The town Herreruela de Oropesa is located in the province of Toledo, about two hours away from Portugal. To attract new residents, the municipality is offering several benefits, such as free daycare, payment of expenses for companies and lots to rent for farmers. In addition, there are houses for sale starting at €12,000.

This is one of several Spanish municipalities that are part of the 5th edition of the Holapueblo program, an initiative by Ikea, Redeia and AlmaNatura, which aims to promote the repopulation of rural areas through entrepreneurship, according to idealista.

With just 317 inhabitants, the municipality of Herreruela de Oropesa is promoting several public initiatives to encourage the arrival of new residents, as reported on the project website:

  • Birth assistance: provides a baby voucher worth 1,000 euros for each new birth and also a daycare voucher for free daycare;
  • Business creation: the municipality pays tax management expenses for two years for new companies and self-employed workers. It also has a coworking area open 24 hours. And it has land available to rent to farmers, as well as an industrial park with available spaces;
  • Mobility: lower taxes for residents who own electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Another point that may encourage families to move to this Spanish municipality is the fact that there are houses to rent or buy at affordable prices. In fact, the acquisition of properties in the region varies between 12,000 and 40,000 euros, according to the project website.

As tourism in the area is still developing, the municipality also welcomes its expansion, as it “has traditional stone houses that could be converted into rural homes”. And tourism also “could be complemented with a series of activities to be carried out in rural areas”, says the same publication.

In terms of services, Herreruela de Oropesa also needs workers to carry out home repairs, such as electricians and plumbers. And it also welcomes healthcare professionals for the elderly and even a manager, since the management of the public municipal residence will be put out to tender soon.