It's high time you took a break that's just for you — a trip to unwind, be present, and savor every moment. According to a new report by retreat booking site BookRetreats, that perfect vacation destination may be a lot closer than you think.
17.12.2024 - 11:47 / insider.com
My husband and I became interested in the 1-euro housing schemes in Italy last year but were concerned about investing time and money into a house in a village that was dying out.
We are in our early 30s and had read online that the catch to these 1-euro homes was that they're usually falling apart and located in towns that are basically desolate retirement homes with little to no businesses.
We were coming from Hamburg, Germany, which has a population of 2 million and were nervous about what life would be like and being lonely in one of these small Italian towns.
However, after visiting some properties in one of these towns, we decided to take the risk, and it was worth it.
In the end, we avoided the 1-euro homes and bought a farmhouse for 29,000 euros, about $30,400, instead. Our worries about being lonely in a run-down town quickly disappeared after we arrived.
We moved to Sant'Elia a Pianisi, a village with about 1,500 residents in southern Italy.
When we arrived in August, there were festivals every day and night. There were parades, concerts, festivals with free food and drinks, sword fighting, and fire-breathing shows.
It felt surreal, moving to this tiny town in the middle of nowhere Italy, yet hearing English and German everywhere we went.
Sitting at the local Irish pub, we were surrounded by older US Americans who had left during a diaspora between the '40s and '70s, when many Italians ended up in the US or Germany for work.
Now, as they age, many have returned to their hometown to enjoy retirement. Their relatives also come to visit and explore their heritage.
Many still have family homes here in the village and donate money to keep the village running well while they're away. This contributes to lovely projects, including handicap-inclusive playgrounds, parks, and holy places.
In August, we also met a lot of young people who have left the town for university or better work opportunities. Many expressed a longing to return to Sant'Elia and hope that the increase in remote work availability will allow them to come back sooner rather than later.
We were afraid Sant'Elia would be a ghost town after August. To be honest, it did become much quieter, but not as much as we had anticipated.
There are still parades every month. The three restaurants are quieter but still full on Saturday nights with live music and sometimes karaoke.
When hanging my laundry outside on the clothesline, I hear children screeching and giggling. There are families, both young and old, and they are all so kind and warm.
Most people in town gather at an outdoor market once a week, which offers fresh cheeses, vegetables, fruits, plants, and new and used clothing and shoes.
We can buy these items any day of the week at the
It's high time you took a break that's just for you — a trip to unwind, be present, and savor every moment. According to a new report by retreat booking site BookRetreats, that perfect vacation destination may be a lot closer than you think.
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