main character energy: how to move to Europe (and live inside your favorite movie sets)
We have all done it. You are three hours into binge-watching a movie set in a sun-soaked European village, looking around your cramped, overpriced apartment, wondering how your life became a background scene. It is easy to romanticize the casual cinema aesthetic, but turning that screen capture into your daily reality takes actual, hands-on work.
If you are seriously considering moving to Europe, choosing between Portugal, Spain or Italy is usually the first major plot point. These three southern European heavyweights offer the ultimate cinematic backdrops, but they each require a different script to get there.
the sun-drenched romance of Italy
If your personal brand is linen shirts and vintage bicycles, Italy is your obvious set design. Think Call Me By Your Name or the sun-soaked dread of The White Lotus season two.
Italy recently introduced its own digital nomad visa. To apply, you need a remote job and an annual income of about €28,000. It lets you bypass the usual bureaucratic gatekeeping for a year, with options to renew. Just avoid the tourist traps like central Florence if you want your budget to survive the first act. Instead, head to regions like Umbria or Puglia, where rent matches a realistic indie budget. It gives you the classic Italian lifestyle without the heavy crowds of major cities.
the rugged seaside vibe in Portugal
Maybe your vibe is more dramatic cliffs and Atlantic surf. Portugal has become the go-to destination for creators and expats, partly because of its incredible natural light and partly because of its general accessibility.
From the cobblestone streets of Lisbon to medieval stone villages like Monsanto—which literally starred as Dragonstone in House of the Dragon—Portugal looks like a fantasy epic. The country offers the D8 visa for remote workers, which requires a passive income or remote salary of around €3,280 per month. It is a slightly higher financial bar than some neighboring countries, but the local infrastructure for English speakers moving there is incredibly solid.
the dramatic gothic feel of Spain
For those who prefer a mix of gothic architecture and late-night tapas crawls, Spain is the ideal location. From the medieval steps of Girona (another Game of Thrones favorite) to the dusty, cinematic deserts of Almería, Spain has played host to major Hollywood productions for decades.
Spain’s digital nomad visa is highly popular right now, requiring a monthly income of roughly €2,400. If you do not work remotely, programs like the cultural ambassadors initiative let you teach English part-time in exchange for a student visa and a monthly stipend, giving you plenty of free hours to work on your screenplay. It is a great option for those who want to learn Spanish while living on a modest budget.
cutting the worst scenes from your move
The biggest problem with moving abroad is that films always skip the boring parts. Movies never show the protagonist spending hours waiting in a government office just to get a local tax ID. They do not film the endless and painful back-and-forth emails trying to open a local bank account without a permanent address.
This is where AnchorLess steps in. Instead of letting your European dream stall during pre-production, AnchorLess acts as your administrative crew. The service assists expats who wish to move to Europe, specifically taking care of the essential paperwork needed to settle in Portugal and Spain. Whether you need a Portuguese NIF, a Spanish NIE, or help navigating local visa pathways, they handle the red tape so you can focus on building your new life without the headache.
writing your own script
Moving across the world is a massive production, but you do not need a studio backing you to make it happen. Pick your favorite setting, get your paperwork sorted, and start filming your next chapter.
