More People Leave Cities for Cool Mountain Life in Italy
Listen to the story
A growing number of people in Italy are leaving big cities to live in the Apennine mountains, where summers are cooler. Rising temperatures in cities have made hot weather harder to bear, and many people are choosing a different way of life.
The Apennines are a mountain range that runs through much of Italy. More tourists are now visiting these areas, and the number of new full-time residents is also increasing. People are moving there both for holidays and for a permanent home.
One resident explained the move simply: 'This is how we protect ourselves from the climate.' The comment reflects growing concern about extreme heat and how it affects daily life, especially in crowded cities.
This trend is part of a wider pattern across Italy. In the northern region of Lombardy, tourism is also increasing, with more bookings for hotels and accommodation. Even Milan, a major city known for business rather than nature, is becoming a more popular destination for visitors.
Together, these changes suggest that Italians are rethinking where they spend their summers. As cities become harder to bear in the heat, the mountains offer a cooler and quieter alternative. Experts believe this pattern could continue if summer temperatures keep rising.
For many, the shift is not only about escaping heat but also about seeking a healthier and calmer lifestyle away from busy urban centres.
Vocabulary10 words
- Apennine
- relating to a long mountain range in Italy
- tourists
- people travelling to visit a place
- residents
- people who live in a place permanently
- climate
- the usual weather pattern of a place over time
- region
- a large area within a country
- Lombardy
- a northern region of Italy
- bookings
- arrangements made in advance to stay somewhere
- Milan
- a large, important city in northern Italy
- alternative
- another option or choice
- urban
- relating to cities, not the countryside
Quiz
Answer key
1. To escape hot city summers 2. Tourism and hotel bookings are increasing 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A growing number of people in Italy are leaving big cities to live in the _____ mountains, where summers are _____.
The Apennines are a mountain range that runs through much of Italy. More _____ are now visiting these areas, and the number of new full-time _____ is also increasing.
One resident explained the move simply: 'This is how we protect ourselves from the _____.'
In the northern _____ of _____, tourism is also increasing, with more _____ for hotels and accommodation.
Even _____, a major city known for business, is becoming a more popular destination for visitors.