Want to settle in one of Italy's great cities of art? Mantua, located in the northern region of Lombardy, will pay new residents to move in.

The Italian villages that have long lured foreigners to live permanently have been joined by the city. We are talking about the city of Mantua, with a population of about 50,000 people, which is known for its Renaissance palaces and excellent cuisine. Those who move there will receive grants for rent payments of €150 per month.

Authorities said they will accept about 100 applications a year for financial rewards. All those wishing to do so need only sign a rental agreement for at least a year. The program is open to both families and individuals.

The city council has allocated a total of €400,000 to the initiative: half of the funds will be distributed this year and the rest in 2024. Authorities hope the scheme will help alleviate the problems of an aging population.

“If you add the aging population to the data on declining birth rates, most Italian cities will have more non-working people than working people in the next few years,” said Mattia Palazzi, the mayor of Mantua.

“We need to increase the permanent population in the next few years, to increase the number of people who work and bring in income,” the mayor concluded.

Applications for the program can be submitted closer to the end of the summer.