Weirdly, Lisbon was never too highly on my list for digital nomad adventures. However, after a week there last year, I’m not entirely sure how that was ever the case.

Taking a look through the Instagram memories that popped up from a year ago, I was reminded why Lisbon is a very underrated place for remote workers. As far as capital cities go, it’s incredibly relaxed and you almost didn’t feel the hustle and bustle of capitals like London. Wrapped in beautiful tiled buildings, wandering down cobbled streets and sampling green wine from hidden rooftop bars, it’s a city like no other.

While there were also plenty of cowork spaces you could choose from such as Selina and Outsite Lisbon - which we did work from also - as always, I’ll be sticking with cafes:

Fauna & Flora

We came back a couple of times just for the pancakes here, but the generally chill atmosphere, fast Wifi and good coffee were just as great to shout about. You can either get menus in Portuguese or English and the leafy decor added to the relaxed ambience.

Time Out Market

There was public wifi but I found it easier to quickly hook up to my data for the couple of hours we spent there. A little pricer than the other options, but a great vibe and perfect if you want to secure a decent wine/dinner spot, Time Out Market was great. With plenty of food and beverage options, it’s worth visiting at least once. Even if just for a couple of “cerveijas” (beers).

Noobai

Come for the views, stay for the experience. Even in December, I could still set up the laptop, order a coffee and sizzle in the sun…! While maybe a better option for dinner and drinks, it was still worth passing the time for a couple of hours at Noobai before meeting up for lunch with the team (definitely recommend Agua Pela Barba for this by the way).

Avocado House

Our first coffee stop in Lisbon was very cute, welcoming and accessible. Avocado House had accessible menus (for translations and hard of hearing) and yes, every single dish had an avocado ingredient - even the desserts. If you’re looking for a “different” spot to your usual go-to and are in the area, then I highly recommend you check it out.

Dear Breakfast

Not my absolute favourite, but again, glad we tried it. If you’ve ever experienced one of the Grind cafes in London (more on the lines of the Old Street branch than London Bridge), you’ll get the vibe of Dear Breakfast. Marble tops, velvet chairs and a slightly above average price point, there are definitely other places I would rather return to. But each to their own, of course.

Check out where to work remotely in Porto!

Thinking back on it now, there must have been so many more places that would’ve been great, such as any of the cafes and restaurants at LX Factory or the hidden gems in Alfama. And we didn’t even begin on the bars and other rooftop hangouts - although you can find a couple of these discoveries on my Instagram (including a 360 degree view of Lisbon at Verride Palacio de Santa Catarina).

While it certainly won’t be the last time you hear me talking about or visiting Lisbon, I’ll leave it there for the moment with these starting points.

Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to hear more about in a future post!

Until then, um beijo e tchau!

Han x

Where to work in Lisbon