A digital detox should be on everyone’s wishlist. As of March 2025, Statista research shows the average person spends four hours and 47 minutes of their day glued to their phone. The TikTok scrolling has gotten out of control.
A digital detox, as the name suggests, takes you away from the mind-numbing screen addiction and back into the meaning of life: living in the moment, having incredible new experiences, and actually allowing your mind to switch off.
If this sounds like what you need, Portugal is the place to go. Read on for the best places in Portugal to go for a digital detox.
Comporta
Comporta is perfect for a digital detox. Life is so tranquil. The unspoiled natures and miles of perfect beaches leave you with endless options to get away from it all. It’s only one hour drive from Lisbon and easily accessible with a car rental.
And being a small village, we think it’s the perfect, non-touristy place to switch off from the world. Despite that, there are so many accommodation options. You’ve got rice fields rising from the sand dunes, the Serra da Arrábida only a 35-minute drive away for stunning walks, and the traditional Portuguese way of life that hasn’t wavered from mass tourism like other areas.
You’ll also love the restaurants and bars. Comporta Beach Club serves incredible paella and seafood and the menu at Cavalariça Comporta will leave your mouth watering.
For us, it’s the quiet escape everyone needs.
The Island of Flores
This breathtaking island on the Western Group of the Azores is 143 km² of outstanding natural beauty. Think Jurassic Park without the terror.
Waterfalls cascade down a sea of green mountains to create a picture-perfect world away from everything else. It really will take your breath away. It’s difficult to spot a colour on the island that isn’t a vibrant green or pretty floral tones beaming from its wild and unspoiled nature. It’s impossible not to switch off here.
Being slightly more remote, you will have to fly to the island of Flores from either the São Miguel island Terceira or Faial. You can also take a ferry from these islands. Once you’re there, walks around the Poco da Ribeira do Ferreiro and Cascata do Poço do Bacalhau are a must. And don’t worry, we don’t blame you if you stay slightly attached to your phone to take pictures. Everything is Instagram-worthy.
The Schist Villages of Serra da Lousã
Hidden in the mountains of Central Portugal, the Schist Villages feel like a step into another time.
These villages were carved into the hillsides using the local shale stone, and they blend so well with the landscape that you could almost walk by without noticing. That’s kind of the point. You come here to disappear. No emails. No phone buzzing. No 5G tempting you back online.
Each village has its own charm, though we recommend Talasnal if you want a slow, mindful escape where you wake up to birdsong and fall asleep to silence. You won’t find shopping malls or even convenience stores on every corner. What you’ll find instead is cobbled streets, candlelit dinners, and views that make you forget what day it is.
A proper digital detox needs more than aeroplane mode. It needs silence. It needs space. Portugal delivers that in ways you never expected. Switch off. Tune in. Let Portugal do the rest.
