Sicily

The 1-euro home sales have mostly taken off in Sicily. Several villages on this Southern Italy island have been selling or auctioning off 1-euro homes.

Some notable Sicilian villages with 1-euro homes have included Caltagirone, which is known for its beautiful ceramics and a 142-step staircase decorated with local pottery (shown here), and Mussomeli, a mountaintop town with a population of about 11,000 that is close to beaches.

Montieri, Grosseto

About 40 miles south of stylish Florence in Tuscany, this cute countryside village is surrounded by chestnut tree forests and dotted with medieval tunnels.

The mayor of this town sells abandoned and ruined properties for one euro, but buyers must renovate them within three years or return them.

Pratola Peligna, Abruzzo

This town, located two hours east of Rome, has been actively selling homes for 1 euro. Set at the foot of the Apennine Mountains, Pratola Peligna pioneered the trend of the 1-euro home in Italy’s Abruzzo region.

Borgomezzavalle, Piedmont

This tiny town with a population under 400 is set in the mountains less than an hour’s drive from beautiful Lake Maggiore (shown here) to the southeast, on the border of Italy and Switzerland.

It also offered homes for one euro, including some vacant homes that date back to the 1600s. Each winter, residents in this area, which is located in the narrowest section of the Antrona Valley, position a mirror to reflect the sun and bring in more sunshine.

Zungoli, Avellino

About 70 miles from the Amalfi Coast, Zungoli is a charming hilltop town of about 1,000. Paolo Caruso, the mayor of the village, told European real estate site Idealista News: “Without 1-euro houses, there would only be ruins.” The town has acquired about 100 homes and will make 15 available in its next application round.