Digital Nomad Retreats – The Best Nomad Events 2023
As we get closer to the beginning of June (seriously, where has this year gone?!), more and more digital nomad retreats, conferences, and festivals are popping up all over the world, where digital nomads and remote workers come together for a sense of belonging, community, and inspiration.
There are many different kinds of nomad events, catering to different budgets, travel styles, and types of nomad, although you will often find some overlap between them.
For example, a digital nomad retreat typically involves a small group of digital nomads, along with wellbeing practices such as yoga and meditation, and plenty of time to get some work done in coworking spaces that are included in the price of the retreat.
Some retreats are geared towards networking and business growth, while others provide a chance to unplug, disconnect, and discover a new destination with likeminded people. These retreats will typically last anywhere from 1 week to a month.
Digital nomad conferences, on the other hand, often draw in much larger crowds (think 400+ people), last for a few days, and feature a lot of keynote speakers and workshops. There isn’t much time to work or explore at these events, and the focus is more on networking and soaking up all the information you can from the keynote sessions.
Digital nomad festivals are somewhere in-between the two – there will usually be keynote sessions and workshops, but with more downtime, fun excursions, and a party atmosphere at night.
In this article, I take a look at the best digital nomad retreats and events that are coming up this year.
I’ve included a mix of smaller, exclusive retreats, and larger, conference-type nomad events, so hopefully there will be something for everyone.
Are you ready?
Then let’s get into it.
Best Digital Nomad Retreats and Events 2023
Nomad Fest Switzerland
When you think of an affordable European holiday destination, Switzerland doesn’t immediately spring to mind, but thanks to Coliving Frilingue, that’s all about to change.
I actually met two of the Coliving Frilingue team at Bansko Nomad Fest (more on that below), where they were promoting their coliving space in the Swiss Alps.
However, upon realising how much fun digital nomad festivals are, they decided to create their very own event in the St. Bernard region of Switzerland.
This week-long event will follow a similar programme as BNF, with keynote speakers, unconference sessions, outdoor excursions and nightly evening events, but the beauty of Nomad Fest Switzerland is that because it’s a brand new event, it’s very affordable, with tickets costing just 100 EUR until the end of May.
This is also a much smaller event than other digital nomad conferences and festivals, with only around 80 spaces, meaning that you’ll be able to forge much deeper connections than at the larger events.
Included in this price is access to the coworking space, a bus pass for the St. Bernard region, indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, and more.
They also have accommodation options to suit every budget, from dorm rooms to private apartments, and you can choose whether to have your meals included or cook your own in the onsite kitchen.
I’ll be joining the guys at Coliving Frilingue for their first ever Nomad Fest Switzerland this summer, and I am so excited!
If you’d like to attend NFS, you can register using the code JEZEBEL2023 for a 10% discount!
Update: I attended this festival! Here’s my review!
Nomad Fest Switzerland 2023 – What you need to know
- Location – Liddes, Switzerland
- Dates – 20-27 August, 2023
- Price – 100 EUR until May 31 (or 90 EUR with discount code JEZEBEL2023) and 150 EUR until the end of July (or 135 EUR using discount code JEZEBEL2023)
- Where to register – You can sign up for Nomad Fest Switzerland here.
IMG from @coliving.frilingue Instagram
Bansko Nomad Fest
This tiny Bulgarian ski resort town has grown into a major hub for digital nomads in Europe, with plenty of coworking spaces, nightly events, and things to do.
Bansko in the summer is especially popular due to its low cost of living, great food, and ample opportunities to get out into nature and enjoy the hiking, biking, and other outdoorsy activities.
I attended the annual Bansko Nomad Fest in 2022 and I had a great time.
With 7 full days of keynote sessions in the morning and ‘unconference’ workshops in the afternoons, plus a nightly schedule of karaoke, pool parties, scavenger hunts, buffet dinners, and more, this jam-packed and hectic week is fun, exhausting, and inspiring, all at the same time.
If you’re curious, you can read my full review of Bansko Nomad Fest here.
Bansko Nomad Fest 2023 – What you need to know
- Location – Bansko, Bulgaria
- Dates – June 25-July 2, 2023
- Price – Currently, ‘Late Bird’ tickets are 169 EUR, plus 33.80 EUR VAT. This price will increase on May 1.
- Where to register – You can sign up for Bansko Nomad Fest here.
Work Wanderers
If you’re looking for a more laid back experience, one of the Work Wanderers digital nomad retreats may be more up your street.
I met the founder of Work Wanderers, Andrae, last summer (you’ve guessed it – at Bansko Nomad Fest), and I just love what she’s doing.
Andrae offers 1-1 coaching for aspiring digital nomads, online courses to help you achieve your freelance dreams, as well as small group retreats in some of the most beautiful corners of the world.
Her next digital nomad retreat will be in Cappadocia, Turkey, in early June, but she’s also heading to Bali and Cape Town later in the year if that doesn’t work for you!
Both the Cappadocia and Bali retreats last for 10 days and the price includes private or shared accommodation, breakfast, daily yoga sessions, a number of excursions, cooking classes, welcome dinner*, and skillshare sessions where you can pool your ideas and connect with one another.
The Cape Town retreat, on the other hand, lasts for a whole month, and is a dedicated coliving and working retreat with workshops and skillshare sessions, communal dinners and day trips, as well as plenty of time to work during the day in the impressive villa you’ll be living in.
Whilst in Cape Town, you’ll be invited to go hiking, experience an African safari, visit local vineyards, and much more.
You can opt from shared or private accommodation depending on your needs and budget.
For my audience only, Andrae had kindly provided me with a 100 USD discount code to be used at ANY of her retreats in 2023! Just use the code JEZEBEL when you sign up, and you’ll be given the 100 USD discount.
*only available on the Bali retreat.
Work Wanderers Digital Nomad Retreats – What you need to know
- Location – Cappadocia (Turkey), Bali (Indonesia), and Cape Town (South Africa).
- Dates – The Cappadocia retreat takes place from 2-11 June 2023, the Bali retreat is from 25 August-3 September 2023, and the dates for the Cape Town retreat are TBC.
- Price – Depending on the accommodation you choose, the Cappadocia retreat costs 950-1450 USD, the Bali retreat costs between 850-1100 USD, and the Cape Town retreat costs between 1550-2450. You can use the code JEZEBEL for a $100 discount on any of the 2023 Work Wanderers retreats.
- Where to register – You can find all of Andrae’s retreats by visiting the Work Wanderers website and clicking on the ‘travel’ menu tab.
IMG from @workwanderers Instagram
Unsettled
Boasting a community of more than 2500 people from 80+ countries, Unsettled runs various digital nomad retreats all over the world.
They offer everything from 1-week adventure holidays to 2-week creative breaks, and 1-month coworking retreats.
In each destination, they provide accommodation, workspaces, local guides, excursions, and peer-to-peer workshops, emphasising their love of creativity and meaningful conversation.
This year, they have a 1-week experience in Tuscany (Italy), a 1-month coworking retreat in Bali, a 1-week sailing experience in Ibiza, and a 2-week coworking and hiking trip in the Camino de Santiago.
Unsettled Retreats and Travel Experiences – What you need to know
- Location – All over the world! Upcoming events take place in Tuscany, Bali, Ibiza, and the Camino de Santiago.
- Dates – The Tuscany event takes place from 21-28 May 2023, the Bali event takes place from 3 June – 5 July 2023, the Ibiza event takes place from the 3-10 June 2023, and the Camino de Santiago event takes place from 17 June – 1 July.
- Price – Unsettled experiences tend to be more expensive than the other events listed in this post. Expect to pay $2500+ for the 1-week experiences and $3000+ for the 1-month retreats.
- Where to register – You can apply for any of the events from here.
Nomad Cruise
I’d met a few people who had been on Nomad Cruise, but it wasn’t until I attended a Nomad Base dinner (the same people as Nomad Cruise), that I saw what a great community they’d formed, and got to hear them talk about their awesome events and experiences.
Although it had to take a break during the pandemic, Nomad Cruise is back, and this year’s takes place at the end of May and goes from Savona (Italy) to Taranto (Italy), making stops in Greece along the way.
As well as getting to visit places such as Naples, Catania, Kefalonia, and Corfu, you’ll mingle with over 250 digital nomads from around the world, attend keynotes, workshops, and mastermind sessions, and enjoy nightly networking events, all onboard a luxury ship.
The boat itself has a gym, theatre, spa, multiple pools and whirlpools, and numerous bars and restaurants to keep you entertained, and the ticket price includes access to all the facilities on the boat, your cabin, 3 meals per day, and all the conference sessions and events. Plus, the cruise industry is slowly becoming more sustainable – yay!
It should be noted that you’ll have to pay to access the WiFi, at a rate of around 200 EUR for the week.
Nomad Cruise – What you need to know
- Location – The 2023 Nomad Cruise will begin in Savona and end in Taranto, both in Italy.
- Dates – 28 May – 3 June, 2023.
- Price – Depends on which cabin option you choose. If you choose the smallest cabin and opt to share with 1 other person, the trip will cost you 900 EUR. The biggest cabin (not sharing) costs 2500 EUR. All cabin sizes can be shared or booked for 1 person.
- How to register – You can apply for Nomad Cruise here.
Nomad Island Fest
Nomad Island Fest takes place on Maderia Island, Portugal, in December.
This 7-day networking event features tonnes of keynote sessions, coworking, business brainstorm sessions, yoga, group dinner, evening entertainment, and plenty more.
In addition to this, you’ll be able to network with potential clients, partners, collaborators, and mentors, receiving outside perspectives, advice, and solutions to problems you may be facing in your business – and all of this from a paradise island!
Nomad Island Fest – What you need to know
- Location – Madeira, Portugal
- Dates – 7-13 December, 2023
- Price – A basic ticket (without food or accommodation) starts from 879 EUR, and a premium ticket (includes half-board accommodation) starts from 1839 EUR. Prices are set to increase as the event draws closer.
- How to register – You can apply for your spot at Nomad Island Fest here.
Best Nomad Events 2023 | Final Thoughts
I didn’t include all of the upcoming nomad events and retreats in this post, because there are so many that it would be impossible.
Not only that, but some of them just don’t seem worth the money (in my opinion), and so I have only included events that I have either:
A) Attended personally
B) Met the organisers
C) Heard many positive reviews about from my digital nomad friends
The 6 digital nomad retreats and conferences on this list all come highly recommended, from either myself or people I trust, and you can be assured that I would never include anything on this blog that I don’t feel is worth your time.
That’s about it for today, but as always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments section below!
Until next time,
XOXO
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