Due to its narrow streets, its unique architecture, its incredible food, and its people, Lisbon is a true jewel in Europe.
Accommodation prices are not the cheapest, however, most digital nomads should be able to find a decent place to stay at an affordable rate.
The city is full of coworking spaces, lovely cafés, and it hosts some of the most well-known big-tech companies.
No wonder why Lisbon is one of the most visited cities in the world by digital nomads.
Internet Speed
You won’t have any problem in Lisbon with the internet speed, as long as you don’t require a lightning-fast internet connection.
And if you do, you should be able to find accommodation equipped with a fiber setup.
As explained in this guide “Working remotely from Portugal“, Lisbon’s average download speed should be around 8Mbps, and the average upload speed should be around 4Mbps.
However, in most places, you will get much faster networks.
On top of that, as the screenshot below shows, if you get yourself a SIM card with MEO or Vodaphone, it will be hard for you not to get a decent 4G signal.
Lisbon Digital Nomad Visa
All the Visa questions related to Portugal have been addressed in this article.
In a nutshell:
EU citizens living in the Schengen zone will be able to work from Portugal without any trouble.
For the others, depending on how much time you will stay, there are several options available:
- Golden Visa, for people with the ability to invest a large amount of money in Portugal.
- D7 Visa, for people on retirement or people who have a comfortable passive monthly income.
- Entrepreneur Visa, for those who wish to build a business in Portugal.
- Self Employment Visa, it could be the ideal Visa for digital nomads but it is offered to freelancers who will work with Portuguese businesses.
- Schengen Visa, for people who come to Portugal for tourism.
See more information here.
Hotels & Coliving for Digital Nomads in Lisbon
There are no such things as digital nomad hotels however, Lisbon is probably one of the cities in Europe with the best coliving places.
See below a few examples:
- Singles rooms available in Marvila
- Private rooms (single & double) in Bairro Alto with coworking space
- One building with coworking spaces, a bar, and different rooms available
- Rooms available in a 260m2 apartment in Alameda
Coworking spaces in Lisbon
If you like connecting with other digital nomads by going to coworking places to spend the day, you will love Lisbon as there will be plenty of options avaible for you.
Some places are more focused on offering a casual working environment while other places tend to be more professional.
In most of these places you will find the usual features:
- Fiber networks with super-fast internet
- Stand desks
- Call booths (or conference rooms)
- Printers
- Large monitors
- Shared kitchens
- Chill areas
12 of the best cafés to work from
Like in any major city in Europe, you will find dozens of great cafés to work from in Lisbon.
Whatever the neighborhood you will stay in, you will find a great café nearby!
Outsite Cowork Cafe, Cais do Sodré
Outside Cowork cafe is more like a coworking space than a simple cafe. It will cost you 150 euros for a monthly pass.
Copenhagen Coffee Lab, Alcantara
There are several Copenhagen shops in Lisbon and many others across Europe.
It might not be the most Portuguese style, but the coffee will be great there!
The Mill, Avenida da liberdade
Expect a mix of Australian and Portuguese spirit at The Mill.
DeBru, Avenida da liberdade
Imagine a café from which you can work during the day, and drink home-brewed beer art night!
The Block Cafe, Bairro do Rego
If you’re into Cryptos, this is the place you need to go!
The Royal Rawness, Braço de Prata
Plenty of space, all the coffee you will need, and some great food.
Cafe Boavida, Cais do Sodré
A beautiful place to work from. Expect to meet other digital nomads there.
Hello Kristof, Cais do Sodré
A Portuguese coffee with a touch of Swedish spirit. The perfect place for creative people.
Comoba, Cais do Sodré
Not far from Time Out, in the heart of the city, one of the best places to work from (especially for its amazing cakes).
Bowls And Bar, Chiado
A very nice cafe to work from with a real Portuguese style.
Boutik, Chiado
The best place for surfers, artists, and travelers!
MELBOURNE coffeehouse, Estrela
Homemade cakes and cookies are waiting for you!
What digital nomads love about Lisbon?
Lisbon is to Europe what San Francisco is to the United States of America (they even have the same bridge).
It is a charming city, full of youth, sunny all year round, mixing people from dozens of foreign countries, and where most of the people staying there share at least one thing in common, the English language.
For most North Europeans and Americans, Lisbon is a much more affordable city to live in. And it offers a large variety of social, cultural and sportive activities.
Lisbon’s Museums
- If you wish to know all about these beautiful tiles that are covering so many of Lisbon’s buildings, then you should go to the National Azulejo Museum.
- The Centro Cultural de Belém hosts one of the largest collections of modern art.
- The MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology), located in Belèm, is presenting to its visitors a variety of contemporary pieces of art and architecture.
- If you are more into ancient art then the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum will probably be a better choice.
LX Factory
LX Factory might be one of the coolest places in Europe. Located In Alcantara, this old factory complex has been turned into a creative hub where you will find startups, street art exhibitions, delicious food, and drinks.
This place illustrates perfectly the spirit of the city of Lisbon.
Nomad community
Lisbon hosts one of the largest communities of digital nomads. The Facebook Group Digital Nomad Lisbon counts more than 21k members.
If you are on your own, or if you simply want to meet fellow nomads, there will be plenty of meetups meetings, coworking places, and all sorts of causal events you could go to in Lisbon.
Beaches
- Cascais is a beautiful town located a few kilometers west of Lisbon. Several beautiful beaches can be found there.
- Praia dos Galapos in the Parque Natural da Arrábida is one of the prettiest beach in Lisbon’s region. It is possible to grab a bus from Lisbon to go there.
- A bit further from Lisbon, you could go to Praia da Adraga in Sintra’s region. The beaches are much wilder in this area.
Lisbon’s tramway
Founded in 1873, Lisbon’s tram network became entirely electric in 1902. It once connected the whole city. Only 6 lines have survived. There should be more to come.
The yellow carriages are highly Instagramable and are competing with the Azulejos as the most iconic element of the city of Lisbon.