Work From…Anywhere? Tips From Travellers Who Do ‘Workcations’ Right
Want to make your time off go further? Take advantage of remote work to set up in a holiday location for a week, even a month. The risk: missing the point of traveling in the first place.
By JEN ROSE SMITH
Fri, Sep 15, 2023 8:54am 3min
Swapping your home for a vacation can be a worthwhile experience for travellers. Credit: Taiyou Nomachi/Getty Images
ASHLEY SCHWARTAU escaped to a Mexican beach town just two weeks after starting a new job for a Chicago-based insurance company. It’s not that Schwartau, 38, is a late-blooming spring breaker. She and her husband both work remotely, so when winter arrived at home in Nashville, Tenn., the pair decided to clock in from a vacation rental with a pool in Playa del Carmen.
For the next four weeks, the couple took calls from their temporary home, while their 4-year-old son attended a bilingual preschool whose $350 monthly tuition would be implausible back in Nashville. After hours, the trio played at the nearby beach, lounged poolside or grazed at neighbourhood taco stands. Following a weeklong-vacation chaser at month’s end, they returned to Tennessee restored. “It’s hard for working parents to truly find moments of relaxation, and that was one of the most relaxing trips we’ve ever taken,” said Schwartau, who documented the trip on her blog to inspire others looking to expand their own definitions of remote work.
Unlike some full-time “digital nomads”—who skew young, male and child-free—Schwartau has no plans to permanently swap home life for stints in Lisbon or Bali. Instead, Schwartau used her hybrid “workcation” to capitalise on a remote-friendly job and temporarily set up shop away from home’s routines and responsibilities.
The trip also let her save some paid time off while still traveling, a strategy that appeals to workers in the U.S., where the average private-sector job affords just 11 days off after a year. With employers increasingly offering flexible work options, workcations seem to be a pandemic-accelerated trend with staying power. A 2023 study by Deloitte showed that one in five travelers planned to do some work on their primary summer trips, with many using flexible policies to eke out additional time away.
Still, obstacles abound. Jet lag can sap work output, sand will destroy your computer and dutifully clocking hours a block from a beach invites intense FOMO. It takes finesse to make workcations work—here’s how to pull one off.
Get in the (time) zone
Going too far afield—or heading in the wrong direction—can tug routines out of alignment. Dan Hammel of Benicia, Calif., works for a tech concern that follows Central time and offers staffers two annual work-from-anywhere weeks. Last fall, Hammel spent one off-kilter week working from the Italian city of Bologna. “My hours in Europe were probably about 4 p.m. to midnight,” he said of the need to align with his stateside colleagues’ workdays. After days spent touring nearby Modena and Parma with his wife, Hammel found the schedule challenging. “I like to be in bed around 10,” said Hammel, 45.
To avoid red-eye marathons, follow your natural sleep pattern to the optimal time zone. For Hammel, that meant Maui, where he worked remotely in May. “I would get up at 5 a.m. and would be done around noon,” he said. “We would have the whole rest of the day to nap, relax for a little bit after my workday, hit the beach, go to dinner.”
Make space
Remote work might conjure Instagram shots of laptops lolling on beach chairs, but such scenes don’t translate to meaningful productivity. Deloitte found that more than half of all travellers look for work-friendly spaces when booking accommodation. William DeSousa, 73, a public-relations professional from Osterville, Mass., craves more space than hotel rooms offer: He’s a villa guy.
For 16 years, he’s spent a month working from Greece with his husband and has learned that walls do wonders. “We both need to be on phones, or be on Zoom calls,” he said. “I think separate workspaces work best for couples.” This year, the pair will enjoy the beach-and-taverna circuit while clocking in from villas in Santorini and Crete.
Other travelers opt for hotels—such as Mama Shelter Shoreditch London and the Hoxton Chicago—with dedicated co-working areas and brisk internet. Whatever you decide, ask for bandwidth details before booking: The website Global Nomad Guide, which advises remote workers, recommends download speeds of at least 50 Mbps.
Log off
Many remote workers are loath to shut devices down, which can lead to post-workcation regrets. Commit in advance to logging off, said Jaime Kurtz, professor of psychology at James Madison University and author of “The Happy Traveler: Unpacking the Secrets of Better Vacations.” Tell yourself, “‘I’m going to work this many hours a day, and then I will go out and take advantage of the place,’” Kurtz said. She suggested travelers seek experiences that sideline devices completely, such as riding a bike or joining a food tour.
And while remote work can help PTO go farther, don’t mistake working getaways for more truly replenishing vacations. That’s why many workcationers, including Schwartau and Hammel, follow remote stints with actual time off, using working trips as a launchpad for dedicated travel time.
Jessica de Bloom, a professor of psychology at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, who studies the blurring frontiers between work and leisure time, considers true disconnection essential to thriving. A request for comment for this story prompted an out-of-office message, suggesting de Bloom lives by her own findings. “I am currently enjoying a vacation,” the auto-response read. “I choose not to work and check my emails, because research showed that working during holidays can be detrimental for my health.”
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This peninsular region has beaches, mountains and luxury homes at much lower prices than in the popular Cyclades islands
By MICHAEL KAMINER
Mon, Nov 11, 2024 6min
Three peninsulas make up Halkidiki, an 1,130-square-mile area in Greece’s northern Macedonia region. Like a trident, Athos, Sithonia and Kassandra stretch into the Aegean sea.
Of the three, Kassandra “is the most developed part of Halkidiki,” according to Theodor Nikolaou, an agent with Engel & Völkers Greece in Thérmi. “Activity started in the 1970s and ’80s, and just continued, especially in coastal villages.”
While lower-profile and less touristed than Greek islands like Santorini or Mykonos, Kassandra still boasts sought-after restaurants, nightclubs and shops, said Ioanna Paloka, an agent with Savills Greece in Thessaloniki. “People prefer to buy here because of the amenities, the beautiful beaches, and the mixture of commercial and residential development,” she said. Beaches including Polychrono Beach, Hanioti Beach and Pefkochori Beach boast clear waters, soft sand and postcard-perfect coastal scenery.
Boundaries
Kassandra is the westernmost of Halkidiki’s peninsulas, and the most populated. At about 128 square miles, Kassandra descends from Cassandreia, its northernmost city, to the Aegean Sea. Kassandra is also the nearest peninsula to Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, and its international airport. “It’s the most accessible part of Halkidiki,” Paloka said.
Seaside locations are most coveted for luxury property, according to Nikolaou. They include the village of Sani, on the west side of Kassandra; Pefkochori, on the peninsula’s east side; and the area around Glarokavos Harbour, just south of Pefkochori. “The combination of sun, the blue of the sea, and the green of pine draws people from around the world,” he said.
Kassandra’s most exclusive locations are Sani, the east-peninsula village of Paliouri, Possidi in the southwest, and Pefkohori, Pakola said.
Thessaloniki is about 60 miles northwest of central Kassandra. Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia, the regional international airport, is a few miles further west. Athens is about 350 miles south.
Price Range
Beachfront properties in Kassandra command premium prices, Paloka said. “Most people at the high end prefer to buy beachfront.” Prices range from €3,000 (US$3,243) to €6,000 per square meter, she said. “For €6,000 per square meter, you’re buying about 20,000 square meters of land with a 1,000-square-meter house, a swimming pool, very modern, in a new development by the sea and surrounded by forests.”
For €5 million in Sani, Savills has listed a 350-square-meter home with six bedrooms and three bathrooms on about 17,000 square meters of land with sea views. In a new development in the village of Siviri, Savills is offering 350-square-meter beach-adjacent homes with seven bedroom suites, private pools, and garages for €2.05 million. Siviri, on Kassandra’s west side, is popular with tourists for its clusters of bars and cafes.
Prices across Kassandra “depend on the distance from the sea,” said Nikolaou of Engel & Volkers Greece. “The closer you are, and the more private the property, the higher the price.” While prices average €2,500 to €4,000 per square meter across Kassandra, they can soar to €8,000 to €10,000 “for the best beachfront luxury property,” he said.
In Pallini, on Kassandra’s east coast, Engel & Volkers is offering an oceanfront hilltop estate on more than 4,000 square meters of land, with nine bedroom suites and amenities including a wine cellar and full bar. Built in 1991, the property is listed for €4,500,000.
The most expensive Kassandra listing in October was a 10-bedroom, 1000-square-meter Sani villa with sea views and a pool for €17,000,000, offered by the Hellenic Property agency.
Housing Stock
In the coastal parts of Kassandra undergoing rapid development, architecture is almost uniformly modern. “There are three types of homes here. Apartments and villas, which aren’t as hot. Multi-home complexes with sea views, which are better. And private luxury beachfront properties, which are at the top.”
Older and even “ancient” properties are common in Kassandra’s mountainous inland regions, according to Nikolaou. “These traditional stone houses in some of the old villages can qualify as luxury homes once they’re renovated, but many require extensive work,” he said. The village of Agia Paraskevi, in south-central Kassandra, has also become a popular tourist destination for its thermal spas and ancient churches.
The higher end of the market consists almost exclusively of detached, modern homes, said Paloka. “Condominiums make up the lower end of the market here,” she said. “And there are almost no historical buildings in the most sought-after coastal areas.”
Luxury Amenities
Greek and international buyers are discovering Kassandra as an alternative to tourist hubs like Mykonos and Santorini. “The fact that Kassandra is not the islands is an amenity in itself,” Paloka said. “It’s very private, relaxed and peaceful, without that madness. Most of the infrastructure here only appeared over the last 10 years.” For golf and tennis, most locals frequent the seaside Sani Resort, which operates private athletic clubs along with its five high-end hotels. Most complexes also have private pools, according to Nikolaou of Engel & Volkers.
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As Kassandra’s profile has risen, its restaurant scene has flourished, with high-end eateries including Metoxi, in a temple-like stone building with sunset views; “creative Greek” spot Giria Elia in Pefkohori’s Hotel Anna Maria; and Kriopigi’s Fiki Fiki, the first Asian-Peruvian fusion restaurant in Halkidiki. Several private medical clinics operate on the peninsula, including the 24-hour Kassandria’s Health Center and Primary Medical Care of Pefkochori.
What Makes It Unique
“Kassandra is a picturesque environment, surrounded by forest, with clean, beautiful, crystal-clear seas,” said Paloka. “The proximity to Thessaloniki also makes it unique. You’re just an hour from the city centre, but you can enjoy all Kassandra has to offer.”
Kassandra’s annual Sani Festival brings A-list musical talent to the peninsula every year; the 2024 edition saw stars including Placido Domingo, Madeleine Peyroux, Tom Jones, and Emeli Sande on the roster.
Who Lives There
Nearly 40% of buyers in Kassandra are “from central Europe, especially German-speaking countries,” Nikolaou said. “They see the Mediterranean, and this part of Greece, as the Florida of Europe. They want a home in the region to use in retirement.” Another 25% of buyers come from the Balkans, including Bulgaria and Romania, “and other countries without direct access to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the first possible access for them,” he said. An additional 15% of buyers hail from Israel and the Middle East. “Thessaloniki once had a significant Jewish population, and Israelis love it. They want to invest here,” Nikolaou said. Just a handful of buyers come from North America, he added.
Kassandra’s largest, most extravagant villas belong to Greeks, according to Paloka of Savills. But those owners are starting to take their profits. “Those properties had been second homes, and the Greek owners are now selling to mostly European buyers,” she said.
Greece’s golden visa program, which grants a five-year residency permit in exchange for a minimum real-estate purchase, has attracted “a huge number of foreigners, but to less expensive properties,” Paloka said. In October, however, the Greek government raised the minimum investment for a golden visa to €800,000 from €250,000 in sought-after destinations including Halkidiki, the region where Kassandra is located.
Notable Residents
Swiss-based Greek billionaire Aristotеlis Mistakidis “has bought a lot of property in Halkidiki, including a villa in Glarokavos,” Nikolaou said. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie vacationed in Kassandra when they were an item, and John Travolta and Robert De Niro “spend summers in Kassandra with their families,” Nikolaou said.
Outlook
“Consistency” is the hallmark of the market in Kassandra, said Paloka of Savills.
“Prices may have gone up on lower-end properties, but prime estates have stayed the same or maybe dropped just a bit. What’s key is that it’s more affordable than the islands, and a better value for your money.” Kassandra’s rental market is also “extremely strong, year-round,” meaning owners can generate revenue from their properties, she said. “Even at Christmas, people love coming here. The islands are great, but you can’t get flights there all year―you have to take a ferry off-season.”
Nikolaou, however, said that “the demand for second homes means prices will continue to increase.” He also noted that property prices per square meter “are much more of a value for the money, especially for beachfront properties.”
Investors “are now looking to Kassandra and Halkidiki to develop new tourist areas,” Nikolaou said. “They don’t want to go to the islands. If you count the kilometres of seashore here, it’s like you have 100 islands. And it’s sunny the whole year.”