Europe leads the way for digital nomads, claiming 9 of the 10 top spots

TyN 12AUG2025

The remote work revolution has turned Europe into one of the world’s most attractive destinations for digital nomads. In just a few years, European countries have gone from merely observing this phenomenon to actively designing policies to attract it. From tailored visas and tax incentives to improved digital infrastructure, the Old Continent has positioned itself at the forefront of digital nomadism.

According to the Global Digital Nomad Report 2024 by Global Citizen Solutions, Spain tops the global ranking of most attractive destinations for digital nomads, thanks to its easy legal framework, competitive tax system, and high quality of life. But it’s not the only country betting on this professional profile: Portugal, Croatia, Estonia, and Greece have also launched remote worker visas and favourable tax regimes, helping to consolidate a European corridor for digital work centered on quality of life.

A competitive tax landscape that attracts talent

Spain is a prime example: the Startup Law, in effect since 2023, has streamlined residence procedures for international workers and reinforced the so-called “Beckham regime”, which allows workers to be taxed only on income generated within Spain for the first six years.

Many other European countries are implementing similar policies. Croatia offers a renewable digital visa with a 12-month tax exemption, Portugal grants access to the Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax regime, and Estonia, a digital pioneer, continues expanding its e-Residency program and teleworker visa.

This framework has fuelled growing interest in Europe as a stable—though not necessarily permanent—base for professionals who wish to combine international mobility with legal certainty and access to high-quality healthcare, education, and tech infrastructure.

Despite the continued appeal of urban hubs like Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, or Amsterdam, more digital nomads are now seeking out rural, regenerative spaces that align with their values. The ability to work from anywhere, combined with rising values such as sustainability, community care, and mental health, is driving what some are already calling a new digital “rural exodus”.

“Sustainable living can be both practical and inspiring,” says Samuel Delesque, technologist and co-founder of the regenerative project Traditional Dream Factory (TDF), located in southern Portugal. Conceived as a collaborative tech ecovillage, TDF embodies this new wave of digital nomadism: spaces that offer strong connectivity for remote work, while fostering communities aligned with values of environmental respect, regeneration, and creativity.

Real alternatives to urban life

Located in Portugal’s Alentejo region, just a few hours from the Spanish border, TDF is an international coliving and coworking community built on the site of a former poultry factory. Today, it is a vibrant space featuring glamping areas, art workshops, a café, sauna, coworking facilities, and a DAO with its own token, $TDF, used to fund and self-govern the project.

“All essential infrastructure is already in place,” Delesque explains. “It’s a place where you can work online, share knowledge, and be part of something bigger—something rooted in values that truly matter.”

With over 3,000 visitors since its inauguration, TDF is now entering new development phases: private suites, artist-in-residence studios, a natural swimming pool, and expanded communal areas. With more than 60 active members, the community offers more than just a coworking space—it proposes a lifestyle based on regeneration, decentralization, and interdependence.

At a time when remote work enables people to choose not just where they work, but how they live, projects like Traditional Dream Factory reflect the new European identity of digital nomadism: decentralized, rural, collaborative, and purpose driven.

US Tax Consultants – Madrid – Lisbon