If you dream of quitting your job and travelling to one of the most idyllic places in the world, this could be your chance.
Airbnb has teamed up with Wonder Grottole to offer four lucky travellers the opportunity to volunteer in a quaint village in Italy, eating all the carbs they can while immersing themselves in the local culture.
The four winners will be living in the village of Grottole, which sits on a hilltop in southern Italy, about 220km east of Naples.
Four lucky winners will spend three months eating, learning and living Italian in the town of Grottole. Photo / Getty Images
With only 300 inhabitants, the role will be to work for the local NGO Wonder Grottole to help breath new life in to the community, as well as learn the language, do a bit of cooking and help run the local vegetable garden.
The idyllic location is at risk of disappearing, so the program hopes to reinvigorate the village.
"Italy is an extraordinary country with a strong and vibrant rural community, countless hilltop villages and a passionate and welcoming culture," Airbnb co-founder and chief product officer Joe Gebbia said.
"We want to help preserve these communities so they continue for generations to come. By inspiring and supporting others to get involved and make real contributions to village life, we hope it shines a light on the beauty of rural Italy."
The four tourists selected will start their journey with one month of training before they become fully fledged home and experience co-hosts with Wonder Grottole.
As co-hosts on Airbnb, they will welcome guests to a bedroom at the local community centre or into a traditional home in the centre of the village. On top of that role, they will be responsible for showing visitors traditional skills like vegetable farming, honey harvesting, pasta making and olive oil production.
All proceeds from these experiences will be invested back into the village.
"Coming to Grottole from a big city, people will find an ancient village, full of woods and pastures. We encourage them to leave everything behind and connect with our way of living. They will experience a new dimension," said villager Rocco, who has lived in Grottole for 30 years.
"Visitors coming to Grottole will live in a quiet place, with slow living," said local olive oil producer Vincenzo.
An ancient village: The ruins of Saints Luca and Giuliano is a local landmark of Grottole. Photo / Getty Images
"There's no traffic, no chaos, no pollution, good food and, above all, welcoming people. People from abroad will bring a new energy to our village and they must be open to sharing their stories with us. We are good listeners."
What does it take to apply?
Candidates for the sabbatical must be over 18.
They must be available to move to Grottole for three months from June to August 2019 and will be volunteering for the NGO 'Wonder Grottole'.
Applicants must be able to speak good conversational English and open to learning a new language during the trip. Italian would be a plus!
Applicants will also need to demonstrate their commitment to contribute to village life in Grottole.
If this sound like you or someone you know, find out more at the website www.italiansabbatical.com and fill out a form.
