Both born and bred in Milan, Cinzia’s childhood memories are of her visits to her grandparents from Ferrara and Sovana to Sarteano. Sarteano in particular had always been the special place where, as a child she felt surrounded by kindness and evenings were spent in the local parks. These memories have never faded. Although she built a happy family in Milan with Giovanni, she had always harboured the desire to be able to actually live one day in the places she loved so much.

The turning point

The change came when Giovanni’s work transfer opened up new possibilities. First they bought a small house in Chiusi and then made the final move to Sarteano in a beautiful house they found thanks to the help of estate agent, Immobiliare Morgantini. Not even the pandemic was able to stop the project: Giovanni stayed there during lockdown and was later joined by Cinzia, who with the help of local friends and acquaintances soon found a job.

The new house in Sarteano

The new house in Sarteano stands in peaceful, yet not isolated surroundings, a stone’s throw from the town square. It is above all “tailor-made”: an open-plan living area, bedroom, bathroom, utility room, a mezzanine floor transformed into a home cinema and a tiny private garden to play in with Jack, their puppy, who now feels he’s a true “Tuscan”. «A smaller house means less time looking after it and more time to experience the area – they say– and that personal benefit has an invaluable value in how we spend the day. We want to thank Immobiliare Morgantino for helping us find our perfect dream home.

However, the real benefit of living in Sarteano for Cinzia and Giovanni are the human relationships and understanding in the workplace: «The Milan work climate is rapid, impersonal, where everyone goes head down “in a rush” – Cinzia explains. In Sarteano the workplace is also a space to live in: colleagues know people and there is more help and understanding when you need leave or flexibility» Relationships with other people and the feeling of being a part and accepted has been essential. “Community” social relations, meetings, greetings, jokes – has made daily life lighter and less alienating.

It wasn’t easy, but it was possible

Moving house at the age of 50 was not a decision they took lightly: work, family and personal past all had strong links with Milan. Giulia and Giovanni’s (not forgetting Jack’s!) story is first and foremost a tale of courage and weighing things up that made a dream come true. It shows that life in a city is not the be all and end all and that happiness can come from unconventional choices: by focusing on personal serenity, assessing the space with honesty and not waiting too long to live the life you want.

Sometimes a tiny house, a mezzanine, a garden for Jack and the right community is just what you need to start again and breathe. Sarteano makes all this possible.