From high-end hideaways to bohemian beach bars, the magic of Ibiza runs deep.
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From high-end hideaways to bohemian beach bars, the magic of Ibiza runs deep. This year sees the regeneration of a clutch of iconic classics, along with a smattering of hip new openings tipped to shake up the already scorching scene.
The smartest stays
From white-clad country estates to bijou design gems and gleaming waterfront landmarks, Ibiza’s hotels are as unique as they are plentiful.
Los Enamorados
Tucked away in Portinatx’s itty-bitty harbour, this sultry, tropical hotspot – think rattan furniture, banana plants and quirky Seventies finds – is the hippest new all-day hangout. Jewel-hued rooms with canopy beds are on the small side, but neat sea-view balconies do the trick. Below, on the sprawling quayside terrace, a clued-up crowd converge for cocktails at sunset before tucking into freshly-caught squid beneath swaying bamboo lamps. Fallen in love with the décor? Not to worry, it’s all for sale in the hotel’s bazaar-style shop.
losenamoradosibiza.com, doubles from €225
La Granja
With grey-on-grey walls, distressed wooden tables and artfully placed baskets of oranges, new ‘members’ retreat’ La Granja is a master class in studied cool. Bedrooms are dimly lit and monastically simple, with stone floors, rough wooden stools and and dove-grey beds swathed in worn linens. Bamboo sun loungers line a deep blue pool and a serious, arty crowd (no kids) drift from newspapers on the terrace to group meditation to organic, home-grown lunch: La Granja translates as ‘The Farm’.
lagranjaibiza.com, doubles from €350
The top tables
A blow-out dinner in Marina Botafoch or a flower-scented supper beneath the almond trees? Ibiza has it all.
Coricancha
From the team behind Blue Marlin, Coricancha is an exotic little bird perched on the edge of the mysterious Las Salinas salt flats. Come early for the otherworldly sunsets, then dive into umami-packed Nikkei (that’s Peruvian/Japanese) dishes like Chilean seabass and jungle paste wrapped in banana leaves with white melon, Chinese zucchini and roasted coconut consommé. The super-cool Moonlight Garden is a hit with DJs from nearby nightclub, DC-10.
coricanchaibiza.com
Nagai
Set in an ancient finca with the prettiest circular courtyard, Nagai is arguably Ibiza’s best sushi restaurant. Co-owner Melchior is a gracious host and his team – many of them Japanese – are particularly knowledgeable. Try signature rolls like crispy avocado and baby corn, or order the Mexican-inspired salmon carpaccio with chilli, coriander and pomegranate sauce. There’s a serious sake menu at the groovy open-air bar, and the rural location makes it ultra-special.
nagairestaurant.com
The most beautiful beaches
From chi-chi lunch spots where yachts bob offshore to wild, windswept wave breaks, soak up the sun on Ibiza’s endless sands
Cala Jondal – a trio of must-sees
This pebbly cove (‘cala’ translates as cove, where ‘playa’ is beach), is home to a trio of must-sees. At the northern end is Tropicana, an easy-breezy hangout with palapa umbrellas, a Tiki bar and swathes of sun loungers. Show up pre-noon to bag a sun bed and sink a glass of chilled Muga rosé, before ordering the shrimp-heavy Tropicana Salad. Take an afternoon swim in the gin-clear water then relax into a profoundly restorative Thai massage with Jorge in his palm-shaded hut. At the opposite end of the beach is Yemanja, a relaxed beach restaurant that specialises in paella and the Ibiza classic lubina á la sal (salt-baked sea bass). The cava sangria is peachy perfection – grab a daybed to snooze it off or plunge straight off the rickety jetty into the sea. For the ultimate see-and–be-seen hotspot, it has to be the Blue Marlin. Ibiza’s world-famous beach club gets hotter year-on-year, with a stage, dancing girls and rows of tables laden with bottles of champagne. The scene can get wild, with top DJs playing to a hyped-up crowd of city traders, frat boys and bikini clad babes, but don’t miss the food – there are relaxed spots to dine beneath the trees and the sushi is easily some of the island’s best.
tropicanaibiza.com
yemanjaibiza.com
bluemarlinibiza.com
Las Salinas – an Ibiza icon
This endless strip of bleached white sand is Ibiza’s most legendary. Lapped by warm shallow waters, it’s a hit with families as well as those keen to soak up the bohemian beach clubs. Pole position in the centre of the beach is the Jockey Club, an Ibiza institution whose wooden deck can turn from relaxed dining terrace to hands-in-the-air dancefloor in a matter of minutes. Ask for a table in the primea linea for the best sea view and order stone-baked pizza and a mojito. Tucked away at the the southern tip of the beach is Sa Trinxa, the palapa-roofed shack that’s been making waves since the 1980s. With a wildly eclectic soundtrack and a tanned, sarong-wearing crowd, it’s got the festival vibe on lockdown, and is as close to Ibiza’s hippy roots as you’ll find.
jockeyclubibiza.com
satrinxa.com
The chicest shopping
Ibiza has a bohemian yet ultra-stylish look all its own. Hunt down the island’s backstreet boutiques, colourful markets and smartest open-air shopping streets
Explore the winding alleys of Ibiza Town’s historic port for one-off local finds. White peasant blouses from Bamba AdLib (Carrer d’Antoni Palau, 5) make great beach cover-ups, or stock up on traditional handwoven baskets on Calle de la Cruz. For floor-skimming seventies-style kaftans it’s Las Noches de Ibiza (Carrer de Guillem de Montgrí, 1), or if you fancy vintage Pucci to wear to Flower Power at Pacha, head to Vicente Ganesha (Carrer de Guillem de Montgrí, 14). Classic espadrilles are still woven on-site at s’Espardenya (Carrer Ignaci Riquier, 19). For the Isabel Marant version, slip into Mayurka (mayurkaibiza.com) on Vara de Rey, where you’ll also find Kenzo, Balenciaga and Marni. reVOLVER (revolveribiza.com) stocks cult labels like Helmut Lang and Comme des Garcons (menswear too), along with jewellery from Ibiza-born designer Zara Simon.
The wildest nights
From sophisticated sundowners to 8am finishes, Ibiza’s nightlife is the best on the planet. Check out these good-time go-tos
The smartest pre-club spots are in Ibiza Town. Start the night right with a glass of champagne at at 105 by La Cantine (105bylacantine.com), the sleek new outpost of Paris’s revered La Cantine du Faubourg, whose candy-striped, Riviera-style terrace sits snug alongside the superyachts. Follow up with a pre-dinner cocktail at Calma or Cappucino Café (grupocappuccino.com/en/marina-ibiza), both of which have DJs and quayside terraces overlooking the Old Town. Dinner runs late in Ibiza, and after supper it’s time to find the party. Pacha (pacha.com) is easily Ibiza’s most stylish nightclub and sits neatly alongside Marina Ibiza. Sunday is Pacha’s hero night, when Serbian house DJ Solomun mans the booth.
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