A few months ago, my wife and I made a decision that completely changed our routine.
After years of working traditional jobs with fixed schedules, we realized we wanted something different — more flexibility, more freedom, and the chance to build something for ourselves instead of always working for someone else.
At the time, we were living in Belgium. While we enjoyed many things about life there, we also knew that trying to build a fully remote lifestyle in a more expensive country would be difficult. We wanted somewhere quieter, more affordable, and closer to the lifestyle we had grown up with in Brazil — more sunlight, slower days, and a better balance between work and personal life.
Portugal felt like the natural choice.
We had already visited Figueira da Foz before and remembered how calm the city felt compared to larger European cities. The lower cost of living, the ocean, and the slower pace of daily life made it exactly what we were looking for.
Arriving in Figueira da Foz after days of driving across Europe.
Because we already owned a car in Belgium, driving across Europe seemed like the best option.
The trip itself was exhausting.
We spent long days on the road, sometimes driving close to twelve hours a day. By the end of each stretch, we were completely exhausted. Between the rain, traffic near Paris, fuel stops, and trying to decide where we would sleep next, the drive often felt much longer than the distance itself.
Instead of planning every stop in advance, we decided most things along the way.
Our first overnight stop was in Tours, France. Only after arriving there did we decide where we would stop next. Eventually, we chose Burgos, in northern Spain, before continuing toward Portugal.
That flexibility became part of the experience.
Some moments felt stressful, especially during the longest driving days, but there was also something exciting about slowly watching the landscapes change from Belgium to France, Spain, and finally Portugal.
The landscapes in northern Spain were one of the best parts of the road trip.
By the time we crossed into Portugal, the weather had completely changed.
The gray skies and cold rain were suddenly replaced with sunlight, blue skies, and warmer temperatures. After spending so much time in colder weather, simply feeling the sun again immediately changed our mood and routine.
When we finally arrived in Figueira da Foz, it felt like we could breathe again.
Life immediately became slower.
People spent more time outdoors, cafés stayed busy during the afternoon, and the city itself felt calmer and less rushed than what we had become used to.
One of the reasons we chose Figueira da Foz was because we wanted a quieter place where we could slow down for a while while building our remote work lifestyle. Compared to other parts of Europe, the lower cost of living also gave us more flexibility while starting this new phase of life.
At the same time, we were still adapting financially while building our online work routine.
One of the biggest adjustments was internet access.
Instead of installing residential internet right away, we decided to rely entirely on a daily 1GB eSIM plan. Surprisingly, it was enough for our needs. Between two laptops and two phones, we learned to use mobile data much more intentionally — downloading maps offline, avoiding unnecessary streaming, and relying on Wi-Fi whenever possible.
During the road trip itself, we mostly used mobile data for navigation and communication. Most days, after driving for so many hours, we were simply too tired to work much online anyway.
That experience changed the way we think about travel and work.
We realized we didn’t need as much as we once thought. Slowing down, reducing expenses, and building a more flexible routine ended up bringing much more quality of life than constantly rushing between schedules and obligations.
I still remember one of our first walks along the beach in Figueira da Foz. After weeks of planning, uncertainty, and days on the road, the city felt calm in a way we hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Portugal may not be perfect, but for this chapter of our lives, it became exactly what we needed.
One of our first walks after arriving in Portugal.
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