What sets Italy apart - never mind its enormous cultural stock of stunning monuments and 53 UNESCO World Heritage Sites - is its prime sector, where for once there is plenty of stock available. This means the sector is a buyer's market, where luxury properties are in high demand.

As one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, Italy enjoys year-round tourism for most of the country, but especially in Rome. High quality of life means that many people want to relocate here, not just purchase a holiday apartment in Rome or a villa in Tuscany. Despite the evident recovery, the number of transactions remains around 39% below their 2006 peak and prime prices are still 30% below their 2008 high.