Bathrooms 365 days a year
The pandemic came turning our world upside down and making us adapt to a thousand changes. Luckily, every crisis brings opportunities, and perhaps putting an end to stress and taking life more calmly is what this strange 2020 leaves us with.
With half the world shielded, travel options have been reduced, but the possibility of working remotely from places that were unimaginable just a year ago It has mitigated the urgent desire to change location and has put an end to the post-holiday syndrome of many.
Las Palmas is one of those places where digital nomads from all over the world arrive, something that has intensified in recent months, replacing even destinations that did not stop growing but now find themselves with closed borders, as is the case of the island of Bali.
Cathedral of Santa Ana in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Moving the office to the Canary Island has been the best alternative for Kirill Lassounski, a programmer fleeing the cold Amsterdam winter. "A friend told me about Las Palmas, I saw that the weather was warm and, with everything that was happening, I decided to launch myself into the life of a digital nomad." Kirrill couldn't be more delighted with his decision, noting that he has even saved money in recent months.
To these benefits are added many others: having an airport nearby, getting to know new places, living experiences like a local, the security offered by the city, the little time lost traveling, the wide variety of accommodation and good Wi-Fi connectivity, either in the accommodation chosen to stay, in the coworking or in the cafeterias.
Nacho Rodríguez begins his mornings swimming in the sea, then works alternating different spaces and returns home by bicycle at lunchtime. The rest of the day he spends reconciling work with his family.
For him, this highly productive way of life is not something new. Nacho traveled the world after studying in the United States until he realized that he loved his hometown and that The Canary Islands offered him the quality of life he was looking for, so he returned home where he would end up setting up the Repeople coworking space.
“I entered this world by chance six years ago with the idea of attracting local talent. The surprise was that professionals from all over Europe began to arrive”. In this way he covered the only need that he lacked in Las Palmas, that of an international work environment.
Others arose from this beautiful project to boost the community of digital nomads that was beginning to form on the island: events, international conferences, coliving and an annual meeting to talk about teleworking in Europe that ended with a cruise of digital nomads heading to the Caribbean.
“The great community that has been created in recent years is the best ambassador of Las Palmas as a teleworking destination” assures Nacho.
The Canary Islands have approximately 70 coworking spaces spread over five of its eight islands. In Las Palmas there are 30 with an occupation that currently exceeds 80%.
"In these spaces, workers can share their experiences with the locals, connect, meet other people and enjoy with them the leisure that the island offers." **An opportunity to create a strong network of business contacts. **
Workshops Palermo It was a carpentry shop from the 1950s that closed in 2000 to open later as a space for events, coworking, cafeteria and a furniture store (Polonium 209).
Located in the heart of the effervescent surfing neighborhood of Guanarteme, the unique building also houses a garden on its roof as a sign of sustainability.
"We are looking for synergies with other businesses in the area to offer complete surf, accommodation and coworking packages" he says excitedly Ángel Fernández, one of the owners of this space in which, just as the entrance itself says, "Everything is a lie."
TELEWORK AS A WAY OF LIFE
Taking the step of moving the office to another place is not an easy task, which is why many decide to travel to Las Palmas for a week, but end up staying for several months. “Normally those who arrive for a week do so because they don't know the city well and tend to end up delaying their return, or, if they already have their flight booked, they return,” says Nacho.
In these moments of limited borders, travelers arriving for long stays are less affected by flight cancellations or delays.
On an island where most of the income comes from tourism, holiday accommodation is adapting to this new customer profile by offering special rates for long stays and improving internet connectivity.
Precisely, the hotel sector plays a fundamental role in combating mass tourism: “It is a good time to bet on these new clients that provide stability and have a much greater socioeconomic impact than mass tourism” , guarantees Nacho.
Telecommuting is here to stay
Another type of accommodation that gives flexibility to digital nomads is the coliving, homes shared with other similar profiles but with independent rooms. There are currently four on the island, but new ones are being created. new spaces in tourist environments that incorporate a swimming pool and large gardens to enjoy working.
Regarding the profile of the workers, Nacho states that it has changed radically since the start of the pandemic: “Five years ago you used to see younger people and from very diverse backgrounds. Now there are more families who travel slowly and settle here for long periods. It is even more common for European companies to establish themselves on the island due to tax incentives and the amount of talent that is arriving”.
Canarian tranquility.
THE ATTRACTIONS OF LAS PALMAS
When the workers turn off their computers, Las Palmas opens up before them with endless offers of leisure, sports and culture. From the historic neighborhoods of Vegueta and Triana to the always lively Las Canteras beach, passing through the neighborhood of Guanarteme, where surfing and digital nomads have served as the main engine of change.
In this modernized neighborhood there is no shortage of hostels, cafes, restaurants, cute little shops and, of course, **the Cícer beach, where surfers and apprentices challenge stimulating waves in front of the Alfredo Klaus auditorium. **
A bike path runs through the city connecting its exciting neighborhoods. Triana's captivating buildings house international firms, craft shops and traditional businesses. Among them, the Pérez Galdós House-Museum It is essential to delve into the life of the writer and Canarian architecture.
Something is happening in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
The surprising neighborhood of Vegueta, declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1973, It stands out for its colorful historic streets that overlook the sea and smell of tropical fruits. They are the ones from Market of Vegeta , where all the color of Palma seems to bloom.
discover for yourself the charming corners of Vegueta and its historic buildings (the Cathedral of Santa Ana, the Casa de Colón, the Town Hall) it is a real pleasure, but those who prefer to delve into them through their history, do so through the entertaining dramatized routes, in English or Spanish, organized by the dedicated guide Bruno Knudgsen.
Market of Vegeta
The city of Las Palmas is very cosmopolitan and open, welcoming digital nomads as soon as they arrive. The melting pot of cultures that impregnates its neighborhoods, had its origin with the construction of the port of Las Palmas in 1893 and is present in its gastronomy. In fact, The first Japanese restaurant to open in Spain was in Guanarteme in 1965 and continues to be a benchmark on the island.
Canarian gastronomy is perfectly combined with international cuisine in restaurants like Qué Leche and Delicious Marta, in the neighborhood of Triana, or Still Life of the Canarian People , in a very native environment and paying homage to local cuisine.
If the city knows little, the enormous volcanic space that surrounds it and the promenade that joins the Confital and Las Canteras beaches, They offer excellent options for walking or cycling.
Las Canteras is the hub of life in Las Palmas and is recognized as one of the best urban beaches in the world. This urban paradise is not just a place to sunbathe and relax. On the beach it is common to see people practicing yoga and beach volleyball with Teide in the distance emulating the shadows of the volcanoes of Gran Canaria.
The crystal clear and calm waters of Las Canteras are ideal for exploring unexpected seabeds inhabited by more than 150 species. Doing it by means of transparent kayaks is the peculiar proposal of the Salitre company, which also organizes night excursions and paddle yoga classes.
Las Palmas has become the preferred destination for digital nomads
OTHER SPANISH NOMAD DESTINATIONS
Las Palmas has dragged the rest of the islands to become destinations for digital nomads. “The Canary Islands offer a diversity of destinations within the same destination that few other places in the world can offer” Nacho highlights.
"The teleworker who travels here ends up visiting all the islands and enjoying the different proposals of each one of them". The spectacular beaches of Fuerteventura, the exuberant nature of La Palma or the wide range of outdoor activities in all the Canary Islands they make it possible for remote workers to find their favorite.
Continuing with the good weather, Benidorm, with more than 300 days of sunshine a year and good communication with the rest of Spain and with other European countries through the Alicante airport, it has also positioned itself among the favorite destinations for teleworking thanks to the security it offers, its Mediterranean environment combined with the Sierra Helada and the Wi-Fi connectivity present even on its promenade.
Views from the Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma)
Hotels are not far behind in proposing tempting alternatives for teleworking. In Tenerife, The Ritz-Carlton Abama hotel has created a new long-stay concept that under the name The Great Escape , collects several experiences to enjoy all its facilities while working.
In the centre of Madrid, the boutique hotel CoolRooms Atocha offers its 34 rooms and its terrace as fabulous offices to combine accommodation, coffee break and a la carte lunch with a rate of 160 euros.
Teleworking leaves us with many reflections linked to various areas , and hopefully beyond the pandemic, teleworking continues to be a reality.
Nacho is clear: “Thanks to the pandemic, the stigma that existed around teleworking has been broken even in the corporate environment, and it has been proven that There are countless benefits that teleworking brings both for the company and for the employee, so this can only go further”.
Until we check it, let's move to teleworking from the Canary Islands our purpose for 2021.
CoolRooms Atocha, Madrid