Italian region is giving away FREE houses and is even renovating them at their own expense, unlike other 'one euro' properties

A region in southwest Italy is giving away 50 properties for residents to occupy free of charge for 10 years as a way to combat population decline.The regional government of Calabria is funding the renovation of the properties, with a reported budget of €20million (£18million).This means the offer is markedly different to the country's 'one euro' scheme, which allows people to purchase run-down properties in the depopulated rural villages of Sicily, Sardinia, Apulia and Piedmont for a symbolic price of €1, but buyers are responsible for renovation costs.Under the Calabrian model, the region takes on the renovation in its entirety, but the newcomer does not acquire ownership of the property.What happens after 10 years - whether the agreement is extended, the property returned, or the arrangement converted into something else - depends on the regional framework plan, which has not yet been finalised. There are 50 free properties available in 26 municipalities, each with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, spread across the five provinces of Calabria.The programme, named 'La Calabria ti regala la casa' ('Calabria gives you a house'), is exclusively designed for newcomers from outside the region.The properties will be available for 10 years under a loan-for-use agreement. Simulation rendering for illustrative purposes showing what a property would like look after renovation A first-floor apartment in a period building in the historic centre of Torre di Ruggiero is on offer Simulation rendering for illustrative purposes showing what a property would like look after renovation A ground- and first-floor home is available in the quiet town of San Mango d'AquinoThe programme, launched by regional President Roberto Occhiuto, is backed financially by a renovation grant of up to €2,000 per square metre of gross floor area, with a maximum of €280,000 per residential unit.The property catalogue on the portal is already available to view, showcasing a 135-square-metre four-room apartment in the medieval centre of Torre di Ruggiero.Overlooking the stunning mountains in the quiet San Mango d'Aquino is a ground- and first-floor home that comes with a spacious garden.In the centre of the scenic hill village Cessaniti is an 85-square-metre four-room property, a short walk from the famous beaches along the Tyrrhenian Sea.In San Floro, a 140-square-metre house with four rooms and panoramic views is also on offer, as is a 52-square-metre two-room apartment in Alessandria del Carretto.In Scigliano, a house of approximately 85 square metres is being advertised, and in Rovito, a public building will be divided into three separate apartments. Applicants must abide by a few conditions to apply.They must have spent a minimum of three years outside Calabria, and be over the age of 18.The properties are designated exclusively for permanent residential use, meaning subletting and use for tourist purposes are expressly prohibited. Newcomers must transfer their primary residence permanently for 10 years. Simulation rendering for illustrative purposes showing what a property would like look after renovation An apartment with a courtyard is on offer in the centre of the municipality of CessanitiAny breach would bring the usage agreement to an end.Priority is given to returnees from abroad and their descendants, young couples, families with children, single parents, remote workers, freelancers, tradespeople, those working in the cultural sector, and people with disabilities. Falling into one of these categories moves a prospective buyer up the waiting list.Launched on November 5, the deadline for applications is December 18.Calabria’s population has dropped by 6.4 per cent in the past decade, the steepest decline of any Italian region, while Lombardy’s has grown by 1.1 per cent, according to Italy’s Istat statistics agency. The regional government has previously tried to entice newcomers, including a 2021 programme in which it offered new residents of sun-drenched, depopulated villages €28,000 a year to stay there. Earlier this year, the region promised to pay local university students €1,000 per month in efforts to stem the exodus of young people migrating north in search of work. Calabria, situated in the country's southern toe, is best known for its dramatic sea cliffs, wooded mountains, crystal sea and rustic medieval villages. There are 50 free properties available in 26 municipalities, each with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, spread across the five provinces of Calabria The programme, named 'La Calabria ti regala la casa' ('Calabria gives you a house'), is exclusively designed for newcomers from outside the region The regional government of Calabria is funding the renovation of the properties, with a reported budget of €20million (£18million)Scarcely known if you’re not a local, the under-appreciated region has a coastal stretch so stunning it is nicknamed the 'Coast of the Gods'.Despite its natural wonders and famous nduja, Calabria remains one of Italy’s least visited regions. It received 2 million tourists in 2025, a record number, according to Regione Calabria, but still small fry when compared with Puglia’s 6.7 million (which surged by 25 per cent on the previous year).The region's unspoilt Coast of the Gods is a 55km stretch from Pizzo to Nicotera. Pizzo, a romantic town built on a dramatic cliff edge overlooking the Gulf of Sant'Eufemia, is known for its castle where Napoleon Bonaparte's brother-in-law was once imprisoned.Visitors also tour the Piedigrotta cave church, first carved into the tufa rock by shipwrecked sailors in the 17th century. A 30-minute drive along the coast will bring you to Calabria's most postcard-worthy town, Tropea, with the Santuario di Santa Maria dell'Isola perched on a steep, craggy sandstone rock formation overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.The Costa Viola town of Scilla is home to the Chianalea fishing-village district, often dubbed 'Little Venice' due to its fish restaurants built on platforms above the water serving locally fished swordfish.From Scilla to Reggio, located on the toe of the Italian Peninsula, is about 20 minutes by train or car, and here there are boats to picture-perfect Sicily.