The return to villages linked to services and quality of life

Depopulated villages, villages where houses close their shutters every time a family moves away or an elderly person dies, small municipalities where it is difficult to attract new residents. Depopulation is a crucial issue in a country dotted with small realities in danger of being forgotten. Alongside these realities there are, however, places that have managed over the years, especially in the post-Covid phase, to create environments where young people, smart workers and pensioners could move, live and work.

The phenomenon is wide-ranging and a source of discussion and revival strategies. An important trend that is emerging also concerns the return to alternative lifestyles, with many choosing to settle in smaller locations and in inland areas to do different jobs from what they could do in a big city, such as returning to farming or engaging in tourism. So can depopulation be reversed? Much also depends on the services that places can offer. A campaign has just been launched in Volterra to counter population decline by attracting new residents from abroad. The campaign, which aims to bring residents back above the 10,000 threshold, is aimed in particular at pensioners, foreigners and others. In recent years, the theme of enhancing the value of villages has become central given the historical and cultural heritage they represent. Hence the decision to launch attraction policies, such as the sale of houses for one euro. The most active regions so far have been Tuscany, Sicily and Sardinia. The objective is the recovery of buildings, but also economic and social revitalisation. Some realities are doing better than others. According to Abitare.Co's estimates based on data from the Agenzia dell'Entrate's 2025 sales figures, municipalities such as Terni (+14%) or near Rome are benefiting from the flight from the cities to the hinterland. Others, such as Lodi (+22), Imperia or Grosseto (+16%) instead enjoy purchases for second homes. In recent years, more and more foreigners are also looking for homes in different niche locations: from Santa Maria del Cedro in Calabria to Todi in Umbria, according to the Gate-away portal for foreign buyers.

Villages, depopulation and new lifestyles.

The protagonists: Alldo Bonomi (founder and coordinator, Aaster Consortium); Maria Carmela Colaiacovo (president, Il Sole 24 Ore Group); Luisa Corazza (University of Molise); Stefano Bruno Galli (University of Milan); Michele Nardelli (writer); Paola Dezza (Il Sole 24 Ore).