Vineyards, wineries and agritourism property abroad

A vineyard, an olive grove or an agriturismo is the most romantic kind of property abroad, and the one where buyers most often confuse a lifestyle with a business. You are buying farmland, buildings, usually a water source and a set of regulations at once. This guide explains how that differs from buying an apartment, for residents of the EU who are looking at Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Bulgaria or Georgia. It is general information, not advice on a specific plot.

Who may buy farmland

Farmland is regulated separately from housing, and the rules differ by country and by your passport.

• EU citizens. In most EU states an EU citizen can buy farmland on the same terms as a local, although some countries apply pre-emption rights for neighbours or tenants, or ask for a farming plan. Croatia, for example, opened agricultural land to EU/EEA citizens from 1 July 2023, while non-EU persons still cannot hold it.
• Non-EU buyers. Bulgaria allows EU/EEA citizens to buy farmland (since 2014) but non-EU citizens only through a company, and the rules for non-EU-controlled companies have been tightened, so check the current text.
• Georgia. Under the 2017 constitutional amendment, agricultural land is reserved for citizens and the state, and foreigners generally cannot own it. We could not confirm the exceptions or whether a local company with foreign owners can hold farmland, so a lawyer must answer this before any reservation.
• Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece. Check pre-emption rights, minimum plot sizes (many regions forbid splitting farmland below a minimum area) and, in Greece, the border-zone permit that applies to non-EU buyers on some islands and frontier areas.

Legal structure

Buying in your own name is simplest for a lifestyle property. A company or cooperative is considered when you run a real business: it separates liability, makes hiring and invoicing easier, and may be required to access some licences. The price is accounting, local tax on the company and extra steps when you sell. Do not set up a structure to hide ownership or to work around a ban on foreign buyers; that is exactly what registries and banks check for, and in several countries the rules have been tightened.

Also read what is actually included in the deed: the land parcels (often several, with different classifications), the buildings (are they registered and legal, or agricultural sheds converted without permits), water rights, wells, access roads over neighbours' land, and vine or tree rights. Vine-planting rights and wine labels (such as protected designations) are regulated and may not transfer automatically with the land.

Subsidies: what to expect

EU farmers can receive support under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Each member state defines the active farmer and the eligibility rules; the EU framework includes a small-farmer payment capped at EUR 1,250 per year and an obligation to target income support mainly to people for whom farming is an active business. See the European Commission page on income support. In practice a hobby plot or a purchase of a few hectares rarely produces meaningful support. Treat subsidies as a possible bonus, not as part of the return, and verify with the regional paying agency whether the land already has registered entitlements and whether they pass to you.

Agritourism and licences

In Italy the agriturismo is defined by law: the activity may be run only by an agricultural entrepreneur, and the farming has to remain the main activity. The activity is registered through the municipal one-stop office with a notification, after listing on the regional register, and the details (guest numbers, food rules, signage, seasonality) are set by each region. A buyer who simply wants a guest house in a farmhouse may find the agriturismo status unavailable to them, or has to actually farm. Other countries have their own rural-tourism categories, usually with sanitary, fire-safety and registration requirements. Our article on buying a hotel in Italy, boutique hotels and agriturismo covers the hospitality side, and abandoned houses and 1-euro homes in Italy covers ruins that often sit on farmland.

Economics, qualitatively

• Revenue is seasonal and weather-dependent. A hail storm, frost or drought can remove a harvest.
• Wine and olive oil are craft businesses: production, bottling, labelling, distribution and marketing cost more effort than the land does. Selling grapes or olives in bulk to a cooperative is simpler and usually less profitable per hectare.
• Labour is the main cost. Seasonal workers, an agronomist, a winemaker or a farm manager are needed unless you do the work yourself.
• Hospitality adds a second business with its own occupancy, staffing and reviews.
• Capital costs recur: irrigation, replanting vines, machinery, roof and drainage of old buildings.

We do not give typical yields or prices because they vary too much by region, crop and quality. Ask the seller for several years of real accounts, harvest records and any subsidy statements, and have an independent accountant read them.

Lifestyle or business: be honest

Decide which one you are buying. A lifestyle buyer should budget for the property as a costly home and treat any income as a bonus; a business buyer should model the farm as an operating company, with a manager and a downside case. The most common mistakes are underestimating the work, paying a price for the view that the land cannot earn back, and discovering after closing that the buildings cannot legally host guests.

Checklist

• Who may legally own the farmland, given your citizenship and any company plan.
• Cadastral and land-register extract for every parcel; classification and permitted use.
• Legal status of each building; permits for conversion and for guests.
• Water: source, rights, quality, costs.
• Neighbour pre-emption, tenants or share-croppers on the land.
• Vine, wine and subsidy rights: what is registered and whether it transfers.
• Several years of accounts and harvest records.
• A local lawyer and a local agronomist, independent of the seller.
• The costs in our total cost of ownership and pre-purchase checklist.

FAQ

Can I buy a vineyard in the EU as a resident of Poland or Germany? Usually yes, as an EU citizen, subject to national farmland rules and pre-emption rights. Check the specific country and region first.

Will I receive EU subsidies automatically? No. Entitlements depend on the land, the national scheme and whether you qualify as an active farmer. Do not count on them in your calculations.

Can I run an agriturismo as a foreigner? In Italy the agriturismo status is tied to an agricultural entrepreneur who actually farms. Citizenship is not the main issue; the farming activity and regional registration are.

Is a farm cheaper than a house? The land may be, but the running costs, labour and compliance often are not. Compare total costs, not the purchase price.

Can I buy farmland in Georgia? Foreigners generally cannot own agricultural land after the 2017 constitutional amendment. Verify the current exceptions with a local lawyer before paying a deposit.

How we help

We are a trilingual platform (Russian, Polish, English) that finds properties and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. For a farm that means finding candidates, asking the seller for the documents above and putting you in touch with a local lawyer and agronomist. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice; rules change, so verify the current regulations before acting.