During the confinement, that the pandemic imposed on us, we all had plenty of time to think about where we live and how we live, and now that travel restrictions are easing, the result is that people are on the move like never before. In the U.S., the number of remote workers has shot up from 4.8 million in 2018 to 10.9 million in 2020. Search results for ‘digital nomad’ increased from 1,300,000 in January 2019 to 4,520,000 in April 2021 and the founder of ‘NomadList’, Pieter Levels, predicts that there will be a billion digital nomads, working around the world, by 2035.
Many of us, it seems, are in search of a better life. A better climate, a better environment, and a better work/life balance. That means that what many of us are looking for is somewhere warm, beautiful, inexpensive and where we can meet like-minded people.
Welcome to Madeira, a group of islands saved by their coastline. Had Madeira been formed with miles of golden sandy beaches, the fate of these stunningly beautiful and unspoilt islands might have been very different. The islands’ towering cliffs and rocky coves have saved them from the blanket development of high-rise hotels of the sort which have blighted so much of the Spanish and Portuguese coastlines.
Six hundred kilometres off the Moroccan coast, the autonomous Madeira islands are the southernmost part of Portugal. Famed for an abundance, and often unique, variety of flora and fauna, the mountainous islands are home to a number of micro-climates. Criss-crossed with hiking trails and acres of unspoilt and spectacular landscapes they are an adventurers’ paradise and the scope for outdoor activities is without rival.
The government of Madeira recognises the unique potential of the islands and instead of simply courting mass tourism, they have made the islands one of the most attractive digital nomad destinations on the planet. Ponta do Sol is a ‘Digital Nomad Village’ just a thirty-minute drive from the capital Funchal. It provides its residents with the fastest broadband in the country and the opportunity to use free co-working spaces. Since its creation just over a year ago it is estimated that over 4,500 digital nomads have visited the islands.
As one would expect, the most expensive location on the islands is the capital, Funchal, but even here, prices are nowhere near as high as mainland Lisbon. The further from the capital you look, the cheaper the property becomes. For those looking to stay for a relatively long period, several months for example, you can check out properties for rent online. You can even take a virtual tour of the properties and make viewing arrangements before you head out. For those with in excess of 500,000 euros to invest, Madeira remains within Portugal’s ‘golden visa’ scheme, but don’t delay too long because once ‘golden visa’ fever starts to take hold, property prices across the islands are bound to rise.
