Notizie.it editorial team Working remotely, moving from one city to another, is no longer a pandemic-related trend. Although some companies have backtracked, remote work is now a consolidated reality, and more and more professionals are choosing to transform workation into a lifestyle. For women, however, amid climate, culture, and the cost of living, one criterion weighs more than others: feeling safe.
With this in mind, Holidu, one of Europe's most popular vacation rental booking portals, has compiled a ranking of the safest cities for digital nomad workers. The study examined the 200 destinations rated as best by digital nomads themselves on Nomads.com, cross-referencing the data with those from Numbeo and Our World in Data.
Seven factors were considered: perceived safety when traveling alone, acceptance of foreigners and women, the ratio of female to male digital nomads, legislation on workplace harassment, equal access to jobs, and the availability of visas for stays of at least six months.
Venice ahead of everyone in Europe
An Italian leads the European ranking.
Venice takes first place thanks to 78,69% of women who say they feel comfortable walking alone. The welcoming atmosphere and the well-lit, pedestrian-only layout contribute significantly, enhancing the feeling of safety, even for those traveling alone.
Valencia comes in second, combining affordability and cultural vibrancy and boasting the highest ratio of female to male digital nomads in the study, at 22%. Reliable transportation, a strong expat community, and Spain's digital nomad visa also help it. Porto rounds out the top three, where foreigner friendliness is rated "Good," crime rates are low, and infrastructure is well-connected.
Portugal once again ranks fourth and fifth. Coimbra, a young and dynamic university city, receives an "Excellent" rating for its welcoming attitude toward women. Aveiro, known as the "Venice of Portugal" with its colorful canals, boasts the highest perception of safety in the entire study: 91,45% of women feel comfortable walking alone. Rounding out the top 10 are The Hague, Rijeka, Portimão, Lisbon, and Tallinn.
Portugal fills up
The most represented country in the ranking is Portugal, with five of the six cities included in the research gracing the top 20. The visa dedicated to digital nomads allows you to live and work in the country for up to a year.
Pisa and Catania further back
While Venice shines, the rest of Italy struggles to keep pace. Only two other Italian cities appear in the European ranking: Pisa at 40th place and Catania at 48th. The perceived safety of walking on the streets is higher in Catania, while the level of welcome toward foreigners is satisfactory in both. Pisa scores well in perceived friendliness toward women, while Catania scores only adequate.
Around the world: Taipei, Chiang Rai, and Montevideo
Outside Europe, Taipei takes first place by a wide margin. Taiwan's capital leads the way in terms of welcoming foreigners, perceived safety among women, and protection of their rights. Public transportation is efficient even late at night, and it's common to see women out alone in the evenings. Kaohsiung, the other Taiwanese city analyzed, also ranks well, in seventh place. Those wishing to work remotely on the island can take advantage of the new digital nomad visa, launched in early 2025, which allows stays of up to six months.
Chiang Rai, Thailand, takes silver, among the least touristy cities in the country but third in the entire study for perceived safety when walking alone. Here too, the ratio of female to male digital nomads reaches 22%, the highest among the Thai cities analyzed. The study highlights a clear internal divide: the North and Bangkok far outperform the South, especially in perceived safety at night.
Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, rounds out the top three, earning top scores for all factors related to women's rights and welcoming women and foreigners. The ratio of female to male digital nomads is just 17%, slightly below average, and the perceived safety of walking alone is lower than the other two cities on the podium, but still well above average.