For years I have longed to visit the original White Isle – Ibiza; the island synonymous for its dance music and mega clubs, such as Pacha, Café del Mar and Manumission.
To mark turning 40 this year, the plan was always to visit Ibiza and hit the beach bars/clubs and take in one of those famous sunsets. Ok so the club aspect was maybe unrealistic what with it being a family holiday, as well as being 30+ weeks pregnant. That didn’t stop us having a lovely, relaxing week in this beautiful Balearic isle earlier this month, once we had overcome the flight that is.
A vast majority of visitors are still going to visit the party-isle and that was certainly the case on our flight. I am actually quite surprised that Ryanair didn’t choose the Vengaboys ‘We’re Going to Ibiza’ to follow the routine safety announcements prior to take off but I had a cheeky play of it on Spotify before departure.
If I was to pick a track to sum up our week of chill-axing by the pool and ticking off the bucket list – a visit to Pacha, a boat party (albeit in an inflatable Barbie speedboat!), beach bars aplenty, a foam party (at our hotel), a stunning sunset (albeit when landing back home in Edinburgh) alongside some relaxing family time – then it would probably be Over Soul ft Gramma Funk ‘Universal Unfolding’.
After speaking with several friends who’ve visited before, with and without kids, we opted to base ourselves on the quieter, family friendly east coast in a small resort called Es Canar, which is a few kilometres from Santa Eulalia. Originally we had planned to hire a villa or apartment but upon discovering I was pregnant, not to mention the rental costs being astronomical, we re-considered and opted for half board at a hotel right on the beach – the Alua Miami Ibiza.
As far as family friendly hotels go, we couldn’t fault it – a couple of pools including a splash pool which our daughter loved, kids club (which our daughter never used), a modern if small family room, and friendly staff.
Es Canar itself is a small purpose built resort, with a lovely beach and close to the Hippy Market (every Wednesday). Can’t say that the restaurants and cafes were anything to shout about but within 10-20 minutes’ walk, you can find a couple of great beach bars to chill over a cool beer, iced coffee or bite to eat.
One that particularly stood out for us was L’Amorigenin Cala Nova, which is best approached via a fairly well-worn coastal path. Such a relaxing spot, with super friendly laid back staff and lovely organic/vegan friendly food.
And Chirincana Beach Bar, south of Es Canar on Playa Cala Martina, near the Hippy Market is also worth a shout out solely for its location right on the beach.
The Hippy Market(in Punta Arabi – walking distance from Es Canar) itself is widely touted as a ‘must-visit’ but the hordes (literally bus loads) of tourists made me question its authenticity. If visiting with kids, there is a small shaded area towards the back of the market offering activities (such as wind-chime or flower headband making) for a small fee. There’s also live music and a chance to dress up in ‘hippy’ clothes and pose for pictures; again for a fee.
If looking for a bit more action, then Santa Eualalia (the island’s third biggest resort) has more to offer in terms of shops, bars and restaurants but is more built up.
It really depends on what you are looking for. Whatever you do, I would definitely recommend a visit to Caos on the seafront – superb salads and other healthy fare.
Whilst we spent many an hour lounging by the pool which was just was needed, we also made use of having our hire car with a few road trips. We were keen to explore the rest of the island, given we had heard so many reports of how beautiful it was.
First up was a visit to Ibiza Town or Eivissa as its known locally. Definitely a change of pace from Es Canar but beyond the glitzy Botafoch marina area, and as you delve into its Dalt Vila (the fortified old town), the pace is more chilled. Walk along winding, cobbled streets to discover independent shops and galleries, tree lined promenades, cute cafes and bars.
We entered Dalt Vila via Portal Nou (near Plaza del Parque) which leads you to the Contemporary Art Museum(which sadly we didn’t have time to visit) and to the canons atop the Bastion. From here there are some fantastic panoramic views over the city, the old town itself, harbour and sea.
In hindsight, we probably could have timed our visit a little more carefully. The mid-day sun proved too much for us all, which meant tempers were a little frayed, so instead of exploring further, we sought refreshments and nourishment on the steps at S’Escalinata on Carrer Portal Nou. Again, tasty food and super nice staff which seemed to be the true embodiment of Ibizan style.
And of course, no visit to Ibiza would be complete without a visit to one of its famous clubs. We door-stopped Pacha for a quick photo. I may have got a little carried away; my daughter and I are now the proud owners of matching Pacha branded t-shirts; we do love to twin!
Our other day trip saw us venture to the north east of the island. We started off with a visit to Cala de Sant Vicent via the country roads; around 20 minutes’ drive from Es Canar. On route, the scenery changes quite quickly from coast, to pine forests to scorched brown orangey soil and fruit trees, back to turquoise coastline.
Once in Sant Vicent, we hit up a beach bar called On the Beach which had a real Hawaiian surfer feel. There’s the opportunity to reserve beds on their shaded deck while you enjoy a drink or food. The Frappuccino’s and milkshakes were delish. There’s a path from their deck over the rocks which offers great views of the that turquoise coastline too. We spied a large fish that had been caught up in old fishing nets and plastic being rescued by some kayakers: a stark reminder of how fragile our ecosystem is.
From there we ventured to Portinatx via the very pretty village/town of Sant Joan de Laritja. There’s a beautiful church (Iglesia de Sant Joan), some independent shops and a famous restaurant called the Giri Café, which looked amazing. I have already made a mental note that we should go for lunch when we re-visit Ibiza. There was a definite sense that Sant Joan de Laritja was off the tourist trail: it was far more tranquil.
The drive that followed to Portinatx was also beautiful, and the town/resort itself was lovely from what we saw. It definitely had a more upmarket and laid back feel, with a smaller beach and a cool looking Chiringuito, opposite the Barcelo Hotel at Punta Galera plus a larger beach. Again, there looked to be several paths over the rocks which presumably lead to more secluded spots. The “bump” prevented us from exploring but I can only imagine you would be greeted with more beautiful crystal clear sea and golden, near-secluded beaches.
Our road-trip certainly gave me a taste of the other side of Ibiza; one which I hope we can explore further once our family of three becomes four. And maybe this time I’ll actually be able to sample its famous nightlife and revisit that bucket-list!
Travel for travel's sake 