Ever thought of leaving the rat race behind and starting fresh on a beautiful Greek island? Now there is added incentive, as Antikythera is paying for new residents to call its beautiful and historic island ‘home’.
Currently, there are only 24 residents on the island, which is located right next to Kythera and is a 45-minute flight from Athens.
As authentic as Greek islands get, Antikythera is home to one small village, Potamos, which is the only entry point. And if you are wondering where you may have heard of the name before, it's famous for being the spot where one of the first analogic computers was ever found, the Antikythera Mechanism, crafted sometime around 150 and 100 BC.
It looks just like most other Aegean islands, boasting whitewashed homes, crystal blue waters, and great weather. However, it is in desperate need of young families to keep the population and economy strong. Local businesses supported by local people are the best way to keep Antikythera alive, as it is not a popular spot for tourists.
So now the local diocese of the Greek Orthodox Church is sponsoring families to move to the island, and they’re looking for more and more families to move here. Although precedence is given to Greek citizens, anyone chosen to be part of the program will be given some land, a house, and a monthly spend of 500 euros for the first three years they live there.
The president of the local Antikythera council, Andreas Charchalakis, told Greek website iefimerida that fishermen, stock-farmers, builders, and bakers could flourish there. “These are professions which can guarantee a decent income for those who will come to our island,” he said.
According to local reports, four families have already been approved for the program and if you would like more information head to antikythiradirect.com.