Would you like to be sipping an ice-cold drink on the beach, hiking amid spectacular mountain scenery or exploring vibrant cities? Now, what if we told you that you could do these things for free in a stunning Italian mountain region? One underrated spot has recently started a new scheme, which promises a whole host of benefits for tourists, including free train tickets and access to attractions. Learn more about the enticing initiative – plus other destinations drawing in visitors with financial rewards.
Situated in the far northeast of Italy, around a two-hour drive from Venice, Friuli Venezia Giulia is a lesser-known region boasting stunning scenery by the bucketload. Think rolling hills topped with higgledy-piggledy buildings, jagged alpine peaks and dense forests. Yet surprisingly, the region is one of Italy's least visited destinations – which is why there’s a new plan to draw in more travellers…
Beginning on 7 September 2022 and running until 31 May 2023, the scheme will give a number of enticing perks to visitors. The biggest one is that the region will reimburse you for the cost of your train ticket if you travel here by train from anywhere in Italy, which is a good excuse to make the most of the country’s gorgeous rail routes. Why not combine a trip here with another destination such as Venice, Milan or Bologna?
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As well as this, the region is offering cards which give free entry to museums, free public transport and other discounts for tourists. In order to make the most of the perks, you’ll need to book a trip staying in Friuli Venezia Giulia for at least two nights. You’ll also need to secure a train ticket arriving at one of the following destinations within the region: Trieste, Udine, Grado (pictured) or Lignano Sabbiadoro.
Once you’re here, there are plenty of brilliant things to do. The city of Udine (pictured) is home to a treasure trove of medieval architecture, art galleries and stunning churches, while the island town of Grado is often considered Venice’s quieter cousin. Meanwhile, if it’s beaches you’re after, Lignano Sabbiadoro has wide expanses of sand stretching invitingly along the Adriatic Coast.
Here's how to plan a cycling holiday in this charming Italian region
If you’ve ever dreamed of living your life on a sun-drenched Italian island, this new scheme could make your wishes come true. Sardinia is willing to pay people €15,000 (£13.3k/$14.6k) to move there and is hoping to give away 3,000 grants to make it happen. There are a few catches, however: you’ll have to move to a town with a population of less than 3,000, the cash must be put towards renovating a home and you’ll have to live there full-time.
The move has been made in a bid to address Italy’s ageing population and boost the economy – authorities are hoping that many young people will take advantage of the programme. If all this sounds tempting to you, the only question is: where to move? Among the prettiest small towns with fewer than 3,000 inhabitants are Serdiana, Calasetta and Tramatza.
Another Italian town is offering to pay people €30,000 (£26k/$31k) to live there. Presicce, located in the sunny Puglia region of southern Italy, recently announced the cash incentive, which it hopes will get empty buildings filled up and bring an economic boost to the town. To qualify, buyers must purchase a house built before 1991 from a selection chosen by the local authorities.
The town has plenty of aspects which should entice new residents. Dating back to the Middle Ages, Presicce features plenty of charming squares and picturesque streets, while it's within easy reach of the stunning beaches of Santa Maria di Leuca and the scenic countryside of the wider Salento area. It's also known as Puglia's "city of green gold" thanks to the many olive groves around the town, which are said to produce some of the region's finest olive oil.
Hoping to revive its tourism industry post-pandemic, Hong Kong is set to give away plane tickets to lure back visitors. The government recently purchased half a million tickets from airlines, at a total cost of almost $285 million (£233m), which will be used for flights into the region. Starting from March 2023, tickets will be allocated in waves: on 1 March, people in Southeast Asia can enter the draw, followed by those in mainland China from 1 April, and the rest of the world gets a chance on 1 May.
If you’re thinking of making the most of this lucrative programme, there are plenty of brilliant things to do in Hong Kong. Check out one of its museums, such as the M+, which is home to a huge range of artworks by local and international artists, or explore a gorgeous green space such as the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Riding a tram is also a must – we’d recommend boarding the Peak Tram to see amazing views from Hong Kong’s highest point at 1,300 feet (396m) above sea level.
In an attempt to attract digital nomads and expats, some US states are providing a range of financial incentives to get people to move there. These include Oklahoma, where new residents can receive a grant of up to £9,080 ($10,000) if they relocate to its capital, Tulsa. The scheme is being run by Tulsa Remote, who will also give workers free desk space, plus access to a welcoming community and exclusive events. You need to be over the age of 18 and eligible to work in the US to make the most of the initiative.
Those who relocate will be rewarded with access to plenty of jaw-dropping scenery. Some of the most beautiful locations include Chickasaw National Recreation Area, which is home to hidden swimming spots and waterfalls galore; Beavers Bend State Park, which offers hardwood forests and stunning mountains; and Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge, a hotspot for birdwatching.
Another US state giving out big perks for new residents is Minnesota. The Midwestern state will give out grants of up to £2,265 ($2.5k) for those who relocate to Bemidji, a small town with a population of around 14,000. The package will cover moving expenses as well as co-working space and access to a programme which helps business owners to grow their companies.
So what does Bemidji have going for it? While it may be small, the town has high-speed Fiber Optic Gigabit Internet – perfect for digital nomads – plus there’s a host of naturally beautiful places to relax in nearby. The city is ideally located for exploring the Mississippi River, whether by fishing, boating or doing watersports. It’s also near the picture-perfect Buena Vista State Forest, a prime spot for hiking.
Those who dream of living in close proximity to unparalleled natural landscapes will be delighted to learn that Alaska is offering cash for new residents. As part of its Permanent Dividend Fund, you could be entitled to a yearly grant worth around £1,446 ($1.6k) if you move there. The initiative was established to help Alaskans share in the profits of state oil production.
There are many beautiful places you could choose to settle in Alaska. Anchorage is the state’s most populous city with around 300,000 residents, making it an ideal choice for those looking for the amenities of a larger city alongside the perks of an Alaskan lifestyle. Fairbanks, Juneau and Ketchikan are other popular choices, boasting brilliant access to national parks alongside decent amenities.
Since 2018, Vermont has been luring in digital nomads with various cash benefits – for example, you could be eligible for £9,080 ($10k) over two years under the Remote Worker Grant Scheme. To date, relocation incentives have encouraged 435 new workers and families to move there. What's more, another relocation programme is in the works after new legislation was passed in 2022.
The Green Mountain State offers a great quality of life for remote workers. Living an outdoor lifestyle is the norm here, with oodles of gorgeous state parks and campgrounds to explore, while there are lots of pretty lakeside towns including Burlington, Barnard, Westmore and Fairlee. If you’re into winter sports, it’s a great place to live, with top-rated ski resorts, including Okemo Mountain and Stowe Mountain, to be found here.
Among the most generous schemes in the US is the one offered by Topeka, Kansas’ capital city. Young professionals moving to the area could receive a lump sum of up to £13,500 ($15k), while remote workers are eligible for grants worth £4,500 ($5k). The application can be made online – you just need to provide proof of property rental or purchase and confirmation that it will be your main residence, as well as approval from your employer.
Topeka is known for its strong sense of community, plus low rent and house prices as well as its low cost of living, which all count in its favour. Plus, it’s not far from the picturesque Lake Shawnee, where there are a range of family-friendly attractions and outdoor pursuits. The city itself is also filled with colourful murals and green spaces which make it a lovely place to live.
To make up for its low population, Ponga in the northern Spanish region of Asturias is giving a handout of €3,000 (£2.6k/$2.9k) to couples that relocate there. What’s more, you can earn an extra €3,000 (£2.6k/$2.9k) for simply having a baby in the town.
The small town, which is home to a population of just 598, is part of the stunning Ponga National Park – two-fifths of which is covered by forest. The region’s rich cultural heritage has been maintained by many of the communities living in the hills here, whose houses are made from traditional wood, stone and tile. The wooded area is gorgeous all year round, but becomes especially enticing when illuminated by golden hues in autumn.
If you’ve ever wanted to live in a remote alpine village, look no further than Albinen in southern Switzerland. With a tiny population of less than 300, the community has been attempting to lure in new families with big cash incentives: 25,000 Swiss Francs (£22.7k/$25k) for each adult under 45 that moves here and 10,000 Swiss Francs (£9k/$10k) for each child they bring with them. However, in order to qualify for the scheme, new residents must stay here for at least 10 years.
The tiny municipality sits within the Valais region, where you’ll find an array of natural treasures including the Alps’ largest glacier, the Aletsch Glacier, as well as the mighty Matterhorn mountain. There are bountiful opportunities for skiing, hiking and other outdoor pursuits here, but Albinen is also surprisingly well-connected: it’s around two hours on the train from Bern and two and a half hours from Geneva.
If you’re a remote worker looking for somewhere with guaranteed good weather and chilled vibes, why not consider the Caribbean? Since the coronavirus pandemic, many countries in the region have begun offering digital nomad visas, which typically allow visitors to stay for one to two years. These include Anguilla (pictured), Antigua, Barbados, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica and Montserrat. Applications typically cost around £891 to £1,782 ($1,000-$2,000).
It'll be hard to choose where to base yourself. Antigua and Barbados (pictured) are generally considered best for families, thanks to their safe beaches and calm waters, while the Bahamas is home to some of the prettiest scenery, with pink-hued beaches and colourful houses. The Cayman Islands are best for watersports, diving and snorkelling, and Anguilla offers a calm and peaceful way of life with plenty of flawless beaches.
Take a look at 50 experiences you didn't know you could have in the Caribbean
In an off-piste tactic to boost tourism, Greece and Spain, including the Canary Islands, have begun enticing British tourists with the promise that temporarily relocating there is cheaper than paying for rising heating and electricity bills back home. The so-called 'thermal tourism' trend has been the subject of a £17.5 million ($19.3m) advertising campaign by the Greek tourism board, with ads that read: “Wanna feel 20 again? With warm winter temperatures up to 20ºC, Greece is the place to be.”
The push for winter tourism is a marked change for these destinations, which are typically seen as summer holiday spots by most Brits. It's thought that restaurants and bars will stay open later while hotels will take bookings for the winter season, aiming to make tourism a more year-round affair. “From what we’re seeing, people are realising that it’s cheaper to come here than to put the heating on at home,” said Miguel Ángel Sotillos, the president of the Spanish federation of tourist departments.
Offering a laid-back Mediterranean lifestyle, plentiful sunshine and a relatively low cost of living, Portugal has long been a popular holiday destination. But now it’s trying to lure people to stay for longer periods of time, with the launch of a new digital nomad visa. The initiative will allow digital nomads to live and work in Portugal for up to a year – they just need to earn four times more than Portugal’s minimum monthly income (£638/$779) and provide proof of self-employment or a work contract.
Porto and Lisbon are both brilliant places for fans of city life, with a wealth of arts and culture, great food, lively nightlife and good connections to other cities, while the Algarve remains a popular choice thanks to its large expat community. If you’re after a quieter town, try Chaves, Coimba or Alveiro.
Yet another way to make the most of Spain is to take advantage of their Digital Nomad Visa programme, launching in January 2023. Applicants must be foreign remote workers employed by a non-Spanish company to be eligible for the visa, which is valid for one year. You'll need at least a year of remote work under your belt too, plus proof of accommodation and a clean criminal record. And if you fall in love with the Mediterranean lifestyle, you can turn the visa into a temporary residency permit of up to three years.
Applicants will also need to prove they earn at least €2,100 (£1,719/$2,111) per month, and the successful ones will get to enjoy visa-free travel across the EU's Schengen Area. With so many terrific towns and cities, narrowing down where to base yourself might prove tricky: Barcelona for the art, Madrid for the shopping or Valencia for the beautiful beaches. The choice is yours...