Working Remotely In Porto, Portugal
This is part of my remote work travel series where I review places I visit as a digital nomad.
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If you came to me and were like, “Amy, I’m so burned out and I need to go to a magical place to rest and recover” I would be like “I gotchu” and then send you this blog post. Because Porto? It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
Portugal as an entire country is one of my top recommendations for places digital nomads and remote workers should visit for long stays: there’s so much to do, and the beauty of places like Lisbon and Porto are so unique. Portugal as a country has a laid-back, slower pace of life, so it’s a great place to reconnect with your roots and enjoy some Fado music in a wine cellar or taste some pastel del nata, a traditional custard tart. I’m all about cute balcony vibes, which Porto has plenty of.
Not to mention that if you’re an American, your dollar stretches much further, which helps offset more expensive cities in your digital nomad travel planning (a good bonus!)
I’ve written about my time in Lisbon, but Porto floored us with its river views, extraordinary architecture, and sweeping bridges.
Where to Stay in Porto, Portugal for Digital Nomads
We stayed in two Airbnb’s: the first was this pretty blue apartment in the Riberia district, which is right on the river! It had a cute juliette balcony and the blue theme was very charming, but the place was small and right in the middle of the most touristy part of the city. This was nice for a few days, but it was a bit small and expensive, and not a good place for long-term stays.
However, the Airbnb I recommend is this gorgeous, loft-like apartment with three separate rooms, a huge great room, a lovely desk, and modern, minimal furnishings. It gets natural light every hour of the day and has a cute balcony as well. The kitchen is fully functional with an oven and blender (a rarity in Airbnb’s here!) and it even has a bonus room upstairs with weights and bean bag chairs to hang out or get a workout in. We almost didn’t want to go out and explore the city, we loved this place so much! The company that hosted us is called Tripas-Coração and they own a ton of units around Porto, so if this one isn’t available definitely check out the others in the building and around the city. The level of detail and thoughtfulness down to the high-end stoneware and soft lighting fixtures made us swoon when we first visited.
I’m not exaggerating when I say I could have easily spent a month in this second Airbnb. It’s amazing. Go stay there.
Where to Eat in Porto, Portugal for Digital Nomads
Lisbon has more vegan options than Porto, but we did manage to find some good vegan places on top of the hill (not near the river!)
Our favorite breakfast place was My Coffee Porto. Do yourself a favor and show up early so you can get a seat outside with a river view. The chai latte here is so frothy and made with fresh, loose-leaf sticky chai (SO good!) and the croissant here was soft and perfect. This tiny coffeeshop packs a punch even with a simple menu and an easy-to-miss location up a ton of stairs, so be sure to seek it out on your trip to Porto.
We loved Mr. Box Tea, a boba shop near the river. This is a great place to get some work done, drink some fresh Boba (the peach tea was great!) and post up and do some work on your laptop if you need.
There’s an empanada chain called Empanadas Malvón that we would just find ourselves at all the time, and was a great spot for a break.
Castro has cornered the market on pastel del natas in the city, and it’s right next to both Mr. Box Tea and Malvón, so you can do a 3-in-1 lunch break and hit all the best spots :)
In terms of “real” dinner food I mostly just recommend wandering around and trying some places, as I don’t have any stand-out recommendations. Porto has a lot of good food—and some lovely vegan options—so there’s lots to explore.
What to Do in Porto, Portugal for Digital Nomads
If you’re in Portugal, you have to go see a Fado show. Fado means “destiny” or “fate” in Portuguese, and is a traditional type of music that used to be performed by working class Portuguese people. It’s full of emotion, and seeing performers play the Portuguese traditional guitar is lovely.
We saw a Fado show at A Casa de Fado in Ribeira. We ventured into a moody wine cellar, and you get a free glass of Port wine with your ticket. (Which I gave to my partner as I don’t drink, so can’t speak to the quality of the wine!) To be completely honest I wasn’t totally a fan of the style of music as I thought the songs blended together, but the setting was nice and the musicians were talented, so I was happy to have the experience.
In Porto, I also recommend doing the Sandeman Free Walking Tour. This is my favorite walking tour company, and the local guide we had was amazing. Do this tour on the first day you’re in Porto: it will help you get a sense of the city and has some great stops.
The Livraria Lello, one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, is another must-see (albeit a bit overrated and crowded!) It’s allegedly an inspiration for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, as Rowling lived in Porto and wrote part of the book here (she denies visiting the Livraria Lello, but tour guides and locals say the style is so uncanny to that of the Harry Potter world and right down the street from where she lived in Porto that she must have been to the bookstore!) There’s an admission fee to get into the Livraria Lello (and a line around the block!) but the fee is waived if you buy a book.
Tips for Digital Nomads Visiting Porto, Portugal
Porto, Portugal should be at the top of your travel list as a digital nomad! It’s affordable, stunning, safe, and has a ton of breathtaking views, great walks, and plenty of things to do. It also has a literary feel to it: a lot of great writers spent time here, and I can see why.
While Porto felt a bit more touristy than Lisbon, the further you get away from the river district the more comfortable daily life gets.
If you’re a digital nomad, I recommend just getting an Airbnb like ours with a desk and nice outdoor spaces to do work and take your meetings. If you choose to stay in a hostel, you’ll find boba shops and co-working spaces to work in, so it’s not that big of an issue if you want to go that route.
I would approach Porto — and Portugal as a whole! — as a place to reset, hang out, and enjoy all the charm this city has to offer.
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