Idyllic Ibiza

Unbelievable! That’s how our friends reacted when we told them what we felt about Ibiza. They maintained that Ibiza is a place for the young, for those who love clubbing, dance, music and the works… not for us! I totally disagree.

Ibiza has two sides to it – one, the laid-back daytime one, and the other, partying nightlife one – both endless.

Ibiza is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea, reachable by regular flights and ferries. I had read somewhere that you don’t get to see many Indians in Ibiza, but that turned out to be a fallacy as well. In our flight from Barcelona, there were two ‘honeymoon’ couples and a large Gujarati family, all set to enjoy their holidays, just like us.

We hired a car from Ibiza airport and drove down to the city, to the apartment that we had booked for three days on Figueretas Beach. There are plenty of apartment blocks on hire and add to the charm of the place – walking through the beach to buy the essentials, rustling up a quick hot meal to eat in the balcony overlooking the sea, the sound of the waves lulling you to sleep in the night… need I go on!

The beaches

The first day we just explored the nearby area – strolling on the endless stretch of Figueretas Beach bordered by a palm fringed promenade, listening to the birds and the surf through the setting sun. The promenade comes alive with eateries and handicraft stalls in the evening. The weather was clear and we could have a great view of the old walled town of Dalt Villa from the beach.

On feeling tired, we just walked into a beachside eatery to have dinner. Though the place is known for its seafood, my husband being a vegetarian, we opted for sautéed Mediterranean vegetables. The Sangria was great – I had no reason to complain! (Sangria is a Spanish drink made with wine, cut fruits and a dash of brandy.)

Have car, will drive! That’s what my husband felt and we started off on a long exploratory drive the next day. The weather was pleasant with occasional drizzle and cool wind. The drive through the rural landscape of hills, bays and cliffs, and lush green fields dotted with quaint whitewashed houses, was nowhere close to the impression one carries about Ibiza! We started with Las Salinas in the south and drove on to Cala Boix in the east. The beaches were empty because of the weather, but we enjoyed walking on the brown sands listening to the roaring waves. Incidentally, the brownish colour of sand here is because of the Pine needles covering its cliffs. We had a lovely freshly baked Pizza accompanied by Patatas Bravas in the beachside cafe of Benirras beach in the north.

The heritage

Having gotten rid of the driving bug from our system, we decided to explore the main Ibiza town the next day on foot.

Although better known as Spain’s hippest party destination, Ibiza is also known for its UNESCO World Heritage Dalt Villa, a fortified town that rises to a dizzying height on the sun bleached cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Cutting across the main town, we climbed up the steep cobbled street, crossed the drawbridge and entered through a huge gate into the fascinating old world charm of Ibiza’s ancient capital. We needed plenty of puff to climb, but it was well worth the hike. There were plenty of places on the way to stop and refuel ourselves! Amidst the winding alleys, Dalt Villa (means High Town) has remnants of medieval walls, traces of Moorish and Carthaginian fortifications, impregnable monolithic ramparts topped by a whitewashed cathedral. Gothic buildings overhanging the cobbled stone courtyards, lively cafes and shops with the local craftspeople exhibiting their wares, added to the charm. The spectacular view from the high terraces was a bonus! We ended our day with a hearty meal of Paella and Escalivada.

Trudging back to our apartment, we were tired but happy. The next morning, while driving back to the airport, we planned our next trip to Ibiza…this time with our friends!

When to go:

Ibiza’s clubbing season runs from early June to early October. October to April is the best time for a quiet holiday.