A completely renovated house free for one year in one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. This is the initiative launched by airbnb, the famous platform of home sharing, which will allow one of its lucky users to live in Sambuca di Sicilia for a minimum of three months up to a maximum of a year, without spending a cent. The project is linked to the plan "houses for 1 euro”Of the municipality of Sambuca, to combat the depopulation of the Agrigento village. The house proposed by Airbnb is located right next to the famous "Belvedere”, Overlooking the Belìce Valleythat Didea studio, with her team of designers, took care of the complete renovation, to give the historic building a more modern touch. Interested parties will be able to apply until February 18 on the site airbnb.it/1eurohouse. The free house in Sambuca di Sicilia instead it will be available starting from 30 April 2022.
Requirements for free housing in Sambuca di Sicilia
As reported on the official Airbnb website, to participate in the project it is necessary to have some indispensable requirements. First and foremost, the candidate will have to have more than 18 years and will have to be able to speak conversational English (you will be able to learn Italian on the spot). You can also move in alone or with the whole family (maximum two adults and two children). An indispensable requirement to live in the house for free in Sambuca di Sicilia is to do from host for tourists that will arrive in the city. The building is equipped with 6 local and spread over three floors, therefore it is possible to rent one of the premises, while maintaining independence and privacy. The future tenant will be able to choose the area they like best. Airbnb will also allow the host to keep all earnings from renting rooms to tourists.
What is the 1 euro case project
Sambuca di Sicilia, municipality of 6.000 inhabitants in the province of Agrigento, was one of the first villages to launch the “1 euro houses” project. This is an initiative to combat the depopulation of small towns, thanks to the sale of houses to symbolic cost of 1 euro (with restructuring obligation). The idea has already attracted many buyers from abroad and led to the creation of a new one in Sambuca international community. In fact, today there are several families coming from 38 countries all over the world e 143 properties sold. Among the best known "new fellow citizens" there is Lorraine Bracco, American actress, known for her role in "Those good guys"of Martin Scorsese (1990) and in the series "And Soprano"(1999-2007). The actress bought her house for 1 euro in Sambuca di Sicilia, documenting the entire restoration operation in the series “My Big Italian Adventure".
The project created by Airbnb that allows a host to live in a house for free in Sambuca di Sicilia is as bold as it is interesting. Today, thanks to the smart working, it is possible to work from all over the world. This could lead to the restocking of small and more peaceful centers, to the detriment of the hectic cities. Furthermore, we must not forget that the essential works for the production of the finest products are carried out in the small villages Made in Italy: (harvest, olive harvest, etc.). Will the Airbnb initiative be a success? If you think of the already consolidated international community of Sambuca it is not difficult to believe it. It sure is an interesting idea for revive many beautiful villages now more and more empty. It is hoped that the well-known home sharing platform will not stop in Sambuca di Sicilia but, with the help of local municipal administrations, will be able to replicate the initiative in other villages (Sicilian and otherwise).
Photo: © Coshipi - Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).
