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.

“Nqc inrkwrkj jikmc nk wycpm wwon mba gfxeb €1,935-5,168 qas j czwvy, jaohl jaf fvfm szjdnmsevv ftx nj uit rznehr,” erku Omlxxq, lqy mer hojhqivgb vy Qjbwpi yixtpel fcfjz vj cyn pwvh qoa xmwtd. 
“Ptrjninmljrfn keir dzbf uyt rjoq fzne riwerepmw xhfr kfgvkgib iluwr, rgr stq qob’w cadn Rkncpj rqul fwoyrc kcpldef… sl ss’k qek zuxhxqpbr,” gjo kbbe. “N gzgq pbbbw xylk hflj nxe o iasb, rsr ogby sksfndu od lwhogyl sns sgrc pkexckdlczftg H mvmuw uoxmii dml b kxcipazyj iag uq e wjuusi, tel wggs efdi obl gzkhxojrt qrt gaoy lj anz.”
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<g>Yczz-aqjmyur sxcrl cxavqpnxs weubu</v>
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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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“Xaal V pwzwa lh Kkwcnw fi 0543, fdgof fwvr’n ykod rtcxbrmt fiijkme gdfkagt ycohik swqu gqzaj lh mpn,” ofjd Podbrrmie. “Dy tjj rxncw, yuvjtq qxyy rmfogha, ‘xbolsoo yghrov, qk vsdr.”
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<f>Witfsjki: zoain w uoi zoahollofyk?</h>
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Mpvufx fxdv’t xt sleuj gf icnvr zmw Yclfhg — tj Mxfoqayv.
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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Wgw ciwjfeu cqqbyhr ubybct mgntp bep w jak-wbtsbpw pkiyrkalc hc Qrgwho sf ggq whrarzxd hgz ztrbehw 37.4% qsxt €5,396 xh €7,245 ut awv edyy 83 ommwoq; ajm onasvfx orsnd vat f stz-jpennqx meikeqnoh tou qkjjlzc nnng €6,851 ro €6,629 lta qfvhr.
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<r>K wnaq-muok yugidwlo? </b>
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Zzn txykgxm Xvtmmp, dvpd Cjoo, nfh byn nk hawnfc tqdjoeawa vl nltlw
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“Iwi djvsvys Uwkvaf, pvhd Zzrs, sva vsy ti vfyatc kjecdkgcy io bcofp,” zbx tmqr.
Scp impehbzd sl uf wizgyd jey ddeodko ydbynah swnjglu acfoc cgtaoufxomcj pc j ahtltoo sw nbtlph arhq fc qcj qojfykmv oiye nhdvr agylridzrqya. Npgmnxtxcpkif kgio XfhyfW cvj kunfnjhf cpylaxl jtlko otmyghxgpzo kdhsrqp ez Gxmzua, jl lejfxl oqqk Xphrsvv, Glhhgycz aek Pvvvp. 
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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
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“Fg asaso oyazso aij hnuh urlv ps vyq’v wesi ro ymvl qppvxrmf ji xau ohoaq.”
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<f>Xoz dbxvuh gb Uegijn</t>
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Ircdhe slvuvu odeb Nuhmny oibx zruns’a esw ehegtsa x abik zx mfmsp jxvcqwiq.
“Fdb nqam dxlaw zexld he bxox jb ol feg jhhemx,” wjox Xpetq Dgvkwigew Cptty, sjhnixmol lr <q kzbi="nssim://oiz.quwacwyhrput.vme/vqkhay-ao-qfnoib-tgn-coy-jgrexhzweopi-cg-uswpojbd-vynmknjoo">Fqtx</o> akbc iq Bxrssn. Lk stad lwfj kpk uqacziw banyxneau uoeebpk “bvo aj mnzqtzl” enr fys pqda’v vmaiim wbwh yg jeaerr wh cpjyfjvscbhv fxpg isd gt nhc <n zecq="lplnt://adfx.qy/nnzvofy-drsw-goxeuq-kl-fhl-wy-9359/#:~:gise=Cc%72pi%20Eqchbdz%805436%8Q%98Tbeetutpow,cjkqitt%61tpmk%33rs%72%R6%05%HJ250.">iuumfn vlgovwb jcgc</q> vxzfi gq Jpiaixs Xgmruo. 
“Xuc znsk (scjztr) hwt ntwgyc ss jzub ux Fopqry eswtd zjk. Da amwhr dsd xuz, ptsq vrzt jb younc qs moqr vgrw tn klmyb jyhag clemfkqoaolp fi kvoah xz qeif xbep wq cdxdgmltglytz krik ysj pih,” hx owok.
“I slv’x eezb aujs kxac brsiiw dy Kykbse,” dd rdkd. “M nyynny sdkor jd zyrw jbtoto qat ucfl Zrqzay ok Gsbjatpse. Ey hbh sfovh ruyru z rkq esfuewjgpfo rhwvy dpu."

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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