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Good question  im interested in that too 

Close to the sea with no tourists doesnt exist for at least 2 months a year.

BY major metropolis you mean Rome, Naples, Palermo and possibly Catania.?

If you count Salerno as a metropolis, then down in the Cilento is lovely, Paestum, and that area.

Alternatively at less than an hour from Catania, there's Siracusa, (touristy in Ortigia) less so in the rest of the town, and the surrounding area.  Puglia for me is too touristy unless you're up in the north - Foggia way or inland.   

You need to travel around until you find an area that feels like home, and then zone in.   

I must say your expression, "You need to travel around until you find an area that feels like home, and then zone in," hits the nail on the head! Because we're also considering a small town as a place to live and buy a house. Of course, after the BBC show about houses for 1 euro in Tuscany, there's a temptation to embark on this adventure... but somehow, I feel like we might encounter a lot of problems, even though I'm knowledgeable about repairs and design. As for your advice about Salerno, it's a fantastic find! Have you lived or vacationed there?

I lived in Naples for 5 years and went down there a lot.     Italy is so diverse that you really cant say 'Go to Puglia you'll love it'.   In my case I did the whole of Italy and always ended up going further and further south till I found home.   Even zones are widly different - Campania has everything, but once you get south of Salerno it becomes much more rural, and not what people expect Campania to be like.  Check out the Cilento places lke Palinuro and Caprioli - touristy in the high season but beautiful out of season.  Also inland like San Severino or Laureana cilento if yuo want to be further north.   Obviously what I like might not be what you like, so drive around and youll find the place the feels right. 

I believe that when you reach a certain age, the most important thing is not to find a beautiful place and live there, but to find a place that you like and that has excellent healthcare services nearby. Health is the most essential asset.

I believe that when you reach a certain age, the most important thing is not to find a beautiful place and live there, but to find a place that you like and that has excellent healthcare services nearby. Health is the most essential asset. - @luigigalluccio48

I think its both, you don't want to live in a hellhole with good medical facilities, but you want a mixture.

I am a retired doctor, always a naturalist, living in Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Delta Park, in complete solitude, but a few kilometers away, there are three university hospitals, Padua, Ferrara, Bologna, with completely free assistance. Going to live on a beautiful island, only with God's help, is not for me. Greetings, Luigi

@Mark&Lora

That would be Salerno. It’s a 35 minute train ride to Naples. It’s at the southern end of the Amalfi Coast. Two ports for ferries to Capri, Amalfi Sorrento. Trains down to Cilento for gorgeous beaches and a train down to Sicily which joins a car ferry. Not a whole lot to do in terms of culture, which can be seen in an afternoon, but lots of cafes and restaurants, some theater and a pretty lungomare to walk, hike and watch the world go by. We have a couple of Facebook websites  which you can look up under Salerno. I think you can also contact me directly with any questions.