Picturesque Italian village Candela wants to pay you to move there

A mayor in Italy has come up with a novel plan to battle the declining population of his village, offering people cash and tax incentives to move in.

Despite the stunning location of Candela – surrounded by forest in the country’s southern Puglia region – the town is at risk of becoming a ghost town – the population has dropped from 8000 in the 1990s down to just 2700.

Now the council is hoping to reverse the trend and will pay up to €2000 ($3030) for families with more than two children.

Singles are eligible for €800, couples for €1200 and tax credits on council bills and childcare are also available.

“I work each day with passion and commitment to bring Candela back to its ancient splendour,” mayor Nicola Gatta told CNN.

“Up until the 1960s, travellers called it ‘Nap’licchie’ [Little Naples], for its streets full of wayfarers, tourists, merchants and screaming vendors.”

There are obvious conditions with the cash: residents can come from overseas but must be willing to live in Candela, rent a home there, and earn an annual salary of at least €7500 ($11,300).

Candela has also been given a makeover for incoming residents. The palazzos have been restored and they are offering guided tours of their Baroque-style buildings.

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The town’s biggest attractions include the “House of Santa Claus” which tells the story of Saint Nicholas, as well as the 35-centimetre-wide Trasonna alley, which is reportedly the narrowest alley in Italy.

According to Candela’s deputy mayor Stefano Bascianelli the offer has already been taken up with six families from northern Italy already settling in and another five that have applied to move.

Mr Bascianelli also said the town hasn’t had any crime in 20 years.

“It’s a quiet and simple lifestyle. No crowds, easy to move around, no traffic nor smog,” Francesco Delvecchio, a resident who moved to Candela from another part of Puglia before the launch of the latest measure, told CNN.

Candela is an hour from the coast and the nearest airport with international flights is Bari, 90 minutes south-east.