When it comes to destinations for digital nomads, there are some popular places that are overrated, some lesser-known destinations that are underrated, and some popular and well-known places that live up to their name.
We think you’ll agree that Gran Canaria falls into the third category, especially if you’ve been there before.
Located in the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria is a beloved haven for digital nomads seeking a blend of modern amenities, natural beauty, rich culture and history, delicious food, and friendly locals.
Its reputation as a hotspot for digital nomads is well-deserved, as Gran Canaria offers reliable internet connections, co-working spaces, and a variety of accommodation suitable for remote work.
If you're considering visiting or moving to Gran Canaria, especially Las Palmas, and value community, you're in great luck.
A well-established, thriving community awaits you there, offering not only physical hospitality, but also a wealth of resources and information to ensure your experience is smooth and enjoyable.
Live it up, Las Palmas! is the community we’re talking about!
Imagine having a supportive network of over 10,000 digital nomads, remote workers, expats, and local professionals in Gran Canaria connected through a platform with more than 1,000 daily active members!
And we bet you like the idea of having access to an international environment with a local touch where you can participate in events and meetups, find accommodation, ask for advice, organize a dinner, exchange skills, do water sports with others, and much more.
Thanks to the efforts of its founder and community manager, Nelleke Meijer, Live it up, Las Palmas! has become a leading hub of information and connections in Gran Canaria for anyone looking for a new dynamic in their working life and enriching interpersonal relationships.
We have the pleasure of collaborating with Nelleke as a valued partner and recently had the opportunity to gain her insights on a variety of topics, such as her journey as a former digital nomad, their community, the Spanish digital nomad visa, her unpopular opinion on digital nomadism, tips for dating and renting accommodation, and much more.
Read the interview, which we believe will convince you to take another trip to Gran Canaria or put it at the top of your list of must-visit destinations.
And If you decide to move temporarily or permanently to Gran Canaria or another Spanish destination, be sure to take a look at our apartments for rent in Las Palmas and apartments for rent in Spain, most of which are deposit-free, can be rented from five days to a year, and are remote work-friendly.
Happy reading!
1 - In your talk at Nomad City Festival 2023, you mentioned that on your first visit in 2018, you fell in love with Las Palmas after two weeks and realized that you wanted to call it home. What did you like the most about it and what do you like the most about it now?
Actually, there was nothing specific that made me feel that way. It was just a feeling, and I had never had that at any other destination in all my years of traveling.
I decided to listen to my gut feeling. What I like at the moment is the variety of food and nature, the good climate, the people, the language, and the pace of life in general.
2 - You say that the Live it up, Las Palmas! community not only welcomes digital nomads, but is also open to remote workers, expats, and locals looking for international connections. How would you describe your community in one phrase or sentence?
Live it up, Las Palmas! is the largest community in Gran Canaria for remote workers, expats, locals, digital nomads, immigrants, and anyone else who wants to connect with us.
3 - In what three ways has your community evolved since the pandemic?
As for the members, before the pandemic I mainly met entrepreneurs on the island, people who had previously been nomads in cheaper destinations outside Europe and wanted to settle down and scale their business. Since the pandemic, the vast majority of our community are employees working for a boss.
Regarding the community in the bigger picture: The pandemic was a turning point. I asked myself: Do I stop what I’m doing or do I make it bigger and better?
I chose the second option and invested a lot of time in building a brand, working on the website, posting on Instagram, and trying to get the word out.
When we started, there were no real community rules. But they have evolved over the years, and I’m definitely stricter with our community rules. With so many members, it’s absolutely necessary.
Also, I think I have tried to streamline the community more by providing a lot of useful information for people on the website, creating some standard procedures, and optimizing the channels in our Slack, etc.
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4 - You believe that the secret ingredient of your thriving community is “compassion.” How would you describe “compassion”?
In my talk at Nomad City, I used the definition from BetterUp: “Compassion is an emotional response to empathy (or sympathy) and creates a desire to help.”
And that’s definitely how I see it and what has been the driving force behind building Live it up, Las Palmas!.
I know what it’s like to go to a new place so often and how hard the first few days or even weeks can be. So my goal was (and is) to make this difficult part easier, and this large community grew out of the desire to help little by little.
I want you to enjoy the island from the moment you arrive. I think the biggest compliment is the people who join the online community out of curiosity and decide to come here because of what they see.
In some cases, it’s their first experience as a digital nomad or remote worker. How cool is that!
5 - You also work as an online advertising specialist. What transferable skills in this area of work have helped you become a successful community manager?
Being structured and organized, being analytical, thinking before acting, and making decisions based on data (although my work in the community has taught me to follow my gut feeling more and more. Of course, not everything can be seen from the statistics alone!).
6 - You describe yourself as a “retired digital nomad.” What were the most important factors or events that influenced your decision to transition away from the nomadic lifestyle?
It was not a conscious decision. When I arrived in Gran Canaria, it was simply supposed to be my first destination in Europe. But when I arrived here, I felt so good and at home that I didn’t want to leave.
As a digital nomad, I always moved on when I'd had enough of a place.
I never had that feeling here, so I saw no reason to leave.
But looking back, I can understand why it was time for me to "retire": I was tired of constantly packing my bags, living out of a suitcase, having to start all over again at each new destination, constantly trying to make new friends, find good food, book accommodation, and having no meaningful in-person connections. I missed having a place to call home.
And when I unexpectedly found it, I decided I was not going to let this opportunity pass me by!
7 - Do you have an unpopular opinion about remote work and digital nomadism that you can share with us?
My unpopular opinion, based on what I’ve seen in the community, is that many digital nomads are lost, searching for meaning and happiness, and lacking commitment in many areas of their lives (so it makes sense that they choose to be digital nomads— no commitment to a home, a relationship, friends, or an employer).
I also see a lot of loneliness. Digital nomads socialize easily, but part of that is that it's just as easy for them to abandon the friendship. Promises or meetings are easily broken or canceled because you stumble upon better things to do or meet up with other people anyway.
When I see people get hurt with this attitude, it’s really sad. That was one thing that really bothered me when I was a digital nomad. I felt like I couldn’t really trust or rely on the people I met.
The friendships are often superficial, and even if you can have great and deep conversations with someone, they easily trade you in for the next person they meet.
In their defense: You can’t stay in touch with everyone you meet, so you make the most of the time you have.
But I really missed having a stable support system/circle of friends. I see in many cases that once people realize that, they also look for a base, at least for 50% of the year.
8 - How do you personally “live it up” in Las Palmas?
I love good food with a good glass of wine! I’d rather spend €100 once on a great meal than 10 times on a cheap, basic meal.
My Italian fiancé (in case this is published after April 27: my husband!), Flavio, opened a high-quality bakery (Bakery de Stefano) in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 2022, and this is a passion we share.
We also like to invite our closest friends over for a nice dinner at home or go to concerts or museums. I often meet up with friends for lunch or coffee to catch up. I prefer one-to-one meetings to large gatherings.
I also love road trips in Gran Canaria and exploring the other islands.
9 - What are the key factors that those interested in the Spanish digital nomad visa should carefully consider?
- The visa is only available for nationals of countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
- As a contractor, you can work for a Spanish company, but only a maximum of 20% of your income can be from Spanish companies.
- To maintain the visa, you must stay in Spain for at least 6 months per calendar year.
- The visa is not a free pass to travel around the rest of Europe all year round.
- You must take out comprehensive private health insurance.
10 - As a community manager who has brought local and international people together, what would you say are some of the best practices when it comes to these two groups living together in harmony?
If you find common ground, it doesn’t matter where you come from or what you do. Maybe you share a passion for dancing or a passion for surfing—that’s enough!
I do notice that digital nomads are often surprised to find locals at our meetups and start treating them like either a great source of information or an exotic animal.
Locals will often proudly tell you about their island, but it’s never nice to feel like you‘re being "used." As long as the interest is genuine, it’s great.
In the past, it has been suggested to organize "meet a local" gatherings where our international community members can get to know locals in person, speed- dating style.
I think this is where the "exotic animal" reference comes in. We’re all only human, and I think it’s important that connections happen organically.
The locals in our community were not keen on the idea either, so it never happened. We all want to be treated normally, and that’s how I have always treated our community. No special treatment for one or the other, and everyone is welcome.
In reality, most of the locals who join us have worked, studied, or lived abroad in the past and miss that international atmosphere. Others are just curious about what it’s like to be a digital nomad, or they just want to practice their English.
As a traveler or digital nomad, it is important to respect local customs, laws, and rules. One thing that really bothers me is when people in our community have "house parties."
Digital nomads often live in apartments in residential buildings, and these parties show no respect for local neighbors, giving locals a bad impression of foreigners, which affects all of us who travel or live abroad.
It’s good to realize that as an individual digital nomad you can make a difference in how the whole community is perceived.
Also, I encourage people to learn the language (even if it’s just a few words), respect the locals, and realize that you are a guest. Try to make the best impression you can!
11 - You say that your business partnerships are based on “mutual value and respect.” What do you think is the most important shared value between the Live it up, Las Palmas! Community and Flatio?
Trust! Definitely trust! With Flatio, you can trust that you will find a good accommodation to stay, and if anything happens, they will be there to solve potential issues.
And new members who join Live it up, Las Palmas! can trust that they are in good hands. There is a strong community to support them and help them with anything they need.
12 - What are the biggest myths about the Canary Islands in general and Gran Canaria in particular?
That it’s just a holiday destination or a destination for retirees and that there’s not much going on there.
In reality, all the islands have amazing and diverse nature and are perfect for many types of outdoor activities. Plus, there is plenty of good food!
13 - You met your (soon-to-be) husband at one of your weekly community meetups and have a dating channel in your community’s Slack. What is the golden rule of dating for digital nomads?
Tough one! I think it's pretty easy for digital nomads to find someone just for fun. Many digital nomads are sociable and outgoing, and there are usually events every night of the week.
The tricky part, however, is finding someone for a serious relationship. We have hosted dating events in our community, and many digital nomads are looking for a meaningful, serious relationship, but many are also not ready to settle down.
And I often hear from them that it’s hard to date someone when you’re constantly traveling and your travel plans don’t align.
I think it’s important to always be open and honest about your intentions and (travel) plans so as not to create false expectations.
And hey... Maybe cancel the flight to the other side of the world if you meet someone special! There will always be another flight, but this person may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
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14 - How have you personally evolved since the creation of Live it up, Las Palmas!?
Yes, a lot! Constantly dealing with so many different people (in person, in public, and online) has been interesting, personally confrontational, and also quite intense.
I’ve had to deal with so many different situations. I’ve interacted with a lot of great people, of course, but there have also been people who have verbally attacked me, criticized me, and spread nasty rumors.
I have dealt with people who have come to me directly for help after being robbed, assaulted, thrown out of their house or worse, or facing other personal problems.
There have been some delicate (politically colored) discussions on Slack (think Covid and the two current wars) that have been tricky to handle.
I’ve been attacked online by anti-foreigner activists and even within the community some people make it very clear in an unpleasant way that they don’t agree with how I handle things.
With all this, it’s impossible to stay the same person. Ultimately, I feel like I’m more confident in who I am and what I stand for.
I feel like I can assess people better. My sixth sense has become stronger, and I have learned to trust it more (or faster).
My skin has become much thicker, and I’m really happy about that because I shed a few tears over the situations I mentioned.
Now I can just shrug it off when someone says something nasty. I am 100% behind the way I run the community and I have no problem with the fact that you can’t please everyone.
I don’t even know how to put it into words, but I have slowly grown into this position and learned so much over the years, and I have loved the process too. I definitely wouldn’t be the same person today without the community.
15 - Are you aiming for a milestone for your community in the next three years or do you want it to develop organically, as it has done so far?
We reached 10,000 members in February 2024, which was definitely a big milestone! Until 2022, I didn’t receive any financial support for my work. I did everything alongside my job and personal life.
In the summer of 2022, I started with some small partnerships that I would like to expand in the future to receive financial compensation for the time I invest in building and managing the community and to connect more local businesses and startups with our community.
While the community was created 100% out of passion, I now also want to look at it more from a business perspective.
This is also the reason why participation is no longer free for companies or individuals with commercial motives. Although there are strict rules about how often commercial posts can be shared (and these rules are definitely enforced), some channels were simply full of advertising.
It’s only fair to make businesses pay for the tremendous visibility and fantastic access to our community, and it motivates me every day to improve our community.
This will also allow me to do some online advertising to make sure everyone knows about our community.
It would be great to have a physical hub for our community, a place to hang out.
I would also like to give every new member a proper welcome package, for example a bus pass, a SIM card, a discount at the theatre, a free day at the gym, etc.
16 - What do you think it means to feel welcome in a new place, be it a new country, a new city, a co-working space, a shared accommodation, a group, an event, a Slack community, etc.?
That makes all the difference! Travelling is fun, and discovering new destinations is amazing. But the first few days or weeks can be tough because you have to start from scratch every time. And that can be scary and challenging.
That’s why I think it’s so important for me to be there in person at our weekly community meetups. It puts people at ease when they know I’ll be there, especially if it’s their first time.
17 - What is the No. 1 question you get from location-independent professionals who want to move to Gran Canaria temporarily or permanently? And what’s your answer?
I think the most common question is whether I’m not bored yet! The island is not very big and if you like big cities like Madrid or Berlin, you can definitely get bored.
The few people I know who have decided to leave the island after a few years miss the big city atmosphere, and that’s something I don’t miss. For me, (Las Palmas de) Gran Canaria is big enough.
18 - According to your statistics, which topics are of most interest to the readers of your Las Palmas-focused website?
Information about public transport, health and beauty-related content (mainly doctors and hairdressers), and posts about the weather/climate. Some of our most popular articles are about the Calima, a local weather phenomenon.
I also share information about local festivals and celebrations, and these articles are also very popular.
19 - Do you see a new trend in nomad communities around the world that you think is a positive change in the right direction?
I have no real knowledge of other communities. When I was travelling the world as a digital nomad, it was such a new phenomenon that such communities didn’t exist (or at least I wasn’t aware of them).
I have only hung out with backpackers and have no experience with other communities.
20 - What is the best thing about being a community manager?
Not just one thing, I think. First, it’s amazing to know the difference you make in people’s lives.
It’s a really rewarding job to know that something you've built is having such a positive impact on people and that you're helping create experiences that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
On top of that, I've learnt so much about the island from all the feedback and recommendations from community members.
And I also love that I have grown so much as a person, I wouldn’t be the same without this experience.
21 - If someone can only spend a weekend in Las Palmas, what activities should be at the top of their to-do list, from sightseeing to local cuisine to activities?
- Plan a road trip to Roque Nublo and Pico de Las Nieves (which includes a short hike).
- Watch the sunset from the Maspalomas Dunes (you can’t enter them, it’s a nature reserve, but there are some great viewpoints).
- Visit the old town of Vegueta with its beautiful architecture, museums, and excellent Canarian cuisine.
- Visit Playa de Las Canteras, a 3 km long and super clean beach, and get tickets for a concert at the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus.
- The north is the greenest, so I recommend renting a car and visiting places like Teror, Arucas, Firgas, and Agaete.
- Puerto de las Nieves (in Agaete) has beautiful natural pools!
22 - Many of our readers are digital nomads and remote workers looking for rental accommodation. In your experience, what should location-independent professionals look out for when renting accommodation?
- Be aware of what the locals pay and don’t come to a new destination with a budget of €3,000 for an apartment when the locals only earn €1,500 a month. This really messes up the housing markets in local destinations.
- There are many scammers on Facebook. If an apartment looks too good to be true, it probably is.
- Find out about the neighborhood you want to live in.
- If you live a little further away from the city center, you can save a lot of money.
One more thing before you go!
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And why Flatio, you ask?
Here's a glimpse of the features that distinguish us from other rental accommodation providers:
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Photo: Supplied to Flatio by the interviewee
