The idyllic European island where you could be paid £18,000 to move

A beautiful and unspoilt Greek island just 45 minutes from Athens is looking for families to move there and will pay them almost £20,000 in the process. Antikythera is a small island halfway between the mainland and Crete in the Aegean Sea with beautiful beaches, hidden caves and hiking trails. It is home to just 24 full-time residents. It used to be occupied by many more but many young people have left for jobs on bigger islands or the mainland. Those who move to the island could receive approximately £500 a month for three years, amounting to roughly £18,000. New residents will also receive a home and a piece of land to get them started. Antikythera is offering people €18k to move (Image: Getty) The scheme does favour Greeks but non-Greeks will be considered. Arrivals are encouraged to work in trades such as fishing, baking and building. The island’s president, Andreas Harhalakis told Iefimerida.gr: ‘We need young families, large enough to make Antikythera alive and full of children’s voices.’ Antikythera is a 45-minute flight from Athens, a two-hour ferry from Crete and a four-hour ferry from the mainland. The island has just one shop (Image: Getty) The island has a shop, a hostel, and an Airbnb but no bank or ATM. The boat which brings food and gas to the island cannot dock in stormy seas, which is common in winter. One local retired Greek Air Force general Gianni Tzinakos said: ‘There is no other place in the world where you can find such absolute peace and quiet.’ It is not the only place in Europe offering a financial incentive to move there. A Swiss village is offering families €50,000 to move there and an Italian island is offering €15,000.