Florence among Italy’s most digital cities once again

Florence has confirmed its place among Italy’s most advanced cities in digital innovation, according to the 2025 ICity Rank survey released by Forum PA in Rome. The Tuscan capital remains in the top three of the national ranking for the sixth consecutive year and is one of 15 “full digital” cities in the country.

The ICity Rank index measures the progress of Italian municipalities in three areas: Digital Administrations, which evaluates online services, websites and national platforms; Open Municipalities, which looks at social media activity, open data and mobile apps; and Connected Cities, which focuses on digital infrastructure such as broadband networks, sensors and data analytics systems.

In 2025 Florence reached the top position in the Open Municipalities index with 91 points, ahead of Rome and Bologna. It also led the Connected Cities ranking, alongside Bologna, Milan and Venice. In the Digital Administrations index, Florence came third after Genoa and Pistoia, which tied for first place.

According to Forum PA, this year’s results show a strong boost from national recovery funds (PNRR), especially in the digitalisation of public administrations, which has helped reduce the gap between large and smaller cities. Ninety-six municipalities now fall into the high or medium-high categories, compared with 60 two years ago.

Florence’s councillor for innovation, Laura Sparavigna, said the ranking confirms the city’s leadership in digital transition. She explained that the municipality aims to put people at the centre of technological change, including through a recently approved plan for the use of artificial intelligence in public services.

Sparavigna noted that new technologies bring both challenges and opportunities. The city’s approach, she said, will continue to combine human oversight and data security with training programmes for staff and residents, building “a simpler city ready for the challenges of the future.”

The 2025 report highlights that progress in the Connected Cities category has been geographically balanced, though regional and demographic differences remain. Northern cities record an average score of 69.9, compared with 54 in the South.

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