Quick Guide for Working Remotely in Lisbon

Lisbon is a intricate maze of winding cobblestone streets and azulejo-covered buildings. It is slowly becoming a hub for startups and remote workers, so you’ll find a strong community there when you arrive. Here’s a quick list of resources for your trip:

Where to Stay

Hostels

Back to Lisbon Hostel –This is a newer hostel that opened up in Lisbon this year. If you don’t like touristy areas, then this hostel is for you. It’s situated in a quiet neighborhood within walking distance of Barrio Alto and Jardim do Principe Real. It’s easy to stay here for a month or so because the atmosphere is very laid back and the staff are incredibly friendly.

Home Lisbon Hostel — Home regularly wins “Best Hostel in the World” awards and once you stay there, it’s easy to understand why. The hostel is located in the heart of Lisbon, close to Barrio Alto and other top attractions. A delicious nightly dinner is made by “Mamma” and you’ll easily meet fellow travelers during the hostel’s nightly pub crawls.

Renting

After seeing the difficulties my friends went through, I never attempted to rent a flat in Lisbon. If you want to brave the fight and look for a spot, try using some housing boards or reach out to people in the Lisbon Digital Nomad Facebook group. Prices for rent are slowly increasing because of the influx of expats coming to the city, but you should be able to find a single room between €200–€400. If you pay over this you’re probably being overcharged.

The Basics

Staying in touch

Purchasing a SIM card in Lisbon is easy. If you want to get it over with before you get into the city, you can purchase a SIM card directly at the airport. A Vodafone store is located next to the exit before you exit. Hop in there and pickup a SIM card + 3 GB of data for €12.

If you choose to wait till later, or need to fill up on data while in Lisbon, head to the Armazéns do Chiado shopping center and you’ll find the Vodafone shop on the bottom floor next to the escalators.

Getting around

If you plan on staying for a month or more in Lisbon, it’s worth investing in a Viva Lisbon Card. This card works on the metro, buses, trains, and ferries throughout Lisbon. It costs around €53 (€12 for the card, €5 for a photo, €36 for every 30 days). Otherwise, you can purchase a Viva Viagem Card for one-off trips and reload the card with cash whenever you need. I’d recommend loading this card using the “Zapping” option. This is a pass type where you charge the Viva Viagem Card with a certain amount of cash and then each time you use the train, metro or bus the appropriate amount is deducted. Each ride taken using a Zapping card is €1.40, which is a considerable reduction on the cash fare of €1,80+.

Quick Phrases in Portuguese

• Obrigado (or obrigada) — Thank You
• Bom dia — Good morning
• Tudo bem?— Equivalent to “How are you?”
• Até já — See you later

Getting Work Done

Coworking spaces

Impact Hub — If you’re looking for a supportive, awesome community during your time in Lisbon, look no further than Impact Hub Lisbon. This chapter of the Impact Hub network is a beautiful mesh of collaboration and innovation. It’s a little outside of the city center, but situated in a cool space next to the LX Factory and Village Underground.

• Regular membership starting at €100 a month
• Monthly access to the lobby space €50 a month

hOurspace — I found out about this coworking space through a freelancing event. It’s fairly small, but has a great view and it’s a good space to meet people if you’re new to Lisbon.

• Unlimited working hours per month starting at €45
• Day pass for €10

IDEIAhub — Sleek is the word that comes to mind when I think about IDEIAhub. It’s a great coworking space if you plan on bringing a lot of clients there for meetings.

• Unlimited working hours per month starting at €120
• Day pass for €15

Coworklisboa — Located in a former industrial factory, this was one of the first coworking spaces to sprout up in Lisbon. It’s fairly spacious and you can choose from desks (flex and fixed) or a small studio.

• Unlimited working hours per month starting at €100
• Day pass for €12

Cafes

If coworking spaces aren’t your jam, try some of these coffee shops instead:

The Mill — Pros: Their avocado toast! Cons: Outlets are only available on the center table.

Heim Cafe — Pros: Cozy atmosphere and a delicious brunch. Cons: It gets crowded, so go early.

Copenhagen Coffee Lab — Pros: Lots of natural light and kickass coffee. Cons: Outlets throughout the cafe are limited.

Things to do

Go to the beach

Catch the train at Cais de Sodre and get off at any of the stops along the way. You can find a beach at almost every stop, but some of the ones I’d recommend visiting are Carcavelos and Cascais. If you want to surf, go across the river to Caparica or take a car to Ericeira.

Nightlife

Head to Barrio Alto for a cheap drink and then hit up the bars on Pink Street. Pensão Amor is a good spot to dance and enjoy craft cocktails. If you’re looking for something a little bit more mellow, visit the rooftop bar on top of a parking garage or BUS — Paragem Cultural, an underground social club.

Use this map to find the places mentioned in this guide: http://bit.ly/2h8bcgz

Thanks for reading and enjoy your travels!
Want more recommendations for your trip? Check out my blog, leave a comment or message me on Twitter @LongLegsandHair.