Telephone numbers listed below, except toll-free numbers, should be preceded by 011-34 when dialed from the United States.
Getting There
From the United States there are no direct flights to Ibiza. Iberia airlines connects to the island via Madrid and Barcelona. Starting in May, British Airways will fly there from London's Gatwick airport.
Getting Around
To explore off the beaten path, you must have a car. Hertz, Avis and some local companies have branches at the airport.
When to Go
The best months to visit are May, June and September, when the weather is ideal but it's not peak season. Other times have their perks: in April the valleys are covered with wildflowers, and the mild winter is perfect for trekking, cycling and horseback riding.
Who Goes
Like other top Mediterranean resorts, Ibiza draws its share of supermodels and film, rock and soccer stars, along with European crowned heads. Some come to party and be seen, but most disappear into the seclusion of a countryside villa or hotel, emerging only for the occasional outing. Visitors include Elle Macpherson, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss, Valentino, Hugh Grant, Sean Combs, Grace Jones, Tamara Mellon, Jean Paul Gaultier, Santo Versace, Philippe Starck, the king and queen of Norway and King Juan Carlos of Spain.
Language
Both Catalan and Castilian Spanish are spoken, and islanders also have their own dialect. Menus are in Castilian and often in English.
Staying in Style
Atzaró This magnificently restored 300-year-old finca is in the middle of an orange grove on a hillside near Santa Eulôria, on the eastern coast. The two appealing families who own it—one ibicenco, one Belgian—have furnished the ten spacious rooms and suites exquisitely, with Balinese four-poster beds, silk cushions and rich fabrics in oranges and reds. Everything—from the pool to the sprawling grounds, dotted with huge palms, lily ponds and Asian and African sculpture—invites relaxation. The informal patio restaurant serves superb Asian-fusion and Catalonian cuisine, including its own foie gras with dates. Double rooms from $365 to $392, suites from $418 to $444. Carretera San Juan, km 15; 971-338-838; fax: 971-331-650; atzaro.com.
Can Curreu Impeccably run by ibicenco Vicente Mari, this quiet finca consists of twelve cottages amid fruit groves, giant cacti and sunflowers. The comfortable rooms have exposed Sabine-pine beams. Amenities include a lovely pool and riding stables. The property's well-known restaurant, set next to a 2,000-year-old olive tree, specializes in Asian and Catalonian dishes, such as gazpacho served with black-olive ice cream, garlic sea bass with caramelized sweetbreads and teriyaki lamb with vanilla-infused apricots. Can Curreu is just down the road from Las Dalias, the island's famous weekly market. Double rooms $265, suites from $490 to $520. Carretera Sant Carles, km 12, Santa Eulôria; tel. and fax: 971-335-280; cancurreu.com.
Hotel Hacienda Na Xamena Some of the sixty-four Indonesian-themed rooms at this cliff-top hotel have terraces with private outdoor Jacuzzis—perfect for watching the sun set over the sea. When you're not lounging by the large pool or sipping cocktails in the Moroccan-style lounge, try one of the treatments at the tiny Spa "La Posidonia." Four restaurants, all near the pool, offer superb Mediterranean and Asian food that ranges from simple snacks to a six-course tapas-to-truffle-cake feast at Sueño de Estrellas. Double rooms from $333 to $605, suites from $453 to $1,007. San Miguel; 971-334-500; 800-735-2478; fax: 971-334-514; hotelhacienda-ibiza.com.
Hotel La Ventana Prefer bustling Ibiza Town to the countryside? Stay in this stylish but unassuming thirteen-room mansion, on a eucalyptus-shaded square behind the walls of Dalt Vila. The sky-blue-and-white bedrooms are furnished with four-poster iron beds. Suites 102 and 304 are the most spacious, boasting living rooms and balconies. Also great is the rooftop terrace, with a panorama of the harbor. Ventana may be more bohemian than luxurious, but it has all the amenities and a friendly staff. Double rooms from $190 to $280, suites $472. 13 Sa Carrosa; 971-390-857; fax: 971-390-145; laventanaibiza.com.
Villa to Get
Villa Roca The mountain road near the western town of San José that leads to Villa Roca may give drivers pause, but this ultramodern mansion, built into a 660-foot cliff, is worth it. The multilevel extravaganza has eight white and earth-toned suites, two of them with hydromassage baths. There's also a huge outdoor pool with a waterfall, a rooftop terrace for barbecues (with a dumbwaiter linked to the kitchen and the wine cellar) and a high-tech music system that can transform the terrace into your own private dance hall. Views are fantastic: you can see Ibiza Town and all the way to the neighboring island of Formentera. Staff, meals and other personalized services are available on request. Contact Specifically Ibiza at 971-194-958; specificallyibiza.com.
Top Dinner Tables
Bambuddha Grove For a lively night out, there's no better place than this boho-chic dining spot, where celebs and locals mingle. Set in a sprawling garden, Bambuddha serves excellent Asian-fusion fare and a great Thai buffet. You'll find Goa-inspired decor, massive daybeds, incense, colored lights, lounge music and a hip fashion boutique. Carretera San Juan, km 8.5, Santa Eulôria; 971-197-510.
El Clodenis Set in a rustic 275-year-old home in central Ibiza's San Rafael, the island's top French bistro serves Mediterranean and Provençal cuisine. It's definitely a place to be seen—everyone from Mick and Jade Jagger, who recently dropped by for lunch, to political bigwigs goes there—but the ambiance remains cozy and intimate, thanks in part to an olive-tree-shaded garden. Plaça de l'Iglesia; 971-198-545.
El Pato Mix with islanders at this off-the-beaten-track restaurant, in a traditional farmhouse. Choose from among excellent Mediterranean dishes, such as roast duck with apples and truffle sauce. Top it off with a typical dessert, like graixonera, a soft bread pudding. The tapas bar is open all day, or drop in at the new piano bar for a nightcap. Carretera de San Miguel, km 0.5, Santa Gertrudis; 971-191-340.
Las Dos Lunas Even though it's on the road leading to dreadful Sant Antoni, this restaurant should not be missed. The upscale Italian cooking is pricey but delicious, especially the gazpacho. Book a table in the dreamy garden. Carretera Sant Antoni, km 5.4; 971-198-102.
Top Lunch Tables
El Destino Head to this inexpensive place if you crave tapas; it's rumored to offer the island's best. The more than forty options include such dishes as curry prawns and spicy potatoes. Local vintages are well represented. 15 Calle Atalaya, Sant Josep; 971-800-341.
Otto Cappuccini Headed by an Italian chef and a Dutch-German pastry whiz, this stylish new café, in Santa Gertrudis, offers a vegetarian buffet and a three-page breakfast menu. The decor is as imaginative as the cuisine: through the glass floors, guests look onto a seascape made of miniature terra-cotta sculptures. 8 Calle de s'Escola; 971-197-671.
Island Shopping
Ganesha (14 Montgri; 971-192-282) carries Indian-style frocks. The Sandal Shop (2 Plaça de Vila; 971-305-475) is a preferred stop for custom sandals and one-of-a-kind accessories. Tomtom (14A Carrer José Verdera; 971-310-972) carries locally designed caftans in all colors. Victor's (42 Carrer d'Enmig; 971-300-091) is the place for men's handmade shirts.
Outside Ibiza Town, Ceramicas Icardi (42 Can Ferreret, Sant Rafel; 971-198-106), run by an Uruguayan potter, carries everything from lovely glazed bowls to wood-fired black raku vases glazed with copper. Deseo (Carrer Escolas Noves, Santa Gertru-dis, 971-197-020; Benirrôs beach, 607-248-596) has a small, upscale selection of hand-embroidered bikinis, batik prints and silk jackets. Te Quero (88 Plaça de la Iglesias, Santa Gertrudis; 971-197-100) has top-quality handmade leather bags and belts.
At Your Service
Specifically Ibiza This bespoke travel service is run by well-connected islanders Julia and Paul Charlton, who can arrange anything from a guided excursion or a restaurant booking to a chauffeur, a private chef or an exclusive villa rental. 971-194-958; specificallyibiza.com.
The Sporting Life
Club de Golf Ibiza Renowned in Europe for its natural beauty, this twenty-seven-hole course is open to the public. Greens fee $115. Carretera Jesús a Cala Llonga, Santa Eulôria; 971-196-118.
The Life of Riley Boat Charters In their catamaran, Fiona and Tom Jennison can take you around the island. The skipper and crew will make stops along the way so you can have lunch and snorkel. Groups of up to ten. 629-007-356.
The Look
Ibiza style is a combination of hippie chic and boho luxe. During the day, women wear gauzy white cotton and batik silk tunics, beaded flip-flops and wedge-heeled espadrilles, patchwork silk pants and oversized sunglasses. Evenings call for flowered peasant skirts, lacy dresses and chunky jewelry with semiprecious stones. Men spend days in cotton bathing trunks, white linen, Balinese printed shirts and Spanish leather sandals. In the evening, the bolder among them dress up in designer shirts, white embroidered jackets accentuated with pink or red silk pocket scarves, and expensive sneakers.
Beaches and Coves
The family-friendly Benirrôs (near the town of Sant Joan) is in a pretty northern cove. Tanning addicts sunbathe nude in the dunes of Es Cavallet (in Sant Jordi). S'Aigua Blanca (in Sant Carles) is Zen and remote. Salines, near Ibiza Town, is trendy—read crowded—but has gorgeous white sand. Sòl d'en Serra (in Santa Eulôria) is a small pebble beach. Es Portitxol (in Portinatx) is situated on the wild northern coast. Those seeking privacy should head to more remote coves, like Cala d'en Serra (in Portinatx) and Pou des Lleó (in Sant Carles).
Best Day-Trip
Formentera is thirty minutes south of Ibiza Town's port by boat (there's a regular shuttle service). Less than a fifth the size of Ibiza, Formentera is largely wild terrain, with long stretches of fine white quartz sand (don't miss the excellent Platja Migjorn beach) and sparkling turquoise shallows. Take a break at Restaurante Juan Y Andrea(971-187-130), on Platja Illettas beach, where the likes of Kate Moss and Elle Macpherson often drop in—by yacht—for lunch. The fresh fish baked in salt and the lobster paella are terrific. Reservations are essential.
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