The team at Buildstack is lucky enough to be currently living as digital nomads, hopping from one city to another every month or two. And, as you might know, finding the right comfortable place to plug your laptop in and work in a relatively peaceful environment can be a challenge, especially when you’re in a new city or country. So, since good coffee and WiFi are the key ingredients needed to get remote work finished while on the road, we’ve decided to write the following list, where we’ll be listing our favorite cafes and libraries, periodically updating it as we try out more places on-the-go.
For starters, here’s some great-quiet-stylish spaces where you can focus on your work whilst enjoying a delicious espresso or eating a light snack in Rome, Firenze or Barcelona (next might be Lisbon, who knows?)
Also, please do leave a comment if you know of any particular place that is pleasant to work from and has good Wi-Fi in your own city, so we can visit it whenever we’re there!
Best Co-Working Spaces For Digital Nomads
Last Updated in 09/30/20
1. O.21 (Rome):
I found this place unintentionally, after finding out that the 2 other places Google showed me were actually closed (during the Pandemic this has become very common, don’t trust Google). But it all worked for the best. O.21 turned out to be the best co-working space we’ve been to so far. For only €15 per person, you get access to their super stylish space, with high-end individual desks, top-notch super comfy chairs, a big table for meetings, powerful AC, espresso machine, fully equipped kitchen, mini-fridge, water, printer, scanner, lockers, and super-fast wifi. To top it all, it’s located just off Piazza Navona, easy to get to and with plenty of restaurants and other nice places just around the corner. Website | Google Maps
2. Anticafé (Rome):
Another amazing place to work at. You pay as little as €16 per day and have access to fast wifi, comfy tables, and couches, and, the best of all, unlimited food and drinks (you can order coffee, tea, and other soft drinks) and they also have a buffet with muffins, cookies, bread, toasts and spreads too! It’s Italy so, yeah, they did have a big fat jar of Nutella laying around! This place is very spacious and tends to attract very interesting people from all over the world. It was very quiet when I worked there. They did have some music going on in the background but it was very pleasant, not noisy at all. Also, the staff super friendly and present at all times to help you out. Website | Google Maps
3. La Ménagère (Firenze):
It’s hard to describe what La Ménagère is. With large and gorgeous rooms, it’s got a restaurant, a bistro, and a concept store selling gorgeous home decor and fresh flowers. You’ll most likely see creative nomads and Florentines who come to work in its inspiring atmosphere, as well as tourists entering the cafe to simply photograph its beautiful architecture and immense flower walls. There are sitting areas scattered throughout and a communal table in the second room which is great for large projects. The place can get very busy, but it’s so big that if you choose the rear dining room area you’ll get a surprisingly quiet time during the day. Website | Google Maps
4. Google Campus (Warsaw):
The Google Campus in Warsaw is a great place to work and stay close to a vibrant community of startuppers, as in any other Google Campus around the world – they also have spaces in São Paulo, London, Madrid, Seul, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo.
Aside from air conditioning, super-fast wifi and a café where you can enjoy excellent coffee and comfortable sittings, Google Campus Warsaw also count with an auditorium with a 200 sitting capacity, where people host daylong workshops with visiting speakers, movie screenings, and fireside chats with industry experts, a Creator Studio with a professional DIY video and audio recording studio, equipped with high-end production equipment, and a classroom able to host 36 people, where courses, workshops, and signup events take place. Also, if you belong to Google’s startup community, you can work at any Google Campus, free of charge! All you gotta do is register for free right here.
5. Reading Rooms at The Russian State Library (Moscow):
If you’re in Moscow and are looking for some quiet space to work, make sure you check the Russian State Library – also often known as The Lenin Library. It was founded in 1925 and has served as a sort of Library of Congress, receiving a copy of everything published in the country. Today, it holds about 47 million printed items.
Besides its gorgeous architecture and unique history, all of its 34 reading rooms have Wi-Fi, and there are some public computers available on the first floor. So it’s quite an interesting place to work – you probably won’t get to experience anything like that anywhere else. There are also buffets and a canteen in the main building and the Pashkov House (see opening hours) if you wish to grab some snacks and coffee.
Every citizen of the Russian Federation or another country from the age of 14 can join the Library and get a Library card to use its stock through its 34 reading rooms. Website | Google Maps
6. Code Hub (Mostar):
The Code Hub is a free workspace that provides a fruitful environment for making business contacts, getting mentoring support, and becoming part of an international coworking community. The hub is located in the very center of Mostar city and counts with amenities such as high-speed wifi, air conditioning, printer, scanner, projectors, outdoor terrace, kitchen, personal lockers, and free tea and coffee! It is completely free of charge during business hours until the end of February 2022 and you can get the directions here: Website | Google Maps
6. DAM (Istanbul):
Dam, aka Damdayız, is a lively, hip and eclectic coworking, arts and events space located in the Galatasaray neighborhood of Beyoğlu. It has an ample and comfortable coworking and lounging areas, and regularly hosts a variety of workshops, seminars, theatrical and musical performances. There are a few serviced offices and meeting rooms and membership options that start from just four hours a month. The space counts with A/C, coffee and tea, as well as private rooms for video-calls with super-fast WiFi that can go up to 50mpbs. Monthly plan in 2020 is around €75 + taxes. Website | Google Maps
7. Saigon Coffee Roastery (Ro Chi Minh):
This place is a real gem – cozy, stylish, and serving great coffee. You go through an art alley/walkway, turn left, up some stairs and it’s there tucked away serving delicious coffee. It isn’t very spacious but there are a few comfortable tables available and also free WiFi. Website | Google Maps
