Forget paying to have a holiday in Tuscany – now you can get paid for enjoying life there.
Tuscany’s regional authorities have announced they will pay people up to £25,000 (€30,000/$32,000) to relocate to mountain towns.
The new Residency in the Mountains (Residenzialita in Montagna) programme is offering people grants ranging from €10,000 to €30,000 (£8,470- £25,000) to help cover the costs of purchasing and renovating a home.
Tuscany has allocated a total of €2.8million (£2.3million) for the programme to encourage people to move to towns in the region with dwindling populations.
According to the programme’s website: ‘The purpose of the intervention is to favour and encourage the repopulation and socio-economic revitalization of mountain areas acting in contrast to the marginalization of these areas.’
Tuscany’s regional authorities have announced they will pay people up to £25,000 (€30,000) to relocate to mountain towns. Above is Santa Fiora, one of the locations in the scheme
But any caveats? Firstly, the location – it only applies to houses in mountain towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants.
Though there are 76 to choose from, according to population data from 2022 published by regional authorities.
They include the spa town of San Casciana dei Bagni, known for its thermal baths, Santa Fiora, known for its thermal springs, and Caprese Michelangelo, the birthplace of Renaissance artist Michelangelo.
The programme only applies to houses in mountain towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. One of these is Caprese Michelangelo, the birthplace of artist Michelangelo (pictured)
Another rule states that the financial contribution received cannot exceed 50 per cent of the cost of the house and its renovation.
Applicants must be ‘of age’ Italian citizens, EU citizens, or non-EU citizens holding a residence permit lasting no less than ten years.
They must also be registered as a resident in an Italian town or city that is not a mountain community.
Finally, successful applicants will have to make the Tuscan property their permanent residence.
Applications can be made on the Tuscany Region website and must be submitted by 1pm CET on July 27.
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