Have you ever dreamt of moving to a remote European town, living out your days drinking wine and soaking up the sun? Well, one region in Italy is offering up the opportunity – and paying you to do it!
If you haven’t already seen the €1 houses for sale in Italy, or taken advantage of some of the free holidays that they’ve been dishing out, now’s your chance.
The region of Calabria in the South-West of Italy is stepping up the game by offering up $33,000 (€28,000) to anyone willing to move to its remote towns and villages.
If you’re up for the move, you will have to commit to a new life in villages with a population of around 2,000. You’ll also receive a monthly income from the Italian government, on the condition that you’ll either start a business or take up a local profession.
The scheme is designed to help combat the dwindling populations and breathe some life back into these beautiful towns. And according to CNN, they couldn’t be more picturesque. You can have your pick of mountain views, green countryside, or coastal living – these villages truly offer it all!
Speaking to CNN, Gianluca Gallo (a regional councillor), went into detail about how the “active residency income” would be distributed. According to Gallo, new residents will be given between €800-€1000 a month for up to three years. Additionally, funding support would be discussed for those wishing to launch their own commercial businesses, such as B&Bs, restaurants and bars.
Gallo also addressed the existing schemes already employed to help breathe life back into rural Italy, adding “we want this to be an experiment of social inclusion. Draw people to live in the region, enjoy the settings, spruce up unused town locations such as conference halls and convents with high-speed internet. Uncertain tourism and the one euro houses are not the best ways to revamp Italy’s south.”
Around €700,000 has already been earmarked to use for the scheme, and Gallo is confident that it’ll work. He noted that they had already had a lot of interest from villages wanting to be involved, and if the scheme works it’ll be likely that similar schemes will launch in the coming years.
Although this sounds like a dreamy opportunity, it does come with a catch (or two)! Applicants must be under 40, and willing to relocate within 90 days of being accepted onto the scheme. So, if you always wanted to start afresh on the Mediterranean coast and have your Donna Sheridan (Mamma Mia) moment, now’s your chance!