Ibiza, Balearic gem off the east coast of Spain has a global reputation as the party island and is a Mecca for dance music lovers. It all started with the Flower Power movement and hippie gatherings held on the island during the 60’s and 70’s. To this day Ibiza attracts millions of tourists from all over the globe due its unique nightlife and club culture where the biggest names in the world’s DJ scene hold residencies during the summer months. In recent years the island’s government has been trying to promote more family-oriented tourism and Ibiza has also became a home for healthy food culture and yoga enthusiasts, with many wellness retreats on offer.
As the title of the article suggests, we are going to explore some of Ibiza’s legendary spots as well as some new additions to the White Isle.
Getting there in style
What better way to start the trip than our own private jet operated by SurfAir – a California-based airline offering an all-you-can-fly service for one monthly fee. The service flies to many top European destinations too, like Cannes, Zurich, Geneva, and Milan. After a hassle-free flight and VIP service we go for a quick change at our hotel, Hotel Playasol Cala Tarida Plaça la Mar.It is a cosy, laid-back and familly friendly hotel next to Cala Tarida bay, boasting one of the best beaches on the island.
We didn’t have much time to spend in the hotel, but it was enough time to be pleasantly surprised by attentive and friendly staff, hearty breakfast and great quality iced coffee. Then we went off to explore the unknown waters of the island
Here are our recommendations for a 3-day weekend in Ibiza.
Food & Drink
STK Ibiza, located at the Ibiza Corso Hotel & Spa, Marina Botafoch, – is a unique blend of a modern steakhouse and a chic lounge, offering speciality cocktails and in-house entertainment provided by goddess-like dancers. It launched in the summer 2016 and took on Chef Alex Puddifoot to head up the restaurant. It’s a perfect place for a pre-party dinner or a hot date. The kind of date where you are not embarrassed to indulge in food! Seriously, food is a big draw here and one must try STK’s signature mouth-watering steak which comes ready cut, ready to go and ready to never be forgotten. Some of our other favourites were pan roasted branzino, yellowtail ceviche and mini burgers.
We are quite spoiled with steak and burger choices in London, but STK lives up to the standard and then some. We came to STK for dinner with a plan to go clubbing afterwards, but few espresso martinis later and with palates satisfied we were reluctant to leave what seemed like the start of a good party.
Daytime pool party
For those who find sunbathing on the beach boring, a perfect daytime destination is Ocean Beach Ibiza, which offers a unique and lavish lifestyle experience. Think of lazy lunch and cocktails on a day bed by the pool with friends, Balearic beats, on-site massages and socialising with fellow party-goers. You can find all that and much more at Ocean Beach Ibiza.
We indulged on Ocean Beach’s sushi platter and a few mojitos and passion coladas (never mind how many!). As early evening arrives, air acrobats and dancers start appearing out of the blue and the party gets into full swing. Oh yeah, and if you feel like having a splash in the sea while testing your fitness levels you can try out Ocean Mania – the inflatable water wipe out park – located just outside the Ocean Club.
Clubbing
When it comes to partying in Ibiza the possibilities are endless, especially if you stay around Ibiza Town. Turn your swag on, get hydrated and be ready to meet most amicable strangers from corners of world you never knew existed.
Pacha is one of the most iconic clubs in the world that was born in 1967 in the Catalan town of Sitges then 6 years later moved to Ibiza and right in that era revolutionised the standards of the enjoyment of life. Over the last 50 years Pacha has managed to create a deep engagement with several generations. It is also one of the major clubs in Ibiza that stays open during the winter period. The proper summer residencies usually start in the third or fourth week of May, but from the last weekend of April onwards, Pacha is already open every night. So if you’re on the island early in the season, make sure you plan one big night out at Pacha! We got to experience the Labyrinth concept that runs every Friday until October 6th and which transforms the look and feel of this legendary venue. The show, the dancers, the decor and the vibe all work with the style and nature of techno and house music.
Destino Pacha Ibiza Resort is another delight for sunset lovers above the cliff top of Cap Martinet overlooking Ibiza’s old town, Dalt Vila, and the island of Formentera. You can enjoy cocktails by the Cherry pool during the day or make the use of resort’s Wellness centre; wine and dine watching the sunset or let your hair down at night at live music events. We were lucky enough to visit Destino on a night it was hosting Pacha’s 50th anniversary party with Pete Tong who brought ‘Ibiza Classics’ represented by The Heritage Orchestra and conducted by Jules Buckley. As our driver suggested it would turn out to be the party of summer, the ‘Oscars of Ibiza’, with guests looking chic and staff looking gorgeous as ever and atmosphere buzzing.
Lío Ibiza. Enchanting. Sexy. Luxurious. It brings a high-end dining, cabaret and a top class club under one umbrella. Located in the heart of the Marina of Ibiza Town and embellished by electrifying views of Dalt Vila it gives you the feeling as of floating in the sea. The main attraction of Lío is its live entertainment – dancers, burlesque acts, contortionists and actors, closing with a party atmosphere to dance the night away surrounding a big pool – the epicentre of the décor. Memories of a trail of deluxe perfume and hot-looking bunch of people will stay with you for days to come.
Hï Ibiza – formerly the legendary Space – opened its doors at the start of 2017 season as a 5,000 capacity venue and already managed to establish itself as one of the island’s favourites. With the greatest South African export Black Coffee holding his residency at this super club during the summer season, Hï specialises in bringing hedonistic nights designed with the dancer in mind. Located in the heart of Ibiza clubland, Playa d’en Bossa, Hï Ibiza aims to unite the highest standards of music and entertainment and stay true to the open-minded spirit of Ibiza.
Sports & fitness
In a quest to regain body strength and explore the countryside of Ibiza, we hooked up with Acitve Ibiza and its own tour guide Artash Doult who took us for a sunset walk through Puertes de Cielo. We were picking fresh grapes and almonds from the trees on the go and discovered carob fruit that is used as a chocolate and cocoa powder substitute. Watch this space, it might be the next big thing on the superfood scene. Artesh shared his extensive knowledge of the island and put us in a meditative state before another big night out. For those who seek even more physical thrill, Active Ibiza also offers water-sports activities, cycling tours, rock climbing or horse riding. They might even join you on the dancefloor.
YogaFit Retreats Ibiza. It’d be a shame not to make the most of Ibiza’s fresh air, sun and breath-taking views by having a yoga session at Cala Blanca resort on Es Figueral beach. We had a 45-min most gentle and relaxing session with one of YogaFit Rereats teachers, Lindsay Jay, that included essential oils and Tibetan singing bowls.
Lindsay and the team provide the first large fitness and yoga retreats outside the busy summer period when the temperatures are cooler but still balmy, with 30 instructors, 145 classes, showcasing new programmes such as Chi-Fit, Cross Yoga, the Happiness Explorer and the BrainFit Workout. The size of the retreats mean that guests benefit from hotel beach resort facilities, nutritious and bespoke food, a choice of classes with some of the world’s best instructors.
Spa & Relaxation
Aguas de Ibiza. If you’re looking for a sophisticated 5-star accommodation during your stay in Ibiza or if you have a few hours to spare before your flight and want to sweat out the sins and regain your balance accompanied by a healthy lunch, we highly recommend looking up Aguas de Ibiza hotel. The resort is situated in the Santa Eulalia Bay marina, boasting colourful streets lined with boutiques and flea markets.
It has a 1,500m2 spa space devoted to wellness and peace and where all kinds of health and beauty treatments are on offer. As soon as you walk into the hotel you’ll feel like you landed on a big fluffy white cloud. We headed straight to the steam sauna, had a dip in an ice-cold indoor pool and topped off our visit with healthy and delicious lunch at their super cosy outside terrace. We recommend the red lentil salad and fried baby squid. Short afternoon later we felt like we’d had an extreme makeover and were at last ready to be sent back to reality.
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The first thing that comes to mind after spending few days on the White Isle – the sky is not the limit! People of different generations and all walks of life celebrate music and life together on this little piece of ground. When you come back home from Ibiza you will catch yourself looking up some live DJ sets and checking line-ups at London clubs and life will never be the same again. And as the British writer Colin Butts wisely advised: “Tell whoever it is picking you up from the airport back in the UK that you’ll probably miss your flight.”
