If you’ve ever fantasised about moving to a sunny island, now’s your chance: Sardinia is offering people a mammoth €15,000 (approx $16,500) to relocate. The Italian government has set aside €45 million for the relocation grant - enough for 3,000 grants.
The Italian island - the second largest in the Mediterranean - boasts sandy beaches, blue skies and turquoise waters. But the island paradise faces dwindling rural population numbers, as young locals move abroad for work. Hence the incentives to lure people here in order to start repopulating this Mediterranean jewel.
So, if you’re already thinking of packing your suitcase, here’s everything you need to know:
To be eligible for the grant, you will have to move to a Sardinian municipality with a population of less than 3,000 people.
The money must also be used to buy or renovate a home. The grant cannot exceed half of the total cost of the house or renovation - and the government will not always hand over the entire €15,000 sum.
Finally, recipients must live on the new property full time, and must register for permanent residency in Sardinia within 18 months of arrival.
If you do move to the island, you can expect to be there for a long while yet. With more than 500 people aged over 100, Sardinia has one of the highest concentrations of centenarians in the world. See Sardinian Secrets to Healthy Longevity