There is a silent Italy, often forgotten, that does not appear in newspaper headlines, nor in the glossy photos of tourist magazines. It is made up of small villages perched on the mountains, spread out between hills, immersed in valleys that seem to have come out of a painting. It is the Italy of bell that still mark the time, of the cobbled alleys and the scents that come from the kitchens where centuries-old recipes are handed down.
This Italy, however, has long since begun to empty. The young people have left, the schools have closed, the shops have remained with their shutters down. But today, something is moving. And it could be the right time for the Italians abroad to return or, at least, to look again towards their roots.
A second chance for the Italy of the villages
In recent decades, the abandonment of small towns has become one of the most urgent challenges of our country. Entire towns have been left without new births, without students, without doctors. The price paid has been high: not only the loss of population, but also the erosion of local cultures, dialects, artisanal knowledge and unique traditions.
Yet, in recent years — also thanks to the pandemic — a new awareness has arisen. The desire to live in less chaotic, more authentic, healthier places has pushed many Italians to reevaluate the idea of moving to a village. The possibility of working remotely has done the rest. Today, more and more young professionals, families, and retirees are packing their bags backwards: not to leave, but to return. Returning to the places of their childhood, or discovering those of their grandparents for the first time.
Houses for 1 euro, but not only: an accessible dream
Many Italian municipalities — particularly in the south, on the islands, or in the mountainous hinterland — have launched concrete projects to attract new residents. The most famous? The 1-euro houses: abandoned buildings, often in good structural condition, that are sold to those who commit to renovating them. More of a symbol than a real estate deal, but one that has attracted international attention. From New York to Melbourne, many families of Italian origin have rediscovered their grandparents' village thanks to these initiatives.
But the opportunities don't stop there. In Molise, for example, 700 euros a month are offered to those who decide to move to a municipality with fewer than 2.000 inhabitants. In Puglia, in Roseto Valforte, the mayor has decided to incentivize with 5.000 euros anyone who wants to open a business and build a new piece of their life there. And in Emilia-Romagna hundreds of applications have arrived in just a few days, for a call for proposals aimed at repopulating the small towns of the Apennines.
An invitation for Italians in the world
If you live abroad and have Italian origins, this moment could represent a turning point. Many municipalities, in fact, give priority to the descendants of emigrants, offering them the possibility to return and contribute to reviving beautiful places, now forgotten. It is not only an economic or logistical opportunity, but also a deeply emotional one. Returning to a village means reconnecting with your roots, rediscovering an ancient language, putting your hands back on the land of your grandparents.
Let's think of Antonio, 35, who grew up in Argentina to parents originally from Cilento. After a summer visit to his grandfather's village, he decided to return permanently. He renovated an old oil mill and now produces organic oil, which he exports to Latin America. Or Silvia, a young graphic designer from Milan who during the lockdown discovered the charm of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, in Abruzzo, and today works remotely, looking out every morning onto a medieval village immersed in silence.
Young people, families and pensioners: there is room for everyone
You don't need to be twenty or have a spirit of adventure. Even families with children can find in the villages a quality of life unthinkable in big cities: nature, safety, clean air, sincere human relationships. Retirees, on the other hand, can enjoy slow rhythms and lower costs, without giving up beauty and essential services (many of which are now enhanced by state and regional funds).
And for young people? Villages are becoming true laboratories of rural innovation. Organic farming, experiential tourism, artisan workshops, coworking: everything is possible, if accompanied by new ideas and the desire to get involved.
An Italy that is just waiting to be rediscovered
There is a silent beauty waiting to be experienced. A stone house to be restored, a shop to be reopened, a square to be filled with voices and footsteps. Italian villages are not just postcards. They are concrete possibilities for life, work, happiness. And today more than ever they are also opening up to those who, from afar, have always carried Italy in their hearts. Perhaps there has never been a better time to return.
Leave a comment (0)