15 villages in Sardinia set for tourism revamp as part of €38m plan

Fancy moving to a Mediterranean island where plates of gnocchetti sardi and delicacies like bottarga, cured fish roe, are part of everyday life? If Italy’s Sardinia sprang to mind, then you may want to continue reading.

Sardinia is looking to tackle trends towards depopulation and encourage new faces to take up residency, according to its regional council. As the autonomous region seeks to revamp itself, 15 of its certified villages will receive funding from a €38 million pool as part of a memorandum of understanding titled “Tourism in the Villages”. ​​

From the coastal charm of Bosa to the picturesque streets of Castelsardo, the selected destinations also include Aggius, Atzara, Carloforte, Galtellì, Gavoi, Laconi, La Maddalena, Lollove (Nuoro), Oliena, Posada, Sadali, Sardara and Tempio Pausania, with each village in line for to receive €2.5 million.

The deal, inked by Franco Cuccureddu, Sardinia’s Regional Councillor for Tourism, Crafts, and Commerce, and the mayors of the 15 villages, paves the way for promoting the island’s unique brand of village tourism and slower living, including its hiking and walking ranges and local cuisine.

“This memorandum, which provides €38 million in Fondo Sviluppo e Coesione funds to be divided equally among the 15 municipalities, finally allows Sardinia to fully enter and position itself in the village tourism market, which is a rapidly growing market in Europe and, I would say, globally,” Cuccureddu said.

“It also supports the two key strategies the Sardinian region is pursuing: decentralisation, aimed at easing pressure on coastal areas, which account for around 70 of the island’s 377 municipalities, and seasonality, by promoting a tourism product that can be enjoyed year-round.”

The project also aims to improve accessibility and hospitality, as well as create new opportunities for employment.

Almost a third of Sardinian homes are unoccupied

With a coastline that stretches almost 2,000km, Sardinia is home to just over one million housing properties. Nearly one third – 319,211 units – remain empty, Italy’s Agenzia ANSA reported, citing findings from the Italian Association of Short-term Rental Managers (Aigab). The research also found that around 3.5% of the island’s homes are listed as short-term rentals.

However, this trend can vary by location.

Urbanised areas, including Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero, have high levels of residential occupancy, in contrast to more premium destinations, such as Arzachena, La Maddalena, Palau and Santa Teresa Gallura where larger numbers of homes remain empty. Yet, across both categories, properties for short-term renting remain below regional and national averages.

These levels plummet even further in areas such as San Teodoro, Budoni, Villasimius and Stintino, which were found to have high levels of unoccupancy and low permanent residency.