To unwind from his 12-hour shifts, this doctor splits his year between Kentucky and Venice—he pulls into his $438K apartment by boat

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Every other month, one U.S. doctor trades rugged Appalachia for Venetian waterways to recharge from his hectic work life. And he’s part of a growing trend of American professionals looking for a change of pace in breezy European countries.

Since December 2023, Dr. Alexander Gabrovsky has been splitting his time between his physician job in the U.S. and water-front villa in Italy. And it all started after stumbling across a listing for a porto d’acqua “water door” apartment in Venice; the one-bedroom, two-bath home accessible by boat overlooks a medieval church and local town square. Longing for a slice of tranquil Italian life, he put down an offer €60,000 ($69,000) below the asking price, and within a matter of months, the deal was closed at $438,000.

“It was definitely a spontaneous decision. It was an emotional decision,” Gabrovsky tells Fortune. The Italian city had been a fascination throughout most of his life, and thanks to his flexible job schedule, he finally decided to follow through. “Venice captured my imagination: the history, the art, the lifestyle.”