Calabria is unbelievably beautiful.
A number of gorgeous Italian towns in the region of Calabria are taking steps to bring life back to the area, and they’re willing to pay you to help out. Depopulation is a common problem now in lots of Italian towns from which it’s difficult to commute to the big cities. As the younger generation moves to places like Rome, Naples, and Milan, the average age of the population becomes older.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with having an older population, but it does mean that there is less money coming from young workers available to pump into the town’s economy, and subsequently, things can fall into disrepair. This is why Italian towns like Laurenzana have been in the spotlight recently, offering properties for a mere €1 to anyone who wants to move there. It makes sense because these new owners renovate the properties and bring with them a vitality that helps the town’s economy grow.
However, the towns in question here are taking the bold step of offering travellers cold hard cash to live there. If you live in the town for at least 3 years, you could end up €28,000 wealthier. With populations of just 2,000 people, these towns are in desperate need of new residents, and the location couldn’t be more tempting.
Calabria is seriously gorgeous, with beautiful beaches, national parks and mountains. There’s so much to see and do in this fantastic part of Southern Italy, and to us in the North of Europe, the draw of the Italian sun is obviously very strong. However, there are strings attached. If you’re looking to get paid for living in one of these little towns, you have to start a business there.
It doesn’t have to be a big business – something like a bakery would seem to fit the bill – but you do have to be aged 40 or under to qualify for this incentive. So, if you fit the bill and are willing to uproot so that you can move to one of these beautiful towns, you can head to the regional website and read up on the terms and conditions of this new adventure.