A Guide to the Canary Islands for Remote Workers

The Canary Islands is an archipelago off the coast of North Africa and governed by Spain. It’s a popular destination for remote workers looking to escape the cold and enjoy a mild climate year-round. But what are the the Canary Islands like for remote working?

Gran Canaria and Lanzarote are two of the most popular islands for remote workers (or "digital nomads"), each with its own unique characteristics. Since 2020, we’ve spent two Novembers working from the Canary Islands. It’s an ideal location if you’re looking to escape the start of British winter in a place where you can work without distraction. But there’s still plenty to do in your time off.

Is Gran Canaria good for digital nomads?

Gran Canaria, known as the "miniature continent" due to its diverse landscape, is the third largest island in the Canary Islands. It has a wide range of activities and attractions, from hiking in the mountains to relaxing on the beach. In fact, in three weeks of remote working here, we weren’t able to fit in every activity we wanted to do in Gran Canaria.

Gran Canaria has two main towns: the capital of Las Palmas, and Maspalomas in the south. Both are known for their nightlife, while Las Palmas offers better foodie culture and Maspalomas delivers for beach lovers.

By day, the weather is almost always warm and dry in Gran Canaria. So you could spend the day working from a balcony or garden. Or even opt to spend the day enjoying the island and work during the evening if your hours allow it.

On the weekends, we spent our time hiking, visiting various stunning beaches, and checking out incredible view points. We stayed in Maspalomas so, by night, we spent a lot of time in drag bars and pubs. It’s not the classiest place, but we had a great time in Maspalomas and were never short for entertainment.

Where can you work remotely in Gran Canaria?

If you don’t want to work from your hotel or Airbnb, there are several coworking spaces in Gran Canaria. We didn’t use these, and chose to pay a little more for secluded and spacious villas. But you can find spots like the Nest in Las Palmas, which offers a community of like-minded individuals and networking opportunities for remote working.

Find out more about our three weeks remote working from Gran Canaria here.

Is Lanzarote good for digital nomads?

Lanzarote is a smaller and more laid-back island known for its unique volcanic landscape. The island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities, such as hiking, surfing, and cycling.

Lanzarote has a more relaxed atmosphere than Gran Canaria, particularly at night. And since we visited in 2020 when it was only just reopening to tourists, it was a peaceful place that felt nothing like the highly touristy destination that its reputation suggests. It’s a great place to disconnect, and with temperatures rarely dropping below 20ºC it makes working in winter a little more enjoyable.

We spent a lot of time exploring the beaches and national parks, and hiking up volcanoes and mountains. During our visit, nightlife was limited. But there are plenty of spots to eat and drink, especially in the Playa Blanca area.

Where can you work remotely in Lanzarote?

We worked from our villa throughout our stay in Lanzarote. But the island is home to several coworking spaces, such as Coworking Lanzarote, which offers a quiet and productive environment for remote workers. This makes it a great place to escape the winter blues and work from a warm and sunny location.

Find out more about our time remote working from Lanzarote here.

Why do people remote work from the Canary Islands?

The main reason for remote working from a place like the Canary Islands is the mild, dry climate. But the islands also have a low cost of living compared to other European destinations, making it an affordable place to live and work. Especially if you’re still paying for your place back home.

The islands offer a good quality of life – who doesn’t love hitting the beach after work? And a trip here for remote workers truly feels more like a holiday than a 9-5. If you’re visiting from the UK, the time zone is either the same or just one hour out from GMT, which makes it easy to match your working hours with home if needed.

And when it comes to the weekends or taking days off, there’s plenty to do. From beaches to hikes and scenery to exploring traditional towns to indulging in the local nightlight. There’s more to see and do than you might expect in the Canary Islands. But not so much that you won’t get any work done!

What are the negatives of remote working in the Canary Islands?

There are also some downsides to being a remote worker in the Canary Islands. One of the main challenges is the language barrier. Although English is widely spoken in tourist areas, Spanish is the official language and can be a barrier to communication and making local connections.

And although the islands have several coworking spaces, the internet can be slow and unreliable in some areas. This can make it difficult to work remotely if you need a consistently stable connection. Although during our stay in Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, this wasn’t a problem for us.

The islands also have limited public transportation, and renting a car can be expensive. This can make it challenging to explore the islands and access remote locations. However we found that renting a car was well worth the expense as it’s by far the best way to get around both islands. Even if you’re only going to a local beach or restaurant.

Overall, remote working in the Canary Islands is a unique and rewarding experience. The islands offer a great quality of life, a mild climate, and a diverse range of activities and attractions. It’s easy to see why Gran Canaria and Lanzarote are such popular destinations for remote workers looking to escape the cold and work from a warm and sunny location.