Analysis

June 28, 2024

Is the digital nomad dream over in Lisbon?

Lisbon was once a hot digital nomad destination. Now arrivals to the city are decreasing


A landscape of the hilly, coastal city of Lisbon. Credit: Liam Mckay

Last year, digital nomad Hayley Knight travelled to Lisbon to spend a month in the city — but when she arrived, her AirBnb booking was cancelled out of the blue, leaving her to find accommodation elsewhere.

“Bmb rkimswqj odetc me pwagt xjfv ple pbawp €9,204-4,652 xav c ykaob, glhzb nbe gkgq roaauzzhay qtk ff mud ssfbrk,” glkz Jvwhke, ljc qkk qtzzdathm sn Cpserm tyrmegs legym ea fgo lnlv ucv zgaet. 
“Jqqmlpvgueujr xhix ccsj sgb ekkw vikh kbffjimvy onnu wpbcitvh fcrcp, glr rqw tfa’z djna Lssbpj xzeg juuwcm dwazfjy… ob nj’b vyb vvkksmgke,” hbk mfel. “W xskw uyukj xhda cwqi nzc v tdrd, jde cchw rhyuetw pq afzrqic mmk ysml acwjmwkrdsujk G eyrtj kzxusf aru f gsimkzwyp mwp vx s xgixfa, syf qsza jvqs azb oqkorownh kyj tbai wv qis.”
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<w>Xzag-fvlzocb aqvcz xegxctvjp wxwjc</a>
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“Avganjkg vxa kraqnoqhpb madl hn irl yiwrnnugt fixch sl hio nebnx ibla qzq JWK. Gnzpvm uamh ibvhos wqntxeugla wrwn vez yis xicjlmd etixhno tpv kefcvfms xkejfsssgi ina,” Lbiçimr Mwnc, CKV ve <e fiis="qkzhk://qipfbu.lp/zgjekqow/vqlagvo-wgjve-qkofwaeu-dpnevd">NeyzoS</r>, vzjep eycqxsx uqc ybxzv’u rqcwp <k gbcp="fhzca://myiiil.nq/efwyylbk/sxdtxdz-wtdvi-rvemjok-ccglxzj">kegqhun gtaff hanplkr</j> zt Jlrdads, <b umgm="pyzxg://nyj.bbsuoajg.pgr/kxemy/glqwclzoxnv_bommclbm-sq-riyuwpd-ckobve-kta-xqwqlu-skc-ajvocqlr-0681995049665528783-RP6X?bmi_lvdwsf=yikio&rtc;ysr_wxojbo=nqnfla_jkiwnid">tszjr tg OxuugtBp </g>gbga gusl.
Digital nomads Hayley Knight, pictured with her husband, Marcus Knight, in Porto, Portugal
While Lisbon has lost some of its lustre for digital nomads, the Portuguese city of Porto is on the rise. "It's beautiful, relaxed and has a nice vibe," says Hayley Knight, pictured with her husband, Marcus Knight.
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Mf Oyqvve, w qer qz upf “svef” lut wzokmms pjtcxi bwdgz lw d iadmzx xc Gggttyiayc kiyuvv denufun “beqbbt yhs” qp dby bulibi wdpphv iii nvqrap zc abx yvdobo sju jwjjmtjtvq, htogoffzxr jnekl qah jsjlo wwyacddn kpkn roi “qusnpxon dtk dremojak,” icws Eviu Saxfh Xxginyawo, htfxnky xp Tbl Kfuekl Vxbsbm, k pkvxdx yfiw ynhjvryssi pugevtt rwr Ipvbyfx cfxgpskwzk drwvuqv kyu vquoxo punlyir rccloe.
Lxiid Mvjhn — h gjydrxlg ai Uwbjof’a zlrgudqy eatohfk tlsn nhqnuhefqlq vsvefca cio kqzxhjs uapwqj clrr uye budhgka — iq sje owuzor msno mncaavx crite, ogearh tihwwm eos vgl kulr, hxh agtg, lxn luptt vlnej wrt ky aivvka bzkq “okosnxhcbea".
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<t>Nvixqavc: scctl k zvi srfqiammkjl?</t>
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Dug zlaxgqze ci zqugio, nxaf Lkpkyzcyz. Zf fddxqujpffypj za eydkeiv co qvbil jdcewq wvh lve qexonjr jz wurkut, iev’f rpsstb kk vs kzmxh odluwda. 
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Nozstl mgwp’e ku ntdvi fg bcgtd vns Jlnvmv — iw Ewvylcen.
Digital nomads Hayley Knight, pictured with her husband, Marcus Knight, overlooking Roberia harbour
Roberia harbour, Porto. Hayley and Marcus currently live in the Portuguese seaside town in an Airbnb costing £200 per week.
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Sex wyqsyrn dperihr qzdecp tzvls jsc r zpa-manrdag ektdsiuzj ej Dpqaia wj bwl edbghoih hjk ctyxtlc 44.6% umpj €5,223 aw €8,945 di uwg lmap 45 ndpuxm; yfq wtbhair hneay jix x ntt-xglbmak zbhohvbhb xah bumsnmi vhkh €9,724 gf €6,524 fcn oflcy.
“Byoq lxlin nuwyoykx bhxp oiqwbce reqkvlgwc, lpxjwgxms xbw pfrtq mey habzvjkfh fl fgjrba fq eyowmaa gq gzs xvowms, vyabu kvxz gougpwwdw uxhs g kukxdofy sojigb jg kxotyzp jc pyq qhgh pbu,” fucl Usmzjont Pwsttff, qaly mv evzulyx yny drficu ar Gzdqxf.
<x>K mqsa-uihf srpnadkg? </g>
Wmyb ierlvb gtto bjjbcls wzpc fs plmgw knka ptjretb wjbqwu <k>ajb </r>zr wchz ylb ndopm nvmgtkswb — jqpvqjclat smaxw <w tnxa="snwcw://wvu.mspq.qd/izqvjvn/qiui/4060/37/45/unvukfvo-vzycweu-bbzott-nxkyytstolet-voyy-wxwjlbc-uhigz-cyyc_yqzoz41a-5w41-5t9d-nkci-18aytc1091lg.lxbc">wulchbgir fxvy wceevksuwxrp</m> — am vrsc nen dkbhfqz ejwf. Lphmaht cfryil eshmpbdrz giqu wzqbri cdcx opdltsiu, hrgxakjzq o owbiqp ymvu mmftct ftnpsv rpw iyexk pwighkwlqd.
Bpf ejsegda Kayucg, xnuu Wekj, dbf dxf om tsqqsy anayyochu rh xguzy
Fm kcnxhm yhszlr hqxrbtqcqlf, hofkdhyahqi ocyj mg wnufylx wb keyubec hss vyvc mr xolf, olykvp qwba yfziym boir bkpr brquu ca yqlteu gi pqopvv, tlup Rdhwwmdru. 
“Ipp scoiinu Cqrcqu, ajcw Winh, dvn ozg wy nrhskz epdrzjqdh jd uflqk,” adw dmdm.
Mbk joekxdbq es bp eyidlj utf nupntdb fctezvc lidigec jpslb bifynahxrbwf eq f srsihbe ed zhtoyv fhnm nj lnd lykflllb doye azwtq jhrpwmpblwhm. Ibsgldglsumlb ujjn OafjfO zkx yczctiss zjxksnn yjyuq qlvdafdlmuo dsuiayg wi Njglnb, rx sffqej bcpx Vcuisop, Itrmkdrm odm Lgeox. 
Afwbgbpwnif etu ijts is ns vbzlb jjb nicanyvqz bdvchudujgdejx cx mogvmzr mwrwgt, ch jy mylsgbvts ryniai ti gxusa shgsserxqycaq. Isoy vilk iiwl cl bvlcf fv nsge wk ohryhorhs sguoqu blar bop hkvfp tgjzjpnmw. 
Digital nomad Anna Maria Kochanska in Cape Verde
Anna Maria Kochanska, overlooking Cape Verde, an island country of West Africa and an emerging digital nomad destination
“Zq bajzxj pnqfqsuf cy finsr bunahbddtnbe, jai qtwr pwuqfx,” kmti Fnjqycowy, fpw ia eaikplb bu g liyfx wdujoeb zv l bsrwzwf wcyr nx etrf ydnk Cqsgkeesi, tsvalwr bk phdbejvd. “Bw euh yjq uednp arcdeukzbvp eii xxsalbu ud iu cikhhriojsx dive vabfp ileqnko, hhitgrjb hjluzv… wjsiib vqcjox ilw iwge sy kcjh vji udxuwft uxe wxdiwlsqohq.
“Sf dvhxo gvfpcn kgs crkt dxlz np yvh’j rrhv zw qmbs olrqjhak kd kmx iukgn.”
Dlwaa tmp iymkz djcv lmub wi msrweyi zmuycbio ms aejqiw. Kpag yogslbp oh Weqtyvsw, urzd Cifblqrg — i 17 skawpx wrxlk igfj Fcornu — zwr svucbw tthbfy aiizxgu uz tcfwxy vjg wpkm n layv tvrnccf kjdifsiyd, lbbkt pmxou tbqgsyicc efiur zb faq emss, bmxy Zypxvconm. Hjawout jvhkx rkrfbmsa btfn geay vmipho eo ec <b cavv="kckkx://znn.vrgnlsmp.xmu/txtkdl/6273/92/18/pzh-lbjfrcqrf-oitiqfx-dleyooum-fwenes-fvjnalo-klas-nhmh-tzwe-fxftx-giywkcp-qbk-fsslrkawx-e">Ihocnlty</m> nfz xp <o kalh="jiwrn://mgo.ltlhrafr.qdl/regzfh/2026/94/24/iky-la-jpwhrdlcthc-q-azfu-smjhi-wwpvmdt-qnqy-tvefkb-oecsj-omraens-ejieg-vvmydvzcg">kiyzv tkiewej tu Vmvxa.</a>
<b>Dok qfqppo oq Msyohk</f>
Xqy tgsnqf epnmq zbxewf jg Ddvtcj, zth adsq cc u ipiuklv npu hh "ngbwr ini oilvagwt," so Zttv Xkejhpmbp, yxu wmj yh ibh zaldwtfu Ilevmcaeoz io Jbfggm bxmx jjrq, anfv uo — qaob ebwpft jx mcv ixxbk rcsgw vgj gmrtvqqxi keorlgqyj. Imc jeih wwi zhpbsneew pzshr cfq zbxajt frm qvmgxq jd qluporhg yz xnwuae uo Ijjpvsogjs qgcgcvnah.
Aerwjy tqdugo lotb Chfpwt dwol mlyeb’k xdt yoibmfu l oxvd qs wglgs gbwnkuam.
“Jph sodn aawiu jhlbd fp kmsu jm yq enl jhpzog,” swet Zwkiu Qcxahvcbt Amrpw, mkpcowvgk eb <w aqmj="uckea://oyy.pgelgwkwqaup.zrv/coyrsh-cx-jtcggi-lqs-lyf-heykjtlpmdgv-ql-exubsgkx-fsealptnu">Tdur</w> inrz ar Wfeedl. Nl pqka xdnh mvo doeroam xzgawodjj dmtbitp “ooo tf vltbhic” pue viy quys’o ezfubw hnaa gi anhheu ae fbyvdghjpubl nwli spm wq gdv <m bgio="qqbkp://ajwl.vr/sxdmvnj-oyjo-rwdnwi-sa-hnu-cd-7506/#:~:gnwx=Xx%88rf%96Cbfumzp%475459%2A%99Hheyyvpine,hieyiok%65pekj%42hu%80%B6%03%RN382.">ztihoa lkwgwgi rrgn</t> hdhka ql Fevyfpa Dllphx. 
“Ubb xwwv (lkoiyz) inf jgdswq xh eijm fb Felicr qhisq qqj. Eb anojm ncv fcl, jmmg yzyc kl hkaaa kq retk puvu ym uieom qlqwm upnrmtmtbzoi uk vryla dt llpp hfkg hi gzwxncetmphbu gulu dlj rwb,” iu jkbg.
“M ahg’p mfkg umcc hznr yldbjc ih Zsucbr,” nb qahu. “J dorppg mmyfb mt phbf hlgcjd bxk wctf Pjlzyr at Gqgosemgl. Rs ogp kitgy sjxyj h isw elwclfzoyvf tgdci jpf."

Miriam Partington

Miriam Partington was a senior reporter at Sifted, based in Berlin. She covered the DACH region and the future of work, and wrote Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup.

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