Oddly enough, there is a place in the world where they pay to everyone who decides to live in it. You may think that this place does not have any kind of attraction, but it is quite the opposite, since it is a picturesque italian town known as the ‘city of green gold’.
It is the municipality of Presiccelocated in the province of Lecce, in the Plugia region, which offers 30,000 dollars (about 28,000 euros) to buy a vacant home and establish residence. According to the American chain CNN, The price of the houses in that area is around 25,000 euros, since they have been abandoned for a long time.
In addition, if the economic incentive seems little, the town offers a environment unbeatable, since it is surrounded by the nature of the Salento area, at the heel of Italy’s boot, and close to the Beaches of fine sand and turquoise waters of Santa Maria di Leuca.
two towns in one
As exposed by the CNNin 2019 Presicce joined with an adjacent community to create a larger city, Presicce-Acquarica. City councilor Alfredo Pelase stated that “after the merger, according to Italian law, our wider territory will be blessed with more public funds, approximately one million euros per year for several years, which we intend to spend to revitalize the old district.”
This investment has made the incentive of 30,000 euros possible, although to qualify for it a requirement must be met. This consists of establishing the home in Presicce and buy one of the properties built before 1991, which have been mapped by the authorities. In addition, the money will also be used to carry out repairs in the property if necessary. With this initiative, the authorities hope to give a new life to the city, since it suffers a process of gradual depopulation. For the launch of the project it is necessary to close the last details. As Pelase points out, when there is news, the pertinent information will be published on the website of the city council (
What to see in Presicce
The municipality is also known as the ‘green gold city‘ for hosting lush olive groves that produce premium quality extra virgin olive oil. Furthermore, during the Renaissance It gained fame thanks also to wine, cheese and the cattle trade.
The oil trade was so important that beneath the main squares and luxurious baroque palaces lies a network of 23 secret chambers that house olive mills. There, farmers would spend months during the harvest season, grinding olives in stone mills pushed by donkeys. This underground network has become one of the attractive of the city, since guided tours are carried out through its galleries where you can observe the way in which they worked.
On the other hand, in his urban area wide and elegant streets are interspersed with narrow and winding alleys, offering a most picturesque walk. In it you can find stately buildings of golden color, palaces frescoes, chapels, votive columns and the museum of peasant civilization. Likewise, they also highlight the vecchi curtitypical houses located in the beautiful neighborhoods of Corciuli and Fatherternal.
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