Month: December 2025

NIGHT CLUBS ARE BACK BABY

In truth they’ve never been away however 2025 has solidified Ibiza as the clubbing capital of the world (stop crying your heart out Las Vegas et al).

UNVRS has raised the bar with sheer size and production and other clubs have benefitted on the back of it by offering more old school nights.

For example, Chinois in Ibiza Town has been consistently going about its business and has started to reap the fruits of its labour.

While other destinations spend millions trying to reinvent the EDM genre, decades of unforgettable summers, legendary nights and word-of-mouth stories created a self-reinforcing myth with people coming to Ibiza expecting the best party of their life – and the island consistently delivers.

Ibiza doesn’t just host club nights, it invented the blueprint, perfected it and, as we have seen in 2025, never stops evolving.

BARS ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME

There are some notable exceptions to the rule but the humble Ibiza bar that had its heyday in 80/90/00s aren’t having a great time in the not so roaring 20s.

Daytime clubs are thriving, and with some strong new additions such as Clap House and Soho Farmhouse the sector is getting busier and attracting a more cross section of people with a plenty of choice.

The Ibiza club scene is ‘best in class’ so perched between day & night is your traditional Ibiza bar which is steadily losing its audience.

Zero spontaneity from the Instagram herd means that if a bar isn’t on the to-do list because of some gimmick then it’s more than likely going to be struggling during peak season, relying only on shoulder months for footfall.

INFRASTRUCTURE IMAGES

The October storms were a wake-up call for the Balearic Government with urgent improvements long overdue.

The Island bounced back quickly but despite the political manoeuvring and blame game plenty of questions remain as the early warning system sounded late, homes and businesses were inundated, tunnels were flooded and many roads were closed.

There’s lots of work to be done and what exactly is the tourist tax for? With a rumoured $400M unspent in the kitty if it’s not for improving the customer and resident experience then what’s the point of continuing to charge our biggest commodity?

PIKES / 528 BREAKOUT

The creators of Manumission and Ibiza Rocks have struck gold again with 528 Ibiza which was arguably the breakout venue of the summer (UNVRS notwithstanding).

The legendary Pikes has been on the circuit for a few summers and has become more mainstream through its sheer popularity and now with the addition of 528 in the San Antonio hills, the shackles have been thrown off and some incredible artists have revelled in the open air amphitheatre.

It’s been a slow burner for a couple of years but it’s now well and truly on the map. The ‘older’ crowd has never had it so good.

GEN Z – THE NEW WEEKEND WARRIORS

Generation Z are setting the Ibiza agenda with 3 nights now the official average stay on the White Isle. It hits the the sweet spot with a pre-planned itinerary that includes a beach club, a big club night, a recovery day and a final blow-out. Anything longer equals rapidly diminishing returns for their money.

Trips are now planned around Specific DJs, beach club and nightclub days/nights and content for their TikTok and Instagram accounts.

Gen Z’s philosophy is that they can capture the Ibiza experience in a long weekend with a high-intensity, fast-paced experience. A short, stacked trip feels more exciting than stretching it out.

So it’s Ibiza Thurs–Sun then another city later in the year. Great for the big venues but not so much for the small family businesses that have relied on mass tourism for decades.

THE CHANGING FACE OF SAN ANTONIO

For years San Antonio has been undervalued compared to Ibiza Town and Santa Eulalia because of image not fundamentals but the biggest long-term gains come from perception change, not perfection.

Ibiza Town is already priced for excellence whereas San Antonio is being re-priced upward.

The local government crackdown on cheap alcohol and bar crawls is a clear message against low-spend mass tourism. The noise has been reduced but the spend per visitor has increased – in other words fewer tourists, more money.

On an island that has been saturated, San An is where the value is especially as Gen Z & younger Millennials fit the new mould perfectly.

Whisper it loudly because the haters won’t believe you but San Antonio isn’t becoming another Ibiza Town it’s repositioning itself as Ibiza’s west-coast lifestyle and music district.

Have a great festive season, thanks to everyone who read my blog posts and listened to my podcasts in 2025.