What do you know about Ibiza, apart from that it’s got incredible beaches and is a mecca for DJs, go-go dancers, ravers and celebrities? We’ve put together 8 fascinating facts about Ibiza, the largest of the Pityusic Islands (Ibiza and Formentera), which we bet you didn’t know.

As a destination loved by many, misunderstood by others and unknown to the vast majority of mortals, Ibiza is paradise of lemon and carob trees, figs and salt. A gastronomic island eager to share everything it knows about what the land and sea have to offer in the way of cuisine. Just a stone's throw away - or a flight away with Vueling.

Visiting Ibiza out of season offers a number of pleasant advantages, making it the ideal destination for a getaway where you can recharge your batteries in a highly attractive – and peaceful – location. You might be taken aback by the idea of it being peaceful, as Ibiza is internationally renowned for being studded with celebrities sailing off its coastline in fabulous yachts, crowded beaches for strutting your stuff and endless revelling in its world famous discos. But there is indeed another side to the island and it’s well worth discovering.

In that “other Ibiza” you can experience the island’s beaches and scenery in all their splendour, and soak up the unique magic emanating from some of its corners. One such surprise awaiting those who visit Ibiza this spring is its culinary offerings. Imagine savouring the island’s typical flavours in some of its prime restaurants at a very special price? It’s yours for the taking from 20 April to 28 May, when the island is due to proffer its gastronomic face to delight visitors (and locals, too, needless to say). Dubbed #IbizaSabor2017, this fair brings together 51 illustrious restaurants which for a few days will be offering haute cuisine at affordable prices, with house menus for 25 euros (wine and drinks apart).

Showcasing Ibizan Cuisine

One of the highlights of this initiative is the presence of Ibizan cuisine on the menus drawn up by the participating restaurants. So, you can taste popular fish dishes such as bullit de peix, or sofrit payés, featuring assorted meats combined with potato, vegetables and the two most popular cured meats on the island –sobrasada and butifarra. Other offerings include cuinat, a typical Holy Week dish seasoned with a herb characteristic of the place and time, borrida de ratjada, with ray fish as the centrepiece, pescado en salmorra (pickled fish), ensalada de crostes, a salad based on bread crusts and dried fish, and the ever juicy and tasty arroz de matanzas (a meat paella rice). Desserts are there, too, especially two island classics – flaó, an Ibizan cheesecake, and greixonera, a kind of steam pudding, which the sweet-toothed will adore.

The restaurants that have signed up for this fair are scattered about the island’s major towns – Ibiza, Santa Eulària, Sant Josep, Sant Antoni and Sant Jona, making this event the perfect excuse for including local cuisine on your itinerary across Ibiza. Of the venues that have joined the #IbizaSabor2017 initiative, you can enjoy haute cuisine at La Gaia, in the Ibiza Gran Hotel, the Aguas de Ibiza Hotel restaurant, Unic, Can Domo and Es Terral. You will be amazed by the long-standing experience in hospitality at Ca Na Ribes, an establishment that goes back ninety years, and Ca N’Alfredo, which can boast seventy-five. Savour the seafood at Sa Caleta or Sa Nansa and discover the charm of locales such as Ses Roques and La Veranda by Atzaró. The long list of eateries also features Ca N’Anneta, Café Montesol and Ibosim where tapas take pride of place (5 euros per tapa, with a glass of wine or beer included). Check out the full list of restaurants in the #IbizaSabor2017 initiative here.

Fire up, book your Vueling to Ibiza and taste the island’s most flavourful fare.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

In our last post about Ibiza we went in search of the island’s culinary delights, coinciding with the #IbizaSabor2017 event, and found that it features a whole world of flavours waiting to be discovered. On this occasion we delve into its facilities for promoting well-being and present them in the form of places and activities for nurturing our body and mind to the full, turning our visit to Ibiza into a restorative experience. Fancy discovering this with us?

Take it Slow

By this stage everyone knows that yoga is highly beneficial to both body and mind. A few asanas to tone our body, a good set of stretching exercises and a decent spell of meditation give a boost to our everyday well-being. If on top of that we do it in a setting in the heart of nature, the experience can be absolutely arresting. This is what you’ll get at YogaRosa Retreats, the ideal place to pamper yourself on a yoga retreat in a dream environment where you will also come across Austrian chef Philip Gandler, who adds a touch of experience to the wholesome cuisine. Another place to get rid of stress through yoga is Ibiza Retreats, a painstakingly renovated property located just 5 to 10 minutes from Santa Eulàlia, Santa Gertrudis, San Lorenzo and the turquoise waters of Cala Nova beach, where they schedule nearly 30 retreats between late February and the end of October.

Discovering Rural Ibiza

You might be surprised to learn that there is life beyond Ibiza’s beaches and discos. Venturing inland reveals a host of beautiful rural areas where you can enjoy an alternative experience to the usual Ibizan sojourn. You could elect to stay in accommodation like Can Pardal, an exquisitely restored 16th-century Ibizan house in the north of the island set amid olive groves and fruit trees. Or else visit an organic farm, Can Obrador, located on the Camí des Pedrisset, on the main road between Ibiza and Santa Eulàlia, where you can learn the workings of environmentally-friendly farming systems, or see the Can Caus organic farm in operation up close.

My Life For a Spa!

Fast-paced modern living makes it well nigh impossible to pamper yourself so, why not use your getaway to Ibiza to treat yourself to a spa treatment in amenities where you will emerge feeling renewed? There are various hotels on the island which include a spa among their services, as at Migjorn Ibiza, featuring a spa where they apply geothermal, Thai, chocolate and essential oil techniques. Other venues include La Posidonia, with views of the Mediterranean from their spa which alone make the experience worthwhile, and the evocative spa at the Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza, where you will come out feeling like new.

“Mens sana in corpore sano”

Sports enthusiasts will find that Ibiza has myriad open-air spots, full of magic and charm, where they can engage in sporting activities. The beaches are one of the main draws, where you can dive in crystal-clear water, go on a kayak tour, have a whale of a time doing kite-surfing, sail around the coastline or while away the time doing paddle boarding. You can also sign up for a bicycle tour of the island, go rock climbing or simply enjoy the island’s natural beauty while hiking along its footpaths.

Book your Vueling to Ibiza and discover the wellness awaiting you there.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS