Page Text Content
Ibiza
The free spirit of the Balearics, Ibiza's long been the world's favourite dancefloor. But these days the island's stepping to a new beat....
Thomson Destinations
reviews Video tour & customer on.co.uk thoms
First came the artists, keen to capture Ibiza on canvas. Next the hippies who turned up, tuned in and dropped out. Then, later, the dance crowd, who replaced peace and love with progressive house music. But now it seems Ibiza's grown up. Sure, any clubber worth their glowsticks will assure you San Antonio and Ibiza Town still rule the night. But now, this Med hotspot moves to a different beat. A calmer, more relaxed one. Couples come here for luxury weekends. And families are filling the sandy beaches. In terms of where to head, Puerto San Miguel and Portinatx have the picture-postcard factor. They're pretty quiet, too. Santa Eulalia cranks things up a notch, with a restaurant scene as impressive as its beach. And next up is Playa d'en Bossa. Clubbers' paradise, family favourite - it treads the holiday tightrope like a pro. Last but not least - Ibiza Town. The old quarter's a World Heritage Site and its alleys and cobbled streets wear a castle for a crown. So, Ibiza in a nutshell? Cosmopolitan. Relaxing. A whole lot of fun - glowsticks or otherwise. Things to see and do Ibiza Town If there's one place you have to see it's the capital's old quarter. Like a mini Dubrovnik it's a town within a town. And, like Croatia's star turn, it's a World Heritage Site so effectively it's been pickled - preserved like a snapshot in time. As appearances go, it's a looker, but in a pretty-but-doesn't-know-it sense. Think pin-thin cobbled lanes. Laundry strung across the street. And balconies smothered in blooms. All wrapped up in chunky, 16th-century walls. At the top of the hill is an old castle that offers up speech-impeding views. When you've gorged on the scenery, turn your attention to the cathedral and the little museum where you can get to grips with Ibiza's past. Hippy Market Es Cana on a Wednesday. This is where your batik fantasies - or nightmares - clash in a great cloud of incense. Ibiza's number one market bustles beneath a puff of hubbly bubbly smoke. Think kaleidoscopic kaftans and stalls on the verge of a bead and bangle-induced collapse. Even if you think there's no room for lovebeads in today's fickle world of fashion, you'll enjoy the sensation of time travel if nothing else. And in the middle of these psychedelic buys, you'll spot a few of the dreadlocked hippies who came to Ibiza and liked it so much they never went home. The Ibiza Express If you want to get to know the north the easy way, make the most of the Ibiza Express tourist train. It'll take you to places you'd probably have trouble finding on foot. There's a few tours to choose from. One of the best starts in Portinatx and takes you through Puerto San Miguel and Cala San Vicente. Mother Nature puts on quite a performance along the way, with pine-fringed bays, isolated beaches and ancient caves. Aguamar Water Park Scream your way down slides. Splash about in pools. Or just picnic in the sunshine. Whatever takes your fancy, the island's biggest waterpark hits the spot when you want a break from Playa d'en Bossa's beach. If you fancy a gentle glide, get in line for the Super Tobbogan. But if you've got a white-knuckle-or-nothing approach, it's got to be the Black Hole. Brave it if you dare C'an Marca Caves If you like your sights served up au naturel, this is a good place to start your island tour. The stalagmites and stalactites look more like melted waxwork figures than eons-old mineral deposits. Set just off Puerto San Miguel's beach, this was once the hideout of smugglers hoping to sneak contraband goods into Ibiza. As your guide leads you along their ancient route, keep an eye on the walls - it's where the pirates etched their emergency exit points. Factor in heart-stopping views of the Med and you've got a don't miss' sight on your hands.
Portinatx
N
Punta des Gat
Puerto San Miguel Cala Gracio
Sa Conillera
Sant Joan
409 Es Fornas
Cala Sant Vincente Es Figueral
Tagomago
Santa Gertrudis Es Cana
Port des San Antonio Torrent Sant Cala Corral Sant Rafel Cala Moli
Med
Ibiza
ea
S'Espardell
n
Se
S'Espalmador
a
La Savina San Francisco
Formentera
Cap de Barbaria
San Fernando El Pilar La Mola 192 de la Mola
Sa Talaia Punta Rotja
IBIZA
7 km
© TUI 2005
Beaches The island's got everything beach-wise, from parasol-peppered strips to secret coves where it's just you and your towel. For sheer length, you can't beat Playa d'en Bossa, which melts into Figueretes not far from Ibiza Town. It snakes along the southeast coast for two miles, all soft sands and palms. Things stay pretty lively - this is, after all, where you'll find the famous Bora Bora beachclub. But the calm waters make it a hit with families, too. Ibiza Town's more reserved offering is Talamanca, a sandy bay a mile or so north of the capital. The powers that be have put the mockers on development here so you can get a flavour of what this stretch was like before the tourists. Alternatively there's pebbly Playa Codolar, just east of Sa Caleta. If you don't mind the odd rumble of a jet engine - it's pretty close to the airport - it's a great place to sneak a little me' time, rarely attracting more than a handful of sunbathers. The titan
on the west coast is San Antonio, whose huge sliver of sand is a favourite recovery spot for worn-out clubbers. As for the east, laid-back Santa Eulalia and Es Cana have buttercup sands and wincingly blue waters. Venture north of these two and you'll come to Cala San Vicente. It's a big bay backed by a gaggle of bars and some good fish restaurants. As for watersports, all but the tiniest beaches have them, everything from pedalos to parasailing.
Average daily maximum temperature
te
Es Vedra
rr
475 Sa Talaiassa
Playa de Talamanca Figueretas Playa d'en Bossa i Sa Caleta ed M Punta Roma
a
ne
30 25 20 15 10 5
London Ibiza
80 70 60 50 40
°F
Apr 8 5 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Average daily hours of sunshine 10 11 11 11 8 6 7 6 6 5 Oct 6 3
an
°C
Josep
419 Puig Gros
Ibiza Town
Cala Llonga
86
Visit thomson.co.uk
More Hotels More photos 2,000 videos Customer reviews Google Earth
Se
Santa Eulalia
Cala Llenya S'Argamassa
a
ite
rr
an
|
Save it »
inbro