This week, Jelena lets us in on some of the places you can go to escape the crowds during peak season.
I have to admit, when it comes to August, I have a "yeah, but, no but" kind of attitude, and this past August was no different. When the island gets overcrowded with the hordes of house pilgrims from around the globe, the heat and the levels of stickiness are at its all-time high, the beaches are noisy, the sea water is too warm and all I can think about is work, work, work and hibernating in my cubicle with the air con blazing the temperature normally found in an Eskimo’s igloo.
But Ibiza, as tiny as it might seem to the ever-increasing hordes North American tourists (I have noticed that this 2012 season has been rediscovered by enormous amounts of the Americanos), it still has many places and venues to disappear to from the crowds and heat during my second least-favorite month of the year (February would have to be the first on that list, but that’s another story). So here I’m going to attempt to take you on a journey to the less known spots on the island where I like to go to when the usual places get too invaded for my taste.
If your budget is permitting – and you don’t get sea sick easily – I would most definitely recommend spending as much time as possible on a sailboat during the month of August. No matter how hot and muggy the weather gets, as one sets sail to the superb sea breeze, life gets, oh, so much more bearable. Thanks to an invite from a very dear friend, I had a chance to sail to the north of the island for the first time in my 12 year Ibiza history, and I have to admit, it was one of the most spectacular experiences so far.
In comparison to the usual route to Formentera, which in August appears a very busy freeway with posh yachts galore, the north of the Island is so much greener, cooler and peaceful. We sat sail from the San Antonio bay towards Punta Galera and Cala Gració to finally anchor in the peaceful bay of Cala Aubarca. I have only visited this place once before in Spring years ago as it is a bay reachable only by foot or by boat in this case. With only a couple of boats around us, it was a perfect spot for lunch and an hour’s long snorkel.
The north of the island, in general, is a place where I like to escape to on a day off, no matter which month of the year it is. The municipal area of Sant Joan, about which I’ve written before, is the largest area of Ibiza and the least populated one. Go off the beaten path as there is always a nice rocky beach next to the already known beaches where one can find peace and quiet. I always love to end the day hanging around the village of Sant Joan and having a vegetarian organic pizza and a mango lassi at ‘Om Sweet Home’.
For really cool wining and dining, I also love Can Tixedo on the road from San Rafael to Santa Ines. This bar, restaurant and art gallery is hardly ever packed and serves some of the most succulent homemade meals one can imagine. And there’s always a breeze on their terrace, even during the hottest summer nights. Just a couple of kilometers down the road is the village of Santa Ines, most famous for the midnight full moon walks when the valley’s Almond trees are in blossom, but for culinary indulgence purposes, I visit Bar Cosmi, famous for making an art of the Spanish tortilla.
I have already dedicated some time to writing about the infamous Hippy Market at Las Dalias in San Carlos, but almost purposely failed to mention its younger brother which takes place there on Monday nights. With half of the amount of visitors it is a home to an art market and offers pretty much everything its Saturday daytime rival does, but under the veil of cool moonlight.
For a perfect sunset, away from the crowds, I most definitely choose San Antonio’s Hostal La Torre. Situated on the hill above the town, this solitary venue built in the early seventies (and hardly refurbished ever since, offering a very cool retro feel), has the most amazing sea view without and crowds or boats disturbing that perfect sunset photo you have been trying to take.
Cala Nova is a beach situated in the municipal area of Santa Eulalia close to the village of San Carlos. One can access this large sandy beach either through the entrance to Cala Llenya or directly from Es Canar. With its perfect turquoise waters and very nice waterfront restaurants it is also the home of Atzaro Group’s new venture called Atzaro Beach. This very cool venue was the home to 1971 Friday Rocker’s Revenge afternoons/nights of Jade Jagger’s Jezebel. I’m a total sucker when it comes to open air raving, and doing it right on the beach during the hottest month of the year is absolute bliss. Some of the deejays one could see here this past month included Horse Meat Disco, Lottie, Groove Armada, Sophie Lloyd and The Straight A’s, among others.
Speaking of Atzaro, I can’t fail to mention their involvement with another super cool August event with Urban in Ibiza. Street art, live graffiti and fashion shows, all among the ultra-fashionable setting of this Agroturismo situated in the valley full of olive, orange and lemon trees was a perfect description of an amazing August night out.
We said good bye to another Augustus with a full blue moon and thunderstorms that chilled the nights in preparation for the last month of the summer season. Welcome to my favorite month of the year… roll on September!!!
Till next week,
Jelena XX
Read week 12's blog entry here
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