Fancy cars, cool discos, loud music, and the hottest DJs, especially when Ibiza The opening took place. So we set off to the party island the weekend after the opening for a short family vacation in Ibiza.
Now that most shops, hotels, and bars are open again, life is slowly returning to the island. During my DJ days many years ago, we took a quiet vacation in Ibiza, in the southwest of the island, far from tourists and parties. As times change, as we all know, today we are in a hotel, right on Playa d'en Bossa. YES!!!! It's not Ushuaia and it's not the Hard Rock Hotel, but at least we're in the middle of it all and the kids can play on the beach while Mommy and Daddy sip cocktails at the hotel bar. 🙂
Indeed, we find Ibiza to be an ideal vacation spot for families. Long walks on the beach, where there's plenty to explore, beautiful restaurants and cafes everywhere for a mid-day nap, and tons of playgrounds ensure there's something for everyone. If you stay a few days longer on Ibiza, there are many more beautiful places to discover. This time, we're limiting our stay to 4 days and plan to take a few great excursions.
Ibiza
Ibiza Town, the capital, is easily reachable from Playa d'en Bossa by public transport for 2 EUR. The next bus stop is practically always a maximum of 5 minutes away, no matter which hotel you are in. The journey takes about 30 minutes, and we use this time to rest whenever possible.
Since the last time I was in Ibiza about 15 years ago, a lot has changed here. There are still many small and cool clothing stores, but the scene stores (especially those from London) seem to have disappeared or might not be in the center anymore. Nevertheless, there's a lot to shop for here, and the girls are thrilled, accordingly.
Ibiza Castle
We walk up to Ibiza Castle (Castell de Eivissa), from where you have a great view of the harbor and the surrounding city. The weather is perfect for an outing: slightly cloudy, a little over 20 degrees Celsius, and almost no wind. On the way down, we find a currywurst stand run by a German woman, what a surprise 🙂 The place is called Curry & Champagne, but we skip the champagne. The currywurst here is really delicious. We have fresh orange juice with it, and everyone is refreshed and happy. You can easily plan a full day for Ibiza Town. We don't head back to the hotel until late afternoon, enjoying the Ibiza nightlife at Playa d'en Bossa until about 7 PM. Afterwards, we all fall into bed, dead tired. Times do change.
Hippy Market Punta Arabí
In the morning, we set off for a loooong and leisurely walk on the beach, including breakfast under the palm trees. We find a beautiful palm tree that provides enough shade for us and have breakfast here first. Afterward, we walk a few kilometers along the beach as the sun fully rises. You have to take advantage of the sunrise here, as the sun sets on the other side of the island (San Antonio is perfect for this!). Anyway, the day was supposed to be spent at the hotel pool, but after lunch, none of us feel like being in or near the water anymore. But wait: Today is Wednesday, and on Wednesdays in Ibiza, there's only one destination: The Hippie Market at Punta Arabi.
Saint Eulalia
So after lunch, we'll head to Santa Eulalia. You can get there by bus for 4 euros. In Ibiza Town, you have to change buses once. As is fitting for a family vacation in Ibiza, the ride will be used for naps, and so we all arrive there feeling top-notch.
Not much has changed here at the market compared to the old days, except that there are more stalls. It started in 1973 with five stalls and now there are over 500. So you can plan a whole day for this too, as there are also restaurants and a children's area where they can craft and play. We felt like we walked across the entire market, saw every single stall, and ultimately bought a bikini. Afterwards, we took a taxi to Santa Eulalia town. Here on Ibiza, you don't need car seats in taxis anymore. That makes it easier :)
Santa Eulalia is a beautiful small town, right by the sea and with a lovely promenade. Therefore, we're choosing a cozy restaurant here for dinner. The atmosphere is great and the food is delicious, as is almost everywhere in Spain. The town is especially great if you want something a bit quieter. There are no discos and not really any parties on the promenade itself. That's why it was my first time in Santa Eulalia *lol*.
Formentera
After another breakfast on the beach, we walk to the small harbor at Playa d’en Bossa. This is where the ferries depart for Formentera, the neighboring island. Unsuspecting of what awaits us there, we simply buy two Tickets there. No, the kids are not staying behind in Ibiza, they just don't cost anything yet 🙂 We leisurely ship towards Formentera and realize that every boat, no matter how small or large, overtakes us. We actually picked the slowest tub to get to the island. But the better, the more nice photos we can take of the area.
What awaited us on Formentera was simply „wow“! The island is incredibly beautiful, especially the beaches. That's why we hop into a taxi and have them take us to Playa de ses Illetes in the north of the island. Since we're only spending one day here, we explore the area around this amazing beach. It's one of the most popular beaches on the island. The beaches or sections of beach here are all surrounded by low dunes and connected by narrow wooden walkways. The water here is turquoise blue and the beaches are almost white. We go for a swim and sunbathe a little.
Places to eat
There are two restaurants in the area. For a mere 60 EUR, we have a plate of spaghetti and a Wiener schnitzel, not per person, but together. Top-notch, so prices are like back home. It wasn't until we were eating that we noticed there are no mountains here, so we'll classify the island as expensive, but absolutely worth it. Afterward, we'll check out the other bays and beaches here in the north and then sail back to Ibiza in the afternoon with our boat. This time we even managed to snag a couch on board, so we could get some rest.
Conclusion
Ibiza is not only suitable for a typical „two-week annual vacation with disco every day“ but is also great for a few days of rest and relaxation. A family vacation in Ibiza, in short. The nature on the island and also on Formentera is beautiful. It's great to relax everywhere and the island with its beautiful spots was incredibly inspiring for us too. Now we're moving on to Madrid, where we have a similar plan 🙂
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On my travel blog Wandernotizen I'll take you along on our family trips around the globe. Between wanderlust and everyday chaos, you'll find honest travel reports, tips, and plenty of material to ignite your wanderlust. 🧭 ❤️ 🏝️