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The Ultimate Digital Nomad Guide to Ericeira - Cover

The Ultimate Digital Nomad Guide to Ericeira

During the last 5 years, the beautiful Portuguese fisherman village and surf mecca of Ericeira has received a great influx of expats and digital nomads from all around the world. While maintaining its authentic charm it has turned into an international hub.

Personally, as I write this I have lived here for the majority part of the last 8 years, and although the change (as it sometimes does) has brought a few challenges to the village, it has also created a lively, fun international environment in Ericeira.

If you’re thinking of visiting Ericiera as a digital nomad or for a remote work trip, this digital nomad guide will make sure you get the most out of this unique little town.

Let's start with looking at places where you can get your work done.

Coworking Spaces


Currently, there are 2 coworking spaces in Ericeira. The Coastal Collective Coworking space and Kelp Coworking space. Both of these coworking spaces are actually located in the same building and both also have great reviews. Kelp has been open a bit longer so it's the tried and tested alternative, but The Coastal Collective has received equally great reviews.

If you are considering staying for a longer time in Ericeira, the Ericeiras Business Factory incubator is also an alternative. Although this is mainly for long-term office space, and to be able to join you have to provide information on how your business will contribute to the municipality (which basically all businesses do in one way or another).

Besides the above, there are usually also Coworking Day events organized regularly at various locations. You can find out more about those here:

https://www.meetup.com/ericeira-international-community-meetup

Cafes to work from


In Ericeira there are plenty of Cafes where you can work, however, there are a few that are more remote work-friendly than others and some also have allocated separate tables for remote working. Here are some recommendations:

Hurley - A really nicely decorated cafe, surf shop (and bar in the night) Hurley is a great place to work from. It also has delicious coffee (reportedly even the decaf is really good) and currently allows you to work from all around the cafe. Hurley is located in the city center.

Maikai at 58 Surf Shop - Located in between the town center and the Ribeira de Ilhas beach the MaiKai restaurant has a special dedicated Coworking table. It also has great food, especially tasty burgers. If needed, you can pick up some new wax for the board from the 58 Surfshop when you're here.

Insider Tip: I usually go for the purple Sex Wax since I feel like this gives a good grip in the cold Atlantic water.

O Spot - In the village of Ribamar a 7-minute drive north from Ericeira town you find O Spot: a cozy restaurant, cafe, and association of Ribamar. Here you can find reasonably priced local specialties like Bifanas and Imperiais (the plural form of imperial: meaning a glass of beer), but also things like freshly roasted coffee, delicious roast beef sandwiches with horseradish, and lunch of the day. O spot is very happy to receive remote workers.

Honorable mention - The Library. If you're just looking for a calm spot where you can get some work done without fancy amenities and coffee, then the tables at the library could be a nice change of scenery.

Communities


Coliving and Coworking by the Surf
In Ericeira, there are various WhatsApp groups as well as Facebook groups where you can connect with like-minded people. Even though the groups are online, they are all for promoting real-life events and meetups.

Perfect for getting to know people, regardless if it's your first time in town or if you’re a seasoned Ericeira expat.

The most popular Facebook groups are:

Expats in Ericeira and Ericeira Freelancers and Digital Nomads

The most popular Whatsapp groups are:

Ericeira Community and Ericeira Tribe.
And a great Instagram account to follow for events and happenings is:

  https://www.instagram.com/sailerapp

Surf


Coliving and Coworking by the Surf
Ericeira is a world surf reserve and one of Europe’s number-one surf destinations. One of the things that makes Ericeira such a great surf destination is the amount of spots around. Meaning that even if it's a very popular surf destination there are lots of waves around to be surfed.

In general, the waves are bigger during the winter half of the year and smaller during the summer half. Sometimes during the winter it even gets too big for a majority of the Ericeira spots, then the harbor “Praia dos Pescadores” or a day trip to Peniche is a great option.

It actually rarely get completely flat during the summer, but if it does, there are lots of other fun things to do and beautiful nature to enjoy.

To mention some of the breaks. There are the beach breaks of São Julião and Foz do Lizandro, with lots of whitewash for beginners during low tide. The most popular spot is Ribeira Dilhas with perfect waves for everyone from beginner to advanced. As well as the more Advanced spots of Coxos, Pedra Branca, and Back Door.

To read more about the surf I recommend checking out this ultimate Ericeira surf guide that I wrote:

https://ericeirainsider.com/ericeira-surf/surfing-in-ericeira/

Cost of Living


Lunch in Ericiera can cost everything from 8 Eur and above, while dinner usually costs 20 Eur and up (drinks included).

In general beer and wine are affordable in Portugal, a glass of beer costs from 1.5 Eur and up, and a glass of wine will set you back from 3 Eur.

Since Ericeira is a very seasonal place, the short-term room rental costs differ greatly depending on the supply and demand of the seasons. In the wintertime, you can get a room for around 500 and apartments for around 1000 Eur per month. While in the summer the prices may be double if you find anything at all.

Since Ericeira is so seasonal the business and accommodation owners need to make the most out of the summer.

Thus if you’re looking to save money and don't mind colder temperatures, the winter half of the year is your best option. This is also the time when the crowds in the water are the smallest.

In the winter you can also get rental cars at the airport rentals for ridiculously low prices.
If you don't have a rental car the best way to get around is with an Uber. For around 5 Euro you can reach most place around Ericeira and the closest villages.

Inside Tip, if you plan on getting a bike, make sure its an e-bike unless you want a work out everytime you move around. Ericeira is very hilly.

Connectivity


Coliving and Coworking by the Surf
In general, the wifi in Portugal is strong, however, in Ericeira and its surroundings, it's not uncommon that we are experiencing internet outages a few times every year. This happens more often during stormy periods and is most likely due to cables that break.

Thus if you want to make sure you always have a reliable connection it's a good idea to get a SIM with a good amount of data, as a backup. The price for this goes from 15 Eur and up and there are a few different providers to choose from. Personally I use Lycamobile.

Getting around


While the center of Ericeira and the town in itself is very walkable, to get to a majority of the beaches you would need some kind of transport. There are scooter rentals, and bike rentals (as mentioned previously, unless you love working out every time you go somewhere make sure to get an E-bike).

For car rentals, the cheapest option is to rent at the airport. There are also busses although not with great frequency.

Both Uber and Bolt are also great options for getting around.

Things to do & Weekend Adventures


Coliving and Coworking by the Surf
Besides surfing, Ericeira and its surroundings have a lot to offer.

For anyone interested in Yoga, Ericeira has lots of yoga studios around. And if you want to step into spirituality a little further there are usually lots of sound healing, cacao ceremonies, ecstatic dance events, etc happening.

Usually. you find out about these things through the groups and Instagram accounts mentioned above. But you can also check out the Instagram of The House of The Rising Mojo (a popular holistic center a 5-minute drive from the Ericiera center). For meditation, there is also a Buddhist temple close by.

Besides spiritual practices, the nature and climate around also invite to lots of different outdoor sports and activities. Hiking, running along the cliffs, Tennis, Climbing, Mountain biking, etc, are just a few of the outdoor sports that are popular here.

If you’re arriving in the winter or having bad luck with the weather, there are of course also indoor gyms, paddle courts as well even an indoor climbing gym.

And if you’re into dancing, Ericeira has a big Latin dance scene and community. With everything from the traditional Latin dances Salsa and Bachata to the African Kizomba and the Brazilian Forró.

When it comes to weekend trips, since Portugal is such an amazing country, there is also a lot on offer. City weekends in Lisbon and Porto, Wine tasting and foodie weekends in the wine regions of Alentejo or Douro, Hiking and waterfalls in the National Park Geres, or just surf trips up and down the coast.

You can also go on sandy day trips to Sintra, Costa Caparica, and the beautiful Berlengas Islands.

Bars & Nightlife


Since Ericeira is such a small place it's easy to find out which bars are the most lively during your particular night out, just have a stroll around town. However, there are also some gems worth to know about in advance.

In Ribamar a 7-minute drive north of Ericeira you find the super cozy and very popular little bar of Barzinho, every Wednesday this bar hosts jam nights. Besides Barzinho, Ribamar also has the O Spot (cafe, bar, association, and restaurant), which hosts various late-night events (just keep an eye on their Instagram to see when).

Another Ericeira staple is the Friday after-surf sessions at Board Riders in Ericeira. This is a sunset event, meaning here you can enjoy DJs or live music as the sun makes its way down over the Matadoro surf break to eventually disappear far out in the dark blue Atlantic Ocean.

In the Ericeira town center there are also a few bars especially worthy of special mentions:

Adega - An Ericeira staple bar and one of the most popular places to grab something to drink and meet people. Since the bar is relatively small it's usually very full during the night time and just as many people outside on the lively street.

Tubo Bar - The Original Surf Bar / Club in Ericeira. Just as Adega this bar usually fills up with just as many people outside. While Adega sometimes has live music or a DJ but mainly is for chilling. Tubo is more of a club where people get wild on the dance floor.

Hurleys - A relative newcomer to the nightlife in Ericeira this is usually very popular on Fridays, with electronic music and a dance floor inside and at times some live music outside.

Ourico - After 2 if you want to continue there are not a lot of options in the city center, thus usually all nights that turn into mornings lead to Ourico. Rumors have it that this is the oldest nightclub in the whole of Portugal.

Besides the above, there are also lots of other bars around the city center providing a lively atmosphere during the evenings, often with live music involved.

There are also various beach bars like Tabuas and Indigo, surf camps like La Point, and other types of accommodations that regularly throw parties around Ericeira during the summer half of the year. To find out which ones. Just join one of the various event groups (Whatsapp, Instagram, or Facebook) to find out exactly what's on when you’re in town.

Food


For seafood and Portuguese food, just walk around the city center and there are lots of great restaurants around.

If you’re looking for a little more fancy and expensive, Mar das Latas, Marisqueira Ribas, Petiscaria Ancora, and Costa Fria are all delicious options.

We also have a very popular Spanish Tapas restaurant in Ericiera, called Taberna Popular.

For Pizza; Secret Oven and La Boca, are most people's favorite pizzerias here.

For simpler lunches, Pao de Vila is a classic, and the grill in the Intermarché supermarket (it even has an ocean-view terrace)is highly popular and very affordable.

For brunch and lighter food including veggie options, Green is Good is a great option.

Dear Rose is the place for great coffee.

Visa Requirements for Remote Workers


Since Portugal is a part of the European Union, the 90-day Schengen visa applies to people from most countries. If you want to stay longer, Portugal also offers a digital nomad visa.

Where to stay


Coliving and Coworking by the Surf
For short to mid-term stays. Coworksurf offers several amazing options in Ericeira:

Villa dos Irmãos with its amazing ocean view and Tres Bandeiras with its spectacular valley view.
If you’re looking to stay longer, starting your stay in one of our Coworksurf options is also a great way to get introduced to the community and get a feel for the place before you make your mind up.

As a matter of fact, lots of people who stayed with us in Coworksurf in Ericeira are now living here full-time.

Different Seasons and best time to visit


Portugal and Ericeira are very seasonal. Meaning prices differ a lot, if you’re looking for a cheaper stay, the winter half of the year is your best option. This is also when the surf is the least crowded. However, be aware at times in the winter half of the year it can be stormy and cold. But it can also be incredibly beautiful. The Atlantic decides.

Besides surfing you have activities and community in Ericeira all year round, however, during the European winter it is much fewer events and people around. And it's not uncommon that a big part of the international crowd living in Ericeira, escape the winter to warmer parts of the world.

There you go hopefully this answers most of your questions and if you have any additional questions feel free to give me a shout either online, or when you see me around Ericeira :)


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