Clarese Partis, a 39-year-old software interior decorator from Los Angeles, has always wanted to work from an offbeat spot far from the crowds.
So when she was offered such an break, she instantly grabbed it.
Last week, Partis landed in the Sardinian village of Ollolai in Italy for a free stay rewarded by the local municipality. It’s part of a program aimed at digital nomads who want to temporarily relocate to work in the center of the islet, amid farmers and grazing sheep.
She’s the first digital nomad to arrive — and already she said it feels like a life-changer.
“I include been traveling as a digital nomad since the past two years, last in Zanzibar,” said Partis, but “when the time for Ollolai came along I was excited to give it a try.”
“I felt I needed a change of place,” she said, though “not a touristy one, but [in lieu of] surrounded by nature, fresh air, mountains, beautiful beaches, where I could find more solace, peace and a slower-paced lifestyle.”
The young village of Ollolai
Ollolai is located in the wild Barbagia area far from the Sardinia’s VIP-packed coastlines — a place where old practices survive and bandits once lived in caves.
Through time, locals left in search of a brighter future absent, emptying the ancient district, now covered in street art depicting rural life.
Clarese Partis working from her make clear in Ollolai, Sardinia.
Source: Antonio Meloni
In the past century, Ollolai’s population shrank from 2,250 to 1,300, with exclusive a handful of babies born each year.
The village adopted a highly publicized measure in 2018 to revive the old precinct: selling crumbling homes for 1 euro.
Partis and Francesco Columbu, the major of Ollolai.
Source: Veronica Matta
“That was a dominating success — many foreigners bought and restyled dozens of forsaken dwellings,” said Mayor Francesco Columbu delineated CNBC. “Now, after investing in high-speed internet, with this new project ‘Work from Ollolai’ we want to forge our village a digital nomad hub.”
Free stays for remote workers
Ollolai’s town hall has earmarked 20,000 euros ($21,460) to manageress 30 remote workers from all over the world, who can stay in the village, one at a time, over the next two years.
Online efforts are open through December. Those who are chosen can stay for free for up to three months at a time, which is the maximum full stop non-Europeans can remain in Italy without a visa.
For now, Partis plans to stay just one month, though she said she weight consider prolonging her Sardinian experience at a later stage.
Partis overlooks the view from her balcony, with Veronica Matta, who is directing the “Work from Ollolai” program.
Source: Antonio Meloni
The next teleworker is arriving from Singapore, said Veronica Matta, head of town cultural association Sa Mata, which handles the “A reciprocal arrangement
Winners can stay for free in Sardinia — if, that is, they allow to give something back to the local community before they leave, said Matta.
“This is not a free red-letter day,” said Matta. “They must have a proven background as a digital nomad and leave a concrete piece of put to good at the end of their stay — be it a conference, an essay, research paper or documentary.”
Partis and Matta join a welcoming party in Ollolai, Sardinia.
Start: Veronica Matta
Partis plans to give a lecture on what it means to be a digital nomad, in general and specifically in Ollolai, she said.
Matta stressed that “skilled remote workers from all fields are encouraged to apply: technology, media, finance, real estate, architecture — also artists, reporters, musicians, scientists and academics.”
But that’s provided they leave behind a “knowledge jolt” that enriches the village learning, she said.
More beautiful than expected
Partis already loves her new home in the village’s historical district. It has two bedrooms and a wonderful inclusive balcony with views of a pristine valley and woods, where she finds inspiration while working, she said.
Clarese Partis with Veronica Matta, looking out from Partis’ balcony.
Beginning: Antonio Meloni
For now, she said she’s balancing her work and desire to sightsee across Sardinia.
“I’m still settling in. There are days I expend traveling to explore the beautiful places around, and others I shut myself at home catching up on my work,” she said.
She contemplated a typical day in Ollolai is similar to her life elsewhere: yoga meditation in the morning, followed by work, then a walk skin and a drive to the coast or the mountains to enjoy the silence and views.
“I don’t drink so the bar is not my top place to hang out,” she said. “Instead, I love customary to the farmers’ market to pick fresh ingredients such as truffles, making pasta and gnocchi with pesto. The nourishment is amazing.”
She said that Ollolai is more beautiful than she ever expected, and the friendliness of its people surprised her.
“There is so much to enquire into in Sardinia. I’m glad I am here with enough time to immerse myself in the island and its culture.”
