MADEIRA – a community of digital nomads and remote work
Madeira is a beautiful island. If you’re a fan of nature and hiking, I guarantee you – you’ll be thrilled. Personally, I felt like I was in a fairy tale here 🙂
You can also try surfing in Madeira. Quite a big drawback of the island, however, is the scarcity of sandy beaches.
Where to live as a digital nomad?
Funchal
Most digital nomads choose to stay in Madeira’s capital, the city of Funchal. The organization of many great events for nomads was handled by two friends, Luis and Marelin. They really do a mega job! Among the most popular events are cross-fit classes in Funchal, Ponta do Sol and Machico. They also organize weekly networking gatherings for nomads and parties (for example, at the Cristano Ronaldo CR7 hotel in Funchal – the parties are held on the hotel’s rooftop, where there is a pool, sauna, foosball, salsa dancing and a party with a DJ). They also organize cruises, dinners, hikes and whatever their imagination tells them 🙂 They very actively maintain an account madeirafriends On Instagram, from where you can find out about all the events. You can also request access to the group
Madeira Friends International Community Association
On Facebook.
Cross fit classes in Funchal organized by madeirafriends
Ponta do Sol
Some nomads also choose to live in the so-called digital nomad town, located in Ponta do Sol. It is an intimate oceanfront village 25 kilometers from Funchal. The Estalagem Da Ponta Do Sol Hotel, home to the digital nomads, is beautiful. The views from the site are insane, as it sits on a hill. It also hosts a weekly free event, very popular among digital nomads, called Purple Fridays(link to last year’s event), for which you need to register in advance. If you live in Funchal, it’s not a problem to get to the event – a special bus ride to and from the event is organized (a seat on the bus and a specific time also need to be booked in advance).

view from Estalagem Da Ponta Do Sol Hotel
Ponta do Sol is definitely different from Funchal. It is a small town located on a steep hill, so even a trip to the grocery store is a challenge. Funchal is definitely more diverse and, in my opinion, is the best place to live on the island as a digital nomad. In my case, the decision just fell on the capital and I am very satisfied.
How and where to meet digital nomads?
There is an active group of digital nomads on Slack. Several channels have been created there, where everyone will find something for themselves – information about surfing and other physical activities, hiking and events organized on the island. To get access to the group, you must register at this page. You can find find there also information about accommodation and week-long integration trips for digital nomads.
Most digital nomads can be met at Purple Fridays in Ponta do Sol – usually Friday evenings are spent there by most nomads.
Very many people also participate in the events organized by Luis and Merlin, which I wrote about above.
How to find an apartment?
When deciding to work remotely from Madeira, there are several options for finding a residence:
- Digital Nomads Madeira Island – on this page you can find accommodation in coliving, apartments and hotels (for example, in the hotel Estalagem Da Ponta Do Sol, which I wrote about above)
- Booking – you will find here not only hotels, but also apartments
- Airbnb – many apartment owners give a discount for stays longer than a month
- Facebook groups – for example, Madeira property.
How to get around the island?
The best and most convenient option for getting around in Madeira is by car. Without it, it’s hard to get on any hiking trails and explore the island. If you don’t have a license or are afraid to drive (like me :D), that’s okay – there are groups on Whatsapp where people arrange to rent a car for a trip and split the cost. There are also cab ordering apps in Madeira – Bolt and Uber.
Don't want to go alone/on your own?
In Madeira you are sure to meet many people working remotely. Many of them fly in for a month or two to escape the gray weather in their home country. In this post, I wrote a bit about traveling alone and how many opportunities are open to you once you overcome your fears 🙂
You can also read about the pros of working remotely from my point of view.