Remote Working

Castelbuono is targeting digital nomads

The Madonie Nomad Residency, a pilot project combining remote working, co-living and the sharing of skills with the community, begins on 4 September

by Nino Amadore

28 July 2026

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3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Castelbuono, a town in the Madonie mountains in the province of Palermo, is seeking to turn remote working into a tool for the development of inland areas. The choice of this Madonie village as the home of the Madonie Nomad Residency is no coincidence: there is already a well-established initiative here, which began during the pandemic and has, over the years, become a hub for remote workers and digital nomads.

Public Coworking

The public co-working space in Castelbuono was launched at the end of 2020 by a group of local residents who were working remotely. The initial aim was to provide a shared space for those working from home who were at risk of isolation and the so-called ‘cave effect’. It was Italia’s first structured and ongoing public co-working space, founded and run by the non-profit organisation Social Green Hub.

Even after the health emergency had passed, the space continued to serve its purpose. It has welcomed over 750 people, with around 350 active users, and has 40 permanent workstations, which can be expanded to 70 during corporate retreats. Three technology firms have already spent a week working in Castelbuono with groups of around fifty people each.

The effects go beyond visitor numbers. Many residents of Castelbuono who live elsewhere and work for large companies or multinationals have increased both the frequency and duration of their visits back to the town: their average annual stay has more than tripled compared with the period before the co-working space opened. Some workers from other European countries have also bought homes and settled in Castelbuono. According to the organisers’ estimates, the initiative has generated an economic impact of at least one million euros in the local area.

From shared spaces to ‘Smart Land’

It is on this basis that the Madonie Nomad Residency was launched – a pilot project aimed at extending the model from a single co-working space to the entire region. The aim is to build a ‘Smart Land’ capable of connecting digital work, services, businesses, local authorities and communities, transforming the Madonie into a place from which it is possible to work on national and international projects and for companies without having to move to the big cities.

This challenge is part of the demographic crisis affecting inland Sicily. The presentation materials cite ISTAT figures showing that, between 2019 and 2026, the island lost 96,328 residents aged between 18 and 35, representing a 9.6 per cent decline in the young population. Compounding this exodus is the outflow of skilled workers to central and northern Italy.

The project was conceived by Empeeria, promoted by Sosvima and supported by an institutional network comprising the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, ENIT, the municipalities of Castelbuono and Collesano, and the network of Italia’s Most Beautiful Villages in Sicily. However, it does not aim merely to attract new consumers or tourists.

Co-living and the risk of gentrification

One of the issues addressed is the risk of gentrification. The arrival of professionals with higher incomes can drive up rents and the cost of living, making small towns less affordable for residents. To prevent this, the concept of ‘conscious co-living’ is proposed: a Local Host will coordinate rooms, workspaces and services at capped rates, with the aim of distributing the benefits without fuelling speculative trends.

“Welcoming digital nomads should not lead to gentrification, but rather present a win-win-win opportunity in which innovation generates lasting value for residents, local businesses and those who choose to live in the area,” says Tony Cirnigliaro, founder and executive director of Empeeria.

At the heart of the initiative is a pact of reciprocity: those hosted will not merely be visitors, but will offer their expertise and training programmes to young people, craftspeople and local businesses in the fields of marketing, digitalisation and innovation. The aim is to ensure that the value generated does not end with overnight stays and spending, but leads to lasting collaborations and opportunities.

The September event

The project will be officially launched from 4 to 6 September 2026 with an international festival in Castelbuono. Over two hundred remote workers and professionals are expected to attend three days of talks on artificial intelligence and the future of work, workshops, round-table discussions on community regeneration, networking and local experiences.

From 7 to 13 September, the Open Stay will take place: participants will continue to live and work in the Madonie, making use of the distributed co-working spaces and carrying out activities to give back to the community. The real test will come after the event: to see whether the model can turn temporary visitors into new residents, professional relationships and stable economic opportunities.