This weekend guide to Ibiza….
… is for you who are looking for a mega romantic weekend with your darling. You want to stay at a superb hotel, have a great dinner at a cozy restaurant and avoid all the drunken youngsters out there.
We skip the clubs but don’t mind sipping a glass of rosé (or two) at a beach club on a beautiful beach, watching all those fabulous sunsets.
Need I say more?
I and my husband stayed close to Santa Gertrudis which is located in the north of Ibiza. I really recommend this part of the island if you just want to relax and enjoy the untouched, beautiful nature of Ibiza. The key words your are looking for are: sports, wellness, health and alternative lifestyle.
If I were to spend the weekend on Ibiza with my girls I would stay in Ibiza town.
Contents
Map of Ibiza • The best Ibiza sights • Where to stay on Ibiza? • Hotels in the northern parts of Ibiza • Restaurants on Ibiza • Beach Clubs • Beaches • Horseback riding • Facts about Ibiza
Map of Ibiza
The best Ibiza sights
- Dalt Vila, the old town in Ibiza town. It is so nice to stroll around, make a short stop for a cortado or an ice cream.
- Ibiza cathedral in Dalt Vila. The cathedral was originally built in gothic style during the 15th century but was refurbished in Baroque style in the 19th century. Ibiza cathedral is well worth a visit and the view over Ibiza town up there is amazing.
- Es Vedra really is just a limestone rock standing in the middle of the ocean. Nevertheless, Es Vedra is also a mythical rock and it is said to be one of the most magnetic places on earth. You get the best view of the island from the beach of Cala d’Hort. Take a hike up the cliffs for a better view. Also – bring lots of water with you!
- The nature! Horseback riding, hiking, bicycle tours.
- The sunset is a big thing on Ibiza and you should not miss watching the sun go down from a beach (club) of your choise. The best spots are: Benirras Beach (a real hippie happening where people are chanting and playing the drums), Cala Conta (early dinner at Sunset Ashram heartily recommended) and Cala d’Hort.
Where to stay on Ibiza?
Where you want to stay on Ibiza depends, of course, who you travel with and what your expectations are.
A few popular villages on Ibiza:
- San Antonio – party, party all day long. Been there, done that, skipping it.
- San José – a cozy village and a perfect starting point for those wanting an active holiday. San José is close to Ses Salines Natural Park.
- Ibiza town – for a city vacay. It really is a beautiful town filled with nice restaurants, hotels, shopping and other fun stuff. Casa Maca is a dreamy boutique hotel just outside Ibiza Town, and has a magnificent view over Dalt Vila.
- Santa Eulalia – for a family vacation.
- Santa Gertrudis is another cozy town with lots of art galleries and great restaurants (see also further down).
Hotels in the northern parts of Ibiza
Ca Na Xica
We stayed at Ca Na Xica, a small boutique hotel in the middle of Ibiza countryside. The setting is beautiful and the landscape designer has made a fantastic jobb creating a soothing space where nothing will annoy you aesthetic mind.
Our suite was called Sal, which was an inviting one bedroom bungalow with an amazingly comfy bed.
I will give the hotel, the staff, the restaurant at Ca Na Xica – Salvia – five strong points, and the suite 5-.
For more pics and a full review on Ca Na Xica, please see here.
La Granja
La Granja is an old finca from the 16th century and this magical place has only 10 rooms.
Atzaró
Agriturismo de luxe, spa, yoga, fitness center, happenings, wellness.
The Giri Residence
The Giri Residence is a 150 years old finca in the tiny village of San Juan.
Sabina Ibiza
Private villa estate and club house. The minimum stay on this dreamy spot is a month. It definitely is a yes.
Restaurants on Ibiza
You will have lunch around 2 pm on Ibiza and dinner between 8 pm and 11 pm (or later). Generally speaking, you have dinner earlier in the central and northern parts of Ibiza since people usually are not planning to go clubbing after dinner.
Make sure to book a table.
Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera
Macao Café (Link to FB-page): Great ambience and trendy. The DJ was playing Iggy Pop and English rock while we were sipping our Margaritas.
Aubergine: Dining al fresco in the middle of the countryside of the white island; organic and healthy.
Bar Costa (Link to FB-page ): Bar Costa equals to tapas. Bar Costa is really popular and casual, order in a racion and a San Miguel.
San Lorenzo
Paloma: Mixed clientele but mostly trendy and beautiful people. The food is amazing, especially the gazpacho which gets 5 points out of 5 from me. The ambience is really great, you relax in a lush garden (a tip: leave those killer heels at home) and enjoy your evening as well as your date. Book a table well in advance. Recommend!
Ibiza Food Studio La Finca: You will find Ibiza Food Studio La Finca up in the San Lorenzo Hills and just when you think you are lost – after driving up and up for a good while on a dirty road – you see the sign “You are excactly where you need to be”. And so it is.
Ex-Noma-chef Boris Buono will cook you a degustation menu in his own home. As you would expect from a chef with a Michelin background there will be a cavalcade of exciting dishes and interesting wines (go for the paired wines).
We are sitting in Buonos garden surrounded by old trees, huge chandeliers and now and then the house cat will come to say hello wanting you to caress her – everything just feels so magical, to put it mildly.
We chose the later seating and there were not that many other guests, just we and another couple (however, we were there off-season so the place will most propably be more busy in July and August).
Their other restaurant, Ibiza Food Studio, will serve pizza in Ibiza town. Well worth a try!
San Juan
Giri Café will not disappoint you if you visit the hippie market in San Juan on a Sunday (note: this market is more like a farmers market vendors selling locally produced food, homemade soaps, art, etc.).
Avoid:
- Can Pau (link to FB-page) in Santa Gertrudis. Tasty Spanish food in a nice enough surroundings but there are so many other great restaurants on Ibiza you rather want to try.
- Pura Vida in Santa Eulalia. Terrible food and boring clientele. However, the beach Niu Blau Beach was nice.
Beach Clubs
El Chringuito Es Cavallet
We had a wonderfully fresh lunch here, the staff is great and so is the clientele. I am thinking El Chiringuito Es Cavallet will work fine even for a casual dinner in the evening. The place is really busy so booking is recommended. I liked Chiringuito Es Cavallet a lot!
Sunset Ashram
Make your dinner reservation at 7 pm at the latest at Sunset Ashram to be able to enjoy the sunset, it already is really crowded by then.
It is good to know that everyone has moved on by 10 pm. Top tip: In case you miss the last bus keep the taxi phone number close by since the staff will not help you to call a cab and it will be chaotic outside Sunset Ashram when everyone is leaving at the same time.
Both young people, older couples and even a few families with kids are enjoying the amazing view. The ambience is great, the food equally so, you play with the sand with your toes while listening to that cool Ibiza sound.
The beach Cala Conta is totally magical, see more pics here below.
Amante
Amante is a really cool place built on a cliff overlooking the Sol d’en Serra bay near Cala Llonga. Amante is perfect if you want to have a glass of wine with lunch and – a good amount of those famous Ibizan party vibes are included. However, I propably would make my dinner reservation somewhere else.
You can actually spend your whole day here; start with a yoga class in the morning and end it in the open air cinema in the evening.
A reservation is a must. And as you can see – Amante has a fabulous view.
Beaches
- Cala Salada Beach
- Las Salinas is one of the best beaches on Ibiza.
- Aguas Blancas for all you nudists out there.
- Cala Conta for the clearest waters, sunbathing and snorkeling. And that sunset!
Avoid
Horseback riding at North Ride Ibiza
The horses are great and so are the trails. Recommend!
Facts about Ibiza
- Ibiza is on the UNESCO world heritage list.
- Weather: Around 14 degrees during the winter months, around 28 degrees during the summer months. August is the warmest month with temperatures rising over 30 degrees.
- Rent a car: Yes, the best way to get around.
- Shopping: Olive oil and salt. Summer dresses.
- Ibiza town is called Eivissa in Catalan.