Research · 11 March 2026
What makes Italy and Emilia-Romagna attractive
Four hundred and twenty-eight Italians living abroad, across Europe, Australia and the United States: what keeps them where they are, what could bring them back to Italy, and what would bring them to Emilia-Romagna.
Editorial bites
- Those who left are not planning to return: the intention to move back to Italy stops at 3.3 out of 7.
- Work and pay are what keep them abroad. Parks, culture and healthcare are what could bring them to Emilia-Romagna.
- The idea of moving to Emilia-Romagna (3.9) beats that of returning to Italy in general (3.3).
- 15.8% skip the questions on Emilia-Romagna against 2.5% on Italy: many simply do not know what the region has to offer.
- Bologna is the first choice, but a small town only appeals if it sits on the coast or in the mountains.
A research report by OPERA, the research unit of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, using validated quality-of-place scales. The profiles by continent, the differences between students and workers and the scores for each factor are in the complete document.