Went to Ibiza last month for a week. It was good to be back.
This was my fourth time on the 'White Island' (named for its salt plains) and Beki's first trip.
Like so many other people who have never been before, Beki had never fancied going because of all the things she thought it stood for e.g. that it'd be full of fighting and vomiting Brits. Understandable really when it's drummed home through shows like 'Ibiza Uncovered' and all those stories of what people get up to in San Antonio's West End.
I really wanted her to see the island as it really is; away from the tourist hot spots it's a place of beautiful scenery and warm, open people. So here's a little taste of what we got up to:
Beaches:
Cala Xuclar where we enjoyed a massage for 15 Euros and a great lunch of bread, cheese and salami at a cute little wooden hut run by a lovely couple
Benirras which is famous for the bongo sunset parties that used to take place on Sundays
Las Salinas our favourite beach, great lunches at the beach bars whilst listening to good music
Cala d'hort, Cala Vadella and Cala Moli
Cala Mastella where we had a brilliant fish lunch at a little restuarant tucked around the bay. It's only opened at weekends and they have two servings; one at 12pm (grilled fish) and one at 2.30pm (fish stew)
Cafes for lunch:
Guarana on Las Salinas
The Jockey Club on Las Salinas
Cilantro in Santa Gertrudis
Restaurants:
La Paloma in sleepy San Lorenzo does amazing pasta
Atzaro is an amazing setting, but the food is expensive and fussy
La Brasa in Ibiza Town
El Bigotes for a romantic sunset meal overlooking Es Vedra
Bars/clubs:
Base bar Ibiza Town
Rock bar Ibiza Town
Cabaret at Es Vive hotel
Saw the Editors play at Bar M as part of Ibiza Rocks
Hotels/hostels to stay in for a treat (we didn't stay but had a look for next time):
So that was it, it was a pretty full on week that felt like a month. You can only really do this much if you hire a car. Here's some more info on stuff to do/read about Ibiza.
Bars/restuarants we didn't go to but I have been before/recommended:
PK2
Macau Cafe, Santa Gertrudis
Aura bar from the people who bought us Home in Shoreditch
This article in the Guardian is well worth taking to the island as a handy reference.
This is a cracking guidebook and finally, a good book to read is Steven Armstrong's history of the island called The White Island.
