Remote working in Zwolle: tips for a workation in the Hanseatic city

I went on a workation in Zwolle. To be honest, I had never been there before. But after 3 days in this Hanseatic city I can tell you: I will definitely go back again. Because Zwolle is exactly what you are looking for if you want to escape your home office or office garden for a while. The city has a compact, walkable city center full of nice streets, historic courtyards and places where you can sit with a laptop. Below I share all my tips for a fun workation in Zwolle.

Laptop-friendly workplaces in Zwolle

A remarkable number of cafes and restaurants in Zwolle are fine to use as temporary remote workplaces. I was warmly welcomed everywhere and it was no problem at all if I unfolded my laptop. My tip for flex workspaces in Zwolle:

Café Foyé in Theatre Odeon
A very nice cafe with indoor and outdoor workspaces. Outside you can sit in the shade under the umbrellas (otherwise with the sun you won’t see much on your screen) with nice views of Museum De Fundatie. And are you in the mood for a performance in the evening? Then this is the place to be.
Brasserie Van der Velde in the Brothers
Here you can work under medieval vaults in the beautiful Broeren Church. An impressive flex workspace! Delicious coffee, fresh lunch and in spring also a sunny terrace. Bonus: you can also immediately score new books at the bookstore in the same building.
Sam’s Coffee
Here you will find real specialty coffees and lots of goodies. On the recommendation of owner Sam, I went for the Macha Latte and ube cookie, incredibly delicious! There is a quiet atmosphere among other digital nomads working on their laptops, which I always really like.
Bluefinger Lounge, Hotel Lumen
Spacious, quiet and fully equipped: power outlets, meeting rooms and a cozy bar for a drink in between. A fine workspace on the outskirts of the city and ideal workplace if you are looking for a change of scenery.
LUA
First be productive on your laptop, then celebrate your earned rest with a round of shopping in the vintage store next door. Places like this are great for getting some online work done.

Going to work in another café? Then ask nicely if that is allowed when you come in. Do order something to eat and drink if you’re going to be there for a few hours; it’s neat. One thing to watch out for: many locations operate with public wifi, which poses risks. Personally, I always use a VPN so I can work securely online even on a public network.

The best places in Zwolle for eating & drinking

Zwolle has a surprising amount to offer in terms of good food and drink. Not entirely unimportant, because in addition to fine workplaces, you also go for the vacation part of your workation, and that is to enjoy yourself. The city has a convivial atmosphere with many atmospheric places where you can lay back and relax. Just what you want after a day of remote work. All these restaurants also allow you to work on your laptop. I myself always combine lunch or dinner with doing some online work, and then treat myself to some goodies!

Grand Café The Wine House: Score a cheese board with matching wines at one of the city’s finest grand cafes. The interior with stained-glass windows and antique chandeliers completes it. Outside is a lovely large terrace.
Bistro De Zoete Inval: I always find trying small dishes is ideal when I eat out. The tasting is perfect if you don’t want to choose and just want to taste a lot.
JaffaJaffa: Perhaps the most instagrammable spot in Zwolle, both inside and out. Very nice place to enjoy a drink after your work day.
Screaming Kitchen Maids: If you love cakes (like me) you really need to go here. Outside is a large cozy terrace, but inside you’ll also have great seating. My tip: the cheesecake meringue pie.

To do’s after your workday in the city

Zwolle offers enough to pop into town after work hours or do something fun on your day off. My tip if you go on workation, don’t plan an 8-hour packed workday. Then you’ll be completely exhausted after your work day and that’s a waste. If I can, I often try to work 6 hours, have an hour-long lunch somewhere in between and stop in time so I can go out. After all, I don’t just go on workation to work, but also to enjoy myself and discover a new place. Here are my favorite activities in Zwolle.

Slooping at Hiawatha Active: See Zwolle from the water on the star-shaped city canals. Skipper Jacques tells all sorts of things about the origins of the city along the way, both historical facts and hilarious trivia (I won’t share spoilers).
Shopping: The main street has everything you can think of, but the real gems are in the small side streets with boutique stores and vintage shops.
Relax on a terrace: Downtown has several nice squares where you can just sit and enjoy city life. Nothing more fun than good people-watching right!
Strolling and exploring: Walk past De Goudsteeg, the Sassenpoort and the Peperbustoren and look around carefully. Zwolle has plenty of beautiful nooks and crannies that you’ll naturally encounter if you just head out.
Climbing the Peperbus: Fancy a little sportsmanship? Or a little compensation for all those delicious dinners and cakes, climb 236 steps of the Peperbus Tower.

Sleeping and transportation at your workation

For a successful workation a nice place to sleep and a carefree journey to it are important. Zwolle is easily accessible from all over the Netherlands, whether you come by car or by train. I often opt for public transport, but this time we took the car, because the hotel was on the outskirts of town and parking is cheap. When choosing your hotel, make sure there is a good workstation, preferably both in your hotel room and in the lobby.

Hotel Lumen: Just outside downtown, but ideal for a workation. The rooms are comfortable with a very spacious workspace (much larger than other hotels), the breakfast is delicious and the large quiet lobby is perfect for working. Even if you just want to flex work for a day without staying overnight, this is a fine remote workspace.
Parking: At Hotel Lumen, park cheaply and walk or bike into town. If you prefer to park downtown, that is also possible for about €15 per day.
By train: Zwolle Station is centrally located and you can easily get to downtown on foot. From most places in the Netherlands you can get there within two hours. A sustainable choice!
Bike rental: Dutchmen that we are, we rented bikes from the hotel, which made it even easier to explore the city and visit fun places outside the center.

Plan your workation to Zwolle

Zwolle is a fun, compact city with more than enough workplaces, good food and fun outings after work. Whether you are going on a workation, want to settle down as a digital nomad for a few days or just want to work remotely from another city. Take your time and strike the right balance between doing your online work and enjoying your destination. Zwolle definitely deserves a spot on your workation bucket list.

You can find more information about remote working in Zwolle at visitzwolle.com/out-of-office.