Island Hopping for Digital Nomads: Exploring Tenerife and Beyond
Have you decided where to remote work this winter? Canary Islands means that you will meet hundreds of digital nomads around. Gran Canaria and Tenerife, have in fact become one of the European hotspots for digital nomads, amongst Madeira, Ericeira, Tarifa and Barcelona. And the reason for that is a unique human and networking experience.
The promise of good weather, midday dips in the ocean and a unique natural environment have made the Canary Islands the place to be for remote workers – where the view from the "office" is a mix of blue skies and creative collaboration.
While considering essentials like cost of living, weather, and time zone is essential, the appeal goes beyond paradise beaches. It's about finding places with the right infrastructure and most importantly, community, which will make your experience really worth it and will encourage you to explore more than you were thinking. Yes, having people around it’s really a boost of energy! To get out of the work routine and get away from what you had planned, perhaps there were many things that you did not consider on your list and you’ll get the surprise effect.
How to travel around between Islands?
Ferries are the best inter-island transportation.
In total, there are eight main Canary Islands, followed by Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, with the smallest being La Graciosa.
Don't stress yourself about picking the perfect island. We recommend choosing Tenerife base, the largest island of the archipelago known for its stunning mountain landscapes, including Mount Teide, which is the highest peak in Spain. On the other hand, one of the most established to work remotely from, with several community friendly places, such as Nine Coliving, Cactus or Maraya Coliving and also, the easiest for exploration and – go island hopping.
If you like a city where there is always something going on, you can give Gran Canaria a try and start your island adventure by landing there. It has a modern area with boulevards, plenty of coworking spaces if you need to pick a call, a big city beach, and also the “centro historico” filled with charming little streets and cosy squares with restaurants. But, actually, it is more than the city vibe! And there is no way you can forget this place if you go to Barranco de las Vacas, which will impress you with beautiful coloured layers of rock. This canyon is excellent if you are looking for incredible pictures or just to appreciate what nature has to offer. The best time to visit is between 13:30 and 15:30, where the sunlight enters and reveals all its colours.
When you're ready to move on, either hop on a flight or catch any of the regular ferries to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, You can balance your daily routine in Tenerife by discovering the local things, that’s the best secret! Like finding cool street art in Puerto de la Cruz or enjoying the charm of La Orotava. And as we know that digital nomads are real foodies, Tenerife’s alternative Spanish cuisine doesn’t disappoint. One of the most popular components of traditional dishes is Mojo Pico and Ropa Vieja.
Most people don’t know this, but Tenerife carnival is actually considered one of the most popular ones after Rio De Janeiro’s in Brazil and Barranquilla Carnaval from Colombia. This famous celebration is probably the loudest ‘hidden gem’ on the whole island!
Explore all your transportation choices for moving from one place to another and planning your journeys right here
Discover more of nature's wonders in La Gomera, the magical Island where some of the streets are made of sand and there’s an ancient language called Silbo. This place is perfect for visiting the Garajonay National Park and just enjoy walking around San Sebastian. But, the real magic starts if you take a boat to watch the dolphins, whales and if you’re lucky, you might get to see some turtles too. The boat also stops a while so that you can take a dip in the refreshing waters.
Fuerteventura is similar in many ways to its neighbour Lanzarote. Although, there is more colour there and in my opinion, the beaches are much better! Let’s talk about some you probably don’t wanna miss…
Take a Boat to the Incredible Lobos Island
Walk the Crater of Calderón Hondo Volcano
Have Lunch at the Secret Puertito de los Molinos
Puertito de los Molinos is one of the best kept secrets in all of the Canary Islands. This tiny and charming town is home to only 20 permanent residents. Perfect for a local lunch and discover the caves and natural pools nearby!
Something you may want to know about Lanzarote is about Pitaya Coliving, the first Coliving there. Where you can find everything you need if you are thinking of going to work remotely and get a strong sense of community.
Finish your hopping with a visit to El Hierro, one of the smallest and most rural of the islands but also the best for diving. You can get there by ferry from Santa Cruz de La Palma and explore the westernmost island from Parador, it's a special spot to disconnect just a few steps from the beach
What happens if someone tells you– Hey, let's check out Madeira!
Easy-Peasy from Canaries to Madeira. Did you know they are only 498 km away? Your island hopping can keep going if you are up to another adventure or planning your next digital nomad destination. The digital nomad village in Madeira, usually called the “Hawaii” of Europe, boost innovation and digital transformation with an active lifestyle and unique nature road trips. Support for the government, they make the process of moving easy and stress free by helping nomads with accommodation and practical things.
Co-living is also starting to pop up, but I honestly suggest choosing Nomadico Coliving where you can really connect with local people and get inspired by Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar's charming towns. They also just opened a new coliving home near Lisbon and Costa da Caparica.