The newly released ‘Holafly Digital Nomads 2026’ report places seven Italian cities in the world’s top ten destinations for remote workers, with Genoa and Bari taking first and second place respectively. The index, unveiled on 4 May by property portal Idealista, assesses internet speed, cost of living, visa friendliness and quality of life. Genoa scored highest thanks to its affordable rents, rollout of municipal co-working hubs in historic palazzi and the Liguria Region’s cash-back scheme that reimburses up to €2,000 in relocation expenses for remote professionals. Bari impressed survey respondents with its mild climate, walkable old town and a new regional tax credit that halves personal-income tax for inbound talent during the first three years of residence.
![Italian cities sweep 2026 remote-work index: Genoa, Bari and Catania top global list]()
For those ready to take advantage of these incentives, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. Its dedicated Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers clear, step-by-step support for self-employment visas, future digital-nomad permits and other residence options, helping individuals and HR departments navigate requirements quickly and confidently.
Catania, Florence, Palermo and Rome also made the leaderboard, underlining Italy’s growing appeal to location-independent professionals at a time when many EU countries are introducing or refining digital-nomad visas. Although Italy’s specific ‘lavoro da remoto’ permit is still moving through Parliament, regions are stepping in with fast-track residence procedures based on the existing self-employment visa. For companies managing distributed teams, the ranking highlights Italy’s competitive positioning against traditional remote-work hubs such as Lisbon or Tallinn. HR leaders should weigh regional incentives and availability of English-language services when advising staff on long-term stays.
For those ready to take advantage of these incentives, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. Its dedicated Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers clear, step-by-step support for self-employment visas, future digital-nomad permits and other residence options, helping individuals and HR departments navigate requirements quickly and confidently.
Catania, Florence, Palermo and Rome also made the leaderboard, underlining Italy’s growing appeal to location-independent professionals at a time when many EU countries are introducing or refining digital-nomad visas. Although Italy’s specific ‘lavoro da remoto’ permit is still moving through Parliament, regions are stepping in with fast-track residence procedures based on the existing self-employment visa. For companies managing distributed teams, the ranking highlights Italy’s competitive positioning against traditional remote-work hubs such as Lisbon or Tallinn. HR leaders should weigh regional incentives and availability of English-language services when advising staff on long-term stays.
