An extraordinary opportunity to immerse yourself in Italian culture while living rent-free in a designer home has presented itself.
It may sound like a January mirage, but Airbnb is genuinely looking for a host to maintain the fort in one of its Sicilian properties starting this summer.
The foster family giant bought one of the old italian houses on sale for 1€transforming it into an elegant three-storey townhouse.
Where is the Airbnb property located?
The story goes back to when the small rural village of Sambuca di Sicilia first launched a rejuvenation campaign in 2019. Named the most beautiful Italian village in 2016, Sambuca was already starting from a pretty solid foundation.
And with the rise of remote workthere is certainly a large pool of applicants willing to accept Airbnb’s offer of a one-year stay at the house for 1 euroabout 80 km south of Sicily’s largest city, Palermo.
You must have “a passion for nature, Italian culture and for playing [your] participated in the rebirth of Sambuca, ”explains the rental site. “The participant will therefore have to demonstrate a commitment to welcoming and contributing to the life of the village.”
If getting stuck in the sunny Sambuca way of life doesn’t sound too taxing, here’s what else you need to know to compete.
Who is the ideal host and what does it involve?
You must be over 18 to apply, have conversational English and Italian or be willing to learn the language.
Nor is it necessary to spend it in splendid isolation: the successful application can bring a friend, partner or family – up to two adults and two children.
The move-in date is June 30, 2022 and you will be required to stay in Sambuca for at least three consecutive months and host a private room in the house for at least nine months.
You’ll have dibs on the best room, naturally, and the run of the property which has been revamped by Italian architects to Studio Didea.
There’s plenty of workspace to live out your digital nomad dream, and of course, you can keep all earnings from the Airbnb host.
Why does Airbnb offer a slice of Italian life for free?
The initiative is part of a broader commitment to support rural communities and cultural heritage in Europe, Airbnb says. But this particular boost to Sambuca tourism is a good one, as Sicily has become an increasingly popular destination during the pandemic.
In 2019, just four Italian cities – Rome, Venice, Milan and Florence – accounted for more than 26% of all trips to the country. Two years later, and that lion’s share has fallen to less than 17%, as Sicily and other places rise in the rankings, according to a recent study.
Airbnb says it aims to support this growing demand by working with villages like Sambuca to help restore them to their former glory. His enthusiasm seems to be matched by the village.
Mayor Leonardo Ciaccio says: “The beauty of this campaign is that it gives a second chance not only to an abandoned heritage house in the heart of our village, but also to the person who moves into it. We see it as a design makeover for the home and the Host.
“We are looking for someone who wants to live with the local people and participate in all the important moments of the community, from grape harvest to olive picking and we look forward to welcoming whoever is selected!”
If you want to throw your hat in the ring for your own great Italian adventure, you can find the application form here. The window closes at 4:45 a.m. (GMT) on February 19.
Watch the video above to see the house for yourself.
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