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THE PARTY ISLAND?
IBIZA
by Stuart Haggas
There are many places that boast w orld-renowned nightlife, b ut there can be no where on
earth where clubbing has made a greater impact than Ibiza, Spain. In fact, over the last few
decades, Ibiza’s reputation as a non-stop par ty island has e volved into a million-dollar
brand. Although there are other sides to Ibiza, including remote and idyllic beaches, a rural
interior of olive and almond g roves and pine forests, and an emer ging agrotourism scene,
the role clubbing plays in the island’s economy is evident from the moment you arrive.
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ibiza
A
t any other airport in the world you’ll most likely see advertisements for b lue-chip products lik e Coca-Cola or Apple
iPads. Here at Ibiza’ s air port I w as instead confronted b y
huge posters abo ve the luggage carousel for Matinée, the
gay-friendly Saturda y night par ty at super -club Amnesia,
where sexy go-go dancing boys and girls, acrobats, p yrotechnics, and lasers
create a dazzling experience that’s like Cirque Du Soleil on steroids.
Continuing into the arrivals lounge, I was handed flyers promoting parties
at other signif icant clubs lik e Pacha, Space, and DC10. By the time I’ d
reached the taxi rank, my stash of flyers had multiplied dramatically. Speeding towards Ibiza Town (“Eivissa” in Catalan), we passed billboard after billboard advertising all the major par ties and heralding star guests including
Kelis, Robyn, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Mark Ronson, and Mika, reaf firming
Ibiza’s status as the world’s ultimate clubbing mecca.
Famous for its me ga-clubs, Ibiza is home to w hat’s officially recognized
by the Guinness Book of Records as the w orld’s largest nightclub. Having
begun as a humble restaurant in the 1960s, it was reinvented as KU in 1978,
and its outdoor dancefloor , swimming pool, and la vish gardens became a
playground for the jet set. In 1987, F reddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé premiered their hit Barcelona here, a la vish spectacle that became the
song’s official video. Now called Privilege, it has a capacity of 10,000 and
the main room alone is the size of an aircraft hanger .
Altogether, Ibiza’s eight big clubs ha ve a combined capacity of o ver
33,000—astonishing when you consider that the island’ s entire population
was assessed in January 2010 as just 132,637.
Many of the world’s top DJs have summer residencies here, and they use
the oppor tunity to test ne w tracks on the cro wds. What debuts on Ibiza’ s
decks will influence w hat’s heard on radio stations and dancefloors around
the world. International record labels like Defected, Hed Kandi, and Ministry
Of Sound release bestselling compilation CDs of Ibiza club anthems; superstars including Black Ey ed Peas and Rihanna echo Ibiza in their beats; and ,
in the case of Jennifer Lopez’ s On The Floor, even give Ibiza a euphoric
shout-out in the chorus.
Although predominantly straight, cer tain nights attract ga y and lesbian
party people on a mission to dance the night a way. Besides Matinée, other
recommended gay-friendly parties include the legendary La Troya at Amnesia on Wednesday and the massive SuperMartXé at Privilege on Friday. For
more exclusively gay partying, look no fur ther than Anfora, located within
the historic walls of Dalt Vila in Ibiza Town. It compensates for the lack of
size and superstar DJs with a friendl y and frisky atmosphere (there’s even a
small darkroom), and is b usiest and best e very Thursday for “Disco Night
Fever.” Directly below Dalt Vila’s fortifications are two of Ibiza’s most popular gay bars Soap and Angelo, while nar row Calle de la Virgen is lined
with more intimate gay bars, shops, and restaurants.
C
hristened “Ibiza’s gay ambassador” b y Pacha Magazine, Juan De
Ibiza is one of the island’s most colorful characters. You’ll find him
and his par tner Nadal w orking a f ierce high-f ashion look e very
night at Soap. In 2011, he had 47 different outfits inspired by designers such
as Thierry Mugler, Dior, and Givenchy, and he never repeats the same look
twice. “Our look has to be outrageous, extravagant, glamorous and provocative as we are the center of attention, ” he e xplains. “During the winter w e
produce all the costumes for the next season, and it’s a hard job. We draw the
outfits and we have tailors in Mallorca, mainland Spain, and e ven in Thailand who do the work, always supervised by us.”
Though he w as bor n on the neighboring island Mallorca, one da y his
mother said to him “Son, your life is in Mallorca but y our soul and spirit is
from Ibiza.” He’s now been involved in Ibiza’s tourism and LGBT scenes for
over twenty years, so I asked how Ibiza has changed.
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PASSPORT I MAY 2012
“In the 90s Ibiza w as the mecca, ” says Juan De Ibiza. “It w as the
place w here people from all o ver the w orld would come looking for
freedom, love, music, sun, and sea. It’ s in the 90s w hen Club Culture
was born, when DJs were the Gods of Music whose sessions would last
[as long as] the pub lic would want. It’s when dancing in the da ylight
and dancing on the beach were born.”
During the 1990s, another unique aspect of Ibiza’ s clubbing scene
was conceived. Seminal club promoter Brasilio de Oli veira threw his
first party here in 1978, he’s brought everyone from Gloria Ga ynor to
Kylie Minogue to Ibiza, and his f amous party La Troya remains one of
the gayest and most popular of all time. As the mega-clubs are in outof-the-way locations, f ar from the f ashionable bars, shops, and restaurants of Ibiza Town, he came up with the idea of parading all his
dancers, acrobats, and performers through Ibiza Town’s narrow cobbled
streets, and the concept of Ibiza’s club parades began.
“The club parades star ted in the 90s, and the pur pose of them is to
alert the cro wds of the happenings of the night, ” Juan elaborates.
“Everyone has to have the best parade so people will go to their par ty.
The competition star ts here! Most of them f inish at Soap and this is
where everybody goes to see the Fin de Fiesta of the parades and get
ready to go to the club of y our choice.”
Even if you have no intention of setting foot inside a club, these nightl y
parades of gor geous, scantily clad men and w omen in la vish themed costumes are still w orth seeing. If y ou are planning a big night out, the y can
help you to choose your party. And as discounted entry wristbands and flyers are usually distributed during the parades, it makes economical sense to
keep a look out for them; club entrance fees range from
€25 to €50 in
advance, and can go up to €100 at the door.
I
biza’s transition to clubbing mecca be gan in 1967, w hen the Summer of Love and its legacy of music, mood altering drugs, and sexual freedom radiated to Ibiza from San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury
neighborhood. Ibiza’s tolerant attitude made it an ideal hippie haven, its
glorious weather conducive to open-air parties. Next came artists, writers, gays and lesbians, and Ibiza became a f avorite spot with a glamorous party crowd. Toward the end of the 1980s, w hen the UK e xperienced what’s often referred to as the Second Summer of Lo ve with the
rise of Acid House music and ecstasy-fuelled rave parties held in huge
warehouses, this also impacted upon Ibiza.
Those hedonistic summers altogether paved the way for the 1990s to
be the decade that sa w the bir th of Ibiza’s clubbing culture, and Ibiza
became the world’s most famous island for summer partying—an accolade it retains to this da y. The 90s w as also the decade that Ibiza w as
discovered b y the masses, w hen y oung tourists from Europe and
beyond flocked to raucous resor ts like San Antonio for a vacation full
of sun, sex, sangria, drugs, and clubbing; the island’s subsequent hangover was exposed on TV reality shows like Ibiza Uncovered.
“All the celebrities used to come to the island and w ould be treated
like others,” continues Juan De Ibiza. “There was no world of paparazzis, and they could be free and not worry that they were followed in their
private time. Ev erybody used to mix to gether from hippies, locals,
celebrities, rock stars, millionaires. No wadays has changed lots. We
separate everybody. Lots of people come to the island and do things
that they would not do in their hometowns. But Ibiza is a Scorpio island
and it changes and re generates, which is good. In 2011, I ha ve seen a
great change in Ibiza which I hope will last for a long time. ”
Another notable face on Ibiza’s party scene is Logan Schmitz. Born
and raised in Oklahoma, toda y he’s the UK promoter for Matinée and
SuperMartXé as w ell as his o wn par ties under the Lo gan Presents
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ibiza
Like the sound of a cicada, it’s the nocturnal buzz that gives
Ibiza its magical vibe. There’s a genuine sense here that
nightfall is the beginning of something exciting.
brand. His journey from America’s Midwest to London’s gay club scene
was made via the go-go podiums of Ibiza. Ha ving disco vered Ibiza
thanks to E! Entertainment’s W ild O n!TV show, it became Logan’s goal
to land a job on the island. At the time he w as attending Florida State
University, which fortuitously had a campus in Valencia, Spain. Upon
completing his f irst ter m there, Lo gan’s real plan click ed into action
and he boarded a boat bound for Ibiza.
“A little lost in paradise, f inding a job w asn’t so easy without a
proper w orking visa, and this countr y bo y needs to eat, ” Lo gan
explains. “After the f irst month, m y mone y was r unning thin, but I
was determined to k eep my Ibiza dream ali ve. Inspired b y the ar t of
dance, I quickly adapted my ‘newbie’ Midwestern-gay style to a Eurofashion Ibiza dancer. The transformation didn’t happen overnight, and
learning a personal dance style w asn’t easy in co wboy boots… but I
soon found myself working my debut shift at Pacha, Ibiza’s most legendary dance space.”
“When I f irst touched do wn in Ibiza in 2002, I sa w the island
through virgin eyes—every nightclub, posh restaurant, and chill-out hot
spot seemed sur real. The Ibiza scene b urst with freedom,” Logan continues. “Had I known the island 20 years earlier, I probably would have
seen the island more restricti ve. I never had the oppor tunity to experience Privilege (formerly KU) as a garden paradise without walls or barriers, or w atch this clubbing mecca transfor m from the 70s complete
hippie style, writing its own rules of party.”
Y
ou don’t have to be a hardcore party animal, however, to enjoy
Ibiza, because this beautiful island has a mello w B-side. Recognized since 1999 as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site, the fortifications of Ibiza Town known as Dalt Vila (literally “Upper Town”)
are the photogenic focus of e very vacation on the island. This Renaissance era acropolis is full of nar row streets that wind up to the 14thcentury cathedral of Santa Maria d’Eivissa. Historically, those impenetrable w alls protected the Spanish cro wn from enemies including
Turkish and Berber pirates, b ut today they shelter restaurants, ar t galleries, and craft shops. It’s also a focal point for open-air concerts, exhibitions and cultural events, including the Festival del Mar international gay and lesbian f ilm festival. You should note that Dalt Vila’s ramparts do become cruisy at night.
For a dinner of delicious local specialties lik e arroz de matanzas
(rice with cuts of pork), guisat de peix (fish stew), and flaó (a soft tart
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ibiza
made with goats cheese and spear mint), Dalt Vila’s most co veted
tables are to be found on the time-polished stone ofPlaza de Vila, but
my recommendation is to head up to Plaza del Sol and El Restaurante Plaza del Sol, whose candlelit tables offer stunning panoramas
and oodles of romance. Wherever you dine, be sure to end y our meal
with Hierbas Ibicencas, a digestive liqueur of anisette to which sprigs
of aromatic herbs lik e rosemar y, la vender, chamomile, juniper and
sage have been added (many places follow their own treasured recipe
to make their own supply).
Hotels are sur prisingly scarce hereabouts. Man y gay visitors opt to
stay in the neighboring resort of Figueretes, where popular gay-friendly accommodations such as Hotel Cenit are within walking distance of
Ibiza Town’s sights and gay scene. If you insist on staying in Ibiza Town
itself, the best option is five-star Hotel Mirador de Dalt Vila. Occupying a nob le estate house built in 1905, its 13 stylish rooms and suites
feature original period fur nishings and antiques. Ov erlooking the lively cafés of palm-fringed Plaza del Parque, the more affordable Hostal
Parque has 30 modern rooms, the best of which are three rooftop ático
rooms, boasting lovely terrace views.
The cafés and bars of the adjacent f isherman’s quarter, La Marina,
are ideal for enjo ying a lazy breakf ast on a sunn y terrace. Here y ou’ll
also f ind a plethora of shops selling inter national brands as w ell as
Ibiza’s own Adlib f ashion creations. Adlib f ashion is typicall y white,
uses natural f abrics, is simple and comfor table, and possesses handmade characteristics that echo Ibiza’ s easy-going hippie attitude.
Accessorized with sandals and handmade je welry, this bohemian style
is adopted by many visitors to the island, and often inspires some of the
world’s biggest designers. The majority of shops sta y open until after
midnight. In f act, this w hole area comes tr uly alive after dark, w hen
everywhere is buzzing with anticipation of a big night out.
L
Photos: Stuart Haggas
ike the sound of a cicada, it’ s the noctur nal buzz that gi ves Ibiza
its magical vibe. There’s a genuine sense here that nightf all is the
beginning of something exciting, which explains why it’s an island
tradition to celebrate every sunset.
The most iconic spot used to be Benirrás Beach, where sunset was
accompanied by the rhythmic beat of bongo dr ums and much clapping
and hipp y-hippy shaking. Then in August 2010, a de vastating f ire
destroyed over 300 hectares of pine forest sur rounding this secluded
beach, and toda y Benir rás is remembered b ut rarel y visited. Ibiza’ s
summer influx of hippies and hipsters now flock to Sunset Ashram on
rocky Platges de Comte.
Another renowned sunset rendezv ous is Café Del Mar, a bar in the
resort of San Antonio that’s world famous for its chill-out music compilations. Here, sunset is accompanied b y ambient Balearic beats; ho wever, San Antonio is hedonistically heterosexual and perhaps best avoided.
Instead, I recommend y ou watch the sunset from the ter race of Hostal
Restaurante La Torre at nearby Cap Negret. Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the island , it ne vertheless f ills to capacity with cro wds
who ha ve cocktail and camera poised to celebrate and capture the
moment that the sun says adiós.
Once the moon has tak en center stage, a euphoric sense of e xpectation
takes hold, a feeling that e very visitor will share, ir respective of w hether
they will go to a club. Ibiza has a special nocturnal vibe that no other place
can replicate, which is why it puzzles me to lear n that the island’s Tourist
Office prefers to understate its importance. In fact, they’re eager to rebrand
Ibiza as an upscale and family-friendly destination that’s synonymous with
culture and heritage, not clubbing and hedonism, and ne w laws have been
introduced over the past few years to help achieve this goal.
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ibiza
There was a time w hen you could club around the clock, but in an
effort to reign in the unbridled hedonism of Ibiza’ s never-ending par ty,
the island’s government introduced stricter laws on opening times, a bitter pill prescribed in an attempt to cur tail Ibiza’s revelry. By imposing a
mandatory 6 A.M. till 4:30 P.M. ban in 2008, the y immediately brought
an end to Ibiza’s famous afternoon and after-party scenes. Coincidentally, at the end of that season, Ibiza’ s biggest and most notorious par ty
Manumission closed its doors for the very last time after 14 years of fireeaters, perfor ming dwarfs, and li ve sex shows. But did this signify the
end of an era, or the be ginning of a new one?
O
ther recent legislation requires that new hotels be f ive star, and a
major highway construction project has made Ibiza’s beaches and
tranquil rural interior more accessib le to tourists. It’s hoped that
these grand schemes will attract a new kind of tourist, but many Ibicencos
and internationals question the wisdom behind the le gislation.
“My early seasons w ere def initely the most magical, ” says Logan.
“Ibiza was tr uly happening. I w as engulfed with a hedonistic atmosphere unlik e an ything I could ha ve e ver imagined. There w ere no
stereotypes, no clichés, just millions of open-minded travelers all looking to have a good time. I felt for the f irst time in my life “truly” free.
Since my first year in 2002, I have seen this magic island evolve.”
He also told me about the ne gative impact that the ne w laws are
having on Ibiza. “It w asn’t until 2005 that w e star ted to feel the
change,” Lo gan continues. “The island star ted to w ork on the ne w
highway system, connecting Ibiza’ s most treasured hideouts to the
mainstream public, slowly commercializing the beauty and destroying
the atmosphere of w hat made Ibiza unlik e any place in the w orld. I
could feel the island lean a way from its clubbing roots. In 2006, the
famous Space ter race grew a new set of glass windo ws outlining the
entire str ucture, keeping the natural light, b ut blocking out the open
air. Ne w la ws and re gulations restricting noise k ept s weeping the
island as a ne w government took control in central Spain, and e verchanging laws began enforcing outrageous f ines to whoever dared to
proceed. The f inal nail pushed through the music cof fin was in 2008
when it w as announced that all after -hours and da ytime events must
close, forcing party promoters to only work in the night. Everyone on
the island felt these ne w restrictions. With closing times at 6 A.M.,
clubbers felt the need to enter the major super
-clubs b y midnight
instead of later (previously after 2 or 3 A.M.). In turn, the Ibiza Town
bars and lounges emptied earl y or ne ver f illed at all, causing man y
shops, bars, and restaurants to close.”
Juan De Ibiza of fers a philosophical and , perhaps, economical perspective of the situation. “Of course w e have to promote the ecotourism
and cultural events as this is how everything started. Not everybody who
comes to Ibiza comes for the clubs. We have the most beautiful beaches
of the Mediter ranean, the cleanest w aters, golf, w atersports, riding, a
great range of local cuisine well-known all over, vineyards, salt flats, natural parks…do not for get that Dalt Vila and the P osidonia meadows are
not clubs, they are history and biology, recognized by UNESCO.”
Ibiza is attracting other kinds of tourist, b ut it’s not entirely the kind
they were aiming for. As the recession bites, f amilies overlook Ibiza in
favor of cheaper destinations but, as Juan De Ibiza says, Ibiza is a Scorpio island and it’s constantly evolving and regenerating.
It used to be said that if you returned from Ibiza with a tan, then you
didn’t have had a good time, because y ou didn’t spend e very waking
hour in a club . That’s no longer tr ue, because some super -fashionable
beach clubs have emerged to f ill the afternoon club void.
We need look no fur ther than Chiringay. This popular spot on the
southern tip of Es Ca vallet beach is described as the w orld’s f irst gay
beach. Estab lished in 1980, f acilities toda y include a palm-thatched
restaurant ser ving simple Mediter ranean food to diners in their
swimwear, and there’s usually a DJ playing mellow sundrenched beats.
As the beach lies within the Ses Salines nature reserve, there’s plenty to
explore and experience amongst the sur rounding dunes!
More luxurious beach clubs include chic, w hite Blue Marlin on
beautiful Cala Jondal beach, where A-list guests including Leonardo
DiCaprio and Kate Moss are likely to arrive by yacht. For guaranteed
beach partying, Matinée hosts the Sunday afternoon session at supercool La Plage in Playa D’en Bossa, while the nearby Ushuaia Beach
Hotel is a fashionable party palace whose pool is pur posefully shallow so you can dance rather than s wim in it, alto gether proving that
the party doesn’t need to stop until y ou board your plane home.
In f act, it doesn’ t necessarily end there, because y ou might e ven
fly on an Ibiza-themed plane! In 2011, Spanish low-cost airline Vueling introduced to its fleet an Airbus A320, its fuselage specially customized with colorful g raphics and the insignia “Fl y Me I’m
Famous” to promote Cathy and David Guetta’s huge Ibiza party F***
Me I’m Famous. Assisted by popstar Taio Cruz, David Guetta treated those lucky enough to win a place on its debut flight to a live mix
of in-flight music. After completing this 30,000-feet gig, the airline
went into re gular ser vice, flying passengers from 11 European airports to and from Ibiza. Ibiza is a million-dollar brand , and has its
own plane to prove it!
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ibizaresources
CLUBBING GUIDE
GAY BARS
With so many parties to choose from each and every
night, not forgetting the gay venues of Ibiza Town, it can
be difficult to know where to go, so here’s our night-bynight guide. “Ibiza is a special place that has to be visited once in a lifetime,” says Logan Schmitz. “I guarantee
if you follow my lead, it won’t be your last visit!” “Summer starts at the beginning of June and runs full season
until the first weekend of October,” adds Logan. “Traditionally, August is the most gay month on the island, as
the first two weeks get bombarded with hot European
boys.” “August is the month when everybody is here,”
agrees Juan De Ibiza. “The island is rocking, the beaches are full, the clubs are full. And in August, it’s when the
local fiestas are in all the towns of the island. In Ibiza
Town the 8th of August with the famous fireworks, and
in Figueretas the 15th of August.”
A night out in Ibiza Town begins along narrow Calle
de la Virgen, where you’ll find dozens of intimate little gay bars, each with a handful of outdoor chairs
and tables placed perilously on the cobbles. These
include Bar 22 (C/ De la Virgen 22), Mad Bar (C/ De
la Virgen 32), Indira (C/ De la Virgen 40), Sunrise
Ibiza (C/ De la Virgen 44), Foc i Fum (C/ De la Virgen 55), Exis (C/ De la Virgen 57), Bar Leon (C/ De
la Virgen 62) and JJ Bar (C/ De la Virgen 78).
SATURDAY
Hotel Cenit, C/ Archiduque Luís Salvador, Los
Molinos. Tel: +34-971-301-404. Popular gay-friendly hotel with swimming pool, on the top of a hill facing the sea, within walking distance of the gay
scene and sights of Ibiza Town. Summer rates from
€85. www.hotelcenit.com
Next, head to either Angelo (Alfonso XII 11) or Soap
(Santa Llúcia 21-23), a pair of popular bars located
adjacent to each other in the shadow of Dalt Vila’s
imposing walls. Both have large outdoor terraces, and
are open every night till 1 A.M.
HOTELS
Matinée @ Amnesia, C/ San Antonio, San Rafael.
Tel: +34-917-198-041. Mixed, gay-friendly party at
this 5,000-capacity super-club, famous for its sexy
stage shows. “This event is not to be missed,” says
Logan. “Mixed with one of the best soundtracks,
be amazed with the incredible facility in Amnesia
and experience one of the most high tech productions in the world.” www.matineegroup.com
SUNDAY (DAY)
Matinée Beach @ La Plage, C/ de la Playa D’en
Bossa. Tel: +34-971-590-363. The Matinée team host
the Matinée session at this fashionable mixed gayfriendly beach club. “This super-chic beach club, with
white beds and a very Nikki Beach Miami style décor,
heats up the sands of Playa D’en Bossa,” says Logan,
“bringing outdoor havoc the Matinée way!”
www.matineegroup.com
SUNDAY (NIGHT)
Fetish @ Pacha, Avenida 8 de Agosto, Ibiza Town. Tel:
+34-971-313-612. Iconic super-club founded in 1973,
with a capacity of 3,500. “Sunday nights belong to the
legendary nightclub Pacha,” says Logan. Although it’s
not a gay party, Pasha’s opulent take on clubbing is
worth experiencing. “If you are lucky enough to experience a gay night in Pacha, don’t miss it. These are rare
and far between, bringing elegance to an intimate night
with the gays.” www.pacha.com
Lola’s, C/ Alfonso XII 9, Ibiza Town. Tel: +34-687-755618. Ibiza’s first discotheque, today this small club interconnects with adjacent gay bar Angelo and it attracts a
predominantly gay party crowd every night of the week,
but it’s especially recommended on Sunday night.
MONDAY (DAY)
Circo Loco @ DC10, C/ de Las Salinas KM1. No
phone. Located in a converted finca with a large
covered terrace beside the runway of Ibiza Airport, this 1,500-capacity club is the antithesis of
many of Ibiza’s bigger and slicker clubs—and
that’s what makes it unique. “Although not known
as a typical gay outing, if you have the party urge
inside of you, this is definitely the spot to visit,”
says Logan. “Opening its doors in the early afternoon, anything goes once you step inside as you
are filled with an unsuppressed extreme party
environment.” www.circolocoibiza.com
MONDAY (NIGHT)
Scandal @ Somny, C/ Alcines 15, Playa d’en
Bossa. Tel: +34-971-306-417. Exclusively gays
party at this stylish little beachfront club, close to
the gay-friendly hotels of Figueretas. “If you are
looking for a night out but not as full-on as a superclub like Privilege or Amnesia, Scandal is just the
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PASSPORT I MAY 2012
place,” says Logan. “This island local party brings
together the right elements of a great night.” “It’s
always full,” agrees Juan De Ibiza, “and I am hosting the party!” www.somnyibiza.com
TUESDAY
Seduction @ Pacha, Avenida 8 de Agosto, Ibiza
Town. Tel: +34-971-313-612. “The Legend,” says
Juan De Ibiza, “with seven nights a week the top
DJs of the world. The most famous party is Flower
Power, which is a must for everyone. Also Swedish
House Mafia (Monday) and F*** Me I’m Famous
(Thursday). Seduction (Tuesday) attracts lots of gay
people.” www.pacha.com
WEDNESDAY
La Troya @ Amnesia, C/ San Antonio, San Rafael.
Tel: +34-917-198-041. Mixed, gay-friendly party from
seminal club promoter Brasilio de Oliveira. “This legendary island favorite made its home Amnesia just 10
years back. Now after some venue hopping, La Troya
has returned to Amnesia with a taste of outrageous
entertainment,” says Logan. “Although not so high
tech as Matinée, this intimate outing gives you the
best of the gay homemade island clubbing!”
www.latroyaibiza.com
THURSDAY
Disco Night Fever @ Anfora, San Carlos 7, Ibiza Town.
Tel: +34-971-302-893. Small but buzzing gay club built
into the rocks of historic Dalt Vila. Its retro disco night on
Thursday is its most popular party. “With a downstairs
dancefloor and an upstairs darkroom with full frontal
porn on the TVs, if a shag is what you’re after, you’ve
found the place!” says Logan. www.disco-anfora.com
FRIDAY
SuperMartXé @ Privilege, C/ San Antonio, San
Rafael. Tel: +34-971-198-160. Mixed, gay-friendly party at the world’s biggest club, with a capacity of 10,000. “Friday belongs to SuperMartXé,”
says Logan. “Although not as gay as my franchise
in London, this over-the-top creation is the
biggest in Ibiza. SuperMartXé comes to life every
Friday night with a complete theme and set
change. With celebs such as Paris Hilton and
Dennis Rodman in the mix, you are sure to witness one of the most outrageous productions of
your life.” www.supermartxe.com
Hotel Mirador de Dalt Vila, Plaza de España 4, Dalt
Vila, Ibiza Town. Tel: +34-971-303-045. With just 13
rooms and suites, this homey but luxurious five-star
hotel occupies a grand 1905 mansion within Dalt Vila’s
walls, and boasts original art and antiques, a small
swimming pool, restaurant, and cocktail bar. Summer
rates from €370. www.hotelmiradoribiza.com
Hostal Parque, Plaza del Parque 4, Ibiza Town. Tel:
+34-971-301-358. Modern hotel with 30 simple but
stylish rooms, located on a lively square just outside
of the historic walls of Dalt Vila. Summer rates from
€110. www.hostalparque.com
Ushuaïa Beach Hotel, Playa D’en Bossa 10. Tel:
+34-902-424-252. Fashionable new five-star hotel
and beach club designed to appeal to upscale party
people, with massive pool parties every night till
midnight, and facilities including luxury swim-up
rooms and suites. Summer rates from €324.
www.ushuaiabeachhotel.com
DINING
Blue Marlin Beach Club, Playa Es Jondal, Sant
Josep. Tel: +34-971-410-117. Chic, white, AsianMediterranean fusion restaurant located within
Ibiza’s most famous and fashionable beach club.
It’s ideal for a sundrenched lunch, but is equally
happening for dinner. www.bluemarlinibiza.com
Chiringay, Playa Es Cavallet, Las Salinas. Tel: +34971-187-429. This rustic, palm-thatched eatery on
beautiful Es Cavallet beach has served cocktails,
lunch and snacks to gay men and lesbians since
1980 – a gay legend! www.chiringay.com
El Restaurante Plaza del Sol, Plaza del Sol, Dalt Vila,
Ibiza Town. Tel: +34-971-390-773. Situated on a pretty square beside Dalt Vila’s ramparts, this romantic
candlelit restaurant serves up stunning views accompanied by delicious Mediterranean cuisine.
www.plazadelsolibiza.com
Hostal Restaurante La Torre, Urb. Cap Negret 25,
Sant Antoni de Portmary. Tel: +34-971-342-271. Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the island is
this simple hotel and restaurant. The menu is limited
to a handful of local dishes, but you don’t come here
for the food—the big attraction is that the terrace is a
stunning vantage point from which to enjoy a famous
Ibiza sunset. www.hostallatorreibiza.com