This year, consider taking that dream vacation in the village of Bormida, Italy. You’ll find yourself immersed in that unique Italian rustic charm, good food, peacefulness and the specific beauty of the sloping hills and mountain range. Also, the mayor of Bormida recently proposed a $2,000 incentive to anyone who moves there.
The proposal is not official and no one can claim it (yet!), but it came from a very heartfelt place. Mayor Daniele Galliano brought up the idea on a Facebook post as a response to the declining population in his town. The nearest big city, Genoa, has pretty much drained the working youth away from Bormida.
The small town, with only 394 residents, promises a life of quiet surrounded by the mountainous range typical of the Liguria region. Since Mayor Galliano’s initial Facebook post, thousands of inquiries from all over the world have been pouring into his inbox.
Read on to find out more about this story.
One Facebook commenter, Vincent Gaspar, voiced what we’re all thinking about when it comes to this proposal: “Mr. Mayor, I would certainly love to live there. I hope this bill goes through because I will move there in a heartbeat.”
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The biggest and most important part of this incentive is that it will reduce the rent in Bormida down to a mere $50 a month! That is, if the local government approves the idea.
pinterestOn top of that, people who stay at Bormida have the option to dine at a Michelin star restaurant nearby. Locanda dell’Angelo, which is located only 13 miles away from Bormida.
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When you compare that to the rent in other cities around the world, this incentive looks even more enticing. In New York City alone, a simple two-bedroom apartment starts at $3,000 a month.
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A city councilor from the town spoke to The Guardian about the idea, saying that while nothing is in stone yet, everyone is welcome to visit the town.
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“We’re a small community but very welcoming. We’re high up in a mountain area but also not far from the sea – it’s a healthy lifestyle, the air is very clean.”
The incentive caught the attention of people hoping for a better life. Families and people struggling to secure employment wrote to the mayor hoping for more information on his idea.
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“Mr. Mayor, I’m available to move and give up the $2,000, but I can’t live off the air,” wrote Amedeo Alloca, “I have a family with two small children, if you can guarantee a job, even the most humble one, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
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Living in a small town like Bormida isn’t all fun, however. One local named Oddone Giuseppe said there is “nothing much to do” there. “But life is so simple and natural, we have forests, goats, the church, and plenty of good food. Life would definitely be free of stress.”
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Since Mayor Galliano brought up the innocent idea for the $2,000 incentive on his Facebook post, he has received the 17,000 inquiries (and counting) from all over the world. This forced him to delete the post and clarify a few things.
instagram“It was just an idea to be proposed to the Ligurian regional authorities, with whom I am in contact.” Mayor Galliano wrote “The news has been reported incorrectly and reached a worldwide audience. Italy is a wonderful country but, like others, it is in an economic crisis. Thanks anyway for your interest.”
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The news about an idyllic Italian village paying $2,000 to anyone who moves there became worldwide news. The story was covered all around the world by outlets like the Guardian, the Daily Mail, USA Today, Fox News, Esquire and Harper’s Bazaar.
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