Ollolai: The Capital of the €1 Marketing Gimmick. But Only Journalists Still Believe It!
There’s a limit to narrative-driven development. And Ollolai, I’m sorry to say, crossed that line a long time ago.
You can read the original article in Italian here 👇🏻
Each year, this village in the Barbagia region of Sardinia launches a new “incredible” initiative to attract residents, tourists, remote workers, digital nomads, startups—even ambassadors. Every month, a fresh triumphant announcement, another press release sent out on autopilot, eagerly picked up by national and international media. The problem? No one—and I mean no one—ever actually visits Ollolai to see how things really are.
I’ve been there. Twice. It's a nice little village.
But I didn’t go as a curious tourist or a journalist chasing quaintness. I went as an entrepreneur with 15 years of experience in regeneration, hospitality, and remote work, with one foot in southern Italy and the other in international markets. And frankly, there is nothing in Ollolai to justify the hype.
Sure, it’s pleasant—better preserved than many other towns, surrounded by beautiful nature, with an undeniable charm. And yes, local leaders mean well. But good intentions aren’t the issue. The problem is the myth-making. The ever-widening gap between what’s promised and what’s delivered. And here’s where two culprits come in: a lazy press and an overactive municipality.
Copy-Paste Journalism
Nowhere else in Italy (or Europe, perhaps) churns out such a steady stream of media coverage about (almost) nothing. The same pattern on repeat: town press release – agency coverage – story on Il Sole 24 Ore, Repubblica, the Guardian, CNN – zero verification, zero investigation, zero site visits.
Ten years ago: the launch of €1 homes.
In 2022: €1 rent for five years (then quietly dropped).
Today: “40,000 applications to work remotely” and even “80,000 requests to buy €1 homes.”
Tomorrow? Maybe 200,000 people wanting to milk goats.
But has anyone actually asked how many have really come? Stayed longer than a month? Started a business? Invested? Created ties with the community?
No. Easier to stick to “official sources” that speak of success while the reality sinks into depopulation, broken infrastructure, disconnected services, and youth leaving the elderly behind.
Italy’s Most Quoted Town
From the outside, it seems Ollolai has turned scarcity into a business model. “We don’t have infrastructure, investment, or connections… but we have a strategy: go viral.”
So out come the gimmicks: Dutch reality shows where locals are treated like an endangered species. Announcements of a digital nomad village where the internet tops out at 4 Mbps. Even Trump's election was turned into a pitch for Ollolai as a “golden exile” for disillusioned Americans.
Back in 2020, through ITS Sardinia (now
), we tried to collaborate. A signed agreement, a campaign around 30 properties, the intent to build something real. The next day: headlines. The day after: radio silence. Empty promises, absurd delays, and above all: no vision. We were sent a dozen property listings—none of them feasible. They’re still available if you want to see them.Then the town disappeared. Our usefulness (getting press coverage) had expired. The real work, it turns out, was too much.
Who Would Really Move to Ollolai?
Ask yourself this: why would a real professional—European or American—choose Ollolai?
The blunt answer is: they wouldn’t.
Not if they work online and need decent internet.
Not if they have kids and want schools, doctors, transport.
Not if they want to open a business in an isolated, demand-starved location.
Ollolai is, at best, a temporary retreat. A detox month (not guaranteed). It’s not a hub. Not a capital of remote work. Not (yet) a regeneration lab. It’s a village living off narrative—only that, unfortunately.
Sardinia: Gorgeous, Complex, and Not for Everyone
We’ve done serious work in Sardinia in three areas:
Ollolai: a failure, both in communication and operations.
Ozieri: where we’re close to finalizing three real projects.
Lanusei: where quiet, careful work has delivered real results.
Throwing €1 deals into the void isn’t enough. You need to build, connect, and understand. Sardinia is stunning—but also demanding. It deserves respect and clarity, not empty slogans.
A model? Eva Noelle Fassbender, expat and founder of The Sardinian, who for years has told real stories about life on the island. No illusions, no tricks. With love, but also with honesty.
Others, like Andrea Valente on SenzaFiltro, have tried some fact-checking. But why do that when national and international outlets prefer the feel-good clickbait?
Enough with the Empty Hype
If you're a journalist: go visit Ollolai before writing. Stop copy-pasting press releases. Don’t dress up PR stunts as social phenomena.
If you're in the municipality: keep trying—nothing wrong with that. But know this: yet another gimmick without substance might backfire. Those “80,000 requests”? Just 10 real ones would be enough—real people to welcome, support, and build with. Not just numbers for headlines.
And if you're a true digital nomad tempted to try it… here's the link:
https://www.workfromollolai.com
But know what you're walking into.
To Ollolai: a sincere wish that someday, the administration will realize that place branding isn’t about who shouts loudest in the press office. It’s about connections, infrastructure, services, relationships—and above all, truth. You know where to find me if you ever want to talk.