Want to get lost on a peaceful island in the Atlantic Ocean? As Portugal gets more mainstream with remote workers and digital nomads, the mainland may be too big and busy for some people. Then you should escape to the beautiful islands Portugal offers, and one of them being Madeira. Usually called the ‘Hawaii of Europe’ this island has many things to offer, so let’s start with this guide to Madeira for remote workers and digital nomads!
Why consider Madeira as a remote worker?
The main reasons to visit the beautiful island are the nature, the climate, the people, and being more affordable than many European destinations. With amazing natural resources like mountains, natural pools, waterfalls, beaches, forests, cliffs, and breathtaking viewpoints, the island enjoys a nice climate all year round. The locals are warm and welcoming, and many nomads and travelers are around the island. This destination is more affordable than mainland Europe and it is the whole package.
Where is Madeira?
It is located in the Atlantic Ocean, almost 2 hours flight from Lisbon and the mainland. Being close to the African coast it offers a good subtropical climate all year round. With hot and dry summers and mild and warm winters. Also specific for Madeira is that the island has many microclimates around, and it can be rainy on one part, but sunny on another part of the island (tip: check the live webcams for weather conditions around the island). Being a small island, you can get all around pretty easily.
How to get there and how to go around?
The island has only one airport named after Cristiano Ronaldo, who was born and raised there. It has one of the most interesting airports, with the runway being built on top of a bridge. The airport and the capital Funchal, are well connected together and have many bus lines passing through them. But the smaller towns and cute places do not have outstanding public transportation networks.
There are many taxis around, but they can be pretty expensive, you also have Bolt, but with no guarantee that you will find a driver all the time and all the places. To have an ease of movement around the island you will need a car. If you want to center in a single place, Madeira has many small towns but my personal recommendation is to visit everything around the island since the most you will need to drive is an hour. All the roads are new and modern, but a note that Madeira being a place with a lot of mountains you will drive through a lot of tunnels.
Where to stay in Madeira as a digital nomad?
Although a small island, Madeira has a lot of accommodation to offer, starting from hotels, resorts, apartments, hotels, hostels, and basically everything. But I want to focus here on the more interesting option for the nomadic lifestyle, the coliving (Check this post to learn “What is coliving?”). The island has many colivings scattered around different locations like:
- Outside & Banana House in Ponta do Sol (the famous digital nomad village).
- Nomadico in Jardim do Mar & Paul do Mar.
- Madeira Coliving in Santa Cruz.
- Homeoffice in Santo da Serra & Santana.
- Coliving Funchal, Slow Coliving & A Ver o Mar in the capital of Funchal.
I have stayed in Homeoffice and Nomadico and will share my experience with both brands. But the colivings there have a really nice vibe, have many activities for the people living there, create a strong sense of community, so if you want to have the perfect workation you really can consider Madeira as a destination for that.
Besides that, if you want to experience city life more, you should stay in Funchal, and there are many options there, ranging from 5-star hotels to many cute hostels and Airbnbs where you can see the art on the doors, taste some really sweet Madeiran wine and rum, walk around the promenades and the gardens, and also be in the center of the events.
Working view from the coliving
How is the coworking on Madeira?
The island hosts the first Digital Nomad Village in Ponta do Sol, a small town with the most beautiful sunsets. Besides the beautiful sunsets, this town has a nice pebble beach, perfect views, nice bars, laidback vibe, and hosts the Digital Nomads Madeira startup and coworking space. The coworking space is free to use and has indoor and outdoor spaces, monitors, and plugs. Many people come there to work, party, work, and meet up with the digital nomads. The startup has a Slack group where they organize activities and meetups in Ponta do Sol and around the island. Also, here the Madeira Friends community organizes the famous Purple Friday parties, where you can catch perfect sunsets, and ocean views and enjoy yourself with nice music and a drink. Saúde!
Besides the Digital Nomads Village and the coliving spaces, there are multiple coworking spaces centralized in Funchal, like Cowork Funchal & Sanga Cowork.
Digital nomad community in Madeira
The community on the island is centralized around people. Madeira is becoming more and more popular with remote workers and travelers in general, so you can find many nice people all over the island. Personally, I would say that the biggest communities are in Ponta do Sol and in Funchal, and you can participate in the many activities organized there.
Besides that, if you stay in a coliving, you will meet many people there and be a part of a smaller group and share many memories and experiences with the people there. If you want to get the most out of your coliving experience read our post to maximize your coliving experience.
What to do in Madeira as a remote worker?
My favorite thing to discuss. On the island, there are many things to do. But I would recommend hiking and checking out the amazing outdoors. Whether you like to catch a sunrise on Pico do Arieiro, hike between the 2 highest peaks on the island (Pico do Arieriro to Pico Ruivo), walk on the cliffs in Sao Lourenco, walk beside many waterfalls in Levadas do 25 Fontes and Levada do Risco, see the enchanting and misty Fanal forest and visit many Miradouro (viewpoints around the island).
Other activities besides the amazing hikes are swimming in the natural pools in Porto Moniz and Seixal, relaxing on a sandy beach in Calheta, Canical, Seixal, or Machico, or enjoying the rocky beaches in Ponta do Sol, Porto da Cruz, Funchal, Paul do Mar and Jardim do Mar or just enjoy a day trip to Porto Santo and discover the golden sands and beaches there.
If you love city life more, then Funchal is the perfect place for you. Offering many buildings, traditional Madeiran culture, amazing gardens, with rich history and food, you can find everything there. With many museums, bars, restaurants, shopping malls, promenades, and local markets, you can find many things to fill up your time. Also, a lot of events and activities are organized there, so you will never be bored.
Last thing last
If you want to escape the harsh winters and spend some really good quality time on a tropical island, then Madeira is for you. Offering a chill vibe and slow way of life the island is the perfect place for travelers, digital nomads, and nature lovers. Also, the place is really safe, and the locals are really welcoming. Madeira offers an authentic experience for remote workers and digital nomads.
Don’t know where to stay? Book your coliving stay in mapmelon or join the Colivers Club Slack to learn more about the coliving world!
P.S. Give the poncha a try!
