The Best Places in Europe for digital nomads

The pandemic has radically changed our working patterns with many people now opting to work remotely. While initially setting up a workspace and working from tiny, improvised home offices  felt odd, employers and workers have come to embrace the idea. Remote and hybrid working have become long term prospects. 

The acceleration of digitalisation has also created opportunities for people to earn excellent incomes freelancing. Many people have now opted to work from different places. With the ease of travel restrictions the trend is becoming increasingly popular. The dominant group to adopt this trend are women and the most practical area to start digital nomadism is a city. Check out The Best Cities for Women to Solo Travel.  Europe, with its diverse countries, languages and advanced infrastructure is popular for digital nomads.

This article looks at its advantages and suggests the best places in Europe for digital nomads.

What’s a digital nomad?

A digital nomad is a worker who works remotely from a laptop or digital device and travels to different places. Digital nomads often work from cafés, designated working spaces or libraries. They can work basically anywhere with a good internet connection and mobile device.

What are the advantages of digital nomadism?

The benefits:

• It’s a wonderful way of exploring the world
• You meet interesting people from different countries and have fabulous networking opportunities
• Living and paying rent in another country boosts its economy
• You experience another culture and language
• You become productive and maximize your leisure time
• After work you get to enjoy hobbies like surfing, hiking or skiing which aren’t available at home
• You enjoy different climates
• It’s inspiring

The advantages are endless. Some remote locations in Europe are welcoming digital nomads and offering cash incentives to encourage people to settle in underpopulated areas. 

The best locations in Europe for digital nomads

Madeira. The biggest Madeiran island between Portugal and North Africa was one of the first places to set up a digital nomad village. With superb wifi, great coworking spaces and a reasonable cost of living, it’s an attractive destination. The island is stunning with watersports possibilities and it’s alive with wildflowers in spring –  a nature lover’s paradise.

Porto. Although with a little research you can set up as a digital nomad in most European cities, Porto, in Portugal is a popular choice. It’s close to the sea, has plenty of coworking spaces, a digital community and a low cost of living. Although a city, it’s small and not overwhelming. 

Asturias and Galician towns. While Spain’s larger cities like Barcelona and Madrid offer great opportunities to remote workers, some of the small towns offer families cash incentives and supplementary incomes to settle in the area to repopulate the region and stimulate the economy. Even if you want to stay for short periods, these regions are stunning and afford amazing hiking opportunities. 

Italy. Like Spain, the towns and cities offer working spaces, good infrastructure with well established digital communities. Remote villages in Southern regions like Puglia and Calabria are offering grants to people who will commit to settling there. There are some great opportunities to buy cheap property if you’re prepared to commit to lengthy renovations. They are beautiful places to explore for short term stays too.

Ireland. Friendly and beautiful with a great music and literary scene, there are some great digital nomad hubs in Irelands’ cities and towns. With its links to the EU and the proliferation of tech companies, there are great opportunities and incentives for entrepreneurs.

Malta. A stunning island with a great climate, it has superb infrastructure and the growth in tech companies and online casinos has brought talented workers to the island. You can get a digital nomad visa here quite easily. The towns are lively with some idyllic quiet villages too.

The world is now quite literally your oyster though be sure to check visa requirements before you set your heart on a location. Although air travel takes its toll on the environment, staying in a place for longer periods, being mindful of the community and environment and using transport links can help minimize your carbon footprint.