The Algarve on Portugal’s southernmost coast is a remote worker’s dream, with sunshine throughout the year, endless beaches, and a well connected community of digital nomads and workationers. I spent a week in these surroundings at Bela Vista Coliving & Retreat, a family-run, community-focused “home away from home” in a remote spot near the coast.
Here’s what I discovered during my week there, and why it works so well for remote workers seeking genuine connections – plus behind-the-scenes insights from the family who run it.
Bela Vista Coliving & Retreat provided us with a complimentary stay for a week. Views are our own, and we always provide honest recommendations.
The story behind Bela Vista Coliving & Retreat
“The atmosphere I try to create at Bela Vista is an authentic Algarve experience,” Sara Andrade told me as she explained the inspiration behind the space she runs with her mother.
The property at Bela Vista has been in Sara’s family since 1942, but it has only become a coliving space in recent times. It was the isolation created by the pandemic that planted the seed for a community-focused accommodation for remote workers and digital nomads.
“We started renting it out in 2020,” Sara explains. She had been living in London when Covid-19 hit, and decided to move back to Portugal.
“I always wanted to have a sense of community, because living in London can be a bit isolating. When I came back here, remote workers were very isolated, and it just made sense to create a bit of atmosphere in the community.”
A genuine community atmosphere
I was immediately struck by the sense of community at Bela Vista. On my very first night, we went for a group dinner at a local fish restaurant. Sara organises communal events throughout the week, and goes to especially great lengths to make new guests feel part of the group.
“I love showing people around the Algarve. I am very passionate about where I come from,” Sara told me. “Portuguese people are very hospitable, and I have always loved to host dinner parties, to have people over and show them around.”
In just one week of my stay at Bela Vista, we had two dinner nights out at local seafood restaurants, another communal meal at the space, visits to local towns and farmers’ markets, an olive oil tasting tour, trips to the beaches and islands, and a group hike and boat ride at the spectacular Benagil coast. There were also surfing excursions and yoga sessions that I couldn’t quite fit into my schedule.
When you arrive, Sara will add you to the community WhatsApp group, where you will see the activity opportunities popping up daily. There’s no pressure to join in, but you’re always welcome when you want to.
Sara will tailor the activities to whoever is staying at any given time. “It changes depending on what kind of people come here,” she explained.
Guests from all over the world and all ages stay at Bela Vista. I shared the space with people from the USA, Finland, Sweden, France and the UK. “This year I have had Romanian people for the first time. Last year I had Chinese people for the first time,” said Sara.
“It is a real mix of age groups. Most people are in their 30s, but we get people from their 20s all the way up to their 60s.”
Rooms and facilities at Bela Vista Coliving & Retreat
There are four bedrooms at Bela Vista, plus two attached one-bedroom and two-bedroom houses. I had an upstairs room with a glorious balcony view over the Algarve’s Atlantic coast.
The rooms are spacious and comfortable with everything you need for an extended stay – a big double bed, plenty of storage, and a desk for working (although you might prefer to join others in the coworking space – more on that below!).
I shared a bathroom with one other guest – availability was never a problem, and it was kept very well clean.
Downstairs in the building is a cosy, spacious lounge area with comfy sofas and a TV, a little breakfast table, and a well equipped communal kitchen. Each guest is allocated a fridge shelf and dry storage space, which was plenty enough for me. I stocked up from the farmers’ market and made meals throughout the week.
At the back of the building there is a laundry room, and it doesn’t take long for clothes to dry in that warm Algarve climate!
Outdoors: the swimming pool and the grounds
The outdoor space at Bela Vista is what makes it such a wholesome environment for wellness. A leisurely swim in the outdoor pool at sunrise is such an invigorating way to start the day.
I liked to eat breakfast outside under the veranda, at the same table where we also congregated for group dinners. And nearby stands a pagoda that’s perfect for those group yoga or morning exercise sessions.
All around the grounds are trees and orchards bursting with fresh fruit. In the mornings Sara and her mother brought delicious figs, pomegranate and guava for us to try. The figs especially were delicious with my breakfast of yoghurt, honey and fruits from the market.
More communal hangout spaces are woven around the grounds, including a sheltered relaxing area by the pool, loungers, and various seating areas. All of this is set among beautiful flowering gardens, bringing a sense of nature and serenity.
And if you venture away from the grounds on a walk or bike ride, you will soon find more beautiful nature nearby, like the Ecovia do Litoral coastal route, Ria Formosa nature reserve, and Miradouro Cerro de Cabeça viewpoint. I really loved how easy it was to slip walks and bike rides into my daily work routine.
Coworking space (and more work areas)
When taking a workation or remote working trip I always like to have options to mix up my work environment. Sometimes, if you’re struggling for productivity, a change of scenery is all you need – and that’s easy to do at Bela Vista.
The main work facility is a large coworking space that has been converted from an old barn for agriculture products and reimagined for Bela Vista’s intimate community of remote working guests.
At the centre stands a table of four hot-desks with chairs and monitors, while all around the edges are dotted comfy sofas and seating areas, more office equipment and a gym.
Whenever I wanted to switch things up, I could work at the desk in my room, out on the balcony, by the pool, under the veranda, in the lounge – so many options. And wherever you work, the wifi is fast and reliable. I had no problems uploading and downloading large files of drone footage.
The resident pets at Bela Vista!
Wherever you are in the Bela Vista grounds, you won’t go far before you meet Flora, the house dog, or Kiki and Oscar, the two cats.
They are all very cute, and like a little family all of their own! Flora is always there to welcome everyone returning from an outing, and I never minded her coming to say hello while I was working.
Sustainable travel in the Algarve
Staying at a coliving space like Bela Vista for longer, slower travel allows you to explore the Algarve more deeply, and with a lower carbon footprint.
Our full guide to taking a workation in the Algarve gives more insights into how you can plan an extended stay like this.
Over the weekend during my visit, a group of us went along to Fértil Fest, a sustainability festival in the nearby town Olhao. Sara was giving a talk here as part of her involvement in a local digital nomad community called LOFT.
Sara told me about her passion for sustainability, and how that resonates through Bela Vista. From the fresh produce grown on the trees to the use of recycled and upcycled furniture around the grounds, the place is run with environmentally conscious values.
“We use the rainwater, and we are going to have solar panels installed,” she said. “Water is heated around the property with solar panels already.”
By the end of the year, nearly 100% of electricity on the site will be generated by solar. A positive way to use those 300+ days of sunshine per year!
Long stays at Bela Vista Coliving for slow travel
My one-week stay in the Algarve was absolutely not enough to become truly immersed in the community and surroundings. The place is made for longer, slower travel that allows you to fully enjoy the great outdoors and make connections more organically.
You can stay anything from a couple of days up to three months at Bela Vista, but somewhere in the middle of that feels about right. Sara told me that most people stay for a month.
“I generally say that to really have a feel for the location and try all the activities, one month is ideal,” she said. “Then you get involved in the community and get to know the people.”
The Algarve is a year-round destination, with mild winters that feel heavenly to someone from the UK. As Sara put it: “I have a lot of people visit from the north of Europe, they come here in winter and say wow, this is like our summer!”
October felt like a sweet spot to me, in the middle of autumn. Daytime temperatures reached 26°C, and evenings had a cosy warmth. The vibe is similar to this in spring, perfect for getting out on walks or cycle trips. For surfers, winter is the high season.
But my lasting memory of Bela Vista isn’t the climate or the coast. It’s arriving for dinner on your first night and realising you’ve already found your people.
Book your stay at Bela Vista Coliving & Retreat.
Thinking of a long-term stay in Portugal? You can also read our piece on how a Portugal workation can be a trial run for emigrating.
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