November! Ask any Ibiza winter resident about November and you'll be greeted with a dreamy smile and a sigh. We love it! By this point in the year, we have amassed a certain amount of dosh to see us through the quieter months and the tourists have all but gone. The weather is, quite simply, outstanding, and there's a tranquility and contentment that is almost palpable. Ibiza winters sure are special.
Over the coming months, I will be chronicling some of the stuff we get up to once the super club doors have been pulled shut. There is no lack of activity on the island, that's for sure. It just revolves around a more chilled way of life - walks, food, drink and the odd party of a weekend. The perfect antidote to a summer of wild dancing, intense heat and very little sleep.
So what's a week in the life of a winter resident really like? As an Ibiza Town dweller, there is plenty of action all day long as it is still a working town. Shops, cafes and markets remain open all year round, and the pavements are bustling with locals going about their daily business.
Monday - Time to get fit
Come November, the body clock is flipped on its head. During the summer, we are most likely to be getting home at 6am, but in the winter, when I head out for a run at sunrise, I often pass a friend or 2 out walking their dogs or keeping fit as part of one of the workout clubs on the beach. The island is sublimely calm as the sun comes up, and my runs usually take me all the way to the end of Figueretas beach, to Sa Punta (the Fish Shack) via Talamanca or up to the top of Dalt Vila. We need to keep fit to counteract the vast amounts of food we consume as the days get colder!
Tuesday - Breakfast at Es Tap Nou
Something I like to make time for during the week is meeting mates for breakfast. Es Tap Nou is a fave spot. Es Tap Nou is actually a fresh fruit and vegetable store located up a side street in the new town just off Avenida d'Ignacio Wallis. Attached to the shop is a little cafe with tables strewn onto the pedestrianised area adjacent to it. They freshly squeeze a juice of the day (zumo del dia) with fruits from their store. We sip on generously sized chilled glasses of strawberry, pineapple, orange and apple for the princely sum of just €3.50. Coupled with a tostada con tomate (staple Ibiza breakfast fare) and a coffee, we sit and have a gossip whilst watching the world go by. An excellent start to the day!
Wednesday - a cliff top hike Cala Bassa to Cala Conte
In winter, we take to the countryside. Ibiza is home to stunning landscapes and hiking is commonplace. This week we meet at a friend's house in Cala Bassa and, with a veritable menagerie of animals in tow (even the domestic cats follow us for a little while) we head off via Cala Bassa beach and along the cliffs, past the pirate tower and end up at Cala Comte just in time for sunset. Someone brought a bottle of wine and some plastic cups. Clear winter thinking! Makes a walk worthwhile, right?!
Thursday - Time to hit the beach
Yes, the weather is still absolutely blinding (24°C in the sun!) and with the beaches void of tourists, us locals to flock to the seaside for exercise, some tranquility or a long, lesiurely and usually boozy lunch.
Friday - Lunch at White Ibiza Beach Club in Playa d'en Bossa
One such boozy affair cropped up on Friday at an extremely popular location in the winter, White Ibiza Beach Club, located off the main strip in Playa d'en Bossa and where the price for the menu del dia goes down to just €14.50 for 3 courses including a glass of wine or a beer! The food is top notch - the choices include a good mix of classic Spanish homecooking, sushi and salads and the terrace gets the sun most of the afternoon. We can easily lose a good few hours down here. There are still people in the sea too! Madness!
Saturday - Pacha
Hey we live in Ibiza! Parties are in our blood! Come the weekend, we are all itching for a little dance and Pacha just happens to be open on Fridays and Saturdays! This week, it is playing host to Electric Ibiza, the guys behind Do Not Sleep at Privilege. They've drafted in the local residents to play some tunes and a ton of familiar faces will be heading for the door underneath that famous cherry sign. They knock the drinks prices down a tad, and residents can get in free before 2am. Letting our hair down is part of who we are. I don't expect to get home until morning light!
Next week, I'll have more tales of Ibiza Winter life. There's never a shortage of things to do. We love Ibiza!
WORDS | Leena Sharma
