Have you ever dreamed of escaping from the United States and moving to Italy to live under the Tuscan sun (or somewhere similar to that)?
Written content by Laura Begley Bloom via Forbes
A village in Italy’s enchanting Abruzzo region might help make it possible with an exciting new initiative that is offering new residents big bucks to relocate and live la dolce vita.
It’s similar to a scheme cooked up a couple of years ago by a U.S. state and a city that paid people big money to move there and work remotely. And over the years, various Italian towns have given away houses for 1 euro each. Now the forward-thinking (and deep-pocketed) village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio in Italy is combining the best of all worlds and offering people up to $52,500 in grants to move there and work—and possibly even set up a business.
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Santo Stefano di Sessanio is a breathtaking medieval village in Italy’s Abruzzo region, set amid mountains and pastures in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga national park. The closest big city is Rome, which is just two hours away. But right now, this little slice of heaven has just 115 residents—and 35% of them are over 65—so the village is looking to lure the next generation.
There are just a few requirements. To be eligible, applicants need to be at least 18 but no older than 40, they need to be a resident of Italy or the EU (or have the ability to become one) and they need to be moving from a place that has more than 2,000 residents.
The town council released details about the new initiative on its website, saying that it is “aimed at attracting new residents” and that its goal is to “give a new demographic boost to the area.”
The village will offer a grant of up to €8,000 a year (or $9,500) for three years, paid monthly—for a total of €24,000 or $28,500. And for someone who wants to launch a business, Santo Stefano will offer a one-time grant of €20,000 ($24,000). That could total as much as $52,500. And just in case that wasn’t enough: They will also provide a place to live with what the council calls “symbolic” (read: cheap) rent. Read more from Forbes.
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