A workation in Gran Canaria is what the Smartalks team chose to change things up in the middle of winter: a week in February 2025 to work, spend time together, and create content away from the office. Not just a laptop by the sea for a few photos, but a different way to bond as a team. At that time, three new team members had just joined the company, so getting to know each other in person was a priority. That’s why the CEO, the manager, and three team members decided to spend time together.
In this story, we’ll see how it went: why the Canary Islands work so well for a corporate workation, how we structured the week, and what the team takes away from the experience upon returning.
From the Italian Winter to the Canary Islands’ Sun
While in Italy, gray skies and chilly temperatures slow down the pace and dampen morale, five people from Smartalks—an agency specializing in marketing, communications, AI, and automation—decided to get away. They turned to Oceanworking for a 5-day workation in Gran Canaria, based in a villa and with a clear goal: to create content by taking advantage of the change of scenery.
The timing wasn’t random: February is Carnival month, one of the island’s most cherished events, which served as a lively backdrop to the workweek.
Why Gran Canaria for a workation
The choice of destination isn’t just about aesthetics: it affects concentration, energy, and organization. Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands archipelago, offers a combination of conditions rarely found elsewhere in Europe.
Mild climate year-round: even in the middle of winter, temperatures remain pleasant; you can work in natural light and enjoy the outdoors without compromise.
European time zone: The island is in sync with most of the continent, so calls, meetings, and deadlines remain manageable without disrupting your daily routine.
Nature at your fingertips: the ocean, mountains, and volcanic landscapes are just a short distance away and provide the perfect natural backdrop for breaks.
Spaces designed for work: a reliable internet connection and well-appointed environments allow you to maintain the same operational standards as in an office, in a more relaxed setting.
To understand how remote work works on the island, we’ve compiled the details on our page dedicated to workations in Gran Canaria.
A Week of Workation in a Villa, Balancing Work and Carnival
Our base for the week-long workation in Gran Canaria was a villa: a single place to sleep, work, and gather, which made the transition between work hours and team time feel natural. Our days alternated between blocks of focused work and genuine breaks in the open air, with Carnival adding color to the evenings.
The goal wasn’t to fill a schedule with sessions, but to create the right conditions for being together and getting things done: content, ideas, and material for our projects. The change of scenery played its part, reducing background noise and making it easier to focus when needed.
A Change of Setting as a Creative Catalyst
The value of a workation isn’t measured solely by the number of tasks completed. More than a structured training program, for Smartalks it was a shift in perspective: away from everyday distractions, ideas took shape more fluidly, and creative work became more natural. It’s the often-underestimated driver of productivity: not working harder, but working in an environment that helps you think clearly.
It was a true creative rebirth.
Authentic team building and stronger connections
A workation is also—and above all—an experience of sharing. Living and working in the same place for a week—amid work, outings, and dinners—allowed the team to strengthen relationships naturally, without the forced nature of pre-planned team-building activities.
It’s the informal moments—a walk, a long break, a Carnival evening together—that allow the team to get to know one another, share company goals and personal aspirations, and truly become part of the company as individuals.
And that’s not all: the fact that the team was new to the company allowed management to better understand skills and aptitudes that are difficult to perceive and grasp within the confines of an office or in fully remote work environments.
Over to the team
See how Lorenzo Ferrari, CEO and Founder of Smartalks, described his team’s experience in Gran Canaria.
A New Way of Working (and Living)
At Oceanworking, we believe that work can—and should—be a richer experience. We offer teams and companies a place to recharge, refocus, and rediscover the joy of working together—and, when needed, we also organize training sessions and corporate retreats tailored to the group. Smartalks’ week is a concrete example of this.
If you’d like to see how this could work for your team, tell us your idea: we’ll tailor the experience to your needs.