Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
01 Calabria Mountain villages
The ‘Reddito di Residenza Attiva’ project pays residents €20,000 ($22,000) to relocate to mountainous locations in Calabria with tiny populations below 3,000.
A requirement for applicants includes relocation of residence to the community while establishing a business enterprise. People who relocate their residence to mountain villages in Calabria can obtain a grant worth €1,000 ($1,100).
02 Emilia Romagna
Groups consisting of people younger than 40 who work and reside in small towns throughout Emilia Romagna can secure a non-repayable aid of up to €30,000 (approximately $33,000). The incentive is intended for working professionals along with families to raise population numbers in sparsely inhabited parts of the region.
03 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.
04 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.
05 Samo and Precacore
You’ll get the thrill of living in two ancient hamlets simultaneously here.
The original Greeks discovered Samo as their “harbor” while seeking protection on the hills not distant from the coastline. Precacore stands as the best attraction of Samo which emerged straight across the valley in front of the settlement.
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.
06 Molise
The town of Molise in Italy initiated their own proposal which started in September of 2020.
Under this program people who establish businesses within villages with low populations receive monthly payments of €700 (approximately USD 855) for a duration extending to three years at maximum (totaling USD 27,000 in relocation benefits).
There are about 100 villages that are currently underpopulated as much of the population moves to larger cities to look for work.
07 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.
08 Sardinia villages
Home ownership support through grants exists for Sardinian house renovation projects. Sardinia provides non-returnable grant funding to people who decide to purchase homes in towns of under 3,000 residents as well as those who choose to renovate such residences.
All recipients need to establish established residency within 18 months after making their residential purchase. The program actively supports rural area repopulation by offering improved living conditions to residents.
09 Candela
The town of Candela became known as “La Piccola Napoli” after which it lost all but 2,700 people. The town provided a payment of 800 euros as an individual benefit or couples could receive up to €2,000 with children who decided to relocate 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.
10 Bova
Local folklore claims that an Armenian queen constructed this settlement on cow pastures on a mountain slope and thus the settlement acquired its name from Italian terminology for cattle.
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.
11 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.
12 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.
13 San Donato di Ninea
Dating back to Greek colonization, this charming village lies in the deepest area of Calabria’s Pollino National Park.
Before the 1970s only locals from Calabria were familiar with this distant location on the hills. From the peaks one can admire the confluence of the two regional waters which meet at the Ionian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea.
This untouched and pristine location is home to many wild animals and plants and is considered one of Italy’s top wilderness reserves.
