How many bases should a year of nomad life have?

For most people, 3-5 bases of 2-3 months each. Fewer than three means you stop seeing the world; more than five means you spend half the year in airports. Three to five is where most settled nomads land after a couple of years.

How do I plan time zones across a year?

Group bases that share working hours with your clients. European-time clients pair with Europe/Africa/Middle East bases; US-East clients pair with LatAm; US-West clients pair with parts of LatAm or SEA early mornings. Avoid bouncing 12-hour shifts.

How do I plan around Schengen?

Stack two Schengen bases (say Lisbon spring, Berlin autumn) for 90 days each, with non-Schengen bases in between (UK, Turkey, Balkans, LatAm, SEA). Use a Schengen calculator to keep the 90/180 rule clean.

How do I pick the climate window for each city?

Europe summer-autumn (Apr-Oct), LatAm dry season per country, SEA dry season (Nov-Mar). Map each candidate base to its best 2-3 months and design your year around the dry/sun windows, not the calendar.

What kills a year of slow travel?

Trying to do too much. Cutting a 3-month base into two 6-week halves halves your productivity and your social ties. Slow travel is about depth — pick fewer, stay longer, and let the routine in each city compound.

city-guide

Slow Travel: Building a Year of Nomad Bases (2026)

How thoughtful nomads plan a year of bases in 2026 — 4-5 cities, time-zone overlap, Schengen days, climate windows and the lifestyle math behind staying longer in fewer places.

Tools we actually use for this

Frequently asked

How many bases should a year of nomad life have?: For most people, 3-5 bases of 2-3 months each. Fewer than three means you stop seeing the world; more than five means you spend half the year in airports. Three to five is where most settled nomads land after a couple of years.
How do I plan time zones across a year?: Group bases that share working hours with your clients. European-time clients pair with Europe/Africa/Middle East bases; US-East clients pair with LatAm; US-West clients pair with parts of LatAm or SEA early mornings. Avoid bouncing 12-hour shifts.
How do I plan around Schengen?: Stack two Schengen bases (say Lisbon spring, Berlin autumn) for 90 days each, with non-Schengen bases in between (UK, Turkey, Balkans, LatAm, SEA). Use a Schengen calculator to keep the 90/180 rule clean.
How do I pick the climate window for each city?: Europe summer-autumn (Apr-Oct), LatAm dry season per country, SEA dry season (Nov-Mar). Map each candidate base to its best 2-3 months and design your year around the dry/sun windows, not the calendar.
What kills a year of slow travel?: Trying to do too much. Cutting a 3-month base into two 6-week halves halves your productivity and your social ties. Slow travel is about depth — pick fewer, stay longer, and let the routine in each city compound.