Working Remotely in Lisbon, Portugal
This is part of my remote work travel series where I review places I visit as a digital nomad.
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Working remotely in Portugal is just pastel de nata, beach caves, and soft conversation over the sea breeze. In a word? Paraíso.
I’m writing this from the historic Alfama neighborhood of Lisbon, where I’m working remotely down the street from the Castelo de S. Jorge. Quite literally: I pass the castle on my “morning commute” to nab breakfast or espresso down one of the pedestrian-only cobblestone streets. The views here are extraordinary, and we have a cute patio where I can sit outside and do work during the day.
Lisbon is everything you’ve ever wanted as a remote worker/digital nomad, and let me tell you why.
Americans: Your Dollar Goes Far as a Traveler or Expat in Portugal
Almost everyone I talk to these days knows someone who has become an expat here in Lisbon. Part of the reason is the favorable power of the US dollar here: we filled up an entire basket of groceries for $13 USD. We went to a nice brunch restaurant and ordered buckwheat pancakes, avocado toast, two orange juices, and tea — all for $20 USD. We’re easily spending 30%-50% less when it comes to food here.
Not to mention the median rent in Lisbon is $1,113 euro per month: meaning, if you decide to get a “digital nomad” D7 visa and move to Portugal as an American expat, your quality of life will skyrocket compared to what you’d pay for an apartment in any major city back in the states.
Portugal is more than just a cheap date, however. The rich history, friendly people, and laid-back coastal lifestyle is something to aspire to. And the food quality here is incredible.
Where to Eat as a Digital Nomad in Lisbon, Portugal
The food here is exquisite (and affordable!) so it’s hard to pick favorites, but I’ll try. These are my favorite vegan-friendly restaurants in Lisbon:
Dear Breakfast. After spending two months traveling around Italy last year, I stopped expecting European cities to have good brunch spots. I was wrong! Lisbon has a lot of great breakfast/brunch options, and my favorite is Dear Breakfast. There are several locations around Lisbon, so you’ll never be far from what will become your favorite avocado toast.
The Food Temple. If you’re looking for fresh vegan dinner options, look no further! This charming restaurant is nestled in the corner of a cobblestone street, and has seating available outside on the steps as well as indoors. The menu rotates frequently, and the dishes are a bit small so make sure you order enough.
The Green Affair. We went here on our first night in Lisbon and were blown away. Very affordable dinner with high-end dishes, you can’t go wrong with anything you order here!
Vegan Junkies. Craving some vegan fast food? This place has you covered. Don’t expect to eat anything healthy, though!
Niva Gelato. The watermelon gelato here is excellent. It’s in the Príncipe Real area, and I recommend strolling around the park and checking out some of the scenic outlooks after getting your gelato!
Ao26. We had a lemongrass tofu steak here and were blown away by the creativity of the food. This place also has some great vegan versions of Portuguese food, a refreshing change to be able to try some more “local” dishes that are veganized. The fries come with a great whipped dipping sauce which is to die for. Be sure to get a reservation here, as spots are limited.
Kong. This vegan food joint is a bit small so there might be a short wait, but we had some excellent dishes here. Similar to Vegan Junkies, the food here is more fried/oily than some of the other options on this list, but we loved the cauliflower bites!
If you’re not a vegan, I’ve heard great things about the sardines here (and fish in general) so add that into your rotation if you’re a carnivore or pescetarian!
You can save all my favorites on my Yelp list here!
Where to Stay as a Digital Nomad in Lisbon, Portugal
I recommend you stay where both of my Airbnbs were in the city: at the top of the hill in the Alfama neighborhood, next to the castle. You can’t go wrong with most of the neighborhoods by the river as well, but Alfama is special because it’s got that old-world charm and narrow cobblestone streets I find so peaceful and cute. Bairro Alto, Chiado, and Príncipe Real are also lovely areas with lots of dining and cool places to walk to.
The only downside of being on top of a hill like where I am in Alfama is that you have to trek up and down the hill each day if you go get food. Not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind if you’re traveling with someone who isn’t a fan of hilly terrain. You can also take the trams, but they seem pretty packed and slow, so walking still appears to be a better option.
My Top Two Favorite Airbnbs in Lisbon, Portugal
The first Airbnb we stayed at is a great choice if you love peace and quiet. It’s nestled down a small street and overlooks a backyard and rooftops so the only noise you get is the drifting sounds of a guitar from a nearby restaurant.
This Airbnb was lovely because it had an in-unit washer, a big dining room table, and a desk in the bedroom that was great to work at (and got the afternoon sun!) It had a great modern design, a comfortable bed, and a smart lock on the front door so we could just use our phones to get in. Seamless check-in, wonderful host, fairly stocked kitchen (just beware of the dull knives and lack of garbage disposal) and the AC was a great way to cool off in the hot summer.
Our second Airbnb* had all the amenities of the first place, but it had a river view, a full patio, and a dishwasher. No garbage disposal and it was a bit noisier as it was on a busy cobblestone street, but I loved how sunny this place was and the patio was great for us to do our workouts with our personal trainer over Zoom. (Btw, if you’re looking to work with a personal trainer virtually, can’t recommend Azul enough!)
The other thing that was nice about our second Airbnb was that they had a laundry service for us, and they delivered breakfast to your door every morning. We opted out of this since we cook our own oatmeal in the mornings, but it would be a nice perk for travelers wanting to stay in and enjoy their morning without having to cook.
Overall, I liked the second Airbnb better because I’m a sucker for tons of sunlight and nice views/patio, but both places were awesome (and down the street from each other!) so can’t recommend both enough. Both of these Airbnbs also have very fast wifi, so you won’t have a problem taking Zoom calls!
*Note that we switched units to get the patio option, and this listing is for the top unit (no patio, but nicer views!)
What to Do in Lisbon as a Digital Nomad
My favorite things to do in Lisbon? People watch, eat great food, sit in the sun, and walk along the coast.
Take a Free Walking Tour of Lisbon. We took the Lisbon Free Walking Tour by the Sandeman tour company and loved it. Sandeman is our go-to free walking tour company as they always find great local guides who tell great stories.
Go on a Day Trip to See Sintra. While we didn’t love the Airbnb Experiences tour we booked around Sintra, we loved Sintra itself! Getting a guided tour is a must in my opinion as the roads are really narrow and being driven around is a better experience than if you were to drive. Sandeman Tours has some Sintra options, so maybe try that instead.
Take a Weekend Trip to the Algarve. We took a weekend trip to Lagos, and the highlight was a boat tour of the caves off the Algarve coast. 10/10 would recommend, but you don’t need to spend more than a day or two in Lagos. In fact, I’d recommend doing the boat tour and then maybe staying at another beach town instead as we weren’t super impressed by the town of Lagos.
Tour the Castelo de S. Jorge and Enjoy Live Music. Purchase a $10 euro ticket to the castle and spend the day listening to live music and exploring the castle grounds. I recommend taking a book and reading while checking out the gorgeous view of all of Lisbon down below. Tip: be sure to buy your tickets online and in advance so you can skip the line!
Lisbon has so much going on, so take your pick of what you want to do!
My Top 5 Tips for Digital Nomads Visiting Lisbon, Portugal
Tip #1: Carry cash with you. While Lisbon is mostly credit card/tap-to-pay friendly, there are a few places that are cash-only. There are plenty of ATM’s, so just stop by one of them and carry $100 euro or so with you — a good practice no matter where you travel!
Tip #2: Wear good walking shoes. I wore my Nike’s everywhere here: my Birkenstocks were too slippery on the downhill cobblestone slopes!
Tip #3: Get a wifi hotspot. You can get a wifi hotspot that you can carry with you throughout the city so you don’t have to use precious cell phone data! You can order one in advance and pick it up at the Lisbon airport at the post office. This was a great hack for us, and something we should have done during our last Europe trip.
Tip #4: Enjoy a good breakfast. Unlike other European cities, Lisbon has a ton of awesome breakfast/brunch spots. As I mentioned, Dear Breakfast is one of my favorites: I love starting my day by sitting outside and people watching over a good breakfast.
Tip #5: Don’t speak Spanish in Portugal! While many of the words sound similar, (i.e Ola/Hola) Portuguese is a completely different language. Don’t insult the locals by trying to use your high school Spanish here!
And if you fall in love with the city…
…consider moving here!
If you’re a digital nomad, getting a D7 visa is a great option if you’re looking to become an expat and move to a new place.
Happy travels!
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