Ibiza

In England, when someone mentions ‘Ibiza,’ the immediate reaction is to think of a rowdy, youthful island teaming with sunburnt British tourists who spend their time enjoying the famous clubbing scene.

Unsurprisingly, a few eyebrows were raised after announcing I was going to spend a couple of days there with my mum and sister. With such a reputation, Ibiza is not the sort of place that young people want to visit with their families.  However, mum has great taste when it comes to holidays and yet again she did not let us down.

Ibiza was enchanting, far from the tacky, touristy destination I had imagined.

Although our hotel looked over the more built-up side of the island, we were a short walk away from Ibiza town, which was something special. The old centre, a world heritage site, is built above the city itself and is surrounded by a thick stone wall. Within are cobbled streets and small cafés and restaurants. The place looked even more magnificent at night as old buildings such as the cathedral were lit up. In the evenings people enjoyed drinks overlooking the city and ate out in the numerous restaurants that stretched down to the port side.

Another thing that adds to Ibiza’s charm is its beautiful coastline. Hiring a car, we had the chance to explore outside of the town and discover the endless beaches scattered along the seafront. A short 20 minute drive took us to unspoilt pebble bays where we soaked up the sunshine and crystal clear water. We were also lucky enough to visit the island out of season so had the beaches pretty much to ourselves. I can imagine it’s a very different story mid-August.

At these coves, you find small restaurants who serve delicious fresh sea food. When eating at these places, it does not take long to realise that the island is actually a luxurious holiday destination. Smart families would arrive at the restaurants by boat; stepping off their gin palaces and ferried by their crew to the mainland where they enjoyed long, lavish lunches.

I must admit, it was a pricey place! I had the privilege of enjoying it with mum but I certainly would’ve struggled on my own budget. Having said that, there were plenty of cheap and cheerful tapas bars in town that a student would be more than happy with.

Despite its swanky guests, Ibiza was certainly not elitist. The island also had a strong hippie aspect which we discovered at a popular tourist market. Here there was a laid back atmosphere where you could listen to old-school bands and buy bohemian style clothes and jewellery. From young couples to families, anyone could enjoy the islands beauty.

So I learnt that Ibiza is nothing like its reputation. Yes the night-life places exist, and they probably get more prominent in high summer, but you can easily avoid them. In reality, it’s a magical island with much more than clubs to discover.