The Nomag Pulse #6 - Italy, A Love Story (With Some Red Flags)
6 international digital nomads reflect on working from Italy – the beauty, the bureaucracy, and what could make it truly world-class.
For this issue of The Nomag Pulse, we reached out to six digital nomads from across the globe: Portugal, Germany, Argentina, Canada, the U.S., and Japan. Each spent between one and six months working remotely from different regions in Italy — from Florence to Palermo, Bari to Milan.
We asked:
Is Italy truly a remote work paradise? What works? What doesn’t? And what should change to make it more than just a pretty postcard?
Their stories reflect both deep affection and deep frustration. In short: Italy is enchanting, but often unprepared — a country that inspires but doesn’t always support. And unless it makes some key changes soon, it risks missing out on one of the most exciting movements in global work culture.
The Magic is Real
Italy is still Italy. That’s the good news.
All six nomads we interviewed expressed a kind of infatuation with life in the country.
“It’s the only place I’ve been where you can take a client call in the morning, eat fresh pasta for lunch, swim in the sea, and be dancing in a piazza by 10pm,” says Carlos, a UX designer from Buenos Aires who lived in Palermo for three months.
Top reasons nomads choose Italy:
Culture – Accessible museums, historic cities, rich local traditions.
Lifestyle – A slower, more human rhythm of life that values time, food, and relationships.
Nature – From the Alps to the Amalfi Coast, from Tuscany to Sicily, the options are endless.
Affordable (outside major cities) – “Bari was one-third the cost of London for me,” notes Hannah, a UX writer from Berlin.
Even basic pleasures take on a new dimension here. “I never expected my quality of life to improve so much just by moving my laptop to Bologna,” says Sofia, a freelance content strategist. “In Italy, even a weekday feels romantic.”
A Country That Doesn’t Quite Know What We Are
But then there’s the other side of the story.
Most nomads felt a strong disconnect between how Italy appears and how it operates. The experience, they say, is like being welcomed into a beautiful home — but sleeping on the couch because there’s no room set up for you.
“There’s no real infrastructure for nomads,” says Mike, a developer from Toronto. “You’re treated like a tourist who overstayed their welcome.”
In many places, the local ecosystem is still built around short-term visitors. Rentals are priced by the night or locked behind six-month leases. Co-working spaces are rare or tailored to startups, not solo professionals. Locals often don’t understand what a digital nomad is. “They think I’m on vacation, and I just don’t want to say no,” laughs Rachel, a web designer from Brooklyn who spent two months in Florence.
Several pointed to the “airbnb-ification” of cities like Rome and Florence — where landlords prefer constant tourist turnover rather than medium-term tenants.
“I tried to rent a place in Naples for two months,” says Haruki, a creative director from Tokyo. “They asked me to pay 3 months in advance, a deposit, and proof I was working for an Italian company. I gave up and booked a hotel instead.”
The Visa Maze (And the Bigger Problem Behind It)
The Italian Digital Nomad Visa, introduced with fanfare in 2022, still leaves most non-EU nomads confused — or worse, deterred.
“I spent hours reading about the visa and still don’t understand who qualifies, how to apply, or what it gives me,” says Rachel. “Even Italian consulates don’t seem to know.”
Key issues with the current visa process:
Lack of centralized information – Very stiff government website with not-so-clear steps.
Undefined criteria – What qualifies as ‘adequate income’? Which types of remote work are accepted?
Minimal support from consulates – Many consulates abroad don’t have details or appointments.
No fast track or digital process – In 2025, looks like Italy still requires mailed forms and in-person paperwork.
Meanwhile, countries like Portugal, Spain, Croatia, and Estonia have embraced digital nomads with clarity and enthusiasm. Italy still seems unsure whether to see them as assets — or as potential tax liabilities.
“It feels like they want to know if you’re spending money here — not if you’re building anything meaningful,” Haruki notes.
What Italy Is Missing (That Other Countries Got Right)
We asked our nomads what Italy should actually do to become a top destination for global remote workers. Their suggestions weren’t abstract — they were practical, grounded, and sometimes surprisingly simple.
1. Fix the Visa and Make It Real
Launch a clear online portal explaining eligibility and steps.
Provide digital support or helplines to applicants.
Set a reasonable income threshold (aligned with EU standards).
Offer flexibility for freelancers and not just traditional employees.
2. Build Nomad-Ready Housing Infrastructure
Encourage mid-term rentals (1–6 months) through legal and financial incentives.
Develop nomad housing platforms that connect landlords with remote workers.
Offer support in English for contracts, deposits, tax codes (codice fiscale), etc.
3. Support Local Nomad Hubs
Co-finance or promote co-working & co-living spaces especially in underpopulated towns.
Support events, language exchanges, and networking meetups in English.
Create a "Welcome Nomads" toolkit for municipalities and tourism boards.
4. Promote the Right Narrative
Stop seeing nomads as long-term tourists — and start recognizing them as temporary residents with high value.
Encourage mayors and local businesses to invest in inclusive community-building.
Celebrate digital nomadism as a cultural and economic opportunity — especially in southern and rural regions.
5. Offer Public Services Access (Modestly)
Enable nomads with long stays to access basic services like health insurance and SIM cards without endless bureaucracy.
Provide temporary tax codes or residency-lite options that don’t require a full legal relocation.
Bonus Inspiration: Three Nomad-Worthy Italian Towns (That Get It)
1. Matera (Basilicata)
Home to co-living initiatives and remote worker retreats. Beautiful, walkable, and with growing connectivity.
2. Lecce (Puglia)
Affordable rent, growing coworking scene, and close to stunning beaches. Many nomads described it as “the next Valencia.”
3. Bologna (Emilia-Romagna)
Student energy, solid infrastructure, great food. Seen as “Rome without the stress” by more than one interviewee.
So... Should You Come?
Yes. Absolutely yes.
But don’t expect perfection. Expect contradictions. Expect breathtaking landscapes and baffling policies. Expect to fall in love — and sometimes be ghosted by the bureaucracy.
Still, all six of our nomads say they would come back.
“It’s like dating someone beautiful but a bit chaotic,” says Sofia. “You stay, hoping they'll get their act together. And you kind of love them more for it.”
To Italy (and the people shaping its future):
If you build systems that welcome us, we won’t just come for the pizza.
We’ll stay for the people.
We’ll collaborate, contribute, and bring the world to your piazzas, not just your museums.
Italy doesn’t just need nomads. It deserves them.
But it’s time to show it.