italian health care system. Lucy and I have divided our lives between...

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About Me

Paul and Lucy Spadoni: First off, before you hassle me about our title, Lucy thought of it. Yes, I know some people may think broad is derogatory, but the etymology is uncertain and she doesn’t find it offensive, and it made me laugh. We have been married since 1974 and are empty-nesters now, which allows me to bring my submerged Italophilia into the open. We first came to live in Italy from February-April in 2011 and have returned during the same months every year. From 2011-2015, we lived in San Salvatore, at the foot of the hilltop city Montecarlo, where my paternal grandparents were born, raised and, in 1908, married. In late 2015, we bought a home in Montecarlo. We come for a variety of purposes: We want to re-establish contact with distant cousins in both Nonno’s and Nonna’s families, we want to learn the language and see what it is like to live as Italians in modern Italy, we like to travel and experience different cultures. Even if we aren’t successful at achieving these purposes, we love Italy and enjoy every moment here, so there is no chance we will be disappointed. I am grateful to God for giving me a wife who is beautiful, clever, adaptable and willing to jump into my dreams wholeheartedly.

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