As much as I love living in Vicenza, Italy—and I’d honestly tell anyone (and their mom!) to try living abroad—there are definitely some things here that took me by surprise. Living somewhere is so different from just visiting, and Italy is no exception!
If you’re getting ready for your PCS to Vicenza, Italy let me give you a heads-up: it might not be exactly the fairytale you’ve imagined. Yes, Italy has amazing pizza, delicious gelato, and beautiful scenery everywhere, but everyday life has some unexpected quirks you probably haven’t thought about.
Sure, the Army gives you plenty of info before your move, but I want to share the real, honest details—the stuff I wish someone had told me before we got here. So, grab your coffee, sit back, and let’s dive into the top things you need to know before your Army PCS to Vicenza, Italy!
Want to learn more about your new duty station in Vicenza?
- What I Love About Being Stationed in Italy
- 10+ Best Things to Do in Vicenza, Italy (2025) | Hidden Gems & Insider Tips!
- Top Palladio Landmarks in Vicenza: A UNESCO World Heritage Tour
- Italy by Train: How to Travel by Train in Italy For First Timers
- Driving in Italy: 5+ Important tips You Should Know
I wrote this great piece about 9+Daytrips from Vicenza for Poppin’ Smoke, if you want to learn more about all the traveling you’ll do. Stephanie at Poppin’ Smoke has such a great website filled with resources for you!
Table of Contents
Finding Housing in Vicenza: You Can’t Do It from the States
You won’t be living in traditional military housing when you arrive in Vicenza—at least, not yet. Caserma Ederle is currently building new housing towers, but the project has been ongoing for quite some time.
Instead, you’ll live within the local community. You’ll use the USAG Italy housing office, which provides a database of available homes. Remember, you can’t officially start your housing search until you arrive in Italy.
This means you’ll spend some initial time staying at a hotel on base until you secure your home. It’s not ideal, but knowing this ahead of time helps you plan accordingly.
Neighborhoods in Vicenza For Military Families
Speaking of housing in Vicenza, Italy: there are a lot of great neighborhoods you can choose to live in.
Of course, the availability of these houses depends on what might be on the housing database. Just to give you an example of neighborhoods, here is a running list:
- San Pio X: Close to Caserma Ederle with convenient access to schools, parks, and amenities.
- Bertesinella: Offers a balance of residential convenience and semi-rural charm.
- Camisano Vicentino: Known for its safe, suburban feel, larger homes, and vibrant weekly market.
- Caldogno: A quiet, family-friendly area just north of Vicenza with plenty of local charm.
- Centro Storico: Vicenza’s historic downtown area, full of character, cafes, shops, and vibrant Italian culture.
- Castegnero/Nanto/Bosco di Nanto/Ponte di Nanto/Ponte di Mossano/Villaganzerla: Rural communities perfect for those seeking tranquility, scenic views, and more space.
Transportation Tips for Vicenza
If you don’t have immediate access to a car upon arriving in Vicenza, there are convenient transportation options available. The local bus system is reliable and easy to use, especially with the SVT Vicenza app, which provides real-time schedules and route planning.
There’s also a bus stop located just outside the base, providing easy access to the Centro Storico (historic city center) and the Vicenza train station. This can significantly ease your transportation concerns during your first few months here.
The fun thing about getting on a bus here is that you’ll have to wave the correct bus number down to make it stop, and at the bus stops you’ll find a list of buses that stop at that particular stop.
Caserma Ederle Inn
During your transition you’ll be staying at the Inn on Caserma Ederle. You’ll want to make reservations as soon as possible. Otherwise you might be staying at a hotel just off base. No worries though, the base is super close.
Understanding the Bases (Ederle, Del Din, Miotto)
Let me say this clearly: You CANNOT choose a house before you move to Vicenza Italy
Vicenza has three primary military installations: Caserma Ederle, Del Din, and Miotto. The Army usually assigns most families to Caserma Ederle, but that’s not guaranteed.
I strongly recommend waiting until you’re in lodging and have received confirmation about your base assignment before you commit to a home. My family learned this the hard way—we selected a house too far from my husband’s actual work location because nobody informed us beforehand. Ensure you clarify exactly which base your soldier will be reporting to before finalizing housing plans. This simple step will save you significant stress down the road!
How to Save for Your Vicenza PCS
Let me be clear—living in Vicenza can be expensive, and you’ll need to prepare your finances carefully.
As soon as we learned we’d be moving to Italy, we immediately talked finances. We knew it might mean becoming a one-income household, especially if my job couldn’t transfer or if there weren’t job openings on base (more details on that shortly).
We set a clear goal: save at least $400 every month leading up to the move. I highly recommend doing something similar.
Yes, you’ll have sponsors, but ours weren’t particularly helpful until we actually arrived. No one warned us we’d need another car to get around easily—something essential here. We quickly discovered just how expensive the used car market is compared to Korea, where buying a cheap car right off base was simple and affordable.
Additionally, nobody mentioned we’d face yearly road taxes for owning a vehicle. It was an unexpected expense that caught us off guard.
Rent was another surprise. When landlords learn you’re affiliated with the military, prices tend to rise quickly. Coming from Korea, where our car was only $1,000 and affordable options were abundant, Vicenza was a shock.
Budget carefully and start saving early. Trust me, it’ll make your transition much smoother!
Start a PCS Fund
This extra money helps covers items the military likely won’t move like an RV, large boat or expenses associated with transporting your pets overseas. Plan for these expenses ahead of time to avoid resorting to a credit card on your emergency fund.
You may go from a two-income household to one, and it’ll be hard to find a job
One of the biggest challenges for me after moving here was employment. While not having a traditional job was initially difficult , it provided me the opportunity to explore blogging and content creation, allowing me to pursue my passions fully.
The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in Italy differs significantly from those in Germany or Korea. A common belief here is that employment on base consists of approximately 70% Italians and 30% Americans. This arrangement makes sense, given that we are guests in Italy, and offering employment to locals supports our host country’s economy. So when living in Vicenza Italy just be prepared for this.
However, this means finding stable employment can be challenging for military spouses or family members. Job continuity is also difficult to secure. Despite this, I encourage you to remain open-minded, seek out volunteer opportunities, and pursue alternative paths or passions, recognizing that volunteering, while fulfilling, doesn’t provide financial compensation.
Status Of Forces Agreement?
A status of forces agreement (SOFA) is an agreement between a host country and a foreign nation stationing military forces in that country.
Healthcare in Vicenza: On Base and Italian Facilities
You’ll be assigned to a PCM (Primary Care Manager) while here as there is a clinic on Caserma Ederle. You’ll make an appointment with them and they refer you to an Italian Hospital near Caserma Ederle if needed. I think this is one of the hardest things for people to get used to when they PCS to Vicenza.
My medical needs have led me on a tour of local healthcare spots, including iron transfusions at San Bartolo and visits to Villa Berica, where my OBGYN is based. Italian hospitals vary widely: San Bartolo is functional, straightforward, and gets the job done, while Villa Berica feels more like the luxurious older sibling who’s genuinely nicer, offering comfort and a more pleasant experience overall.
At Villa Berica, there is an incredible bilingual liaison who made a potentially intimidating procedure feel effortless. She translated every step, held my hand (literally and figuratively), and guided me through the entire process. While San Bartolo is adequate and their team of liaisons are amazing, Villa Berica sets a higher bar.
The difference here is that Villa Berica is private and San Bartolo is a part of the public health system.
Embracing Italian Culture and Daily Life
Note that Army Community Services has a whole host of programs to help you get situated in Vicenza. I hope they continue to receive funding for their Italian Language Classes and their Italian Immersion Classes. Please check with them when you get settled after your PCS to Vicenza.
It’s a lot different being a tourist vs. living here
I don’t think people realize how different it is visiting versus living here in Italy. I could go on for days about the differences.
There’s no doubt some romanticism plays a part in the decision to come here and that people have when it comes to Italy. We don’t look beyond the tourist gaze and see how hard life might be for Italians and the immigrants who live here. I like to call it disneyfication of Italy. We tend to get glamourized and don’t look beyond the issues at hand. I feel like it’s important for everyone to understand that people actually live here.
I can guarantee that it’s not as glamorous as it seems for some, we need to understand this and remember during our time here, respect the locals.
Processes are different and slow
Get used to dealing with slow processes during your PCS to Vicenza Italy. Anything from buying a car, renting a house, getting your permesso (hats off to the wonderful lady working in the processing facility) and setting up a bank account. Dealing with going out on the economy– it’s all slow.
Just trying to prepare you for what’s to come. Dealing with any type of bureaucracy is tough. I just want to add that anyone coming here without the help of the military, you are my hero for going through all of the pain points.
Riposo: Get used to different hours
I wrote a great article about Riposo in Italy for Stars and Stripes Europe, that details this.
An important cultural practice in Italy is riposo, a midday break typically occurring between 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. During riposo, many businesses, shops, and services temporarily close their doors, allowing employees to rest and recharge. Understanding and planning around riposo will help ease your daily activities and errands, ensuring smoother adjustments to life in Italy.
Fettucine Alfredo is NOT a thing here
Let’s face it—in America, we’ve Americanized the heck out of Italian food. Dreaming of endless Chicken Parm, garlic bread, and Alfredo-covered fettucine during your PCS to Vicenza? Be warned: asking for these items here might earn you a look—a look so intense you’ll feel every bit of Italian pride piercing your soul. And butter on bread? Don’t even think about it—just quietly embrace the olive oil.
In Italy, dining revolves around fresh, seasonal dishes that reflect what’s locally available. Pasta is an art form here—seriously, there’s practically a master’s degree required to fully appreciate it. Aperitivo and Apericena aren’t just social events; they’re practically a religion.
Want to know more about Aperitivo and Apericena? Check out this article I wrote, yet again for Stars and Stripes Apericini or Aperitivo
The Italian Kiss is a real thing
I wrote about this in my guide to driving in Italy, it’s almost like a rite of initiation that occurs when you PCS to Vicenza Italy and yes your insurance premiums will go up (this is what I mean by saving money for things like this)
No matter how cautious you are driving around Italy, something is bound to happen. We have had more scrapes and bumps occur to our personal vehicle than I care to share.
I white knuckle the steering wheel every damn day, and yell obscenities when going through a roundabout.
Conclusion
There is much more that goes into PCSing to Vicenza, Italy, and I could discuss many nuances at length. However, painting it solely as a fairytale might do you and your family a disservice. It’s essential to conduct thorough research so you and your family can make informed decisions and comfortably transition into life in Italy.
If you have questions or need to chat, please leave a comment below or reach out to me on Instagram. Additionally, remember that USAG Italy offers numerous resources to support you upon arrival, and Army Community Services is always available to assist.
