Gemina's Rome airport's 1.6 bln

A source at the airport said investments are going ahead this year, with works already underway continuing. Previously, AdR has said it is investing 150 mln eur in expansion of Rome airports.

The Il Sole report said the plans include divestment of duty free retail by June this year and maintenance operations by end-2008.

Period apartments Tuscany

Tuscany is one of the most popular locations in the world for British emigration, this too gives another rental opportunity from family members wanting to go out and spend time with their ex-pat relatives. But it is also testament to the many wonderful sights and charming characteristics that Tuscany is world renowned for:

Italy is famous for fine wine and fast cars, but Tuscany's abundance of nothing but period style property gives it a charm all of its own. Its Mediterranean climate and world class beaches are also attractions to tourists and property investors from around the world.

MIPIM, the World’s Property Market, is set to welcome a record number of real estate professionals

Italy will notably be represented by Pirelli and Risanamento, the two heavyweights of Italian real estate development, and by the cities of Milan, Torino, Venice and Florence. Bologna will also be present and exhibit an ambitious urban regeneration project, focusing on the renovation of a former Ministry of Defence site with a total surface area of 835,000 m².

History, geography - and value

The coastal hinterland is less well known and less expensive. Venture a few kilometres inland from Pesaro and Fano and you find an astonishingly unspoilt landscape. Forests rise on the slopes of the Appenines looking more akin to Tuscany or Umbria but with the added bonus of the sea a short drive away.

And for buyers seeking a classic Italian farmhouse, or casolare , there are still bargains to be had. About €100,000 will buy a 100 sq metre unrenovated stone farmhouse with panoramic views about 20 minutes from the sea. Compare that to Tuscany, where one-bedroom apartments in renovated farm complexes sell for between €150,000 and €160,000.

Bank of Italy sees big risks to euro zone growth

"It is possible that new difficulties on financial and real estate markets, particularly in the United States, lead to a steeper than expected slowdown in many economies, which would be reflected in a marked slowdown in world demand," the BOI said.
It noted the ECB's staff forecasts in December anticipated that "world demand would even show a slight acceleration".

Italy chases Spain as the favourite country for investment

Recent figures from Foreign Currency Direct property portal, show that overall enquiries from November for Italy were 19% of the total market with only Spain more at 27%.

Continued Linda,” There has been an initial surge of interest in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe but this tends to lead to speculation buying and with it comes inherent risks. Interestingly, figures show that the market has now turned on its head and reverted back to investors looking for established countries such as Italy where there is a track record of capital growth and rental returns.