Inside an Italian village populated by Americans.

The Italian village of Irsina, located in the southern region of Basilicata, is attracting more and more foreigners who are buying old houses and helping to revive this almost abandoned place. Today, Irsina is home to over 300 non-residents from 12 different countries, alongside 4,000 local residents.

In the past, around 12,000 people lived on this hill, surrounded by fields, but mass emigration and harsh living conditions led to a decline, and by the 1960s, only 4,500 people remained in the old historic center. However, the situation has changed now. In 2023, you can find many foreign retirees and American migrants in Irsi, living the Italian rural dream.

More than 15 families from the USA and Canada have purchased old houses in this remote village, known for its wheat fields and olive groves. They continue to buy homes and expand their properties, promoting this place that seems frozen in time. Every time they return, they bring along relatives and friends who happily spend between 20,000 and 150,000 euros ($22,000 - $165,000) on spacious housing with bucolic views. In the narrow alleys, you can hear American, Canadian, French, and Norwegian accents. There’s even a road that the locals have renamed "Belgian Street" due to the large number of Belgians living there.

It's interesting that the village of Irsina is known for its underground tunnels, which were once used to supply water to the city's cisterns. There is also a tradition of "human towers" held here - every May, actors dressed as farmers jump onto the shoulders of others dressed as rural nobility to create a formation that represents the social hierarchies of the past.

The village is also known for its dishes with unusual names. One of them is handmade pasta with figs, cooked in wine and pepper, and another is delicacies made from sheep and goat meat.

It's interesting that foreigners came to Irsina not only because they want to live in a beautiful Italian place, but also because of their roots. Many of them have Italian ancestry and want to reconnect with their ancestors.

In the village of Irsina, the presence of foreigners has encouraged local residents to renovate their homes, leading to the revival of the village.