You might have been eyeing Madeira for a while now, but you weren’t sure where exactly you should go. Funchal is the obvious choice, and Ponta do Sol might attract a lot of interesting people, but Madeira Island has many more opportunities for remote workers and one of them is Calheta.
One of its parishes, Pombal, actually has more foreigners than Portuguese people living there. So join them for a few months in a midterm rental and who knows, perhaps you will find your new home.
Cost of living in Calheta
Calheta, just like the rest of the Madeira Island, is not very expensive in comparison with the rest of Europe, and especially with Western Europe. When it comes to food, it is readily available and affordable, especially local goods, while stock from other countries will more likely reflect their native price.
Restaurants are, likewise, very affordable, with a small lunch beginning somewhere between €5 to €8 and a large dinner for two between €25 and €55. The price of furnished rentals depends mostly on their size and place, and as such, the price is somewhere between €300 and €1500. In short, this place is perfect for any budget-conscious digital nomad who wants to enjoy Madeira Island.
Weather in Calheta
Madeira Island is known as the isle of eternal spring, and this is absolutely true for Calheta. The yearly temperatures oscillate somewhere between 17°C and 23°C. The best time to visit Calheta so you can avoid too much rainfall but enjoy its warm weather at the same time is roughly between June and November, although the rest of the year won’t be dramatically different. As a calm, Mediterranean climate, Calheta holds many comforts for your day-to-day life, and many ex-pats have chosen the town to be their home for this very reason.
Things to do in Calheta
Thanks to its warm climate, Calheta is a perfect destination for swimming and water sports. The town even has two artificial sand beaches (most beaches in Madeira are covered with pebbles instead), next to which there are small restaurants and cafés as well as companies offering tours (everything from whale and dolphin watching to fishing).
Part of the easy access to the sea is also scuba diving. Calheta provides not just scuba diving lessons and individual assisted diving opportunities but there are many companies (like the Calheta Diving Centre) that will lend you the equipment.
If you’re looking for something a bit more cultural, there is the Museu de Arte Contemporânea, located on a cliff with a beautiful view. The museum has been relocated here in 2015 and hosts Portuguese art from the 60s to the present time. But if you’re hoping to see something a bit more historical, there is the Sugar Cane Mill and Museum in Calheta, which is free of charge and reportedly serves the best honey cake (“Bolo de Mel”) in all of Madeira.
