We love travelling with friends and family – the shared experiences create memories and stories to revisit for years to come. Our travel itinerary is often guided by who we are catching up with and fitting in with their plans, so when our long-time friends Steve and Binni confirmed they would be meeting us in Europe again this year and suggested the Spanish island of Ibiza, there were no complaints from us. It had been on our ‘must-see’ list for a while, and is surely a destination that had to be done with friends!
With our rendezvous planned in Ibiza, it made complete sense to spend some time next door on the island of Mallorca en route, and we are so glad we did. Ibiza and Mallorca are part of Spain’s Balearic Islands archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, off the east coast of Valencia on the mainland, and ferry travel between the islands is very easy once you are in the area.
Following the high drama of the towed car in Sicily, we were keen to get to Mallorca and relax. So of course we were faced with a flight delayed by 7 hours, which resulted in us not being able to access a pre-paid hire car due to our very late arrival in Palma de Mallorca airport. Paying 50 euros for a taxi that we shouldn’t have needed topped off a seriously unsuccessful 40 hour stretch that we were keen to forget. This is the unglamorous reality of life on the road (the stuff that doesn’t get shared on social media!) but it was all a memory once we got some wheels and realised how beautiful Mallorca is.
The four days on the ground quickly became a reconnaissance mission to determine where we would stay next time when we would allocate more time! The landscape is stunning, quickly changing from soaring mountain ranges to turquoise bays with golden sand. The range of activities is endless from hiking and rockclimbing to water sports, beach clubs and cycling. Add to that the unlimited opportunities for eating and brilliant August weather it’s pretty much an ideal destination, and in stark contrast to Sicily (which we did love) there was not an ounce of rubbish to be seen anywhere.
Starting in the beautiful village of Sollër, complete with a tram that takes passengers from the village square down to the beaches by the port, we headed to the north-west corner of the island in pursuit of one of those regularly listed “top drives of the world”. This insane stretch of road cut into the mountains must have included approx. 40 hairpin turns taking us from the mountain range pass down to sea level, and leading to the stunning swimming cove of Torrente de Pareis, cut into the cliffs by Mother Nature.
On the north coast we stayed on Playa del Moro, a long and wide beach that is tourist central and a popular spot for the all-inclusive resort experience. It wasn’t our favourite location on the island, but we did have a few great meals in this area, including at a Japanese/Spanish fusion restaurant where the maître d’ tells us we are the first Aussies he has had in the place in the 6 years he has worked there!
Over on the south east coast one of the standouts was Mondragó National Park where the water could not have been clearer. The number of swimming stops along the east coast is mind boggling, you really could spend weeks just on this side of the island to explore them all. A lunch stop in Cala Figuera identified the place we will definitely stay if we return in future – a sophisticated and relaxed vibe, with great restaurants and not a neon light or Burger King in sight.
And finally, the main city of Palma de Mallorca – a beautiful European city complete with a fortress, requisite cathedral, beautiful piazzas and a world of eating and drinking opportunities, not to mention some gorgeous boutiques stocking beautiful European products. We had two nights in Palma and could easily have spent more time here for the food alone, but Ibiza was beckoning.
Just two hours away by ferry we were delivered into the port of Ibiza Town. Racing toward our hotel by a taxi driver who thought he was driving in the Formula 1, the billboards lining the road advertised all the parties, dj’s and events happening across the island for the summer. First impressions were that this was not the destination for sleeping, and we were correct.
Meeting Steve and Binni at the cocktail bar of our hotel at sundown on the first night, and then their Italian friends Massi and Eliza joining our party too, the next 4 days would be a blur of late nights, cocktails, a nightclub, and beach clubs. And it was amazing! We ate some incredible meals, and had a few nights in the old town of Ibiza where the marina lived up to the reputation of being a magnet for superyachts and people who party. The restaurants lining the laneways in the old town were all full and buzzing well after midnight – it’s the intoxicating energy of the euro-summer that we love.
Our superclub experience at Amnesia was like no other club we have been to (complete with a 60 euro entry fee!!) and settling right into the party island time zone we arrived right on 3am following our dinner in town which commenced at 12.30am. Everything happens later in the day here, except for snagging day beds at the beach clubs – you have to get up earlier than lunch to do that, and recovery from the night before is totally acceptable on a daybed with a bottle of prosecco in the icebucket next to you. It’s the Ibiza way, and a day spent at Blue Marlin beach club was worth every cent to sun bake, nap and eat our way through the afternoon before the sun began to drop and the dj’s pumped up the volume.
Once again we found ourselves wishing we had allowed just a little more time to explore more of the island beyond the areas we ventured to on our scooter in these few short days. Despite the presence of the big nightclubs and the party scene at many of the beach clubs, there are still opportunities to find a quiet beach and enjoy a vino in a relaxed winebar…… or so we have read, so I guess we will have to return and try that next time.
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