Ibiza is known for being a party island, a place for letting loose and dancing until the sun comes up, but that has never been my experience of it.
Like many others, I fell in love with a side of the White Isle that reveals peaceful towns, gorgeous beaches and restful wellness retreats.
My first visit to Ibiza was on a family trip when I was in my early teens. We spent a week at a hotel in relaxing Santa Eulalia that was mere metres from a sandy beach.
I remember it as a laid-back holiday when I spent lots of time in the sea and ate ice creams almost daily. Just thinking about it now makes me happy.
Since then, I’ve been back to Ibiza a handful of times to chill and explore, most recently at the end of last summer when the island was starting to wind down for the season. It was as dreamy as always. Ibiza never disappoints – and here’s why…
1. World-class hotels
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Ibiza has some pretty swanky hotels – ranging from boutique Boho-chic boltholes to re-imagined classics that place innovative interior design at the forefront.
One of the most coveted is the Montesol Experimental hotel, in the heart of Ibiza Town.
It originally opened as the Gran Hotel Montesol in 1933 and has hosted a diverse celebrity clientele, from Orson Welles to Pink Floyd and Princess Caroline of Monaco. The elegant neo-colonial property was bought by the Experimental Group in 2021, which has given it a stunning makeover.
Guiding the redesign was Parisian interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon, the woman behind some of the most striking hotels in the world right now, such as the Grand Pigalle Hotel in Paris and Cowley Manor in Gloucestershire. She has transformed Montesol’s 30 rooms and three suites into an eye-catching utopia of pastel tones, with rattan lamps and funky-shaped furniture.
There’s also a charming cosmic theme, with moon motifs appearing throughout.
2. Sensational beaches
You are spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches in Ibiza. The island is home to more than 80 of them, from pretty hidden coves to dazzling white-sand wonders.
Luckily, given Ibiza’s relatively small size (it takes about an hour to drive from top to bottom), you don’t have to limit yourself to just one or two.
Days can be spent hopping from beach to beach, working your way around as many as possible.
Be sure to check out Cap des Falco, a pebbly stretch in the south where you’ll find the Experimental Beach club.
Owned by the aforementioned hotel, the sandy beach is lined with white sunloungers and day beds that offer prime sea and sunset views. To reach it, the drive takes you across Los Salinas salt reserve, home to flocks of pink flamingos.
For a taster of the island’s hippy vibe, head to Benirras in the island’s north, where every Sunday drummers descend on the beach, fires are lit and the sunset is celebrated.
A safe bet for families is Cala Gracioneta, a white sandy cove where locals flock for the tranquil tree-lined setting, turquoise waters and relative seclusion.
3. Delicious local cuisine
Meals typically begin with an offering of fresh bread and aioli (mayonnaise with a strong garlic kick), washed down with carafes of wine and classic sangria.
Many restaurants will also serve staples such as patatas bravas, croquettes, grilled octopus and a good paella.
Ibiza’s traditional paella, paella de marisco, is packed with calamari, mussels, prawns, clams and scallops and served in huge steaming pans that arrive at the table for everyone to share.
Other specialities worth sampling are butifarra sausage – a ‘pate’ consisting of pork, bacon and spices, thickly smeared on peasant bread – and sofrit pages, a hearty stew of mixed meats such as chicken, lamb and Ibicencan sausages.
4. Artisan shopping
Forget fridge magnets and keychains, Ibiza offers truly unique treasures to take home.
The island is known for its Es Cana ‘hippy markets’ where local vendors showcase their homemade wares – from kaftans, crochet two pieces, silver jewellery, leather bags and more.
Serious shoppers should head to the oldest and biggest, Hippy Market Punta Arabi, which is held every Wednesday (April to October) in Es Cana. It’s a vibrant and bustling affair, where you can easily spend an entire day winding through no less than 500 stalls. On Saturdays, the Las Dalias Hippy Market takes place in San Carlos.
These sit alongside the many local artisan markets dotted around the island selling everything from ceramics to homemade soaps.
5. Mysterious natural wonders
There is no doubt that Ibiza has a certain pull and some believe it’s linked to the mysterious rock of Es Vedra.
Found off the island’s southwest coast, legend says that this uninhabited formation is the third most magnetic place in the world, after the Bermuda Triangle and the North Pole.
The limestone monolith, which rises to a height of 400 metres (1,312ft), is certainly mesmerising.
Don’t miss the chance to admire it from the cliffs above Cala d’Hort beach in Sant Josep, where the views are uninterrupted, and particularly atmospheric at sunset.
6. World-class wellness
Uncover the secrets to a long life at Six Senses Ibiza.
The luxury resort in the island’s Bohemian north has taken hotel wellness to a whole new level with the launch of its ‘RoseBar longevity club‘.
The ‘secrets’ are revealed during a one, three or seven-day programme that incorporates a full wellness screening to access individual needs.
RoseBar programs offer guests the ‘insights and tools’ to help boost and stimulate the body’s natural repair systems.
Treatments available in the extensive spa include hyperbaric oxygen therapy and IV vitamin drips, ice baths, infrared saunas and yoga and meditation classes.