In this vlog, host Steven walks the streets of Lisbon to test the claim that the city is the world’s #1 digital‑nomad hub. He introduces the D7 visa, which streamlines residency for remote workers, and meets his local friend Henry to discuss Lisbon’s “village” feel, the blend of locals and international creatives, and the city’s reputation for a balanced work‑life lifestyle. Through on‑the‑street interviews with two passers‑by (Speaker C and Speaker D), Steven captures praise for the open, colorful architecture, friendly locals, and vibrant multicultural scene, while also highlighting the frustratingly slow bureaucracy that can add stress for newcomers. The vlog ends with a call‑to‑action for viewers to share their own Lisbon experiences, positioning the city as a promising but imperfect base for digital nomads.
Chapters
Hey, Steven here. How's the vibe? I don't know if you've heard, but Lisbon has got all the hype for being the number one digital nomad city in the world. So today I'm going to hit the streets here in Lisbon to find out whether the city is actually indeed worth all the hype. All right, let's go. One of the things that I really love about being here in Lisbon is the fact that the city is so welcoming and they really accept you so quickly. There's this new visa scheme called D7, which makes it really easy for digital nomads to start their new life and set up shop here. I'm actually in the process of applying for it. If you're curious about it, I'll put a link in the description below. In a bit, I'm gonna meet up with my good friend Henry, who's born and raised here, to actually get to the bottom of my love and hate relationship with Lisbon. So yeah, I'll, uh, see you soon.
Peace. I think in Lisbon you get a lot of positive things. The vibe is one of them. The way we welcome people and receive people, it's, it's special. I think it's special, and it's one of the things that I'm most proud of the city and from the locals. And I think that comes from like being a touristically place where you get like beaches and landscapes and sightseeing spots. So from a young age, we are kind of used to have foreign people here.
This is my favorite thing about Lisbon. It's the village vibe. Even though Lisbon is the capital of Portugal, there's only half a million people. Also, the fact that it's the number one digital nomad city in the world means that there's a lot of interesting crypto people, artists, people who are working on super interesting things. So you get an incredible opportunity to come into contact with all these people, um, who are here to change the world for the better.
I think they are kind of selling themselves as the perfect balance between enjoying life and get the beach thing and chill vibes and party and working life. And I think we are trying to— our main goal, and I love it, is try to get that balance. Yeah, because like by the end of the day, like we entrepreneurs or digital nomads, that's what we are looking for.
But the reality is that, uh, the bureaucracy here is out of control.
I don't wanna—
I don't know if you want to deal with that. I feel like I've never been in an environment where things are not that efficient, right? So like when things are not efficient, I'm like, it really causes a lot of stress. I haven't thought about it. It's stressful, right? And they all add up and I'm like, damn, like I thought I was chill. Maybe I'm not that chill.
Maybe you have a little bit to grind. Like that's the Portuguese way, it's to grind, you know? That's it. Like because good things are coming always. Yeah, like you, maybe you are grinding, maybe it's bad today, maybe it's hard to get something, but by the end of the day, and I think like the Portuguese have a lot of these mentalities, like there's going to be a better day. Yeah, like tomorrow is going to be better, or next is going to be better. Summer is coming.
One of my favorite things to do is to actually go up to strangers and just like chat them up and then see what they think. So we're going to do exactly that. Keep coming by.
Love the people, very open. I love the architecture around here. I like how things are quite untouched here. It's like not very built up like London. It's like very— well, mismatched here. The colorful buildings are beautiful. And wine, amazing.
What do you think about all the international people like me and CJ coming here? You know, like it's a different vibe, right? Like when you see here a lot of interactions, do you like that or do you not like that? I like it.
You like it?
It's really good, different people.
Yeah.
When people come here in Lisbon, I think we like to be gentle for them.
You know, I tell you, you know, Lisbon, I don't hate nothing about Lisbon city. You know, I think so, it's a really amazing place, you know. I recommend for everybody coming here and please enjoying this beautiful town.
Here and now.
Yes.
Now you have a better understanding of why Lisbon has got so much hype around it being the number one digital nomad city in the world. I'm personally going to explore the vibe outside the digital nomad bubble here in Lisbon and beyond. Now the journey is up to you. I'd love to hear more about your story, so hit me up. Keep Calm and Vibe On. Peace.
