The Tuscan hilltop village of Radicondoli, a postcard-perfect cluster of stone houses west of Siena, has approved more than 400,000 euros in incentives to lure new residents at a time when many Italian rural communities are fighting for survival. Through a mix of cash grants for homebuyers and generous rent subsidies for newcomers who commit to staying, the medieval town is effectively offering to pay people to move in and put down roots.

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A Tuscan Village With Money on the Table

Radicondoli’s new push to attract residents builds on a housing scheme first launched in 2023, when the town began offering up to 20,000 euros to anyone who bought and lived in one of its vacant homes, plus an additional 6,000 euros to offset everyday expenses such as heating and transportation. Local officials say the initiative has already helped fund 23 property sales and brought around 60 new residents to the village, reversing years of decline.

For 2025, Mayor Francesco Guarguaglini has significantly expanded the effort and earmarked more than 400,000 euros to support both home purchases and rentals, as well as a package of related measures designed to make daily life easier. That budget covers housing incentives along with financial aid for students, subsidies for commuters who travel to work or school, and support for residents who adopt green energy solutions.

The aim is simple but ambitious: slow the demographic slide, repopulate long-empty homes and revive the social and economic fabric of a town that once bustled with thousands of inhabitants but is now home to fewer than 1,000 people. Officials are targeting especially young families and long-term residents, rather than short-stay speculators or purely holiday-home buyers.

In an era when many small Italian towns are offering crumbling properties for a symbolic one euro, Radicondoli is taking a different route. Instead of slashing the price of houses to almost nothing, it is using public money to help people buy or rent homes at market value, arguing that the local real estate stock has intrinsic worth and that incentives are a tool for community renewal rather than a fire sale.

The €20,000 Grants and New Rent Subsidies

At the heart of Radicondoli’s program is a set of financial incentives that can substantially cut the cost of starting a new life in rural Tuscany. For buyers, the town offers grants of up to 20,000 euros toward the purchase of a property in the municipality. On top of that, there is a separate contribution of up to 6,000 euros that can be used to cover living costs, from utility bills to transportation.

What is new in the most recent phase of the scheme is that tenants, not only buyers, can now benefit. In a bid to attract a broader pool of newcomers, Radicondoli has committed to covering half of the first two years of rent for those who move in under the program and meet the residency requirements. For a typical apartment renting at around 400 euros a month, that means tenants could pay roughly 200 euros instead during the incentive period.

Local reports indicate that the current application window for rent assistance runs through the end of December 2025, with successful applicants expected to take up residence by early 2026. The grants are allocated on a case-by-case basis, subject to municipal approval and the applicant’s willingness to establish official residency.

Officials stress that these incentives are part of a wider policy framework aimed at making the village viable for everyday life, not only an attractive backdrop for second homes. Funds have been set aside to support families with school-age children, help university students, and assist commuters who travel to nearby Siena or other towns for work. Subsidies are also available for those who invest in environmentally friendly heating systems or other green upgrades to their homes.

Who Can Apply and What the Catch Is

As with most publicly funded relocation schemes, Radicondoli’s offer comes with conditions. Newcomers cannot simply pocket the money and disappear after a season in the Tuscan sun. To qualify for the full incentives package as a buyer, participants must commit to living in Radicondoli for at least 10 years. Renters must agree to stay for a minimum of four years in order to benefit from the half-rent support over the first 24 months.

Applicants generally need to establish official residency in the municipality, which in Italy involves registering with the local anagrafe, or civil registry, and demonstrating that the property is their primary home. Although the detailed eligibility criteria are administered locally, recent descriptions of the program indicate that it is open to both Italian and foreign citizens, provided they can legally reside in Italy and comply with national and municipal regulations.

Priority often goes to individuals and families willing to relocate on a long-term basis, rather than those seeking to use the property purely as a short-term rental or holiday home. The town has signaled that it will favor applicants who plan to integrate into local life, enroll children in local schools, and possibly contribute to the local economy by opening businesses or working remotely from Radicondoli.

There are also practical considerations. Prospective residents will need to be able to finance the portion of the property purchase or rent not covered by grants, and buyers must be ready to shoulder maintenance and any renovation costs. While some extra municipal support may be available for restoring neglected homes or converting them into rentals, the incentives are designed as a helping hand rather than a full subsidy.

What You Get for Your Money in Radicondoli

For would-be residents crunching the numbers, Radicondoli’s housing market is a major part of the appeal. The town has roughly 450 homes, about 100 of which are currently vacant, giving incoming buyers and tenants a range of options. Smaller one- or two-bedroom apartments in the medieval center reportedly start at around 50,000 euros, while larger houses and traditional farmhouses on the outskirts can reach or exceed 100,000 euros.

With the maximum 20,000-euro purchase grant, a basic apartment priced at 50,000 euros could effectively cost around 30,000 euros to the buyer, with the extra 6,000-euro cost-of-living contribution helping ease immediate expenses. At today’s exchange rates, that brings the entry price for a home in a historic Tuscan village down to roughly the cost of a mid-range car.

Local authorities emphasize that these are not derelict shells in need of complete reconstruction. While some properties may require around 10,000 euros of renovation work or upgrades, many houses are described as being in solid, livable condition thanks to continuous maintenance or previous residents. Thick stone walls, exposed beams, terracotta tiles and traditional Tuscan details are common features, both in central apartments and in rural properties surrounded by olive groves and vineyards.

For renters, the combination of relatively modest market rents and the town’s pledge to cover half the cost for two years makes Radicondoli especially attractive to digital nomads, remote workers and families looking to test the waters before buying. A typical 60 to 80 square meter home that would ordinarily cost around 400 euros a month becomes more affordable once the municipal subsidy cuts the bill in half.

Life on a Tuscan Hilltop: Quiet Streets and Long Views

Beyond the financial incentives, the character of Radicondoli itself is central to the pitch. Perched on a hill in the Sienese countryside, about an hour’s drive from Florence and roughly 50 minutes from Siena, the village offers sweeping views over forests, farmland and olive groves. Medieval stone buildings cluster around narrow lanes, arches and small squares, with remnants of defensive walls and tower-houses recalling the town’s centuries-old past.

In the 14th century, Radicondoli prospered as a center of wool production, a history still visible in its palazzi and historic dwellings once owned by wealthy merchants. Today, the rhythm of life is slower, with small shops, a handful of bars and restaurants, and seasonal cultural events that draw visitors from surrounding areas. The town promotes a sense of sociality and hospitality as one of its main assets, highlighting neighborhood events, festivals and community initiatives.

Modern conveniences are present but on a smaller scale. Residents can expect basic services, local schools and limited but improving public transport links, particularly toward Siena. The village’s compact size means most everyday tasks are within walking distance, but those who work or study in larger cities often rely on cars or buses. For newcomers used to big-city amenities, the quieter atmosphere and relative isolation may require adjustment.

That trade-off is part of Radicondoli’s allure for those seeking a different lifestyle. The town’s leadership is pitching it as a place where people can swap urban congestion for clean air, open landscapes and a smaller community in which neighbors know each other. By supporting remote workers, young families and entrepreneurs, officials hope to create a demographic mix that can sustain schools, local businesses and cultural life over the long term.

Radicondoli in the Wider Italian Trend

Radicondoli’s plan sits within a broader national and regional effort to tackle depopulation in rural Italy. Across the country, from the Apennine mountains to Sicily and Sardinia, small towns have experimented with incentives to attract new residents, including one-euro home offers that have made international headlines. Many of those schemes require buyers to commit to substantial renovations within a set timeframe in exchange for the rock-bottom purchase price.

Tuscany in particular has embraced financial incentives as a policy tool. Regional authorities recently introduced grants of between 10,000 and 30,000 euros to encourage people to buy and renovate homes in mountain communities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, a separate initiative from Radicondoli’s local scheme. The goal is to counter depopulation and preserve villages described by officials as areas of unique beauty but at risk of marginalization.

Where Radicondoli diverges is in its insistence that its homes maintain real value, both cultural and financial. Rather than advertising bargain-basement prices, the town uses public resources to help bridge the affordability gap while insisting on long-term residency commitments. Its leaders present the village as neither a museum piece nor a speculative playground, but as a living community that needs new households, new children in classrooms and new business ideas.

Early results suggest the strategy is beginning to pay off. Municipal statements indicate that since the housing scheme began in 2023, the population has begun to climb again, rising from about 900 to around 960 residents. Officials say they hope to push the figure back over 1,000 in the coming years by continuing to support families, improve services and fine-tune the incentive program as demand evolves.

What Prospective Residents Should Consider

For foreigners and Italians alike, moving to Radicondoli under the incentive scheme involves more than a financial calculation. Those without Italian citizenship will need to meet national visa and residency requirements, which may include long-term residence permits, proof of income and health insurance. Even European Union citizens, who enjoy freedom of movement, must complete administrative steps to register as residents and access local services.

Language is another key factor. While tourism has brought more international visibility to Tuscany, Radicondoli remains a small, primarily Italian-speaking community. Prospective residents are likely to find that a working knowledge of Italian greatly eases integration, from dealing with municipal paperwork to forming friendships with neighbors and participating in village events.

Work arrangements are critical, too. Some newcomers may bring jobs with them through remote work, while others might open small businesses or look for opportunities in hospitality, agriculture or crafts. The town has set aside funds to support new enterprises and improve infrastructure, but employment options within the village itself remain limited compared with urban centers.

For those who embrace the slower pace and are comfortable with the practicalities of life in a rural Italian municipality, the rewards can be substantial: subsidized housing costs, a supportive small-town environment, and ready access to some of Tuscany’s best-known cultural and natural attractions. For others, the distance from major cities and relative lack of anonymity may prove challenging.

FAQ

Q1. What exactly is Radicondoli offering to new residents?
Radicondoli is offering up to 20,000 euros toward the purchase of a home, an additional 6,000 euros to help cover living expenses, and a commitment to pay half of the first two years of rent for newcomers who qualify and choose to rent instead of buy.

Q2. How much total funding has the village set aside?
The mayor has earmarked more than 400,000 euros in the current year to support home purchases, rental subsidies and related measures such as aid for students, commuters and green energy users.

Q3. What are the residency requirements to receive the incentives?
Homebuyers must agree to live in Radicondoli for at least 10 years, while renters must commit to a minimum stay of four years to benefit from the full package of housing incentives.

Q4. Are the incentives available to foreigners, or only Italian citizens?
The program is open to both Italians and foreigners, but non-Italian applicants must meet national immigration and residency rules, which may include securing a suitable visa and registering officially as residents in the municipality.

Q5. What kinds of homes are available in Radicondoli and how much do they cost?
The housing stock ranges from small one- or two-bedroom apartments in the historic center starting around 50,000 euros to larger farmhouses on the outskirts that can exceed 100,000 euros, many featuring traditional Tuscan stonework and countryside views.

Q6. Do the properties need extensive renovation?
Most available homes are described as being in reasonable condition, with some requiring modest renovation budgets of around 10,000 euros, rather than the full structural overhauls associated with many one-euro house schemes in other Italian towns.

Q7. How affordable is rent with the village’s subsidy?
A typical apartment of 60 to 80 square meters might rent for about 400 euros a month, but under the program Radicondoli would cover half of that for the first two years, effectively reducing the tenant’s share to around 200 euros during the incentive period.

Q8. How isolated is Radicondoli from major cities and services?
Radicondoli is a small hilltop village with fewer than 1,000 residents, located roughly an hour by car from Florence and under an hour from Siena, with local services available in town and additional amenities accessible in nearby urban centers.

Q9. What has the program achieved so far in terms of population?
Since the housing initiative was launched in 2023, the village reports that it has funded more than 20 property purchases and attracted around 60 new residents, increasing the population from about 900 to roughly 960 inhabitants.

Q10. How can interested people start the process of moving to Radicondoli?
Prospective residents typically begin by consulting official municipal information about the housing program, identifying suitable properties for sale or rent, and preparing documentation to show their intent to relocate, their financial capacity, and their readiness to meet the long-term residency commitments required by the scheme.