[Global] Two stunning Italian towns will pay remote workers to move in

Remote working has become a viable prospect, even a necessity, for many during the global pandemic. The rush to adjust to the new normal means that an office can now be anywhere from a kitchen table to a sandy beach on the other side of the world, CNN Travel reports.

At one time relocating to a picturesque Italian town might have been a daydream for many but the prospect of that dream coming true just increased after two stunning towns offered to pay workers who make the move.

In the hope of attracting newcomers, Santa Fiora in Tuscany and Rieti in Lazio will pay up to 50 per cent of the rent of anyone who decides to move and telecommute from either town on a long-term basis. The rents are already relatively low making the deal a potentially attractive one but by no means is it a paid holiday.

Qualifying applicants must have an "active" job, even if it is one they can carry out with a glass of red wine in one hand and their laptop balanced on the wall of a terrace overlooking an olive grove. There are no limitations on what applicants may do for a living, as long as they are sufficiently tech-savvy to do it anywhere.

Although Italy is still slowly emerging from the latest wave of the virus wave, it hopes to reopen properly to travellers over the next few weeks, increasing the temptation of the offer with the lure of a proper Italian summer.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Italy particularly hard compared with other EU countries, one positive to come of it is that people have been relocating to previously depopulated towns, bringing new life to declining areas that now offer social distancing and lower contagion rates.

So-called "smart working villages" have reportedly been flourishing in Italy as local authorities grasp the potential of boosting high-speed internet and setting up equipped "labs" for telecommuters.

Remote working has become a viable prospect, even a necessity, for many during the global pandemic. The rush to adjust to the new normal means that an office can now be anywhere from a kitchen table to a sandy beach on the other side of the world, CNN Travel reports.

At one time relocating to a picturesque Italian town might have been a daydream for many but the prospect of that dream coming true just increased after two stunning towns offered to pay workers who make the move.

In the hope of attracting newcomers, Santa Fiora in Tuscany and Rieti in Lazio will pay up to 50 per cent of the rent of anyone who decides to move and telecommute from either town on a long-term basis. The rents are already relatively low making the deal a potentially attractive one but by no means is it a paid holiday.

Qualifying applicants must have an "active" job, even if it is one they can carry out with a glass of red wine in one hand and their laptop balanced on the wall of a terrace overlooking an olive grove. There are no limitations on what applicants may do for a living, as long as they are sufficiently tech-savvy to do it anywhere.

Although Italy is still slowly emerging from the latest wave of the virus wave, it hopes to reopen properly to travellers over the next few weeks, increasing the temptation of the offer with the lure of a proper Italian summer.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Italy particularly hard compared with other EU countries, one positive to come of it is that people have been relocating to previously depopulated towns, bringing new life to declining areas that now offer social distancing and lower contagion rates.

So-called "smart working villages" have reportedly been flourishing in Italy as local authorities grasp the potential of boosting high-speed internet and setting up equipped "labs" for telecommuters.