The Non Insider’s Ibiza Guide

For my final Ibiza post, I wanted to share my lasting impressions and ideas about an island that was previously shrouded in mystery for me. However, I wouldn’t dare call myself an insider after a mere one week trip. I can’t tell you the most beautiful beaches, since I only saw a few. I can’t tell you the most well kept secret dining hotspot, as we mostly stuck to self catering. I can’t even tell you the best clubs, as there are too many to visit in seven nights! (Although I must say Zoo Project, an animal themed club that takes place in an abandoned zoo ground, might be the greatest idea that ever existed in the history of the world). But I can tell you a few things I picked up from my stay, the tips I would email to a friend if they were headed over to this part of the world soon.

1. Stay in Ibiza Town I have no idea if this is totally cost prohibitive and therefore poor advice. But I can tell you the afternoon we spent wandering Ibiza town was one of my favorites of the trip, as well as one of the first moments I looked around and went, “Oh yes, I’m in Spain.”

The town (city?) overlooks the sea and a harbor filled with little fishing boats and massive yachts.

There are designer shops, adorable cafes, and tons of windy streets to get lost in.

2. Explore the Island Ibiza is huge. I don’t have exact figures but I can say that it is, scientifically speaking, an enormous island. I highly recommend that you rent a car or bike one day and see some more of it than you could on your own two feet! At only 50€ for a 24 hour car rental and about 25€ for a bike, it’s an affordable excursion (especially if you are splitting with friends!)

Beware that, unlike in destinations like Honduras and Thailand, shops will actually require you to show a driver’s license before renting out a motorized vehicle (weird).

Our day driving up to Portinax was one of our best days on the island. We played on the beach, ate ice cream, and went for a round of mini golf (or crazy golf, as the Brits call it).

While playing volleyball in the water we were approached by a young Spanish boy who asked by pantomime if he could join us. I loved his gusto, approaching a group of twenty something foreigners and asking to play. And you know? He wasn’t half bad.

3. Go With Friends I’m sure that there are people who go to Ibiza for solo trips or romantic getaways, but I just can’t imagine a better way to spend your holiday than with a big group of friends. It can be challenging to travel in numbers and balance everyone’s desires and budgets, but its worth it in the end for the stories and the laughs.

4. Splurge on a Nice Meal As we stayed in a rental house with a full kitchen, we ate many meals at home to save on costs. When we did grab food out, the majority of cheap restaurants in San Antonio were mediocre and overpriced for what they were. The night that we had the rental vehicles however, we went on a mission and high in the hills of Ibiza found a beautiful restaurant that reminded me of Ibiza’s reputation as a hippie hideaway.

It was nice to treat ourselves, have a good meal, and watch the sunset.

5. Watch the Sunset in San Antonio Every night on the “sunset strip” in San Antonio, crowds gather to watch and cheer as the sun slips below the water line. There are restaurants and bars with great views, or you can grab a drink from a shop in town and sit on the beach. It’s great not only for the sunset watching, but the people watching.

6. Get Over the Cost This is the one piece of advice that I wish that I myself had been able to follow. Of course, I am traveling very long term and not taking a one week holiday so my budget and priorities are totally different than most visitors to Ibiza. But at times my daily trips to the ATM started to take a toll and I felt it was hard to enjoy myself. I wish I had simply put aside the ridiculous amount of money and let myself go wild rather than agonize. Once you’re there, you’ve spent quite a bit to get there and you’ll spend a pretty penny just living for the week. Might as spend a bit more and live it up.

This wraps up my coverage of our week in Ibiza! Next stop, Manchester…

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Ibiza is a beautiful island in Spain! To plan a fun in the sun vacation, check online for flights to Ibiza.