With over 200 kilometres of coastline, Ibiza lifestyle revolves around sandy beaches, coves and a range of contrasting resorts. There’s boat charter, watersports, scuba diving, parascending and water parks as well as being a paradise for tennis, golf, riding, biking, quads, karts, and quad safaris.
The music and clubbing scene is legendary with regular television coverage perhaps providing an image of wild youths’ last fling. The time-warp hippies of the Seventies - most of them have grey hair nowadays - can still be found in and around regular hippy markets which offer exotic batik wraps and clothing, tailor-made leather moccasins and endless variety of eastern silver jewellery and trinkets.
That’s the image, but the reality is that Ibiza has much more to offer property buyers and tourists than its high profile clubbing and hippy culture.
Take dining and wining for instance. Lunch can be at a small quayside place with crystal clear waters lapping at your feet and where small fishing boats arrive at the jetty with the day's catch. Smell the aroma of burning pinewood as the fire is prepared for your lunch of fresh fish stewed in a big iron pot. Later dine in the hills high above the sea watching the lights twinkling far below.
Choose simple Ibicencan fare like rabbit, lamb, and chicken, in hearty stews, or the delights of modern Basque, Provencale or Catalan cuisine on a smart terrace. In summer eat in shady spots near hot beaches, or relax over tapas in country villages.
Most visitors hire a car or scooter and head off into the lush, green hinterland where undulating hills covered in pine trees mask picturesque, whitewashed little villages with medieval churches and ancient artefacts. There are acres of almond, olive and fig trees, interspersed with startling plashes of purple, pink and red from flowering bougainvillea, oleander and hibiscus.
Property scene
Property in Ibiza has seen a steady increase in prices and it is remains the haunt of the rich and famous from Hollywood and the UK celeb circuit. But for the careful home seeker there are still some excellent opportunities, if not at bargain prices anymore. There are pueblo-style condominiums, beach resorts and village houses. The ruined fincas might well have been snapped up, but the cash-rich, time-poor buyers are still around to take advantage of previous owners’ construction creativity and investment.
PropertyInSpain.Net has exclusive, off market big villas from €1M-plus, the best of the new developments and resale opportunities and a local affiliate office to help you find your home in Ibiza.