IBIZA in the BALEARIC ISLANDS

Ibiza is a small island lying 90 km off the East coast of Spain, in the Western Mediterranean. It is part of the Balearic islands and thankfully only a short flight away! (just over two hours from most major cities) The Balearic islands are made up of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. They belong to Spain and are a favourite holiday resort in the Mediterranean. Indeed, Ibiza has to be one of the most beautiful and entertaining holiday resorts in the world, enjoying a wonderful mixture of culture, vegetation, beaches and the now famous night life and party scene. So well known is the island's name that it would surprise most to learn that the island is only 45 km long and 25 km wide, and has a year round population of 100.000.

Ibiza Town and Figueretas

Holidaying in Ibiza opens up a world of possibilities. There’s a bit of everything here: beautiful sandy beaches where you can chill all day, dozens of great gay venues to suit almost every taste, the famed Ibiza superclub scene and quite a bit of culture and history. But first, let’s talk about Ibiza Town, home to the island’s gay scene and one of the most fashionable towns in Europe.

Dominated by the mediaeval fortress which towers over it, the Old Town is characterised by pretty cobbled alleys, imposing ramparts and – perhaps most importantly – a host of welcoming gay bars. As you proceed through the Old Town, you’ll soon find yourself mincing purposefully along Calle de la Virgen, perhaps the most inappropriate street name on the planet. Most bars get going around 10.30pm, and even this is fairly early by Ibiza standards so be ready for some late late nights.

There are some very good restaurants in Ibiza Town most with pavement seating or terraces where you can dine on sumptuous fare and watch the world go by. Clubbers may well make their way to one of the famed superclubs. These are mixed but extremely gay friendly and are generally open from mid-June to mid-September. The only exclusively gay club on the island, situated in the heart of the Old Town, is Anfora. Built into caves, there are a four bars, a dancefloor and a rather busy darkroom. The busiest night is the 70s and 80s disco kitsch night every Thursday. Anfora is open from the end of April until the middle of October.

Although you’re likely to spend, at the very least, a good few nights out in this wonderful town, most of the accommodation we feature is in the neighbouring village of Figueretas. Figueretas is, basically, the beach resort attached to Ibiza Town and it’s here where the majority of gay and gay friendly accommodation is located. Staying in Figueretas gives you the best of both worlds: an established friendly scene, a pleasant sandy beach, and all just a quarter of an hour’s walk from the pleasures of the main town.

Ibiza has some of the best beaches in Spain and, while the beach of Figueretas is clean, safe and very convenient for Respect’s accommodation, you might feel like venturing further afield from time to time. Es Cavallet is the island’s famous nude gay beach. Located about seven kilometres from Ibiza Town with its own beach bar/restaurant (El Chiringay) and bordered by somewhat cruisy woods, Es Cavallet could just end up playing host to some of your more interesting holiday experiences.

Just around the headland from Es Cavallet is Las Salinas: less gay but equally nude (especially as you move further away from the shops and bars), this is a preferred frolicking spot for the rich and famous (including Kylie and Dannii, no less) and host to the famous ambient/chill out CDs produced by the bars on the beach itself.

Of course, Ibiza isn’t only about gaydom. There are some wonderful places to visit – just ask your friendly neighbourhood rep who’ll be happy to point you in the right direction with his usual good humour and charm. And, finally, no mention of Ibiza would be complete without making mention of some of its fabulous shopping possibilities: fantastic clothes (clubwear a speciality), boots and shoes to die for and of course some great CDs, reflecting Ibiza’s unassailable position as numero uno on the cutting edge music scene.

Press HERE for accommodation details