Hybrid and remote working patterns have contributed to the emergence of “workations”, or working from a location usually reserved for vacations. Many working people are giving it a go, seeking out destinations 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. Nine criteria were taken into account, including broadband internet speed, the availability of flexible workspaces, and access to transport.
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 and holidaymakers alike for its vibrancy and Mediterranean climate.
Its appeal can also be explained by the fact that, as of Jan 1, Spain has been offering a tailormade 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 and Beijing 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 (United States) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) also rank highly in the IWG list. Surprisingly, Lisbon only appears in 10th 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.
Here’s IWG’s ranking of the 25 most “workation”-friendly cities:
1. Barcelona (Spain)
2. Toronto (Canada)
3. Beijing (China)
4. Milan (Italy)
5. New York (US)
6. Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
7. Amsterdam (Netherlands)
8. Paris (France)
9. Jakarta (Indonesia)
10. Lisbon (Portugal)
11. Brussels (Belgium)
12. Budapest (Hungary)
13. Manila (Philippines)
14. Los Angeles (US)
15. London (Britain)
16. Buenos Aires (Argentina)
17. Warsaw (Poland)
18. Mumbai (India)
19. Berlin (Germany)
20. Sofia (Bulgaria)
21. Singapore
22. Hong Kong
23. Sydney (Australia)
24. Copenhagen (Denmark)
25. Tel Aviv (Israel)