Travel

Italy Is Giving Away Castles: This Is Not A Drill

View of Guaita fortress (or First Tower) on top of Monte Titano in San Marino, and the surrounding hills. On the left the Palazzo Pubblico (Public Palace), the town hall of San Marino, can be seen. San Marino, April 2017. (Getty images) — (Getty images)

Life can be such a drag. But me thinks that living in a castle rent free would help remove some of that general ennui inevitably brought on by routine.

It seems that the Italian government thinks so too; thanks to a new initiative publicized on Facebook, the Department of Infrastructure and Transportation is giving out castles like Oprah gave out cars.

The presence of a surplus of castles and properties that the state can no longer afford to keep, has led Italy to offer 103 free farmhouses, castles, towers, convents, monasteries and villas. The properties are spread across the country: 27 in Puglia and Basilicata, eight on the island of Sardinia and seven in Sicily.

No string attached!

We’re kidding. There are strings. Life always has strings. But these are pretty easy and generous strings.

Not just anyone can get these properties. Aspiring castle owners must send in a proposal to the Italian Tourism Ministry, which has already said it will give preference to people under 40. If awarded the property, recipients will receive a nine-year free lease. Which, all things considered, is great— remember what a headache it was for Frances in Under the Tuscan Sun to get any construction done in Italy!?

That’s the easy part. You have to promise to transform the property into some form of a tourist entity, broadly defined. It can be a hotel or a spa. But it can also be a museum or an eat-pray-love joint, a DIY artisan cheese making facility, or an interfaith hub for ideas and dialogue. It’s just gotta bring in new folks to the areas of Italy traditionally ignored by tourists. And, the new property owners are responsible for all the building materials and labor, and will not be given tax breaks or special dispensation for expenses.

Another catch? The properties must be restored to their former glory, which means no quirky modern add ons. (Though we wonder if alternative energy sources would fall on this caveat!)

But if you’re still up for owning a castle or charming farmhouse, we don’t blame you. The deadline for applications is June 26, and if, however, your application is denied, don’t worry – Italy plans to give out 200 objects the same way within the next two years!

Check out some of the offerings here: