Sicily, Italy’s biggest island, oozes the dolce vita of sunny seaside days and sumptuous food. And now another small town is making the dream of living there a possibility.
Petralia Soprana, located southeast of the capital Palermo, is offering cash incentives for new residents.
The town council hopes the scheme will boost the dwindling population and revive uninhabited houses.
Petralia Soprana is designated one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. But if you want to live there, you need to make your application quickly.
Sicilian town will pay new residents €5,000
Petralia Soprana is luring new residents with €5,000 payouts. The funds are available to individuals or families that choose to move their permanent residence to the town.
To be eligible for the grant, participants must also purchase - and if necessary restore - a property in the municipality.
The scheme hopes to reverse the decades of depopulation in Petralia Soprana. The town now has 2,992 residents and over 50 uninhabited houses.
Time is of the essence, though, as applications need to be made before 10 May 2023. Those interested should contact the town council directly.
Live in one of Italy’s most beautiful villages
Petralia Soprana, perched on a high ridge, is designated one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
From narrow streets that wind past medieval stone buildings, you get glimpses of the hazy valley below and all the way to smoky Mount Etna.
At one end, a monumental stone church overlooks the village from a rocky outcrop.
The main square is lined with the graceful Renaissance arcade of the cathedral, which was likely originally a mosque in the 10th century when Arabs populated the area. The Norman bell tower still displays Byzantine-Arab decorations.
Spectacular examples of the Arab-Norman style of architecture, now awarded UNESCO heritage status, can be seen in nearby Palermo.
Life in Petralia Soprana is peaceful, apart from during the many local festivities like saints’ days, carnivals and food festivals.
One food fair is dedicated to lentils, which are used to make a traditional soup flavoured with wild fennel and chicory.