Best Clubbing Holiday Destinations in Europe – Ibiza

Ibiza is truly one of those rare destinations where you experience a very special feeling as your plane touches down on the runway. It’s a country that keeps hundreds of thousands of visitors coming back year after year, a place where (almost) anything goes and different nationalities come together and celebrate the summer season.

Ibiza is one of the Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain – it can be reached in 2-3  hours from the UK or by boat if you happen to be driving through Spain. It came to prominence in the late 80s when Danny Rampling and Paul Oakenfold brought what they saw whilst on holiday in Ibiza back to the UK, helping kick off the acid house scene and spreading the word of what they experienced in Ibiza. From then on, Ibiza grew and grew and it is now a mecca for clubbers across the globe, it’s a place like minded people can come and unite around the central theme of dance music. It’s a true summer holiday destination.

The famous Space Ibiza terrace

There are several different areas to Ibiza – San Antonio in the West is largely populated with young people out to enjoy themselves on holiday – the demographic is largely English here, with plenty of late night bars, clubs and beaches. The famous Cafe Del Mar as well as Mambo and Ibiza Rocks hotel are also found here. Ibiza town and nearby Playa d’en Bossa in the south east are slightly more upmarket destinations attracting more Germans, Italians and Spanish. Space Ibiza and Pacha, two of the most famous and well-regarded clubs in the world, are located in this region.  In between the two are another two famous clubs – Privilege and Amnesia. The clubs in Ibiza are sights to behold, mostly holding around 5,000 people with many different areas. Needless to say come summer they attract the biggest DJs such as David Guetta, Paul Van Dyk, Tiesto, Swedish House Mafia, Carl Cox and Pete Tong. As far as clubbing holidays go – Ibiza is certainly the number one destination in the world.

The Sunset Strip, West End

It’s not just the clubbing either that makes Ibiza so attractive – there are dozens of beautiful secluded beaches easily accessible with a car, as most people stay in the main towns you can find some gems to relax at. In addition, the seemingly endless sunshine, the temperate Mediterranean sea and a host of chilled beach bars offering delicious cocktails and Spanish food, Ibiza is truly one of the best holiday destinations around.

Ibiza

Ibiza is in the Balaeric Islands, just off the east coast of Spain. It is an island made famous by its nightlife, arguably the best in the world. Home to some of the biggest and best nightclubs in the world, including Space, Amnesia, Pacha, Privilege, Eden, Es Parasis, DC 10 and El Divino, Ibiza is a mecca for clubbers from all over the world, making it a one of the best holiday destinations if you want to let your hair down and soak up the electric atmosphere, and plenty of beer as well.

There are two main towns in Ibiza, Ibiza Town, the capital to the east of the island, and San Antonio, to the west. The towns are linked by a main road which has a frequent bus service, taking about half an hour. Ibiza Town is the much more upmarket town, full of stylish and sophisticated clientele, and also has a high gay population. The bars in Ibiza Town are therefore more expensive than in San Antonio, however you generally get what you pay for and the quality of the bars is definitely superior to those in San An. Ibiza Town is also home to Pacha, a globally recognised clubbing brand with nightclubs all over the World. El Divino is another major club there, situated on the edge of the bay, so clubbers can look out over the sea as the dance. Both are stylish clubs, attracting sexy fashionistas from all over the world who love to be seen.

San Antonio is the more popular town for English holiday makers, mostly intent on getting as drunk as possible in the week or two they have away from home. Here the countless bars along the main streets compete to pull in as many punters as possible, leading to ridiculously cheap drinks offers everywhere. Buy one get one free, and free shots are the standard in San An! San Antonio featured extensively on the Sky One show Ibiza Uncovered, which gave Ibiza a bad name due to the culture of getting drunk and having sex with as many people as possible, however this happens in many holiday destinations abroad such as Magaluf and Malia and personally I don’t think San An is any worse. People will always have their opinions on drunkenness though, all I would say is I would not advise the older clientele to stay in San An although it does make an excellent night out, the sunsets by Cafe Mambo and Cafe Del Mar are incredibly atmospheric and suitable for any age of individual, my parents went and they loved it! It is good to sit back with a cocktail and watch the people go by, while soothing chillout music relaxes you as the sun goes down.


Cafe Mambo Sunset