Coliving spaces, community, and perks designed for remote workers and creatives.
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Location
The best places to live and stay, coworking spaces, cafes and beaches in Madeira
Beach lovers and remote workers: this is your spot. Nestled in the south of the island, Ponta do Sol is decorated in scenic costal views, pebble beaches, and promenades lined with palm trees. Along with Outsite Madeira, you'll find 4 main beaches: Anjos, Lugar de Baixo, Madelena do Mar, and Ponta Do Sol here. This area is also home to the newly launched Digital Nomad Village.
Great for first-timers, Funchal is the capital city of Madeira with all the conveniences of a capital city plus some pretty epic ocean views. With a more metropolitan feel, it features a multitude of shops, coworks, restaurants and attractions. In comparison to the rest of the island, it's a bit more expensive though still affordable.
Conveniently situated close to the airport and Funchal, Santa Cruz is a small coastal town famous for its beaches (and water park). It's a great spot for water sports like diving and snorkeling.
A little smaller and quieter than Funchal, the town of Machico is nestled on the east coast, and is home to Praia de Machico. While most beaches in Madeira are rocky or pebbled, this beach is unique in that it has golden sand imported from Morocco. Here you'll find a wide variety of restaurants, shops, bars, and accommodation in this area. This is a great area for hiking lovers as there are many trails nearby.
A little smaller and quieter than Funchal, the town of Machico is nestled on the east coast, and is home to Praia de Machico. While most beaches in Madeira are rocky or pebbled, this beach is unique in that it has golden sand imported from Morocco. Here you'll find a wide variety of restaurants, shops, bars, and accommodation in this area. This is a great area for hiking lovers as there are many trails nearby.
Over the years, Portugal in general has become a major hub for digital nomads. Wherever you are in the country, it's likely there's a solid digital nomad community already in place. As a guest at Outsite, you'll be connected with other Members via our Whatsapp groups, making it easy for you to meet other likeminded nomads.
Just a short walk from Guincho Beach is this inviting coworking space. CoworkCascais features air conditioning, a lounge, a fully equipped kitchen, and free water and coffee.
This open and airy space includes private meeting rooms, training rooms, an auditorium, a cafe, and outdoor seating with garden views.
Outsite
All of our locations, including Outsite Cascais-Guincho, is fully equipped with a dedicated workspace onsite.
The Salt Studio Cowork Ericeira
This is a cowork and events studio that offers weekly, daily and monthly memberships.
Kelp Coworking Space Ericeira
Located in the center of the city, Kelp Coworking has two phone booths, a meeting room, and a large outside patio with daily, weekly and monthly memberships.
Outsite Ericeira
Our space features floor to ceiling windows, 10 private rooms, desks in all rooms and a dedicated workspace.
A cool space in the center of the Bombarda Art District, Cru offers various membership types, hot desks, fixed desks, and private offices. There's also a ping pong table, a call room, a fully equipped kitchen, and an outdoor terrace.
This space is perfect for digital creatives - they've got a podcasting room, sound and video recording equipment, professional lighting, and a 3D printer.
This is a bright and spacious spot to work from with complimentary drinks and snacks. They also organize events and community lunches-perfect for networking.
This is the oldest coffee and pastry shop in the city. They offer a full breakfast and lunch menu as well as free and fast WiFi.
Sacolinha Pastelaria & Padaria
Grab an espresso and a seat at this popular cafe serving some of the best freshly baked pastries around.
NATA Lisboa
The place to go for pastéis de nata and fast WiFi. NATA Lisboa is located just steps from the beach and has indoor and outdoor seating.
This specialty coffee shop has you covered for caffeinated beverages. They’ve got everything from specialty espresso drinks to pour over coffee to various teas. They also have a great variety of foods for each meal, and many vegan options.
Have a sweet tooth? Head to O Pãozinho Das Marias for delicious pastries to go along with your coffee, including traditional Portuguese custard tarts, pastels de nata. There’s plenty of outdoor seating where you can enjoy your sweets al fresco.
For classic and specialty coffee in a laid back spot, you’ll love this Surf Cafe which has a nice covered patio for outdoor seating. As the name suggests, you can also get bowls here. You can make your own açai, yogurt, or poke bowl. As for coffee, they have your traditional espresso drinks as well as more unique options like passion fruit iced macchiato or a fig and honey latte.
GiG - The Green is Good
Great spot for breakfast, lunch, and brunch. GiG specializes in healthy food and their menu features many vegan and vegetarian options available.
A popular spot amongst remote workers in Portugal. It's relaxing, has fast WiFi, as well as great food and coffee. There are plenty of tables here, so you should have no problem finding a spot even on a busy day.
This is a hip cafe located just a short walk from Outsite. They serve what some claim is the best coffee in the city. Combi is a laidback neighborhood cafe with fast WiFI, fun music, and an overall great vibe.
Somewhat of a hidden gem, BUuh! maintains an inviting atmosphere with hip music and welcoming staff. Outlets can be found at almost any table, affordable coffee, pots of tea, and pastries.
Car
While getting around Madeira by car is a totally viable option, it should be noted that the roads and driving conditions are particularly rugged and not for the faint of heart (or novice drivers). The roads can be narrow with sleep hills and drop-offs, and there are many long-distance tunnels spanning through mountains. Confident drivers should be fine, but if this isn't you, there are plenty of other ways to get around.
Cable Car
Connecting Funchal to Monte, the cable car lines are a great option for getting around this area, plus they come with some pretty great views of the mountains. A roundtrip will go for €15, though it's worth noting this is aimed more towards tourists.
Bus
The bus is a very popular way of getting around the island. Some bus routes include free audio tours available through this app, so you can learn while you ride. You can buy tickets in advance, or purchase on board from the driver. You'll find three different kinds of buses: Orange (running only throughout Funchal and its immediate surroundings A one-week unlimited ticket will cost you €15. Find bus routes and schedules here Horários do Funchal), Red (Operating in the western part of the island), and Green (operating in the eastern part).
Taxis
Taxis are also available here and typically available at good rates.
For US citizens, no visa is required for stays under 90 days. For Europeans, Portugal is part of the The Schengen Area, making it extra simple for citizens from Schengen Area counties to travel to Portugal. If you're considering a long term move to Portugal, check out our guide to Portugal's D7 Visa.
The best way to get to Madeira is by plane or ferry. Madeira is a quick 90-minute flight from Lisbon. There are two airports in Madeira: Santa Cruz and Vila Baleira Airport, both having frequent flights well connected to Portugal and the rest of Europe. The ferry picks up and drops off at the Funchal Port, however, this mode of transport is seasonal and dependent on weather and sea levels.