The sun-soaked Italian region of Tuscany is known for its stunning landscapes, rich culture and amazing food and wine - as well as its notoriously expensive properties.

However, regional authorities have just announced they'll pay people up to £25,000 to relocate to the area's breathtaking mountain towns.

Thousands of towns and villages across Italy have been left with dwindling populations as more and more locals move to the cities for work.

The new scheme will give applicants between €10,000 and €30,000 to purchase a home in a Tuscan town with 5,000 residents or less.

The generous financial contribution is meant to go toward the purchase of a home but cannot exceed half the cost of buying and renovating the property.

Tuscany's regional vice president Stefania Saccardi said settling in one of the mountain towns offered an incredible opportunity for a new life choice.

Applicants have to be Italian citizens or citizens within the EU. Non-EU citizens can still apply but have to hold a residence permit lasting a minimum of 10 years.