Those who know the value of good locations have long chosen Portugal for short vacations and remote work for extended periods.
Portugal itself has recognized its attractiveness not only for short tourist visits. Last year, it implemented a visa program for digital nomads, offering them lower tax rates and is already calculating the benefits for the country.
If you work remotely, are not tied to a fixed schedule, or work independently like I do, consider Portugal. Here, there are at least 4 cool places to spend more than the standard two weeks on vacation. In the community of travelers and digital nomads, Portugal holds a prominent position, and these people know the value of good places.
Porto
Porto means “port,” and it is an incredibly beautiful city in northern Portugal, the second largest and the most attractive city in the country. A port city situated on the banks of the Douro River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Porto is a cultural heritage, a hub for winemaking traditions, and an excellent gastronomic adventure.
All these monuments and ancient architecture blend seamlessly with the urban infrastructure, including numerous internet cafes and various centers for remote work. Living and working in Porto is convenient and is appreciated by those who combine work and travel. Porto is the number 1 spot for digital nomads in Portugal.
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Cascais
Cascais is a small town considered part of the Lisbon metropolitan area. With just over 200,000 inhabitants, it is much smaller than Lisbon. This fact, coupled with its location on the ocean coast, makes it calmer than the capital.
Cascais is still not as popular among nomads, making it more welcoming to guests. Recently, residents of Lisbon have expressed dissatisfaction with digital nomads, openly urging them to leave. Local media has extensively covered this issue.
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Lagos
Lagos is a small resort town in southern Portugal, in the Algarve region. With only 30,000 residents, although more people are evident during the summer. The town experiences a mild subtropical winter and a not too hot summer, thanks to the Atlantic Ocean. According to NomadList, an average of $2500 per month is sufficient for living in Lagos.
The Algarve region boasts Portugal’s most beautiful beaches and some of the world’s most stunning. Add delicious food, reasonable prices, a mild climate, and you get one of the best places for remote work in late autumn or winter.
Like Cascais, Lagos is not yet overcrowded with remote workers, meaning lower housing prices and necessary services.
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Madeira
Madeira is an island in the Atlantic Ocean belonging to Portugal. With constant spring, blossoming landscapes, low prices, and good remote work opportunities, the main city of Madeira, Funchal, is the ideal place to anchor for work and enjoy life.
Funchal has excellent infrastructure, good internet, and a wide range of housing options at reasonable prices compared to smaller and more remote cities. An additional advantage is the large number of sunny days per year and good winter weather. From Funchal, it’s easy to reach the mainland, with flights operating like an air shuttle service, and flight prices are affordable if planned.
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Visa to Portugal
For remote work exceeding 3 months, you need to obtain a digital nomad visa (DNV). Requirements for obtaining a nomad visa in Portugal include working remotely for yourself or a company outside Portugal, a monthly income of at least 4 times the minimum monthly income in Portugal (€3040), a passport, and insurance.
With a digital nomad visa, you can stay in Portugal for 1 or 2 years, a decision to be made during the visa application.
You can also live and work independently in Portugal without a visa for 90 days within a 180-day period. This means that after entering Portugal, you must leave the country and the Schengen zone for the next 90 days at least. Then you can re-enter for another 90 days.
Don`t forget:
- Find and buy airline tickets
- Hotel Booking – Booking.com
- Travel Insurance – Hotline Finance
- Car Rental – Local Rent
