How to work from somewhere wonderful

After spending the rainy Christmas holidays with family, I gave myself the perfect present: two months working remotely in Buenos Aires. Renting out my own apartment, and spending January and February living and working in a sun-soaked Latin American metropolis proved the ideal start to my year.

I learnt some Spanish, took tango lessons, visited museums and parks in my spare time and spent weekends at waterfalls and river deltas… and still managed to work full-time. According to Upwork, by 2025 an estimated 32.6 million Americans will be working remotely; that’s 22% of the workforce. To my mind, it’s one of the most pleasurable and rewarding forms of travel available to us.

I haven’t always traveled like this. As a travel writer, I spent years being parachuted into new places on short assignments, and leaving cities—Austin, Lisbon, Budapest—longing to linger longer, wishing I could have rented an apartment, made friends, found a favorite café.

Now, I give myself the precious travel luxury of time. Every winter I choose a city where I’ll spend six to 12 weeks. I might not have the budget to take months off to backpack around South America, but I can afford an airfare—and by renting out my own home I can at least partially cover my accommodation costs abroad.

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And it’s no longer just freelance travel writers who have this freedom: The pandemic accelerated the shift towards remote working, and in co-working spaces from Bali to Barcelona I’ve met therapists, e-commerce entrepreneurs, app developers, publicists and even virtual medics. I see a mix of ages, too: I meet older couples whose kids have left for college, families renting a home during the summer vacation, professionals who are taking a year to travel and work remotely.

There’s never been a better time to do it: There are Facebook groups, expat hubs and hostels that cater specifically for remote workers just like me. Vrbo’s new search filter allows travelers to see accommodations that offer discounts on stays over a week or month, and assess amenities like Wi-Fi speed and workspaces.

Also, digital nomad visas are being rolled out by countries like Spain, Portugal and Argentina, although most countries permit remote workers for a stay of up to 90 days. Local governments are finally waking up to the fact that remote workers are a traveling demographic worth targeting, that we contribute to the local economy, arguably with a smaller footprint than vacationers coming for a few days in the busiest weeks of the year. Tempted to trade in your desk for a few months? Here are places to consider…

01

Cape Town, South Africa

Another pulsating city richly blessed with natural scenery just begging to be discovered in your downtime, Cape Town attracts long-stay visitors who want to work hard… and then eat well, tour vineyards and visit a game park or two at weekends. The beachy suburbs are a better bet for families, but most remote workers opt for a hip neighborhood such as around Green Point.

02

Vancouver, Canada

Last year Canada rolled out a digital nomad visa permitting remote workers a stay of up to six months, offering travelers the chance to really taste this city’s legendary work-life balance. It’s a vibrant, rewarding city, but Vancouver’s location near mountains, water and forest makes it a total winner for workers desperate to get outdoors when they shut their laptops.

03

Buenos Aires, Argentina

World-class museums and galleries, dazzling architecture, spectacular cuisine, and easy proximity to other destinations makes the Argentinian capital a winner. Most international guest workers stay in Palermo, an elegant and expansive district with the best shopping and café culture in the city.

04

Glasgow, Scotland

Nobody comes here for the weather, but with some of the friendliest locals on the planet, an amazing live music scene and palpable creative hum, Glasgow makes a brilliant base for an extended stay… and the deservedly touristy city of Edinburgh is just an hour away. Stay in the West End, where Glasgow University gives the streets a youthful energy.