MAN IN SAN AN by Martin Makepeace

Back in January 2020, the Balearic government passed a decree law against the so-called “tourism of excesses” and for the improvement of quality in tourist zones. They singled out the resorts of Arenal, Playa de Palma, and Magaluf in Mallorca, and San Antonio in Ibiza, as the areas that would be affected.

At the time, these laws didn’t really come into effect as the pandemic took over, but when everything returned in 2022, they were put into practice.

In 2024, after the elections, the laws were relaxed a little—but what has changed in these resorts since 2020

SAN ANTONIO by Martin Makepeace

Reputation is everything, and the court of public opinion can be a brutal place, passing judgment without the full facts. But times change.

San Antonio, or Sant Antoni de Portmany to use its official name, is a great example. The stigma of the 80s and 90s still lingers—but it ain’t 1987 anymore. It’s 2025, and the shackles have been released.

New luxury hotels, top-end restaurants serving delicious food, world-class entertainment venues, a sunset that many say is the best on the planet—and more importantly, a young, ambitious mayor who’s not afraid to try new things, improve infrastructure, and make big plans for the future with major investment.

San Antonio now has some of the most expensive real estate in Spain and is already the most expensive place to rent. The gentrification process continues unabated on a small island with limited space. This is the yin and yang of an island that has seen incredible growth over the last 15 years. 

Being comfortable in your own skin takes time, and Ibiza’s second-largest town is finally the mature adult it wanted to be—rather than a sulky teenager prone to bouts of self-harm. 

“It’s a process” is a well-used phrase, and the perception of San Antonio is no different. But this can only be changed by a potent mixture of self-awareness, communication, consistency, and patience. The town is now controlling its own narrative—with actions rather than words. 

New and improved pedestrianised areas, world-famous street art, a new environmentally friendly summer police station, a spanking new port area, plans for cutting-edge sports facilities… and this is just in the last 12 months!

The future is bright. San Antonio isn’t walking into the future—it’s sprinting with confidence.

MAGALUF by Richie Prior

Well, having lived and worked in Magaluf since 1990, I think I’m well placed to tell you about it. My good friend Martin Makepeace & I do a weekly podcast called Talking Balearics, where we talk about Mallorca and Ibiza. Martin, like me, has lived in Ibiza for over 30 years.

Magaluf, ever since I’ve known it, has had a reputation—some see that as bad, others see it as an opportunity for good.

When I arrived in 1990, families and young people mixed without any problems—even in the winter. Slowly but surely, that balance ebbed away, and the headlines became worse and worse. You didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that something had to change.

Meliá was the first to invest in the resort, followed by pretty much every other hotel chain, meaning that over 75% of the hotels in Magaluf are now either 4 or 5-star. Anyone in the know will tell you that Magaluf beach is still one of the best on the island. A new four-million-euro promenade is being built as we speak, with phase one due for completion at the beginning of May. Phase two will be completed in the early part of 2026.

In my opinion, the measures brought in were a bit draconian and wouldn’t have been needed if the resort had been policed properly. The map of the so-called “Red Zone” was drawn in a way that benefited some businesses and not others. It should have been a blanket ban or nothing at all.

It was the short-sightedness of authorities in the past that meant they didn’t understand that the youngsters of today will be the families of the future. Most of my friends had been to Magaluf in their teenage years. They loved it so much that, fast forward five years, they were coming back and staying in a four or five-star hotel. Fast forward another five or ten years, they were renting villas with their families—and all of a sudden, they are the clientele that the authorities want.

You need to give people a taste of what your tourism product is at a relatively early age and hope that it ignites that blue touch paper. They then become bonded and emotionally attached to that location for the rest of their lives.

My list of positives about Magaluf is endless. And when you look closely, it’s a resort that still mixes families and youngsters—and, in my opinion, for longer throughout the year. For families, there’s Pirates, Gringos Family Rave, Western Water Park, karting, Katmandu, the beach, and countless bars, beach bars, cafés, and restaurants to cater to their needs.

For youngsters, there’s Reloaded & Gringos, Oceans Beach, BCM, The Strip, the beach—and again, countless bars, beach bars, cafés, and restaurants to cater to their needs.

I like the new Mayor and his administration in Calvia and believe the changes that are being made are good for the future. Magaluf has changed for the better, and my love for it doesn’t diminish.

The tourist model of Mallorca and Ibiza is changing for the better—and will need to change even more to keep up with its competitors.

You can listen to “Talking Balearics” podcast every Wednesday on all the usual platforms and Richies blog is DAD TAXI MALLORCA

Summer is in the air, the roads are getting busier, flip flops are flapping and white milky skin is on show everywhere. Ibiza is back baby. 

The difference between ‘winter’ and ‘summer’ is palpable and it all changes within the space of a few days when wholesale direct flights start courtesy of Ryanair and their fellow low cost competitors. 

It’s an exciting time of the year where anything and everything seems possible, dreams are there to be grabbed and for those returning a few changes are noticeable. 

Top of the list this summer is a former sleepy fishing village known for its stunning sunsets, lively nightlife, and laid-back Mediterranean charm. Now work is in motion to connect all of those things like never before.

Since the tourist boom of the 1970’s San Antonio has transformed into a global hotspot for partygoers, beach lovers, and travellers seeking a mix of relaxation and revelry however it’s fair to say it suffers from an identity crisis. The haters are never far away and with some justification but now tangible plans are afoot that will change its perception for years to come.

The hot potato that is the West End is going through an image overhaul with a makeover that has at times been polarising but opinions are starting to change now that the talking has stopped and the artwork is taking shape. Okuda San Miguel’s colourful and vibrant street art is the talk of the island, it’s eye catching in the extreme and looks to be a canny decision by the local government. Mayor Marcos Serra said himself that it’s a crazy idea but well worth a punt especially as it’s being paid for by European funds. 

Yet while social media is alive with the West End’s artistic transformation the biggest game changer has gone under the radar. A new pedestrianised boulevard is underway that will link San Antonio ‘old town’ to the sunset strip. 

This new connection will bring footfall in both directions opening up the urban town centre with easy accessibility. The work has already started from both ends (in front of Mambo on the sunset strip and in front of the old Amsterdam bar the West End) and will meet up in the middle.

Construction work can be annoying but it’s a necessary evil to get things done and improve the infrastructure. The new pedestrian boulevard is 3 phase project that will take 11 months to complete so should be finished by February 2026.

In a change to the norm the contractors are hoping to carry on working through summer as the work will go past 2 junior schools which will be closed for July and August. The total cost of the project is €4.8M of which €1.4M is financed through the Ibiza Council’s Strategic Municipal Investment Plan, €1.25M through Next Generation EU funds and €1M through the Balearic Islands Tourism Tax (ITS).

Neus Mateu, San Antonio Councillor for Public Works told me “This is a project that will bring a leap in quality for San Antonio. It will beautify an area that connects the seafront with the urban centre creating a sustainable and accessible boulevard for residents and visitors”. 

New amazing street art, a new pedestrianised boulevard linking the town with the sunset strip and the promenade that stretches from Calo des Moro to Es Puet. San An is coming together like never before so whisper it quietly….a game changer.

Traffic has become a major environmental problem in Ibiza over the last decade so in a direct response the Isand Government is bringing in limits and fees for vehicles coming on to the island, targeting tourists vehicles, caravans and rental cars.

From the start of June to the end of September the limit will be 87,449 vehicles circulating the island on a daily basis. The breakdown is 67,281 by residents, 2,049 by private visitors (ie by boat) and 18,119 rental cars. So excluding residents, there will be a maximum limit of 20,168 vehicles in the first year reducing to 17,600 over the next 5 years. 

The fee for authorised non resident cars entering the island will be 1 euro per car per day and it will be the responsibility of the shipping companies to pay the relative fees directly to the Consell d’Eivissa under a self-assessment regime by the end of the following calendar month.

A basic overview of exemptions to fees are as follows

• Residents vehicles as long as the vehicles are registered on the island
• For those who live on the island but their cars are registered elsewhere there is a limit of 1 vehicle per property
• Vehicles of people with reduced mobility
• Official and public service vehicles, including those of the security forces, fire service, ambulances and vehicles of the health system, civil protection, public and school transport, taxis, waste and public cleaning
• Vehicles for the transport of goods as well as commercial distribution vehicles, tractors, excavators and similar vehicles
• Vehicles in transit to or from Formentera and those “not subject to movement restrictions by the Consell Insular d’Eivissa” are also exempt from the payment of the tax
• Motorcycles are free of charge 
• Caravans/motorhomes will only be permitted to enter the island with an active a reservation at campsite

Rental car companies will also face the consequences of this new law and will now be liable to pay a tax for each of the vehicles within their quota. 

Fleet of 1-100 vehicles: 100€ per vehicle for the entire limitation period

101-150: 200€ per vehicle

151-450: 750€ per vehicle 

451-900: 1500€ per vehicle

Any company that exceeds 900 vehicles must pay 1500€ + 61€ for each vehicle over this amount

At first glance it appears that car hire companies will bear the brunt of this new law and they will be given quotas to control the amount of vehicles circulating the island. The new fees are a big chunk of change and will be most likely passed on to the consumer.

It’s difficult to envisage how the local authorities will keep tabs on the exact amount of vehicles on the island especially in the short term and the new laws will throw up many questions and grey areas and a website should soon be active to cover all topics.

In the meantime you can contact the OAMR customer service by phone and Whatsapp on 971 19 59 06 or by email at oamr@conselldeivissa.es.

Back at the end of 2023 it was announced that the internationally renowned street artist Okuda San Miguel would be creating a distinctive makeover of the  Calle Santa Agnes – the main thoroughfare of San Antonio’s famous West End. 

There was the obligatory outcry from the usual suspects and a heated debate ensued. As is normal with the West End nobody could agree if it was a good/bad idea, money well invested/wasted or whether it was worth the hassle. 

The debate raged and in the meantime the work was put back and the deadline was missed. The West End carried on as usual doing what it does and the idea was put on ice until now. 

But San Antonio mayor Marcos Serra wouldn’t let it lie and now the idea has become a reality. When I spoke to the mayor at Christmas I asked why he wanted to do it so much and with a glint in his eye he said ‘it was a crazy idea’ but it was worth a go. 

Okuda San Miguel is famous for graffiti style geometric structures and multicolored prints. It’s edgy street art and finally the sails are up, the floor is being prepared and the West End is taking on a new funky image.

Even the most belligerent of voices are starting to soften as social media is alive with photos. The cost is a relatively small at around 300.000 euros paid for by European funds and the work will cover 160 metres of street that the artist will paint ten metres at a time. 

The local council hope that the colourful work will be the first step towards regenerating the town centre and turn the West End into a place that can be visited 365 days a year. It’s a bold move and one in reality that has little jeopardy attached to it. 

If it fails then we can say nothing ventured nothing gained but if it succeeds then the upside is invaluable for San Antonio going forward and will give it a strong identity. 

Opinions are changing every day and as the vision becomes reality, is that positivity I can feel in the air? The negative Nigel’s will always be there but in the Mayors own words. What’s the worst that could happen. 

The West End will always be a polarising place but the new energy that Okuda San Miguel has brought to the streets with his art might just be a tipping point.

The final words must go to the artist himself “Personally, it is a very powerful project that is a challenge because it is the first time I have made a floor in combination with fabrics, I also feel that for the first time people can enter the street and immerse themselves in my identity in a work I’m doing with great enthusiasm for Ibiza,”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons when he announced that non-EU residents could be charged up to 100% tax on new property purchases. Homebuyers in Spain currently pay  6-13% purchase tax depending on the region. 

Sanchez’ announcement last Monday (13/1/25) was part of a 12-point plan due to start in 2026 to promote public housing. It’s been reported as fact but it’s just a proposal at this time and in truth has little chance of successfully getting through parliament as he does not have a majority and all coalition partners would have to support it, which is unlikely. What’s more current European law doesn’t allow it and Spanish property taxes are in the hands of the regional authorities and those which are controlled by the opposition Partido Popular (including the Balearics) have said that they wouldn’t introduce the tax. 

First of all let’s put this proposal into context. Non EU property purchases last year were only 2% of all Spanish property sales so this proposal won’t help the housing situation. Here in the Balearics, for example, the type of properties bought by non EU citizens in general are not the type of property that Spains public sector workers buy or rent. 

Rather than targeting the 2% of the market it might be an idea to look at landlords in the big cities who charge crazy money for rents plus the socialist PSOE government could be proactive by introducing realistic tax incentives for those who own multiple properties to encourage them to rent. Currently the rental market is a mess with tenants allowed to stay put for up to 7 years which deters many from renting while squatters are perceived to have more legal rights than owners.

The mortgage system in Spain needs a total overhaul and locks out those who don’t have large deposits to put down. A mortgage needs to be more attainable to the younger Spanish market and while he’s at, overhaul planning laws to make them more flexible to encourage the building of social housing. 

However instead of focussing on pro-active measures to encourage residents into home ownership or assisted housing Sr Sánchez has framed the blame on rich foreigners, a cheap and easy shot to keep his political partners happy. 

The cold hard fact is that there’s been no creation of any social or assisted housing here in the Balearics for many years (I wrote about the housing shortage in 2017). We’ve had consecutive regional and central governments that have done nothing amid a growing population and it’s these same politicians who are now shouting from the rooftops about the housing crisis.

The Partido Popular, the government opposition in Madrid, have decried the new proposal as “xenophobic” reiterating that they would not introduce these tax laws in regions that they govern such as Andalucia, the Canary Islands and the Balearics. “The problem is not that people want to live in Spain, the problem is that there is a lack of housing,” said Luis de la Matta, director of communications of the Partido Popular (PP).

So we have a badly thought through proposal that won’t get the necessary support targeting the wrong demographic being reported as fact. When it comes to bad optics is doesn’t come much worse. To score a few cheap political points Sr Sánchez has opened a can of worms that will rumble on for months. He should be very proud of himself.

Part 2 – Privilege Ibiza 1994-2019: Manumission madness to closure

Early 1991 and the world is gripped by war in the Arabian Gulf.  Kuwait has been liberated but the global collateral damage still rumbles on. One of the main casualties is the European tourism industry with bookings massively down. 

In Ibiza, the biggest club in the world now has a roof due to noise restrictions and isn’t having a great time. The dynamic has changed and its hangar like interior takes thousands to fill and there’s not enough people around. Nobody realised at the time but this was the beginning of the end of the mythical Ku Club. It limped on for another year but closed its doors in 1992 and would not open again until 2 years later when a new name would appear on the enormous iconic dome. 

For summer 1994 the now renamed ‘Privilege Ibiza’ was about to open its doors. Tourism was back on track and a club night was about to take the island and the world by storm. Legendary promoters Paul Dennis and ‘Mad’ Tommy Mack were putting a Monday night together to go head to head with Mad Mondays at Pacha after another fallout with their partner Alan Warman.

Paul and Tommy had brought along brothers Andy and Mike McKay who were making a name for themselves on the Manchester scene and the night was called Manumission. As is the wont of club promotors, within a few weeks there would be a big fallout including fisticuffs between the four of them leaving the McKay brothers to go it alone. The rest, as they say, is history. 

1994 was the start of a new era, it had taken a few years but the penny had dropped for European club nights to come to Ibiza and create an experience that would catapult their brand into cyberspace. Ibiza’s club scene had been evolving since the mid 80’s and it was about to enter the era of the promoter. 

Privilege with its enormous 10,000 capacity and esteemed history was THE venue in world clubbing. Pacha was cooler, Amnesia was edgier and Space was an eclectic madhouse but if you could crack the biggest club in the world then sky was the limit. 

Summer 1994 in Privilege saw Manumission on Mondays joined by Cream on Thursdays. The Liverpool brand has jumped on the bandwagon and started filling out the club.  From closure the previous year, Privilege now had the 2 biggest nights on the island. 

Brands came and went but over the years Privilege unveiled new promotions that pushed the  boundaries. Renaissance started in 2000 which included live music and personal appearances by world famous artists such as Kylie Minogue, M People and many more. Privilege had come full circle and was at the top of its game again, conversely the roof had given it the crackling atmosphere that an open air venue could never have.

Manumission will go down as groundbreaking in Ibiza’s clubbing history taking Privilege to new levels, full of creativity and infamous shows. The world wanted a piece of the action and Manumission were happy to oblige.

From 1994 to 2016 even through the ebbs and flows, Privilege was still seen as the pinnacle of clubland, an iconic landmark on the Ibiza to San Antonio main road. Were there better clubs? Of course but the sheer size and magnificence of Privilege set it apart from the rest. 

Manumission, after putting the superclub back on the map, ran into problems with the owners (as often happens on the white isle) and petered out at the start of the new millennium but Privilege stayed relevant, putting on mega-parties such as SuperMartxe that ran from 2008 for over a decade. Radio 1 held many events there with Pete Tong leading the way and were always a sell out.

By the late noughties the era of the promoter had now given way to the era of the superstar DJ, their faces staring down at you from most of Ibizas advertising hoardings. The Tiesto residency in 2008 was massive and Resistance with Carl Cox and other top names was Privilege’s final big promotion in 2019.

It had been over 25 years of incredible parties but the Ibiza dynamic was radically changing. In reality Privilege’s business had been declining in the face of fierce competition, not least the rise of daytime venues, and the club was falling into disrepair with parts closed off by the local council due to safety issues.

Murmurs of a legal situation had surfaced in 2016 when the Matutes Group, owners of Ushuaia, who were also partners in Privilege had reportedly invoked a clause in the shareholders agreement to acquire the shares held by José María Etxaniz who was trying to sell his majority stake to a 3rd party.

In an ironic twist Sr Etxaniz had tried to get Balearic judges to close down Ushuaia citing ‘unfair competition’ arguing that the hotel had ‘a competitive advantage by violating laws’ and operating as a ‘de facto nightclub’ without the necessary licences. 

Once Etxaniz showed his hand with an intention to sell, the Matutes group went on the offensive and invoked a shareholder rule where they could buy Etxaniz’s shares in Privilege as long as they matched the asking price and this is where it all went a bit Pete Tong, to use a DJ analogy. 

The Matutes group disagreed with the asking price of 23.8 million euros so a court appointed auditor was ordered to value the club. In 2018, after much wrangling the Matutes group legally acquired the remaining shares to own the club outright for a rumoured amount of around 20 million euros but the court case didn’t end there as Etxaniz appealed to judges for a better payoff especially as the Pacha Group had changed hands a couple of years earlier for 350 million euros. 

While lawyers and judges were being kept busy the world was about to be gripped by a global pandemic that meant that’s Ibiza’s clubs, it’s most famous commodity, didn’t open for 2 years. By the time the clubs reopened the legalities of Privilege had been settled, the owners of Ushuaia and Hï Ibiza now had another massive project on their hands.

As an empty Privilege fell into further disrepair, the online rumour mill went into overdrive fuelled by saccharine voiced ‘content creators’. It wasn’t until autumn 2023 that the Matutes Group’s plans started to filter out when it was announced that Ibiza’s Tourism Planning Commission had given the green light to a renovation project with an initial investment of around 8.2 million euros for the rehabilitation and improvements in water circularity and solar energy. 

The world’s worst kept secret was out of the bag. The nightclub previously known as Ku and then Privilege was reopening but in what form? The Matutes Group were riding on the crest of a wave, Ushuaia and Hi were being internationally recognised as world leaders in entertainment so it didn’t take a genius to surmise that a new superclub would fit perfectly within their forward thinking strategy.

Fast forward to late summer 2024 and social media lights up with Hollywood ‘bad boy’ Will Smith on Privilege’s roof with The Night League’s (Ushuaia and Hï’) CEO Yann Pissenem announcing that UNVRS – the worlds first ‘hyper-club’ would be opening in 2025.

Part 3 – The Night League unveils UNVRS and Social Media goes into Meltdown.

Part 1 – The Ku Ibiza Years 1979-1993

Before Will Smith, dressed in scruffy pants on the roof, announced the opening of UNVRS Ibiza – the worlds first ‘hyper-club’, the outpouring of emotion for Ku/Privilege nightclub on social media whipped up by content creators and influencers had gone into overdrive. If you haven’t seen them then I strongly recommend you do.

Phoney AI American voiceovers, saccharine sweet statements pronouncing names incorrectly and the faux sincerities are something to behold – the ‘don’t believe what you see on social media’ trope had never been more true. In truth the worlds largest club (as previously verified by Guinness Records) is about to be taken into a whole different era by a company with a proven world class track record but before we get into that (part 3) let’s put some meat on the bone and get some context/history to the story.

Ku Club was iconic. One of life’s curiosities is how the world’s largest club became to be on a small Mediterranean island. It’s a story that catches the imagination and was in a big way responsible for putting Ibiza at the centre of the hedonistic world of 80s clubbing, so let’s start at the beginning.

The ‘club San Rafael’ morphed into Ku Ibiza (named after an Hawaiian God) in the late 70s when Spanish profesional Footballer Jose Santamaría teamed up with legendary promoter Brasilio Oliveira to exploit this open aired space by putting on edgy parties attracting the Bourgeois European crowd.

While Amnesia across the road was defining the Balearic beat that is still prevalent today, Ku focussed on the beautiful people with a polysexual ambience that drew in those that wanted to express themselves and more importantly have fun.

The old Ku photos from the 80s are spellbinding – look at these Facebook Pics for example – gorgeous well dressed people, transvestites, models, local bigwigs, pop stars, footballers, nobodies, hippies all coming together in a white hot cauldron of excess that defined the 80s.

Ku typified 80s excess, fashion and style but was largely unknown outside of the in-crowd where it was like drawing bees to the honeypot.

Then Ku went mainstream. In May 1987 an event took place that put the club and the island on the world map. To celebrate Olympic Games being awarded to Barcelona, local promotor Pino Sagliacchi fused together the 2 brands by staging ‘biza 92’ at Ku. So to celebrate Barcelona 92 an event took place in May 1987 called Ibiza 92 at Ku. Are you still with me?

Over 2 nights world renowned bands performed for an over excited crowd but more importantly it was filmed and televised all over the globe such was the power of the names involved. Duran Duran, Belinda Carlisle , Breathe, Robert Palmer , Spandau Ballet, Prefab Sprout, Natalie Cole plus a rare public appearance by Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.

This was the height of the British pop takeover of the world so the names opened doors. In charge of the filming was a young, ambitious producer by the name of Janet Street Porter who was herself defining 80s youth culture in Margaret Thatchers new capitalist Britain.

If the first night was good then the 2nd night was breathtakingly iconic and would take the Ku Club into most British and European living rooms.

Queen’s Freddie Mercury still riding on a crest of a wave from Live Aid 2 years previously teamed up with world famous opera soprano Montserrat Caballe to perform and record the video for ‘Barcelona’ which would go on to become the anthem for the Olympic Games of 1992 and remains part of the Spanish psyche to the present day.

Today’s era is full of crossovers and collaborations but in the 80s it was a preposterous proposal to put these 2 together but it worked perfectly. The rich voice of Mercury and the haunting melody of Caballe blended perfectly together as they they stood together in evening dress surrounded by flowers and candles at the biggest club in the world. The song was a worldwide hit and when the video was played, Ku Club Ibiza in all its glorious and pompous beauty was beamed directly to to TVs all over the planet with presenters all to happy to fill in the blanks. Ku Club had gone mainstream.

But what goes up must come down and only 4 years later as the western world skirmished in the Iraqi desert the worlds biggest club was an empty hangar with little or no promotion and a shadow of its former self. The 80s bubble had burst and Ku was caught in the proverbial crossfire. Victim of its size as tourist numbers depleted. It’s hard to create an atmosphere with a thousand people in a club that holds 10 times that amount.

Then sailing in at sunset (well actually driving in an old transit van) came 2 brothers from Manchester who unknowingly were a about to rescue the worlds biggest club and put it on the map in a global way that Ibiza had never seen before, even in those so called 80s glory years

To be continued.

Part 2 – The Privilege Ibiza Years 1994-2019: Manumission madness to Closure

Part 3 – UNVRS Ibiza 2025: a whole new ball game

‘Let Food Be Thy Medicine and Medicine Be Thy Food’ – Hippocrates

HERE’S 50 IBIZA TASTE SENSATIONS TO TICK OFF YOUR LIST IN 2025

1. Getting giddy on a full bottle of HIERBAS left on the table or drinking FRIGOLA for “medicinal’ purposes only, local drinks that blow your socks off. 
2. Eating traditional deserts FLAO and BUÑOLES even though you’re full
3. Drinking a fruity GnT at CAFE MAMBO/MINT LOUNGE
4. Savouring the incredible tortilla at CAN COSMI, Santa Agnes
5. A piping hot mouthful of ARROZ DE MATANZA and a large plate SOFRIT PAGES – the ultimate comfort food at CA’S PAGÈS in San Carlos
6. Wandering down the restaurant street in SANTA EUALIA looking at all the menus
7. Drinking champagne and watching the fun unfold at O BEACH IBIZA
8. Enjoying a boozy night out with friends in the WEST END
9. Drinking rum and coke at Hï IBIZA
10. Eating a juicy steak at CAN PILOT, San Rafael
11. Taking friends to the amazing SA CAPELLA restaurant in an old church for the first time
12. Sipping drinks and admiring the views at BLUE MARLIN
13. Eating TRADITIONAL FOOD in a neighbours garage on a wet winter Sunday
14. Nasi Goreng in double quick time at RITA’S CANTINA
15. Tapas served with a smile at RINCON DE PEPE
16. Smelling freshly baked pastries  at CROISSANT SHOW
17. Drinking home made VINO PAYES in the winter and waking up the next day with a thick head
18. Small scrummy plates or food on low stools at BAR COSTA in the square at SANTA GERTRUDIS
19. Buying a drink at a SUPER CLUB and saying “sorry, how much”. 
20. LONG WINTER LUNCHES that go on for hours
21. Eating lobster paella washed down with cava sangria at CALA BASSA BEACH CLUB
22. Watching LIVE MUSIC in a local bar drinking a cheap caña
23. Going to LIO every 2 years then talking about the bill for 2 years.
24. Eating a FISH GRILL on wooden chairs listening to waves at CAN PUJOL
25. Enjoying a peaceful lunch in the square at SAN FRANCISCO, Formentera
26. Drinking CAFE CALETA after a delicious lunch at Sa Caleta
27. Going out for a QUICK DRINK and getting back at 7am
28. Eating a superb MENU DEL DIA with friends at TABERNA CEBO for a little over a tenner. 
29. A very fulfilling Sunday lunch at PIKES and then staying for the carry on
30. Picking the bones out of a delicious BULLIT DE PEIX at Cala Mastella
31. Huge portions of tapas at KAIXO in Ibiza Town
32. Savouring a glass of LOCAL VINO and a slice of bread and SOBRASADA from the pop up huts for 2 euros
33. Drinking CAN RICH or IBIZKUS – wine from the island 
34. Being invited to a ‘DRINK ON THE HOUSE’ after a good meal (see point 1)
35. Buying a fresh T-bone steak from CARNES MARCH
36. Scoffing a full English breakfast with a hangover at FATSO’S in San Antonio 
37. Drinking a spicy Bloody Mary then savouring a scrumptious Sunday lunch at RELISH
38. Eating freshly prepared food at CASA THAI San Antonio
39. Watching Jim make an incredible GnT at PARADISE LOST BAR in D’alt Vila
40. Having an ‘extended’ lunch at TROPICANA on CALA JONDAL beach
41. Doing the Conga around BESO BEACH after a boozy lunch
42. Eating delicious GELATO ICE CREAM on Vara de Rey in Ibiza Town or next to the church in San Antonio on a warm summers night
43. Ice cold strawberry daiquiris in the sunshine at CALA ESCONDIDO 
44. Savouring the freshest fish at the FISH SHACK in Talamanca
45. Eating delicious food at ‘TAPAS’ in San Antonio
46. Having an expensive lunch at JUAN Y ANDREA and remembering when it used to be a shack on the beach
47. Eating a delicious PIZZA at untold amount of places  
48. Sitting on the rocks watching the SUNSET with a can of beer from LIDL
49. Stuffing 12 grapes in your mouth and making 12 wishes at the stroke of midnight on NEW YEARS EVE
50. Sharing these special moments with family and friends

Happy New Year!

A couple of weeks ago I was in Benidorm for our annual Ibiza Cricket Club tour where the town was celebrating its fiesta week. The closing event is arguably the biggest fancy dress party in Europe where tens of thousands of people take to the streets in varying qualities of costumes to drink and be merry. The atmosphere is fantastic with a feel good feeling throughout. 

One of the reasons I love visiting Benidorm is because it’s the polar opposite of Ibiza, it’s one of the the least pretentious places you’ll ever visit. It’s big and in your face with massive hotels at every turn, everything is focused on tourism. It’s great value for money, in the main bars it’s 3 euros for a big bottle of beer, 2 euros for a bottle of water, 5 euros for a Guinness, 5 for a GnT. 

When you eat, the portions are generous, the service is usually informed and excellent and Benidorm old town has superb tapas restaurants equal to anywhere I’ve visited in Spain.

Benidorm is a great example of why competition is healthy. So many places offering similar services so prices are competitive with your next door neighbour, otherwise you will struggle. It’s an unashamedly price driven destination and it doesn’t hide it, compared to Ibiza it’s great value for money. It’s not to everyone’s taste but then again neither is Ibiza but Benidorm knows its market and focuses on that. It doesn’t try to be something it’s not and is all the better for it. 

During Benidorm’s big fancy dress party a few said to me that it would be great if Ibiza did something similar but I couldn’t disagree any more. Ibiza doesn’t want or need this type of business. I hate to use the C word but cheaper tourism isn’t something Ibiza should covet. Like Benidorm and other destinations the White Isle has positioned itself in the marketplace but as an up-market destination where things are ‘reassuringly expensive’. This might annoy some of the old school who still wear rose tinted glasses from the 70s but the numbers don’t lie, Ibiza has been booming for over a decade.

Of course ‘reassuringly expensive’ is OK as long as you can back it up with quality and service and those businesses in Ibiza that rip people off should be called out and this is when social media comes in very handy, a bad business has nowhere to hide these days. 

Ibiza has world class bars, restaurants, nightclubs and beach clubs run by some of the best entrepreneurs in the world. They don’t do it for charity, they do it to succeed and in turn make money. This is good business for everyone because if they aren’t as good as they think they are then they are quickly found out and the next one moves in. There’s always a few charlatans in the mix looking for a quick buck but Ibiza tends to spit them out.

Short haul tourism is constantly evolving and the the biggest challenge Ibiza businesses face is that the ‘herd’ now come over for a only a few nights and try to cram in as much as possible, most of it pre-planned and paid for so if your name is not on the social media driven must-do list then you need to fight even harder to survive but if you can succeed then the spoils are more than worth the effort. Many small Ibiza acorns are now flourishing oak trees. 

When you book to go to Benidorm you know exactly what you get and it’s the same for Ibiza. Two completely distinct destinations speaking the same language but in entirely different ways and united in their desire to succeed and keep their clients happy.

Benidorm and Ibiza are the same in many ways but entirely different in others, and like the big Beni fancy dress party, this should be celebrated.

Food, like many things goes through fads and fashions – haute cuisine, nouvelle cuisine – but there are a few dishes that are timeless and never go out of fashion.

Unlike our European cousins, namely the French, Italians and Spanish, us Brits aren’t well known for our high level of food sophistication however 1 dish seems to always stand the tests of time (and I ain’t taking about fish and chips!). 

The traditional Sunday roast conjures up a thousand memories, growing up it’s what Sundays are made of. Mine are of my Mum slaving over a hot stove preparing the full works only for me and my brother to moan and my Dad in his element savouring every mouthful before falling asleep in his armchair with a Sunday movie playing in the background. Like many things, roast dinners are wasted on the young, it takes a few years of maturity to fully grasp how delicious they are but get there I did. 

Therefore it pleases me to report that the traditional Sunday roast is the new Ibiza winter ‘battleground’ for a local hospitality industry looking to capitalise on a growing captive market.

Charlie Chester, that wily old dog, caught the scent early and last winter his Wow Sundays became very popular as it mixed food with Jo Mills’ fun Escucha brand and it became an all day Sunday party for island people.. This winter he’s transferred the same concept to The Standard in Ibiza Town and if there’s a better placed venue on the island then I don’t know where it is. It’s early days but by all accounts it’s been another rip roaring success.

During the summer Pikes, the famous rock n roll hotel, offered a superb Sunday roast and as afternoon became evening and then night the party stayed right there fuelled by its delicious food. Relish in San Antonio Bay does an excellent roast in the summer and also a bloody mean Bloody Mary, ideal bedfellows and comfort food after an excessive Saturday night. Even Cafe Mambo started offering it towards the end of summer!

This winter Taberna Cebo continues to offer the Sunday roast experience courtesy of their experienced British chef Spike. Big portions of steaming hot veg and a choice of meats in a lively local surrounding is a winner and usually sells out every week. Vitamin Sea down the road from Cebo also offers high quality weekend food and Project Social in Santa Eulalia is always good fayre and their Sunday roast is no different garnering great reviews.

Can Mimosa in Santa Gertrudis comes highly recommended as does Roto in Ibiza Town and now Smoke in Cala Llonga (from the same owners of Shanti) have added to the growing list of Sunday roast lunch providers with a tasty menu that promises to be very popular.

I’m sure there’s plenty more out there and it’s good news for your Sunday lunch options for when a paella doesn’t quite tick the boxes but a full traditional roast does. It signals the way Ibiza is going with a growing and more discerning expat population looking for quality family fayre in the winter and personally I’m all in!