5 days in Ibiza with @gracegrangetravel

The last time I was in Ibiza was over 10 years ago, which is crazy, and although it was loads of fun back then, I knew this trip was going to be epic! One thing that sticks out from my first trip to the island was that it rained a LOT in August, and everyone made their own entertainment by doing inflatable lilo races down the strip in San Antonio – loads of people watched on from the pubs! Anyway, the vibe for this Insider trip to Ibiza was very different – starting with the hotel…

Day 1 – arrival

We stayed at Oku Ibiza, not far from San Antonio, but tucked away with easy access to beautiful coves and beaches, like Cala Gracioneta and Cala Saladeta. We were treated with five-star service right from the start, with a glass of fizz on arrival, valet car service and a full room tour. This hotel boasts the largest pool on the island (complete with daily DJ sets), an excellent wellness/fitness programme and on-site Japanese fusion restaurant, TEYO. One of my favourite parts of the hotel, though – apart from the aesthetic – was breakfast! There was everything you could imagine, from delicious pastries, a huge selection of high-quality cooked items, yummy oats and yoghurts to champagne on ice (obviously!).  

Day 2

On our first full day, we didn’t wake up to the best weather, but it didn’t matter because we headed over to Ibiza Town for a day of exploring Dalt Vila and the Old Castle Walls, as well as a bit of shopping and people-watching from cafés and bars. It was so lovely wandering round without anywhere particular to be!

For dinner, I’d booked a table at the stunning cliffside beach club and restaurant, Amante, about 20 minutes’ drive from Ibiza Town. Just to note, we hired a car for this trip which l’d recommend for this itinerary and if you want to explore, otherwise you can get taxis to restaurants like this, but they’re quite expensive. This dinner setting was magical, with the waves crashing on the cliffs and the food was really tasty – better than I imagined.

Day 3

On our next day, we were leaving Ibiza – but for good reason, to visit the neighbouring, smaller island of Formentera. If I could encourage you to do anything from this itinerary, this would be it! It was so easy to take the 30-min fast ferry (which we added on to our trip, as a First Choice experience) and there are loads of sailings all day and quite late into the night. There are taxis on the island when you arrive into the port, but we hired bikes for €15 for the day, so we could explore. It didn’t take too long to cycle up to Ses Illetes, where we stopped for a sunbathe and swim. You could bring a picnic or grab something from one of the many beachside bars at the different beaches. We also wanted to visit Calo d’Hort but didn’t have time – I’d booked lunch at the famous Beso Beach!

The landscape on Formentera is so cool, it almost feels like a different country. Lunch at Beso is on the pricier side but so worth it – the food is amazing, especially if you like seafood, but there are plenty of other options if not, and you eat your lunch with your toes in the sand. There’s a DJ backdrop and as time goes on, it gets louder, turning into a bit of a party! If you want to carry on the party afterwards, cycle back down the beach to Cala Duo where the mojitos are 10/10, and it’s the perfect place to catch a famous Ibiza sunset. We caught one of the last ferries back to Ibiza to round off a memorable day. 

Day 4

Our last day was another one full of exploring (this itinerary is definitely for those who want to see the island – you might want to slow down a bit if you’re partying into the early hours!) I wanted to see north Ibiza because l’d heard it was a lot quieter and a different vibe to the south. We headed up to Cala d’en Serra at about 9am, which is a cove tucked down below an abandoned hotel. It’s a bit of a steep walk down, but oh wow was it worth it! There was only one other person there when we arrived, so we made the most of sunbathing and swimming. Just as we were getting thirsty, the chiringito (beach bar) opened and it was time to enjoy another mojito.

Tbh, I could have spent the whole day beach-hopping here to Cala Xaracca and Portinat, but we peeled ourselves away to check out Las Dalias hippy market, and we were so glad. Open on Saturdays (they also have additional opening times and events, so check online) the market is pretty big, selling bags, hats, jewellery, local produce etc, and they have live music. There are also a few bars and food stalls, selling pizza and paella too, and it’s lovely to hang out for a few hours. For the rest of the day, we headed back to Oku to make the most of the incredible pool and spent our final night enjoying a dinner just 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel at Cala Gracioneta. The perfect end to a memorable trip! 

Day 5

Our flight was at half two in the afternoon, so we spent our final morning checking out and making the most of our last hotel brekkie. I absolutely loved my time here and fell in love with Ibiza all over again. It’s definitely so much more than a party island…

If @gracegrangetravel’s trip sounds like a bit of you, have a look at our Balearic Islands holidays and you can find all her picks on our Insiders Hub.      