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Island Paradise Creates Digital Nomad Village—With Free Wifi and Workspace
The Portuguese island of Madeira has created a digital nomad village so remote workers can live comfortably there.
Social & Lifestyle
Winner of Europe’s Leading Island Destination award for five years running, the Portuguese island of Madeira is looking to capitalize on the rise in numbers of a unique kind of traveler—digital nomads—by building a town entirely specialized for their residency.
While COVID-19 has forced millions of workers into the telecommuting space, when they got there, they found the sphere was already inhabited by Anthony Bourdain-type people who travel year-round and work from their computers.
Realizing this market was goosed by the rise in telecommuting, and that the staggering beauty of the island would be deeply appealing to digital nomads, Madeira has created Digital Nomad Village, a place with fast internet, exclusive hotel property, community events, and a free office space.
It’s situated in tranquil Ponta do Sol on the south coast, with views out to the Atlantic and a short drive from the capital of Funchal. Launched in February, the pilot program for the village will run until the end of June.
“Madeira Islands have the perfect conditions to attract digital nomads with its natural beauty, activities in nature, culture, and fantastic weather conditions throughout the year,” reads the village’s website. “There was an urgent need to create an integrated strategy to attract this market, in order to make Madeira also known as one of the best places in the world to work remotely.”
This concept is being launched in partnership with the Government of Madeira, StartUp Madeira, and acclaimed digital nomad Gonçalo Hall. Hosting up to 100 nomads at any one time, residents must commit to staying for at least a month.
A leading island
Europe’s island travel market is fiercely competitive, with locations such as the Azores and their volcanoes, Sicily with its food and culture, the Greek islands with their long history, and Cyprus all battling for market share every holiday season. Madeira has nevertheless been considered as the best island destination in Europe for years.