Nomads who commit to staying for a month can get a working space, wifi and a Slack community - all for free
ADVERTISEMENTThe first digital nomad village in Europe is about to open on the tiny volcanic island of Madeira, one of two autonomous regions of Portugal.
Digital Nomads Madeira launches on February 1 in the village of Ponta do Sol. It aims to attract digital nomads, remote workers who travel the world while they work.
Situated on the south coast of the island, the nomad village offers remote workers a free working space with a desk and chair at the John do Passos Cultural Centre, access to a Slack community and free wifi from 8 am to 10 pm daily.
The project has been developed by the Regional Government of Madeira, through Startup Madeira, and with the help of a digital nomad consultant. It aims to attract digital nomads from all over the world. The closure of offices due to COVID-19 has greatly increased the number of people who can work remotely.
3000 people have already registered for the project, which can host 100 nomads. They are still taking registrations here.
The Madeira islands were voted the World's Leading Island Destination for the sixth consecutive year in the World Travel Awards 2020.
According to Digital Nomads Madeira, Ponta do Sol offers the "perfect conditions for nomads looking for warm weather, sun, and a peaceful lifestyle surrounded by nature."
It's expected the nomads will have "a very positive impact on Madeira Islands, by staying for longer periods of time, building a community, helping to fight the tourism reduction and the seasonality of the tourism market."
The project has also teamed up with local businesses such as real estate, hotels and rental car companies for the nomads to use.
Sunshine all year round
The village of Ponta do Sol is spread over 43km and is home to 8200 people. It's considered the warmest part of the island with the most sunshine, likely due to its position at an altitude of 1500 meters on Madeira's only plateau.
Its economy is primarily based on agriculture, in particular the production of sugar cane, banana, horticulture and floriculture.
Safe to travel to during COVID-19
Madeira is currently considered one of the safest destinations in Europe. Its preventive measures against the coronavirus are due to be reviewed on January 31.
In order to make visitors feel even safer, Madeira has adopted a set of security measures in various spots on the island.
Anyone arriving in Madeira is required to present a negative PCR test performed 72 hours prior to arrival, or to take a test on arrival and quarantine at their accommodation for 12 hours as they await the result.
