Being a fan of holidaying on islands myself, due mainly to the fact that they are easy to navigate, we were always going to visit Ibiza and in May 2014 we finally did and below you can read our reviews, pictures and videos from our visit
Flight Out
It might seem a bit strange to be taking pictures from the plane, when for most of the time all you can see is white, however I do love flying through the day, to see the land below as you take off and land, but also the calm it brings looking out at the clouds. Flying to Ibiza across France we did get to see some beautiful sights, that you don't get to see very often, including on this particular flight a quite clear view of The Pyrenees. |
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Hiper Car Rental
My wife had booked car rental online with Hiper, which is located just outside the airport, so we had a shuttle/mini bus to pick us up and take us there. Finding the pickup point was a little confusing to start with, but easy once we saw the marked bays over the other side of the road and made our way to the collection point G32, It was literally a 5 minute car journey to the Hiper location. The staff were very friendly and it seemed fairly easy to sort and we was soon on our way in the Skoda Fabia, which was exactly the size we were expecting/booked.
Driving in Ibiza is fairly easy, the roads are pretty good, although there’s not a lot of run off on some of the narrow winding roads. There are also a few dirt roads, so if you’re using a sat nav it may want to take you down some of these, however there is good signage and you can navigate without a sat nav, but would advise getting a good clear map, we bought one in Eivissa, but Hiper did also give us a basic one.
When returning the car to Hiper, there's a petrol station at Santi Jordi (5 minutes from airport). It's at the south (airport) end of Santi Jordi, you can't get to it directly from the main carriageway, but there is a junction you can come off at. We followed Santi Jordi signs and before you get back on the main carriageway after Santi Jordi, you will come to a roundabout, follow signs for zona industrial and the Cepsa is on the right, you can then continue along the road to get back on the main carriageway.
My wife had booked car rental online with Hiper, which is located just outside the airport, so we had a shuttle/mini bus to pick us up and take us there. Finding the pickup point was a little confusing to start with, but easy once we saw the marked bays over the other side of the road and made our way to the collection point G32, It was literally a 5 minute car journey to the Hiper location. The staff were very friendly and it seemed fairly easy to sort and we was soon on our way in the Skoda Fabia, which was exactly the size we were expecting/booked.
Driving in Ibiza is fairly easy, the roads are pretty good, although there’s not a lot of run off on some of the narrow winding roads. There are also a few dirt roads, so if you’re using a sat nav it may want to take you down some of these, however there is good signage and you can navigate without a sat nav, but would advise getting a good clear map, we bought one in Eivissa, but Hiper did also give us a basic one.
When returning the car to Hiper, there's a petrol station at Santi Jordi (5 minutes from airport). It's at the south (airport) end of Santi Jordi, you can't get to it directly from the main carriageway, but there is a junction you can come off at. We followed Santi Jordi signs and before you get back on the main carriageway after Santi Jordi, you will come to a roundabout, follow signs for zona industrial and the Cepsa is on the right, you can then continue along the road to get back on the main carriageway.
Tropic Garden Hotel Santa Eulalia
Sadly not a great start, we had requested a top floor room when we booked and appreciated it was not guaranteed, however we wasn't expecting to get the totally opposite with a bottom floor apartment, which was set back from the pool. My wife immediately asked if there were any higher apartments available and was told "we are fully booked", but she assured us the room was lovely, at that point I think my expectations must have gone up or I misunderstood her enthusiasm, because I thought the apartment inside was going to make up for the poor positioning, unfortunately it didn’t!
Sadly not a great start, we had requested a top floor room when we booked and appreciated it was not guaranteed, however we wasn't expecting to get the totally opposite with a bottom floor apartment, which was set back from the pool. My wife immediately asked if there were any higher apartments available and was told "we are fully booked", but she assured us the room was lovely, at that point I think my expectations must have gone up or I misunderstood her enthusiasm, because I thought the apartment inside was going to make up for the poor positioning, unfortunately it didn’t!
The room is supposed to be for 4 people, however that's assuming 2 people sleep in the kitchen/living area, 1 on the sofa, the other on a single pull out bed, with those setup you wouldn't be able to use that room and it would be annoying having to set it up every night, although it might work for a family of 3, rather than having to pay for a much bigger apartment.
There was a fan system in the kitchen/living area and in the bedroom, at first i thought they weren't working, however they only worked when the door to the balcony was closed, my wife says most are like that and i guess it's because it's considered wasted energy if you're letting warm air in through the door. There was a major lack of wardrobe hanging space, I would guess less than a standard 30cm ruler wide rail, (for potentially 4 people), but plenty of shelves with a cupboard in the kitchen/living room entrance. The bathroom could have done with a little more lighting, as it had no window, it was a good size and the shower was really powerful, with a complimentary selection of soap, shampoo and shower gel on the side.
The Bad Points
The Bad Points
- Light fittings almost hanging off the wall (trip advisor reviews state some have fallen off), some with visible holes where the wiring comes out.
- Furniture was worn/mucky, including a coffee table that appeared to have been something else previously.
- One of the sockets at the side of the bed only worked when the light was on, weird?
- The double room was actually two single beds pushed together, with a double headboard fitted to the wall.
- Being in room 1029 also meant we were very close to the reception area and we could hear people coming up the ramp and the cleaners trolleys were very loud along the corridor.
- Safe key is €19 per week and €20 deposit, which I personally feel the safe should be included free and appreciate why they would still need a deposit.
Wi-Fi is available in the hotel, but took a while to get working properly and although we didn't come to sit on the internet, it is nice to be able to upload some photos for friends and family to see. We actually found out by trying it, that if you used the same password and
connected to ‘recepcion’ instead of Tropic Garden, it worked fine, however later on in our stay it changed back the other way and Tropic Garden worked, it was a little slow though.
Obviously the most important hotel feature was the outdoor pool, but there is also an indoor pool, it’s only small and unfortunately not heated, so was a little cold and next to it was a small paddling pool for the very young. There is also a small gym, sauna and restaurant with entertainment on different nights.
connected to ‘recepcion’ instead of Tropic Garden, it worked fine, however later on in our stay it changed back the other way and Tropic Garden worked, it was a little slow though.
Obviously the most important hotel feature was the outdoor pool, but there is also an indoor pool, it’s only small and unfortunately not heated, so was a little cold and next to it was a small paddling pool for the very young. There is also a small gym, sauna and restaurant with entertainment on different nights.
In Summary
The pictures make the apartment appear better than it actually was and we felt it was overdue a refurb and some modernisation, especially when you consider the impression you get when you enter the reception area and the apartment spoilt it a little for us.
The hotel is in a fairly good location, although it is on the seafront, there is no access from the hotel, but you can walk around and you’ll see it’s quite rocky anyway, with no beach. There is a supermarket just 2 minutes’ drive away, (with the hotel on your right, simply head straight to the end of the road, turn left and at the end of that road you can see the Eroski to your right). There’s also a small convenience store across the road selling essentials like bottled water and fresh croissants (breakfast is essential), however it is a little more expensive than the Eroski.
Santa Eulalia is only a 10 minute walk away, so you don’t need a car to stay here and can get a bus from Santa Eulalia bus station to Eivissa town, if you do rent a car, you can park in the layby opposite the hotel, however in the peak months you may find it more difficult to find a space.
The pictures make the apartment appear better than it actually was and we felt it was overdue a refurb and some modernisation, especially when you consider the impression you get when you enter the reception area and the apartment spoilt it a little for us.
The hotel is in a fairly good location, although it is on the seafront, there is no access from the hotel, but you can walk around and you’ll see it’s quite rocky anyway, with no beach. There is a supermarket just 2 minutes’ drive away, (with the hotel on your right, simply head straight to the end of the road, turn left and at the end of that road you can see the Eroski to your right). There’s also a small convenience store across the road selling essentials like bottled water and fresh croissants (breakfast is essential), however it is a little more expensive than the Eroski.
Santa Eulalia is only a 10 minute walk away, so you don’t need a car to stay here and can get a bus from Santa Eulalia bus station to Eivissa town, if you do rent a car, you can park in the layby opposite the hotel, however in the peak months you may find it more difficult to find a space.
Santa Eulalia
It was about a 15 minute walk from Tropic Garden to Santa Eulalia and you can just about walk along the seafront most of the way, it’s almost like they haven’t finished the boardwalk towards the end and it’s a shame that part of it goes past the boat yard and not completely looking out to sea. It’s a nice walk and in high season will have a better atmosphere on the front near the marina, after the marina you will reach the main area and also see the beach, which is nice, but not as nice as some we visited. The town is nice to walk around, especially on Passeig de s’Alamera, which is a beautiful street with palm trees and fountains and the bus station is located at the top of Passeig de s’Alamera, behind the big white building (which I think is either the town hall or some kind of government building) at the top. If you walk up the Passeig de s’Alamera to the top and turn right just before the big white building onto Carrer de San Vincente you will find most of the restaurants.
It was about a 15 minute walk from Tropic Garden to Santa Eulalia and you can just about walk along the seafront most of the way, it’s almost like they haven’t finished the boardwalk towards the end and it’s a shame that part of it goes past the boat yard and not completely looking out to sea. It’s a nice walk and in high season will have a better atmosphere on the front near the marina, after the marina you will reach the main area and also see the beach, which is nice, but not as nice as some we visited. The town is nice to walk around, especially on Passeig de s’Alamera, which is a beautiful street with palm trees and fountains and the bus station is located at the top of Passeig de s’Alamera, behind the big white building (which I think is either the town hall or some kind of government building) at the top. If you walk up the Passeig de s’Alamera to the top and turn right just before the big white building onto Carrer de San Vincente you will find most of the restaurants.
One great feature of Santa Eulalia is the river and there is a nice signposted walk you can follow along the river. Finding the river is easy, simply follow the boardwalk along the front and you will arrive at the mouth after not too long and then as you head up the river you will find numbered map boards (walk along the bridge and have a look at the padlocks) and the walk takes you up to a really nice peaceful church, where you have great views of Santa Eulalia. If you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you can see our Ibiza Travel Tracker and by zooming in on Santa Eulalia, you can see the walk we did along the river highlighted in Green, although we started off from our hotel and then headed off into town at the end, it's up to you how much you follow the signposted route.
Walking through Santa Eulalia one day, we heard a brass band playing and found them playing outside the large white building, we don't know why, but here is a short video of them playing.
Cala Llonga -
This was the first place we visited, as it was on the way to Santa Eulalia and we wanted to stop for lunch. It's only a Small town and was very quiet, but it had a beautiful view from the beach.
This was the first place we visited, as it was on the way to Santa Eulalia and we wanted to stop for lunch. It's only a Small town and was very quiet, but it had a beautiful view from the beach.
Eivissa – Ibiza Town
Rather than drive into Ibiza town, we decided to get the bus from Santa Eulalia, it was about a 10-15 minute walk from our hotel Tropic Garden to the bus stop, which as mentioned in my Santa Eulalia review above, the bus station is located at the top of Passeig de s’Alamera, behind the big white building and is easy to find. We got to the bus stop around 10:30 and decided to wait for the 11:00 bus, as the 10:30 was packed and we didn’t fancy standing up for the whole journey.
Arriving in Ibiza town, the bus drops you off on Avinguda d’Isidor Macabich, we made the mistake of first leaving our map on the table and second walking straight on in the direction the bus was going, we found a small newsagents and bought a map, the lady behind the counter kindly marked where we were and the bus stops, however we still hadn’t realised we had gone in the wrong directions, so when you get off the bus, you need to head the opposite direction the bus is travelling, follow the road and it will bring you straight out to the marina front and Dalt Vila is up to the right, which is where we headed for.
Rather than drive into Ibiza town, we decided to get the bus from Santa Eulalia, it was about a 10-15 minute walk from our hotel Tropic Garden to the bus stop, which as mentioned in my Santa Eulalia review above, the bus station is located at the top of Passeig de s’Alamera, behind the big white building and is easy to find. We got to the bus stop around 10:30 and decided to wait for the 11:00 bus, as the 10:30 was packed and we didn’t fancy standing up for the whole journey.
Arriving in Ibiza town, the bus drops you off on Avinguda d’Isidor Macabich, we made the mistake of first leaving our map on the table and second walking straight on in the direction the bus was going, we found a small newsagents and bought a map, the lady behind the counter kindly marked where we were and the bus stops, however we still hadn’t realised we had gone in the wrong directions, so when you get off the bus, you need to head the opposite direction the bus is travelling, follow the road and it will bring you straight out to the marina front and Dalt Vila is up to the right, which is where we headed for.
Dalt Vila – Ibiza old town
We headed up onto the upper walls and decided to walk all the way around first, it’s a fair walk and there are some steep sections that feel a little slippy underfoot, we went around clockwise and you find out that just as you think you are very high up, you get even higher and when you reach the rear section looking out to see, you will come to the steep slopes, which are like ramps, but more like long shallow steps, when you get to the bottom, look back and you’ll see how steep they are. The views from up top are beautiful, looking down on the marina and out to sea, when we visited there was a medieval festival on, so there were loads of stalls as you walked around and people dressed up in medieval attire, we even passed 3 large bulls!
As we left the walls behind we headed back down to the marina and stopped on the front for a bite to eat and a drink, had a little wonder further along the marina and then headed back up to the bus stop, we were there about 4 hours and we didn’t venture through the streets outside the walls, so you could be there 5, 6 or even 7 hours, depending on how fast you walk and how many stops you make, it’s a good day out, but a lot of walking involved.
We headed up onto the upper walls and decided to walk all the way around first, it’s a fair walk and there are some steep sections that feel a little slippy underfoot, we went around clockwise and you find out that just as you think you are very high up, you get even higher and when you reach the rear section looking out to see, you will come to the steep slopes, which are like ramps, but more like long shallow steps, when you get to the bottom, look back and you’ll see how steep they are. The views from up top are beautiful, looking down on the marina and out to sea, when we visited there was a medieval festival on, so there were loads of stalls as you walked around and people dressed up in medieval attire, we even passed 3 large bulls!
As we left the walls behind we headed back down to the marina and stopped on the front for a bite to eat and a drink, had a little wonder further along the marina and then headed back up to the bus stop, we were there about 4 hours and we didn’t venture through the streets outside the walls, so you could be there 5, 6 or even 7 hours, depending on how fast you walk and how many stops you make, it’s a good day out, but a lot of walking involved.
Las Dalias - Hippy Market
Located 10 minutes from Santa Eulalia, it's easy to find, 'bout 200yds after the roundabout on the left and there's a car park, which is €3. Entering the market from the car park, you arrive under a Canopy of trees and the pathways are all either tiled or gravel. The market feels to span a large area, but we covered it in less than 30 minutes. We arrived at opening, so some people were still setting up and it was fairly quiet, but later on it will be busier and may take you longer. There are a lot of stalls selling jewellery and clothes, with the odd stall selling food and we wasn't that impressed.
Located 10 minutes from Santa Eulalia, it's easy to find, 'bout 200yds after the roundabout on the left and there's a car park, which is €3. Entering the market from the car park, you arrive under a Canopy of trees and the pathways are all either tiled or gravel. The market feels to span a large area, but we covered it in less than 30 minutes. We arrived at opening, so some people were still setting up and it was fairly quiet, but later on it will be busier and may take you longer. There are a lot of stalls selling jewellery and clothes, with the odd stall selling food and we wasn't that impressed.
Es Canar
This is a popular resort for tourists and it's easy to see why, with its beautiful beach and picturesque setting. The first time we visited, we drove from our hotel, via the Las Dalias hippy market, but it's only a 10 minute drive from Santa Eulalia. When you drive down, you will find a small car park on the left near the bottom, it will get full quick in the busier months. A great place for the family, kids will love the beach, there are many restaurants along the front to get a drink/food and just relax. Walking up from the car park, away from the seafront, you can turn right along a street with a row of shops raised up from the roadside, mainly selling similar tourist pieces, although I’m not sure how many people want a decorative plate that actually says 'I Love IBIZA' on it.
This is a popular resort for tourists and it's easy to see why, with its beautiful beach and picturesque setting. The first time we visited, we drove from our hotel, via the Las Dalias hippy market, but it's only a 10 minute drive from Santa Eulalia. When you drive down, you will find a small car park on the left near the bottom, it will get full quick in the busier months. A great place for the family, kids will love the beach, there are many restaurants along the front to get a drink/food and just relax. Walking up from the car park, away from the seafront, you can turn right along a street with a row of shops raised up from the roadside, mainly selling similar tourist pieces, although I’m not sure how many people want a decorative plate that actually says 'I Love IBIZA' on it.
Port de Sant Miquel
A peaceful little place on the north coast, with plenty of parking laybys on the road as you drive in at the bottom. There is a lovely size beach, not very wide, quite square. There are also a few shops, mainly selling seaside accessories and a few cafes as well.
A peaceful little place on the north coast, with plenty of parking laybys on the road as you drive in at the bottom. There is a lovely size beach, not very wide, quite square. There are also a few shops, mainly selling seaside accessories and a few cafes as well.
Portinatx
This is a beautiful resort, quite large, with stunning views out to sea, with crystal clear water and beautiful beaches. I think Es Canar and Santa Eulalia are better locations as a base; Portinatx is too far out, but worth driving to visit for the day.
This is a beautiful resort, quite large, with stunning views out to sea, with crystal clear water and beautiful beaches. I think Es Canar and Santa Eulalia are better locations as a base; Portinatx is too far out, but worth driving to visit for the day.
Wi-Fi
A lot of bars, restaurants and cafes have free Wi-Fi; you may just need to ask them for the password.
A lot of bars, restaurants and cafes have free Wi-Fi; you may just need to ask them for the password.
Cala de Sant Vincent
When you arrive at the bottom, it appears only a small place, however once parked (there is a car park around the back to the right), the beach is actually a nice large size.
When you arrive at the bottom, it appears only a small place, however once parked (there is a car park around the back to the right), the beach is actually a nice large size.
Platja D'en Bossa
As my wife puts it 'tacky', definitely not the scenic, tranquil setting of previous places we visited and first shop we entered had the usual 'tat' we find in other countries, however after getting past the first entrance it was a much nicer department store. The beach is very long and virtually goes to Eivissa town, but the beach/sea is not the cleanest we've seen, was still a nice walk and it was very quiet. We stopped at Hulalai cafe for some lunch; with its bright green and orange chairs you can't miss it. It was very peaceful sat watching the people go by, the food was lovely, the tomato slices were massive and you can even get a massage if you want. You can see the Ushuaia hotel and club in the distance, which is unmistakeable with its flower covered exterior and dominant position. This is not somewhere I would recommend visiting, as there are nicer places to spend your time, unless you wanted to come for the clubs.
As my wife puts it 'tacky', definitely not the scenic, tranquil setting of previous places we visited and first shop we entered had the usual 'tat' we find in other countries, however after getting past the first entrance it was a much nicer department store. The beach is very long and virtually goes to Eivissa town, but the beach/sea is not the cleanest we've seen, was still a nice walk and it was very quiet. We stopped at Hulalai cafe for some lunch; with its bright green and orange chairs you can't miss it. It was very peaceful sat watching the people go by, the food was lovely, the tomato slices were massive and you can even get a massage if you want. You can see the Ushuaia hotel and club in the distance, which is unmistakeable with its flower covered exterior and dominant position. This is not somewhere I would recommend visiting, as there are nicer places to spend your time, unless you wanted to come for the clubs.
Platja de Ses Salines
Beautiful scenery of the salt flats as you drive along and there’s a beach at the bottom, we didn’t stop and the view of this area is always going to better from above, albeit on the plane home.
Beautiful scenery of the salt flats as you drive along and there’s a beach at the bottom, we didn’t stop and the view of this area is always going to better from above, albeit on the plane home.
Cala D'Hort
This is well known for being one of the best locations to view Es Vedra, however it is very small, there’s a very steep hill to the bottom and parking is roadside only. If you do drive down to the bottom, there is a roundabout to turn around and there’s also a road off to the left that you might get parked on, we decided not to bother.
This is well known for being one of the best locations to view Es Vedra, however it is very small, there’s a very steep hill to the bottom and parking is roadside only. If you do drive down to the bottom, there is a roundabout to turn around and there’s also a road off to the left that you might get parked on, we decided not to bother.
Cala Vadella
I was stood right on the edge of the beach, looking out at the crystal clear waters and just thought Paradise, however I know there are many places like this all over the world that could also be described as paradise. There’s a beautiful, nice sized beach, calm waters and two car parks (€3), why would you not come here instead of Cala d'hort? Even Es Verde is not enough a reason for me, here is perfect
I was stood right on the edge of the beach, looking out at the crystal clear waters and just thought Paradise, however I know there are many places like this all over the world that could also be described as paradise. There’s a beautiful, nice sized beach, calm waters and two car parks (€3), why would you not come here instead of Cala d'hort? Even Es Verde is not enough a reason for me, here is perfect
Cap Blanc Aquarium
On the north side of Sant Antoni, this is a more natural aquarium in a cave, with nice views of Sant Antoni as you walk down to the aquarium.
On the north side of Sant Antoni, this is a more natural aquarium in a cave, with nice views of Sant Antoni as you walk down to the aquarium.
Sant Antoni
We somehow managed to drive through the narrow, one way streets of Sant Antoni town, but eventually navigated our way down to the seafront. We could only park for a maximum of 2 hours, so we headed straight back to the town. Unfortunately we were extremely disappointed and in our opinion it's very poor, very drab and if you wasn't staying here simply for the pubs and clubs, why wouldn't you pick a beautiful, clean resort like Es Canar or Santa Eulalia, where you can also find nice restaurants and places to have a drink. We wouldn't recommend wasting time visiting Sant Antoni, it does not represent Ibiza very well and if you don't travel outside of Sant Antoni, you won't see Ibiza’s many beautiful places.
We somehow managed to drive through the narrow, one way streets of Sant Antoni town, but eventually navigated our way down to the seafront. We could only park for a maximum of 2 hours, so we headed straight back to the town. Unfortunately we were extremely disappointed and in our opinion it's very poor, very drab and if you wasn't staying here simply for the pubs and clubs, why wouldn't you pick a beautiful, clean resort like Es Canar or Santa Eulalia, where you can also find nice restaurants and places to have a drink. We wouldn't recommend wasting time visiting Sant Antoni, it does not represent Ibiza very well and if you don't travel outside of Sant Antoni, you won't see Ibiza’s many beautiful places.
Port Des Torrent
There's a smallish beach at the bottom and a few places to eat and drink, however there are much nicer beaches.
There's a smallish beach at the bottom and a few places to eat and drink, however there are much nicer beaches.
Cala Boix
On our last day we decided we would take the land train from Santa Eulalia and Cala Boix was one of the destinations on that particular days route and without going into the full story, there was a confusion of where exactly the train stopped for this trip and we ended up missing it, so we went in the car instead and when we arrived the land train we missed was sat in the car park. To get down to the beach you have to go down some steps, quite a few and they were sloped as well, so not great for people with mobility issues, however when you reach the bottom, it’s disappointing, the sand is very grey looking and there’s just one café, so we decided to carry on.
On our last day we decided we would take the land train from Santa Eulalia and Cala Boix was one of the destinations on that particular days route and without going into the full story, there was a confusion of where exactly the train stopped for this trip and we ended up missing it, so we went in the car instead and when we arrived the land train we missed was sat in the car park. To get down to the beach you have to go down some steps, quite a few and they were sloped as well, so not great for people with mobility issues, however when you reach the bottom, it’s disappointing, the sand is very grey looking and there’s just one café, so we decided to carry on.
Platja des Figueral
Just a little further up the coast than Cala Boix, this place is much nicer, with beautiful sea and sand, we decided to hire sun loungers and a canopy and stay for a few hours. The sand was extremely hot and the sea was extremely cold, but it was a beautiful peaceful place to stay.
Just a little further up the coast than Cala Boix, this place is much nicer, with beautiful sea and sand, we decided to hire sun loungers and a canopy and stay for a few hours. The sand was extremely hot and the sea was extremely cold, but it was a beautiful peaceful place to stay.
Below you can see our travels around Ibiza, as usual we like to make use of our car hire and see what the island has to offer and being a small island, it doesn't take long to get from North to South and we found Santa Eulalia a good place to be based.