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Live for a year in a restored ‘1 Euro’ Sicilian home

Euro house

Airbnb aims to support this demand by working with villages like Sambuca to help restore them to their former glory

ByIANSlife

January 19, 2022 (IANSlife) Airbnb is looking for the right person to host a decayed-turned-designer Italian heritage home and live rent-free for a year. With the ability to live and work remotely, one person will be chosen to relocate to Sicily with their family, spouse, or friend, and live in this beautifully renovated home.

“The beauty of this campaign is that it gives a second chance not just to an abandoned heritage home in the heart of our village - it’s also a second chance to the person who moves into it. We see it as a designer makeover for the house and the Host. We’re looking for someone who wants to live with the local population and participate in all the important moments of the community, from the grape harvest to olive picking and we can't wait to welcome whoever gets selected!” said Leonardo Ciaccio, Mayor of Sambuca di Sicilia.

Candidates should be enthusiastic about hosting and participating in village life. Their stay in Sambuca will last a year, starting on June 30th, and the successful candidate will keep all proceeds from hosting on Airbnb.

The House

What makes this '1 Euro House' truly unique is that it has been completely remodelled by a designer. Airbnb collaborated with Studio Didea, an Italian architectural firm, to renovate the home using materials and colours that complemented the surrounding environment. The structure is representative of Sicily's attractive architecture, combining contemporary design with hand-made and local handicraft features.

The spacious building spans three floors, with plenty of room to work remotely and Host on Airbnb.

  • The ground floor comprises a small living room, master bedroom with king-size bed and en-suite bathroom.
  • The first floor includes a living room, kitchen, working space, bathroom and mezzanine bedroom with a king-size bed.
  • The upper floor includes an additional living space with a queen-size sofa bed.

 

The successful applicant gets first dibs on the bedroom that best suits their needs with the second bedroom to be listed on Airbnb.

The Location

Sambuca is a tiny rural village in Sicily with a unique blend of Italian and North African cultures and architectural styles. It has a population of about 6000 people. The chosen candidate will join a burgeoning international community, with many millennials coming from larger local cities to the rural town in search of a calmer pace of life, thanks to its '1 Euro House' marketing.

How it works

To apply, visit airbnb.com/1eurohouse and complete the application form. Before applying, carefully read the selection terms available on the website.

Candidates must be over 18, available to move to Sambuca for at least 3 consecutive months, starting from June 30th, 2022 and be able to speak conversational English (Italian a plus!). The selected participant will be given the opportunity to take part in a mentorship program: learning Italian and attending Italian cooking classes. Candidates will need to demonstrate a commitment to hosting one room in the house for a minimum of 9 months.

The successful participant may bring their partner, friend, or family (maximum of two adults and two children in total). The successful participant will live rent-free and will retain all Airbnb Host earnings over the course of their residence. 

This opportunity in Sambuca, Sicily highlights the potential economic benefits for rural communities as a result of changing travel trends on Airbnb driven by the pandemic. In Q3 2019, just four Italian cities accounted for over 26% of all travel: Rome, Venice, Milan, and Florence. In Q3 2021, however, those same four cities accounted for under 17% of travel, and one of the top visited areas in Italy was Sicily. Airbnb aims to support this demand by working with villages like Sambuca to help restore them to their former glory.

 

 

 

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IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in 

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