13 Italian Villages that Will Pay You Up To $30,000 To Move There

Calabria Mountain villages

The ‘Reddito di Residenza Attiva’ project in Calabria offers up to €20,000 ($22,000) to those willing to move to small towns in mountainous areas with fewer than 3,000 inhabitants. Applicants must move their residency to the community and open a business. A grant of €1,000 ($1,100) is also available for remote workers who move to Calabria’s mountain villages.

Emilia Romagna

In Emilia Romagna, those under 40 living and working in small towns can obtain a non-repayable grant of up to €30,000 ($33,000). This incentive is designed for young professionals and families to boost residents in the less populated areas of the region.

Civita

At first, even Italian speakers might feel a little lost here. Locals speak a weird-sounding Slavic dialect called Arbereshe.

Perched on a rocky cliff within the wild Pollino National Park, once inhabited by bandits and outlaws, this tiny hamlet of barely 1,000 people is what “authentic” Calabria is all about. Old houses are connected by circular narrow alleys dubbed “wrinkles” and have scary-looking chimneys believed to keep evil at bay.

Abruzzo

Nature-rich Abruzzo will pay families to move to villages.

The central region of Abruzzo is paying families €2,500 ($2,750) a year to move to villages in mountain areas with fewer than 3,000 inhabitants. At least one family member must transfer their residency to the community and reside there for at least 5 years.

Samo and Precacore

You’ll get the thrill of living in two ancient hamlets simultaneously here.

Samo was founded by ancient Greeks looking for shelter on the hills but not too far from the shore, turning the village into their “harbor.” The best part of Samo is its sister-ghost hamlet of Precacore, rising right in front over the valley. From Samo’s main piazza, a winding road departs uphill to the abandoned district. Hikers, tourists and descendants of former families flock here to admire the Greek-Byzantine ruins.

Molise

Now, Molise, Italy, is proposing a similar offer that began in September 2020.

The region, which lies east of Rome, is paying people €700 (about $855) a month for up to 3 years (a maximum of $27,000 to move) to people who move to villages with a population of 2,000 residents or fewer and open a business there—the idea being that you’re doing something to enhance the small community. There are about 100 villages that are currently underpopulated as much of the population moves to larger cities to look for work.

Spa town in the Veneto

Spa town in the Veneto will pay you $22,000 to buy a house.

The hamlet of Recoaro Termi in the Veneto is offering grants of €20,000 ($22,000) for those who purchase or restore a property or €200 ($220) a month towards rental costs. Recipients must transfer their residency to the community.

Sardinia villages

The Island Of Sardinia Offers Grants For House Renovations. Sardinia offers non-repayable grants for those who decide to buy or renovate a home in towns with fewer than 3,000 inhabitants. Recipients must register for residency within 18 months of purchasing a property. The scheme hopes to aid the repopulation of rural areas and improve residents’ quality of life.

Candela

It began with the small town of Candela, known as “La Piccola Napoli,” which now has only 2,700 inhabitants. It offered a grant of 800 euros per person and up to €2,000 for couples with children in exchange for moving to this town. Newcomers were required to live inside Candela, rent a house, and have a job with a salary of at least €7,500 a year to be approved for the offer. They were also eligible for future tax credits on city waste disposal, bills, and nurseries.

Bova

Legends say an Armenian queen built this village on a hill where cows grazed – hence the name, which nods to the term “cattle” in Italian (blue).

Known as the region’s “natural balcony” for the mesmerizing coastline scenery, it’s located right on the tip of Italy’s boot close to Sicily, in the heart of “Greek Calabria,” which flourished with settlers from ancient Greece.

Caccuri

This spectacular hilltop castle, built as a lookout post against pirate raids, overlooks a maze of alleys, stone homes, and tiny piazzas.

Throughout centuries, powerful feudal families ruled the village, killing and poisoning each other. Olive groves dot the hills and produce premium extra virgin olive oil. Part of the fortress, featuring high walls and a loggia tower hiding inside a cistern, has been turned into an elegant designer resort.

Sant’Agata del Bianco

A rural vibe survives in this collection of humble peasant dwellings where thick yellowish stone walls and painted green doors whisk tourists back into the past. The entire village and its rough cobble alleys have been neatly restyled. The local “Palmenti Route” trail takes in a network of old wells cut into the rocky ground and once used to make wine.

San Donato di Ninea

Dating back to Greek colonization, this charming village lies in the deepest area of Calabria’s Pollino National Park.

It’s so remote and tucked away on the hills that barely anyone outside Calabria knew it existed until the 1970s. The view from high up on the peaks takes in the region’s two seas: the Ionian and Tyrrhenian. This untouched and pristine location is home to many wild animals and plants and is considered one of Italy’s top wilderness reserves.