Disclaimer: this blog post contains affiliate link content which means the author could receive a percentage from bookings made through the link.

When I speak to people about Albufeira, there are a lot of mixed feelings about it and having now visited, I can understand why. Located along the southern coast of Portugal, Albufeira is not what I would call an accurate representation of the Algarve region - and it has a reputation for this as well.

So why am I writing this blog post at all? Well, I was invited to attend the Nomad World Festival in 2023 with The Remote Life and I was pleasantly surprised to discover an alternative side of the town that could be of interest to remote lifers. Especially during the week of the event, which will again be held at the end of high season this year (2024).

Apart from one trip when I was a child, this was my first time visiting the Algarve and it was interesting to see a different side of Portugal that has been obviously influenced by short term tourism. Landing into Faro, I stayed for a few days here before heading on to Albufeira for the week of the event.

In his opening speech, the Mayor of Albufeira mentioned that they were looking for ways to bring in more long stay tourism to balance out things in high season, which is how I guess digital nomads and remote workers technically fit into this plan.

And while I’m not sure I’d focus on digital nomads specifically for this strategy - as they still travel relatively fast and don’t stay put for long - there is definitely some potential for a remote worker who is looking to get a base on the south coast. So what’s the vibe and what are the 'remote office’ options?

Where to remote work in Albufeira

When I visited for the festival, the best options were to work from cafes, and Albufeira Digital Nomads were also in the process of building out a coworking space in the Inatel Hotel (funded by the Albufeira Municipality). This space is now officially open and is currently free for people to use!

Generally speaking, there was wifi in restaurants and you probably could work from most of the places in town (within reason), but for me these three cafes stood out:

Cafe Mané

I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts that instead of wifi, I search for the term ‘coffee’ or ‘flat white’ in order to hunt down the best places to remote work from. And this is how I came across Cafe Mané, a super cute and tiny little cafe that’s open for a shorter period of time in the day and more suited really for brunch, than remote work. However they let me set my laptop up at the bar and I just made sure I ordered more than one coffee and didn’t take up too much time. Overall I’d 100% go back there for a late morning content sesh and plan for brunch! (Although the pasteis de nata were exceptional and 100% what you go to Portugal for!)

Sugar Rabbit Kaffé

I realise now in writing these that I 100% rate all three of these cafes for their coffee and brunch options, and I’m sad I only discovered Sugar Rabbit Kaffé on my last day in town. A few event attendees met up on most of our last days in town and it was such a vibe - to the point where customers were asking who we were.

This is a great option for anyone who’s also staying between Albufeira Harbour and the event location and/or the Old Town as it’s roughly halfway between.

Splash Poké

Personally I would rate this one more for coffee meetings and maybe a quick editing session on your phone because there’s limited seating. However I was obsessed with Splash Poké during the festival week and would be in here for lunch most days and more. More often than not there would be someone in here from the festival in general - and you can also takeaway as well, in case you decide on a beach day that you’d like something fresh (wink)!

Where to stay in Albufeira

Things to do in Albufeira

For those who may not be in the know - as I wasn’t initially - Albufeira is better known for its nightlife and beautiful beaches. And even out of season, it’s very obviously something the town revolves around, so if this is something you’re looking for in your day to day life, Albufeira is for you!

If you have some extra time though, I’d recommend taking a catamaran ride to the Benagil Caves (although not one that disturbs dolphins), trying a wine tasting (we had a fun evening at Garrafeira Soares) and also travelling to other towns on the coast, like Lagos (blog post coming soon).

The Nomad World Festival

While I won’t be attending this year, I am feeling some FOMO about my decision. The Nomad World Festival brought together some incredible people in the future of work and digital nomad industries for a week of conferences and activities. And the energy was electric!

Community is so important to make almost any lifestyle work, and remote working is no different, but it’s not easy to get a group of remote workers and business owners in one room very often! So when you can, like at the festival, it’s an amazing time! And for a new remote worker or digital nomad, this is a great opportunity to network and get to know the local community.

All in all, Albufeira wouldn’t personally be my first choice for remote worker destination, however I’m intrigued to follow the progress of the town and the work that is going into it collaboratively with the municipality. And for the remote lifer who is looking for a relaxed lifestyle with beaches and clubs on their doorstep, this could be for you!

What do you think?

Han x