AIRBNB PRESENTS

The 1 Euro House

Move to Sicily, live in a beautifully restored 1 Euro townhouse and become an Airbnb Host

Airbnb is looking for an adventurer with a passion for hospitality to live in and Host a restored Sicilian home for one year, joining a small international community with a passion for the rural Italian culture and lifestyle.

With the growing flexibility to work and live from anywhere, this unique Sicilian home offers a stylish yet sustainable setting for remote working while helping the village of Sambuca to breathe new life into a community and contribute to its renaissance.

Who are we looking for?

Inspired by Sambuca’s 1 Euro Houses, we’ll select a person willing to become an Airbnb Host and to join a growing international community that has been moving to Sambuca since the town’s rejuvenation campaign first launched in 2019. The selected participant may bring a friend, their partner or family (maximum of two adults and two children in total).

What they all have in common is a passion for nature, Italian culture and for playing their part in Sambuca’s renaissance. The participant will therefore need to demonstrate a commitment to hosting and to contributing to village life.

Applicants must be over 18, be available to move to Sambuca from June 30th 2022 (staying in Sambuca for at least 3 months and hosting a private room within the home on Airbnb at least 9 months) and be able to speak conversational English. They will learn Italian during their residence.

Who are we looking for?

Inspired by Sambuca’s 1 Euro Houses, we’ll select a person willing to become an Airbnb Host and to join a growing international community that has been moving to Sambuca since the town’s rejuvenation campaign first launched in 2019. The selected participant may bring a friend, their partner or family (maximum of two adults and two children in total).

What they all have in common is a passion for nature, Italian culture and for playing their part in Sambuca’s renaissance. The participant will therefore need to demonstrate a commitment to hosting and to contributing to village life.

Applicants must be over 18, be available to move to Sambuca from June 30th 2022 (staying in Sambuca for at least 3 months and hosting a private room within the home on Airbnb at least 9 months) and be able to speak conversational English. They will learn Italian during their residence.

What will the Host do in Sicily?

The Host has the opportunity to live rent-free in a fully renovated home. With the growing flexibility to work and live from anywhere, this unique Sicilian home offers a stylish yet sustainable setting for remote working.

The transformed townhouse is designed with hosting in mind. The Host will welcome Airbnb guests from around the world for at least 9 months of their year in the 1 Euro House.

What will the Host do in Sicily?

The Host has the opportunity to live rent-free in a fully renovated home. With the growing flexibility to work and live from anywhere, this unique Sicilian home offers a stylish yet sustainable setting for remote working.

The transformed townhouse is designed with hosting in mind. The Host will welcome Airbnb guests from around the world for at least 9 months of their year in the 1 Euro House.

What is the town like?

Sambuca is a small rural village of about 6,000 inhabitants in Sicily, approximately 80km south of Palermo, characterized by a unique blend of Italian and North African cultures and architectural styles.

Awarded the title "the most beautiful Italian Village" in 2016, Sambuca di Sicilia perfectly encapsulates southern Italian heritage and rural traditions from the grape harvest to olive picking.

What is the town like?

Sambuca is a small rural village of about 6,000 inhabitants in Sicily, approximately 80km south of Palermo, characterized by a unique blend of Italian and North African cultures and architectural styles.

Awarded the title "the most beautiful Italian Village" in 2016, Sambuca di Sicilia perfectly encapsulates southern Italian heritage and rural traditions from the grape harvest to olive picking.

Where will the Host live?

The townhouse, located in the heart of the village, has been given a comprehensive designer makeover: working with the Italian architectural firm, Studio Didea, Airbnb transformed the home using materials and colors in harmony with the local landscape that bring to life the uniqueness of an historic Italian townhouse.

The spacious building spans three floors and is the ideal space to live and Host on Airbnb. The ground floor comprises a small living room, master bedroom with king-size bed and en-suite bathroom. The first floor includes a living room, kitchen, working space, bathroom and mezzanine bedroom with a king-size bed. The upper floor includes an additional living space with a queen-size sofa bed. The successful applicant gets first dibs on the bedroom that best suits their needs with the second bedroom to be listed on Airbnb.

Where will the Host live?

The townhouse, located in the heart of the village, has been given a comprehensive designer makeover: working with the Italian architectural firm, Studio Didea, Airbnb transformed the home using materials and colors in harmony with the local landscape that bring to life the uniqueness of an historic Italian townhouse.

The spacious building spans three floors and is the ideal space to live and Host on Airbnb. The ground floor comprises a small living room, master bedroom with king-size bed and en-suite bathroom. The first floor includes a living room, kitchen, working space, bathroom and mezzanine bedroom with a king-size bed. The upper floor includes an additional living space with a queen-size sofa bed. The successful applicant gets first dibs on the bedroom that best suits their needs with the second bedroom to be listed on Airbnb.

The House

You’ll have the opportunity to live in this fully renovated designer 1 Euro House

This house is the result of site specific renovation work by Sicilian architecture firm Studio Didea. Studio Didea took inspiration from the original structure of the house, its roots and Sambuca’s heritage to create a 6-room residence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 1 Euro House project?

It is a selection to identify one person who will move to the small village of Sambuca, in Sicily living a renovated “1 Euro House” rent-free while listing one room of the House on Airbnb. The selected Participant will have the possibility to attend a mentorship program to learn the Italian language and the country’s cultural heritage.

Where is Sambuca di Sicilia?

Sambuca is a small rural village of about 6000 inhabitants in Sicily, approximately 80km south of Palermo. Awarded the title “the most beautiful Italian Village” in 2016, Sambuca di Sicilia perfectly encapsulates southern Italian heritage.

Why is the House called 1 Euro House?

Airbnb and the City of Sambuca chose this name because this is one of the houses owned by the Municipality that could have been sold at 1 Euro. These houses have now become the symbol of the Municipality’s efforts to revitalize their community and restore & promote local cultural heritage.

How many people can the 1 Euro House accommodate?

At any given time, the House can accommodate a maximum of 6 people - the selected Participant, along with 1 adult and 2 children (i.e. their family) and up to 2 Airbnb guests.

When and how long will the Participant stay in Sambuca?

The selected Participant must arrive in Sambuca on or before 30th June 2022. Flights and transfers to Sambuca will be arranged and paid by Airbnb. The Participant must stay and host there for a minimum of 3 months. The subsequent period depends on the Participant and the agreements with the Municipality and may be extended up to the year 2024. The Participant will be allowed to go back to their origin country during the stay, provided they continue hosting the private room on Airbnb during the program dates for a minimum of 9 months per year, if needed supported by a co-host (e.g. the Mentor, or someone else chosen by them).

How will the people who move to the 1 Euro House spend their time?

Once there, they will be able to live rent free in the 1 Euro House while hosting a private room of the House on Airbnb. During the first month the Participant will attend a mentorship program comprised of an Italian language course and 4 cooking classes held by a local Mentor. The Participant is welcome to continue doing their own job if they are allowed to according to their origin’s country laws, their employment and contractual arrangements and as long as it is compatible with the hosting activities required and the conditions of their stay in Italy.

Does the Participant need to pay anything during their stay?

The program includes the rent-free stay at the 1 Euro House for 1 year. The Program also includes the following costs, which will be paid by Airbnb subject to the Selection Terms: flight tickets from Participant’s nearest airport to Sambuca (Italy) purchased by Airbnb directly at its discretion; airport transfer upon arrival in Italy; Italian lessons for 1 month and 4 cooking lessons with a local mentor. The Participant will be responsible for their costs associated with using the 1 Euro House and and operating the 1 Euro House as tourist accommodation (e.g. any costs related to personnel, consumables, cleaning services and utility contracts), as well as costs for ordinary and extraordinary maintenance of the property. The Participant is also responsible for any taxes applicable to their hosting activities or involvement in the program.

Can the Participant keep the earnings from the hosting activity?

Yes, they can, in accordance with the Airbnb Terms of Service. The Participant is also responsible for any taxes applicable to their hosting activities or involvement in the program.

Are families with children eligible to participate?

Yes, they are but they need to be aware that the 1 Euro House doesn’t have a proper kids room with single beds but both the attic and the living room have sofa beds that can be used to accommodate children. The House has room for maximum two adults (the Participant + 1) and two children, in addition to having room for two Airbnb guests at a time.

What about the recent COVID surge?

Safe and responsible travel is our number one priority and we are continuing to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely. Local and international travel requirements, as well as health guidelines, continue to change quickly. The Participant will be required to follow Covid-19 rules applicable at national and local level and should check local restrictions at home before travelling to Italy.

We also ask the Participant, in their role as a Host, to follow Airbnb’s COVID-19 Safety Practices, which include wearing a mask, practising social distancing, and abiding by our five-step enhanced cleaning process.

Daily life in Sambuca

Application Form

The deadline to apply was February 18th at 11.59pm ET and we are no longer receiving applications. Thank you for your interest.

Terms & Conditions

Max 1 Application per person. Must be 18+ and resident in one of the following countries/regions: Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec), Chile, mainland China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, or US. Selection Terms and Privacy Policy. Please note eligibility requiremments, applicable laws and jurisdiction.