A plan to re-populate the ancient village of San Fruttuoso with its 10th century Abbey, considered one of the jewels of the Ligury coast, has been launched by the mayor of nearby Camogli, Italo Mannucci. San Fruttuoso, which can only be reached by boat or by a long walk over the mountains of Portofino, has only five elderly year-round residents. During the summer season, the population rises to twenty, who cater to the tourist trade.
Mannucci wants to save San Fruttuoso from becoming a ghost town by encouraging local people from Camogli or who have other family members living in San Fruttuoso to move there by putting eleven newly restored apartments at their disposal at a token rent of between 30¬300 a month. In order to avoid speculation, the apartments will only be assigned to families who have been residents of Camogli or San Fruttuoso until 2010 and whose annual income does not exceed 30,000.
For information about San Fruttuoso: www.sanfruttuoso.eu