If you’ve ever dreamed of living in Italy, now may be your chance. Due to a decline in population, several towns in Italy have been offering incentives for people to move there and establish new lives. Presicce is one of those regions, with an extensive and rich history. Officials are now offering new local residents a chance at 30,000 euros, covering most of the cost of the house and renovations.
Promises of a Brighter Future
The amount is just over $30,000 and will allow for new residents to find a vacant home. A fraction of the money also will allow new residents to do some reconstruction. Puglia is a region or territory in Italy, located in the ‘heel of the boot.’ The beautiful community has soft sand beaches and turquoise clear waters.
That’s not all it offers, there is a deep-seated history and culture within the walls of each dwelling. The community and its surrounding architecture paint a beautiful picture of times past. Italy is known for its incredible food, like tomatoes for pasta sauce, wine, and olives. Italy, at sea level, has incredibly warm and sunny weather with a Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and hot summers.
A Rich History
The region of Puglia, sometimes referred to in English as Apulia, has a history dating all the way back to the 4th century. It was first colonized by the Greeks, until the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. The region of Italy was then under the rule of 4 other empires, until the 10th century. The Eastern Roman Empire defeated forces and took control of the land once again. The dialect of this region includes influences from Sicily, France, Albania, and Turkey. The territory is made of mostly plains and hills with beautiful and lush foliage.
Humble Homes
Presicce is a commune located in the region of Puglia. It rests at the bottom heel of Italy. It’s best known for its surrounding waters. The Adriatic and Ionian Sea, make up the longest coastline in the Italian Peninsula. Presicce also offers tranquility and lush olive groves.
Interestingly, the town sits on top of an enchanted secret, a chain of 23 caves. This cave chain in Italy once provided shelter to local shepherds. Alternatively, some of the caves were used to mill oil, in which donkeys would push the stone mills. Olive oil production still benefits the town’s economy and every August they hold an olive oil festival.
The town’s buildings are charming and quaint. Overlooking the small buildings is a magnificent castle with a hanging garden.
A Town Diminishing in Population
Presicce, has rapidly seen a decline of newborns. As a result, officials in Italy are offering cash incentives to new and growing families. “There are many empty homes in the historical center built before 1991 which we would like to see alive again with new residents,” local councilor Alfredo Palese tells CNN. “It is a pity witnessing how our old districts full of history, wonderful architecture and art are slowly emptying.”
Homes for Sale
Italy currently has many less expensive properties for sale. Most of them have been abandoned by their original owners and Italy is also seeing a decline in population. As a result, many of the homes for sale in Presicce are priced around $25,000. “We will be offering up to 30,000 euros to people willing to move here and buy one of these abandoned dwellings,” Alfredo Palese told CNN. According to him, “The total funding will be split in two: it will go partly into buying an old home and partly into restyling it, if needed.” They are still finalizing the details but can be found on the town hall’s website.
A Merger of 2 Communities
Palese also explained that in 2019, Presicce and the nearby community of Acquarica underwent a merger. The two communities formed the larger town of Presicce-Acquarica. Together, the total number of residents is around 9,000. The project is taking place all over Italy.
It has allotted Presicce-Acquarica enough money to ensure this project can run for several more years. “After the merger, as per Italian law, our wider territory will be blessed with more public funds, roughly 1,000,000 euros per year for several years forward, which we intend to invest to revitalize the old district,” said Palese.
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