Top ten things to do in IBIZA

A few months ago I was asked my the magazine clickstay, if I could write a little guide about Ibiza. Since it was a shorter version I thought with the grey, dark weather outside there wouldn't be anything better than an extensive version of what to do in Ibiza including amazing photos, mostly taken by my boyfriend Berto (www.flickr.com/photos/116449134@N07/). I hope you like it! :)

When you get off the plane and set foot on Ibiza the world stops spinning. This island is subject to its own rules- figuratively speaking obviously. People

do not call it the island of freedom for no reason. The white island- a myth, a place that almost everyone would love to visit and experience.

Party-lovers adore it for the insane parties, the amount of clubs and the variety of music. I mean the best club in the world is in Ibiza! (If you were wondering it is “Ushuaia”)

But it is not all about party on the island. From young couples to wandering souls, families and seniors, all of them love the spirit of Ibiza and its beauty.

There are so many things to do and see. No matter whether you are on the lookout for beach hopping, clubbing, lovely restaurants, a mojito at the beach, a relaxing spa day etc. Ibiza is one of those places that have it all. The charm and views of a little island, the clubs and restaurants of a huge city and the cosiness of a small village.

If you have heard about Ibiza as the island of the rich and beautiful that is quite true. Many famous people spend some days here and if you get lucky you will see them hanging out at the beach or in a cute little Hippie market like Sarah Jessica Parker a few days ago. But worry not if you don’t have the wallet of an A-list celebrity. Like I said all kinds of people enjoy the island vibes and definitely not every place is overly expensive!

Explore Dalt Vila

Grab your camera and go to discover the narrow alleys of Ibiza’s old town called Dalt Vila which is declared UNESCO world heritage. Back in the middle age this was the whole city of Ibiza. The entrance to the charming little streets leads through a huge wooden gate and once inside strolling around time just flies by. The residents dry their laundry over their metallic balconies, you can hear dogs barking and grab a bite in one of the many cute restaurants, often offering traditional food. At the beginning of May there is even a Medieval market where you are taken back to ancient times. Traditional inhabitants offer all kinds of things such as handmade cosmetics and jewellery, fresh food, leather goods, herbs and if you fancy they even do your ice cream right in the moment with ingredients you choose.If you miss the medieval market you still won’t get enough of Dalt Vila. It is full of history, art, tradition, culture and style. You can go to either ask for a map from the tourist information office or just go wherever your noise is leading you.

Inside you will find monuments of Isidor Macabich who was a priest and historian, the first to study the history of Ibiza, and Guillem de Montgri who conquered Ibiza in the 13^th century. An option for art-lovers is the museum “Puget”.

The views from the top of Dalt Vila are simply stunning. You can see the sparkling sea, Formentera the neighbour island, the whole island with its green mountains and the old town with its white houses from top. There are even copies of the cannons they were using to defend their walls in the middle age.

Various little restaurants and bars offer a great spot for a break. Afterwards I can recommend you to take a trip down to the port which is only 10 minutes away by foot.

There you can find even more restaurants and cafés and enjoy your coffee directly at the sea with a spectacular view on the splendid yachts and little boats.

2. Take a boat to Formentera

Several times a day ships cast off towards Formentera from the above-mentioned port. Formentera is the neighbouring island of Ibiza and has a coastline that is, believe it or not, 69km long. You should really go to the beach “Ses Illetes” which is under the top 10 of the world’s best beaches. The scenery is picturesque. With the turquoise shining water and the white sand it is dreamlike and not called “the European Caribbean” for no reason. The restaurants in Formentera are on the pricier side, for example the “Juan y Andrea”, but the chances are high to see a celebrity.

3. Get your vitamin SEA

Get your dose of Vitamin C at one of the thousands of beautiful beaches. In every part of Ibiza are truly hidden gems. Are you looking for a huge beach with restaurants, bars and many people or do you prefer a silent little beach surrounded only by nature?

An example for the big beaches are Playa d’en Bossa, Las Salinas and Cala Compte.

The only Hardrock Hotel of Europe is located at Playa d’en Bossa with its very own beach club where you will get Paella, mojitos and fresh fruit served while you are relaxing on huge sunbeds. Meanwhile a DJ is putting on some of the finest music.

In Las Salinas the coastline seems to be endless. You can stay directly in the beginning with many people and listen to the music coming from the bars or go a bit further along the beach where it is less crowded. People walking around are selling watermelon, coconut or fresh drinks.

You should not miss going to Cala d’Hort where you can enjoy your bath with an amazing view over “es Vedra”, a little island that is forbidden to step onto. However it is one of the most typical things to see in Ibiza and the beach is beautiful.

If you prefer beaches that are more intimate I can recommend for example Cala Salada or Benirras in the North of Ibiza. Anyhow those are all just suggestions and there are far more beaches that you should go to discover.

4. Go beach club hopping

Take pleasure in the white island lifestyle and discover all the luxurious beach clubs the island has to offer. On almost every beach there is one and you can join the in-crowd hanging out, sipping cocktails and enjoy the sunset in the evening.

Near to the beach of Las Salinas there is a beach club called “Experimental”. It is a bit outlying at a rocky beach and has stunning sunset views. You can throw yourself on a couch and order different cocktails. One of the highlights is a cocktail for two people served in a pineapple.

Another beach club you should not miss is the “Cotton beach club” in Cala Tarida. It is a dream in white, which in contrast to the turquoise sea looks like paradise. Enjoy a glass of iced cold rosé wine and a luxurious lunch. Afterwards you can lie down in stylish day beds and enjoy the jaw-dropping views across the sea.

In Cala Compte is the “Sunset Ashram” which offers delicious food, often live music and an especially laied back clientele. Here you can enjoy the sunset in a relaxed atmosphere with guitar music.

But those are only very few examples of all the beach clubs Ibiza has to offer. So the best thing you can do is a little beach club hopping to find out on your own which one you like best.

5. Go to see a beautiful sunset

If Ibiza has one thing, then it is a breathtaking sunset all around the island. Nevertheless I can especially recommend you one spot that in my opinion is the most beautiful of the whole island.

The location I am talking about is the cliffs up in Cala d’Hort with a magnificent view on es Vedrà! Once I overheard a man chatting to his friends, saying that this is like an injection of peace and I thought he was right.

The silence up there is incredibly soothing and the only thing you can hear is the waves breaking and your own thoughts. It is such an inspirational location. Grab a bottle of wine, a blanket and your favourite person in the world and enjoy this peaceful spectacle. Other good places to watch the sunset are the beach clubs or just directly at the beach sitting in the sand. I guarantee there is no bad place to experience this. Just look at this photo:

6. Hit the clubs

Once the sun is set the crazy nights can get started. If you enjoy huge clubs with unimaginable shows your right choice would be clubs like Pacha, Ushuaia Tower, Space and Amnesia.

They host famous parties like the “Flower Power” every Tuesday in Pacha. Everyone is dressed  up like Hippies and flower children with enormous round sunglasses, flower crowns and flared trousers. The show is magnificent.

In all of the above-mentioned clubs the most famous DJs, such as David Guetta, are happy to put on some music and many of them are regulars.

In case you are a friend of electronic music you just have to go to DC10 which is famous for its top-class electro DJs and parties. Many people just fly in for one night for the “circo loco” in DC10 and leave in the morning.

If you are looking for a crazy bunch of people and a little festival feeling go to San Antonio. One bar is located next to the other and one is cheaper than the other as well. People dress up as if they would be on a festival and go from bar to bar. The atmosphere there is insane and you will definitely have an unforgettable night!

In the middle of Ibiza town are various little bars in which you mostly find residents partying. The music they put on is diversified from Reggeaton, Salsa right up to Pop. One of my favourite bars is the “Mei”. Little, affordable, a good party crowd and Reggeaton. Across “Mei” there is a little bar called “Injoy” where you get a litre of mojito for seven Euros. If you want to share your mojito is up to you! ;-)

7. Save some money while you are shopping

Many people do not know that shops like Zara, Pull&Bear, Stradivarius and Bershka are a little bit cheaper than in the rest of the world because their founder is Spanish. So is you were planning on doing some shopping check the shops out.

If you were looking for shops with unique clothes you should stroll around the little streets of the port. Various exquisite boutiques line up next to each other with an exclusive selection of boho-inspired clothes, handmade shoes and leather goods.

In “la Sirena”, some sort of mall located in different parts of the islands offers you a broad variety of discounted pieces of brands such as Nike and New Balance.

8. Try the tapas

I guess one of the most Spanish things ever are the Tapas. Those are little snacks served with a slice of bread or on their own. Basically every restaurant has tapas on their menu. Anyways I’d like to mention two restaurants that are known for great tapas. They are located side by side in Ibiza town and are called “Mar a Vila” and “Can Terra”.

If you want to get hold of a chair in Can Terra come early and don’t be afraid of contact with other people! No matter which day of the week it is, it is always full to overflowing. The reason might be the luxurious Tapas they prepare. They show them on little trays at the bar and you just choose what you’d like and take them to your table.

In Mar a Vila it works very similar. You choose your tapas; they heat them and then bring them to your table. You see, tapas are faster than any other fast food and a lot tastier!

QUE APROVECHE!