San Giovanni in Galdo, a village in southern Italy, is offering up some of its empty houses for free to travelers who visit the region between July and October.

Like many small Italian villages, San Giovanni is suffering from population decline as residents leave for big cities. s a result it has plenty of vacant homes that can be filled with out-of-towners keen to get away from crowded cities.


Under the project called ‘give yourself Molise’, visitors can enjoy a free-seven night break in some of the region’s vacant homes. The aim is to coax life back into the small village and put Molise on the map as an enticing tourist destination.

With accommodation costs covered, visitors have more money left over to discover the beauty of Molise, its history, and its food and wine. The project, created by local activist Enzo Luongo, will run from July 4 until October 3.

To apply, you must fill out a form explaining why you’d like to discover Molise and email it to the village’s cultural association. Up to five people can be part of one application which can be accessed here.