The Algarve for Digital Nomads

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Originally published in Sep 2016 & last updated on November 14, 2023
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For a long time, the Algarve was long overlooked as a destination for digital nomads with most preferring to stay in Lisbon. But when Covid meant that people were no longer easily able to travel to Bali or Thailand, the Algarve started to surge in popularity.

It’s still not as popular as Lisbon, and perhaps even Madeira, but, regardless, the Algarve region has become a hotspot for nomads, remote workers, and other creatives. And with all of its beautiful beaches, fantastic weather, surf spots, and laid-back feel, it’s easy to see why.

I’ve spent a lot of time in the Algarve, living, working, travelling, and spending time with other digital nomads. I think it’s a great place to slow down for a little while, and it could be a good place to move if you like the slower pace of life, but I have noticed that a lot of nomads find themselves craving city life after a few months here.

That said, it is a great place to live. And now that Portugal has introduced a digital nomad visa, which allows digital nomads and remote workers from outside the EU to move to Portugal, it’s likely that the Algarve will continue to grow in popularity.

Where should I go on the Algarve?

Although there are nomads spread out all over the Algarve, particularly in places like Faro, Vilamoura, and Sagres, the majority end up in Lagos, which has fast become a digital nomad hotspot.

Lagos is popular for a reason. It’s within easy reach of the West Coast, a paradise for surfers, it has a beach that you can walk to from the town centre, and, with both a train and a bus station, it has good public transport links to other parts of the Algarve.

Short-term Accommodation for digital nomads

  • For short-term accommodation, the most popular option is still Airbnb.com. As with everywhere else, it’s an expensive option — particularly during the summer months.
  • Flatio.com, which is like Airbnb but for medium-term rentals, has rooms and apartments across the Algarve.
  • Booking.com is also worth looking at, particularly off-season (around October to April). The majority of the listings are for hotels and hostels, but there are some apartments and villas on there too.
  • For longer stays see the guide to renting long-term on the Algarve. There’s also a guide to finding winter rentals.
  • There are some co-living spaces on the Algarve which can be fun places to live and meet other digital nomads. 
  • Some nomads hire campervans while they’re on the Algarve.  This isn’t the cheapest form of accommodation, and there is some anti-campervan sentiment among locals, but it can be a fun way to explore the region.

Where to meet other digital nomads in the Algarve

There are a few relevant groups on Facebook:

Getting around the Algarve

The best way to get around the Algarve is by car, especially if you want to go to the beaches or into the countryside. That said, you can visit the Algarve without a car — just expect getting around to take a little longer.

The Algarve does have quite a good train system, but it only connects to some of the towns on the Algarve (Faro, Lagos, and Portimão are all connected). Buses are also an option, but finding the timetables and routes can sometimes be a challenge. Train timetables and information can be on cp.pt and bus information can be found on vamusalgarve.pt.

Uber and other taxi apps are an option too, particularly in larger towns and cities like Lagos, Faro, and Portimão.

Co-working spaces & cafés on the Algarve

Tip: you can also find more co-living options on coliving.com

Albufeira

  • Al-Gharb (coffee shop)- Speciality coffee shop situated in Albufeira’s new town (near “The Strip” that offers wifi and seats with power outlets as well as a selection of speciality coffees, cakes, snacks, and main meals.

Brancanes

Faro

Lagos

  • CENTRO Lagos (co-working space)
  • London Tiger Coffee (cafe) is a small and cozy café with good wifi and a great selection of cakes and desserts. 
  • Abigail’s Cafe (cafe) offers a menu that consists of smoothies, beach bowls, and brunch options, and several of their seats have power outlets as well.
  • Coffee Studio (cafe) a café that’s run by digital nomads, so you know the wifi is good!
  • NomaVillage (co-living)

Loulé

Portimão

Sagres

  • Cowork Surf (co-working & co-living)
  • Local Guesthouse (co-living)
  • The Surf Experience (co-living)
  • Laundry Lounge (cafe) a bar and café that’s popular with surfers and freelancers. You can even do your laundry there as well. 
  • The Hangout (cafe) another café that’s popular with surfers and freelancers. As well as pizza, coffee, and beer, there’s often live music as well. 

Vila do Bispo

Other places to work from on the Algarve

  • Most libraries in the Algarve have free wifi, and are very easy places to work from. 
  • Many supermarkets (especially the larger ones like Pingo Doce and Continente) have free wifi. Normally you can pick it up in the food courts or cafés and work from there. There are big food courts at the main shopping centres in the Algarve: Algarve Shopping (near Guia), MAR Shopping (near Loulé), Forum Algarve (near Faro), and Aqua (near Portimão). 
Written by

James Cave is the founder of Portugalist and the author of the bestselling book, Moving to Portugal Made Simple. He has visited just about every part of Portugal, including Madeira and all nine islands of the Azores, and lived in several parts of Portugal including Lisbon, the Algarve, and Northern Portugal.

You can contact James by emailing james@portugalist.com or via the site's contact form.

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There are 10 comments on this article. Join the conversation and add your own thoughts, reviews, and stories of life in Portugal. However, please remember to be civil.

Comments

  1. Wow! This is so awesome! I’m planning a trip to southern Spain and Portugal and have anxiety about working remote ( from a recent trip to Italy where the WiFi was spotty and unreliable). Having found this site has made me at ease and I look forward to checking out the coworking offices and coffee shops you’ve suggested! Thank you SOOOO much!!!

    Reply
    • Hey Heather,

      Yes, I’ve been all around Europe as a DN and Portugal is actually really good – especially the fact that the local council provide free Wifi in many town centres and in spaces like libraries.

      Reply
  2. We are considering moving permanently to Vilamoura but it seems there are no co-working places and not too many digital nomads over there. Algarve is really nice but it is all a bit far from the world. Difficult to find nicely decorated cafes, very few organic shops, long drive to find shopping centres and shops… hopefully it will soon change. If you are near Vilamoura and would like to start a co-working place, let me know

    Reply
  3. Thank you for this article! We’re planning to visit for a few months this year and will be based in Tavira 🙂 We’ll hopefully bump into other digital nomads while we’re there.

    Reply
    • I’m sure you will 🙂 Most of the conversations are happening in the Facebook group (mentioned in this post) so make sure you’re a member of that.

      Reply
  4. Really nice guide, thank you for these insights!

    I was wondering, what about finding an accommodation on the Algarve for longer rent (1-3 month). Any tipps?

    Reply
  5. Thanks for the guide! I’m going to try living as a digital nomad on the Algarve in May. I can’t wait to check out the surf and the national parks nearby.

    Reply

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