BySherry Laskin Updated on Travel Tips

Move to Italy and Get a Little Cash in Your Pocket, Too

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Photo: Francesco del Vecchio / Commune Candela

The small Italian town of Candela, on Italy’s eastern side (think Adriatic Sea) wants to lure new residents to its dwindling population. Nicola Gatta, mayor of the medieval town in Puglia, is determined to increase its current resident count of 2,700 to its former days of 8,000 and more.

Editor’s Note – Nov 3, 2017:  There is no link to apply to move here. If you read through this article, you will see my note that no matter how much I tried to find a link, there is NO link anywhere.

The bait?

Mayor Gatta is offering to pay people to relocate to Candela. While not a huge sum, it’s a way to offset the cost of moving and settling in to a new home.

“I work each day with passion and commitment to bring Candela back to its ancient splendor,” says Gatta. “Up until the 1960s, travelers called it ‘Nap’licchie’ (Little Naples), for it streets full of wayfarers, tourists, merchants and screaming vendors.”

According to Stefano Bascianelli, the mayor’s right-hand man, “This is how it works:  €800 for singles, €1,200 for couples, €1,500 to €1,800 for three-member families, and over €2,000 for families of four to five people”. An additional incentive may also include tax credits on city waste disposal, bills and nurseries.

Translated to current USD, that’s about $940 for singles, $1,450 for couples, $1,770 to $2,120 for a family of three and over $2,350 for a family of four  to five members.

Freeloaders aren’t welcome. Rules for new residents to receive the case include: they must take up official residency in Candela, rent a house and have a job which pay at least €7,500 per year. In US dollars, that’s less than $9,000 per year income.

“We don’t want people flocking here thinking they get to live off the town hall’s revenues, all new residents must work and have an income”, continues Bascianelli.

Candela was once filled with street vendors, tourists, families and merchants. Today, the population is mostly elderly. Young people in search of jobs and big city life move elsewhere.

Who’s moved there?

So far, six families from northern Italy have already settled into their new homes and five more families have applied to move.

Try as I might, I cannot find any links to apply. For now, I think that Mayor Gatta’s incentive to move applies mostly to Italians and more easily to Europeans rather than others.

Photos:  Francesco del Vecchio and Annalisa Fred / Commune Candela

Almost 20 years ago, I created what became an award-winning cruise blog. In 2024, a scam artist conned me into selling it to him but I was never paid. Then he sold it and kept those proceeds. So I started this new site to continue my love for cruising. My newest passion is traveling around the US and Canada with my little dog Poppy, in my Travato camper van. I hope my articles and photos entertain, advise and inspire you to explore this amazing world. Visit TravelUpClose.com for all of my train articles, and ReadyGoHike.com for you outdoor enthusiasts.

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54 Comments

  1. “To have transferred the residence to the Municipality of Candela from 01.01.2017 e no later than 31.12.2017”

    so the deadline has passed?

  2. Parita Mahadik says:

    Guys plz let me know
    Were can I apply

  3. I’m ready to move, please someone tell me how or where do I apply for this opportunity to relocate. I now live in California, my email (deleted for privacy) The sooner the better.

  4. Brenda Hagg says:

    Very interested, would love to apply. Has anybody still haven’t had any luck getting hold of the application?

  5. anyone got any response on considering the move

  6. Sherry Kennedy says:

    Hi Sheila, I think it was intended to attract Italians from urban areas to resettle in their town, and the publicity got out of hand.
    Sherry

  7. Does anyone know where should I send it to, once we filled the application ?

  10. Sheila Symons says:

    I’d love to live there. They must not want us Americans.

  11. Cherita Jeffries says:

    We would like to apply to move to Candela, Italy

  13. Same here can’t find link to apply.

  14. couldn’t find a link. any updates on this one?

  15. Cynthia Sanford says:

    I would love to move there and would like more information but am unable to find a working link for the application.

  16. I was looking for a link to apply also but couldn’t find it either.

  17. Nancy Sandoval says:

    Link?

  18. Melanie Mouzalas says:

    My husband and I would be happy to relocate from the U.S.!

  19. Vahid Shadman says:

    Plz send the link. Thx.

  21. Zikusooka says:

    i need the link to apply

  22. Zikusooka says:

    How can I find the link to apply

  23. and town’s homepage is out of construction …

  24. Rishi Chachra says:

    Plz update link how to apply for this

  25. I’d love to move there. I can’t find any links to apply. ☹️

  26. Rj Valderrama says:

    I would like to apply for that as well, with my fiancee. I hope you guys can help me. anyways I am from the Philippines.

  28. Muhammad Kashif says:

    Trying To Find Any link for Applying Moving The Italian Town of Candela
    But There is No Any Link …….
    Unfortunately, I’ve looked all over the internet and still can’t find a link to apply..
    If Any One Find Any Link About Applying Moving Candela so Please Update All of us ….
    Thanks and Regards

  29. How to apply for candelo city ? I am looking link?

  30. tell me how can i apply

  31. Hilal SUNGAR says:

    I can’t find application link. Can you share with me?

  32. WAQAS MEHMOOD says:

    Its Great place Candela..

  33. Chandresh says:

    Send me apply Link

  34. how can i apply for it because i want my better life so and i see this is a beutiful place

  35. how can i apply for it

  36. How to apply

  37. Couldn’t find a link to apply or even to search houses for that area. Please let me know if you find anything

  38. so interested for me but cant find how to apply

  39. Ahmed Nafees says:

    how can i apply ?? because i want to move there with my family….

  40. Sohail Saeed says:

    I am an Engineer and my wife is Consultant doctor in the field of General Medicine and Endocrine and my sister is a Medical Practitioner in the field of Gynaecology. We all can contribute to the best of our abilities to this village of Italy. I have surfed the net but couldnt find any link as to how to file an application for getting residency to Candela, Italy. Can any one or the mayor Nicola Gatta help me to get through with this issue

  41. G.Abel Selwyn says:

    I am coming….

  42. Nahid Aktar says:

    Hi, I would like to move there.
    Nahid

  43. I had search Alot but cannot find the link if someone know anything about the link please share it

  44. i live in Pakistan and want to apply for candela. we are 4 family members, i m assistant professor and my hubby is banker and have 2 sons. kindly guide me

  45. How can i apply for the residence, I belong to an Asian Country. plz guide me

  46. gaurav rawat says:

    i want to move there with my family snd want to live my life in candela i love that place when first time i saw that place i gona mad to live there

  47. Where is the link? I want to apply

  48. where is the application link located please….thanks

  49. Sherry Kennedy says:

    Sounds and looks like a beautiful place to live.

  50. Aziz Ul wahab says:

    Don’t found any link to apply

  51. Plz update link how to apply for this

  52. Danyetta Davis says:

    Hi My name is Danyetta
    I would love to apply to move there I looking for a new place to call home

  53. Sherry Kennedy says:

    Hi Neiko,
    Unfortunately, I’ve looked all over the internet and still can’t find a link to apply. If you have any luck, please post in a comment. Thank you.

  54. Where is the apply link?

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