Hybrid and remote working patterns have contributed to the emergence of workations, or working from a location typically reserved for vacations. Many working people are giving it a go, seeking out the best cities for a workation — where they can work remotely while enjoying a certain quality of life.
IWG, the global leader in flexible workspace solutions, has drawn up a ranking of the 25 cities worldwide that are most conducive to workations, reports the Business Money website. Nine criteria were taken into account, including broadband internet speed, the availability of flexible workspaces and access to transport.
The best cities for a workation
In first place comes Barcelona (Spain), with an honourable score of 58.5 out of 90. And that’s not surprising, given that the Catalan city is often appreciated by remote workers for its vibrancy and its Mediterranean climate. Its appeal can also be explained by the fact that, as of January 1, 2023, Spain has been offering a tailor-made scheme for digital nomads, who can benefit from a special residency and work permit, enabling them to carry out their professional activities anywhere in the country.
Barcelona is followed by Toronto (Canada) and Beijing (China) in the ranking. While the Canadian city loses points for its climate, it scores highly for the happiness level of its inhabitants and the price of rents. For its part, the Chinese capital stands out for the quality of its cultural life, especially in terms of museums and art galleries. Note that remote workers who choose to temporarily set up their computers in Beijing will need to equip themselves with a VPN to access Google and other sites censored by the local authorities.
Milan (Italy), New York (USA) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) also rank highly in the IWG list. Surprisingly, Lisbon only appears in tenth place, despite often being cited as the ultimate hotspot for digital nomads. Paris, meanwhile, is ranked eighth. However, the City of Light scores very low on the average price of food and a cup of coffee.
IWG’s ranking of the 10 most workation-friendly cities:
1 – Barcelona (Spain)
2 – Toronto (Canada)
3 – Beijing (China)
4 – Milan (Italy)
5 – New York (USA)
6 – Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
7 – Amsterdam (Netherlands)
8 – Paris (France)
9 – Jakarta (Indonesia)
10 – Lisbon (Portugal)
This story was published via AFP Relaxnews
(Main and featured image: Lucrezia Carnelos/ Unsplash)
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