Rental prices are rising in almost all parts of Germany, but not in southern Italy. And even less so in Sicily, it seems. At least that’s what you can deduce if you extrapolate Airbnb ‘s latest offer: a year’s stay in the beautiful village of Sambuca di Sicilia in the countryside. The price? Nothing!
Sambuca is located in the western part of the large southern Italian island. It is 80 km from Palermo, the capital of the region, 30 km from the beach and less than 5 km from an impressive natural park. But that’s not all: we’ve already mentioned that Sambuca is a beautiful village. The village was even named the most beautiful village in Italy in 2016. With only six thousand inhabitants and a predominantly Italian and North African architecture, it is apparently even more charming.
As you can probably already imagine, Airbnb’s accommodation is on a par with the village. Last year, the American company took over an old three-storey house and completely renovated it. Judging by the purchase price, it was more than worth it: only one euro was paid for it! This is in line with the policy of many Italian villages, which want to attract new residents with extremely cheap accommodation. In this case, the municipality and Airbnb reached an agreement based on the guest’s requirements for the stay.
Conditions for the free stay
Unfortunately, everything has a price, even if it’s free. However, the requirements are not very high, as the only thing the American company requires is that the person in question is over 18 years old, speaks English and brings someone with them (partner, relative or friend). The Italian language is learned during the stay, so it is not necessary to be from there or to speak the language.
The minimum stay in this house is three months and can be extended to a maximum of one year. During this time, the selected person can continue to work as normal and must host Airbnb guests in the house for a few months.
If the offer sounds attractive and you are ready to move to Sambuca from June 30 this year, you still have time to apply. The deadline is February 18.
Adapted from an article written by Max Hailer for Secret Munich.