Candela, Italy is Paying People to Move There

If you’ve never heard of Candela, Italy, you’ll want to listen up now. The charming medieval town is offering to pay people to move there. (Yes, you read that correctly.)

According to Nicola Gatta, the mayor of Candela, the initiative all has to do with bringing the quaint town back to its former glory days from decades before.

“I work each day with passion and commitment to bring Candela back to its ancient splendor,” Gatta said in an interview with CNN. “Up until the 1960s, travelers called it Nap’licchie (Little Naples), for its streets full of wayfarers, tourists, merchants, and screaming vendors.”

Today, the town has a dwindling population of only 2,700 residents, but it seems like it has a lot to offer to potential newcomers. Stunning architecture, plenty of hills and forest, close proximity to beaches, and a wide variety of homes with terraces and balconies are a few perks. The town is also remarkably safe, and they reportedly haven’t seen a crime in 20 years. Oh, and incredible Italian food doesn’t hurt, either. (Think scrumptious sausages, fresh cheeses, and fabulous olive oil.)

As for the really fun part (aka making money from this move), how much you make will depend on how big your family is. Single people receive 800 euros ($939), while couples receive 1,200 euros ($1,409). Families of three will be provided 1,500 to 1,800 euros ($1,762 to $2,114), and families of four or five will get more than 2,000 euros ($2,349).

If you’re interested in taking the mayor up on his offer, you have to become a permanent resident of Candela, rent a home there, and have a salary of at least 7,500 euros ($8,875) per year.

Who’s ready to apply?

h/t Travel and Leisure