Monday, July 21, 2014

FORMENTERA&IBIZA - Summer 2014 is FINALLY here :o)

So, if you are looking for an unspoilt paradise and you don't want to get out of Europe I have exactly what you need: it's called Formentera and it's part of the Balearic Islands. I don't quite understand why, but it seems that this prestine paradise is only known to Italians and Argentinians. Indeed, if you happen to go there you will notice that everyone speaks Italian, there are Italian clubs and bars everywhere and turists are 99.9%...ITALIANS! Unless you really have something against them, there are also some plus sides to the Italian invasion: nice pizzerias and the best Italian coffee, breakfast and aperitivo you could wish for: just go to the Tropicana Cafè on the main street of Es Pujol and you'll get a real taste of Italian food. Usually, when I am abroad I avoid anything that is or pretends to be Italian and in a way it almost bothers me: in Formentera you just can't avoid the Italian influence, so why not to make the best out of it? As I said, in Formentera there are also many Argentinians who live there all year round, going back to their country for a couple of months during winter when their lovely art-craft shops are closed. Formentera is still quite wild, perfect if you are looking for a relaxed holiday made of cristal clear waters and white sand beaches. I can assure you that these waters have nothing to envy to the beautiful Caribeans nor to the exsotic Indian Ocean! The down side is that you can only enjoy this beautiful island during summer, and I believe the best months to go there are June and September, when you can have the island all by yourself! Formentera is quite small and you can explore it all by scooter - I advise you to bring an heavy sweather as during the evening/night the temperatures drop incredibly and it becomes quite chilly, almost cold I would say (I really hate cold) :o) In Formentera there is a relaxed atmosphere and nudism is practiced basically on every beach: this is understandable as the beaches are mostly deserted, therefore don't be shocked if you are surrounded by naked men and women. Just enjoy it if the view is nice :o) Although in my opinion you make the best of the island during the day, if you are a night person you will not be disappointed either. The movida starts around 7pm with numerous parties on the beach, there are lots of restaurants, bars and clubs where to continue your evenings till dawn. Formentera is quite expensive, however there are ways of making it affordable for anyone who wishes to visit the island: it's enough avoiding to eat out every night, making your own cocktails before going out and bringing some food or fruit at the beach instead of eating out for lunch. Accommodations can be expensive too: we found our accommodation on airbnb. Our host is an Argentinian guy and I have to say that our stay at his place was extremely nice! The house is perfectly located in the middle of the island, it has a gorgeous patio and it is really quiet, in the middle of the countryside (casa de campo). We had a double room with private bathroom and it was comfortable and clean. It was nice to stay at Damian's and meet his kids and lovely wife: they also advised us on the best beaches and sunset spots to explore.

If you are in Formentera, you absolutely cannot miss:

S'Espalmador
Es Trucadors
Platja de Illetes
Cala Saona
Es Cap de Barbaria (sunset)
Platja de Migjorn
Es calò des Mort
Faro de la Mola (sunset)
Es Pujol (evening/night)

To keep in mind:

Tropicana Cafè (best Italian coffee and breakfast)
Damian's (accommodation in the quiet countryside)
Restaurant Sa Platgeta (go there if you feel like eating fresh fish. This place is quite hidden so don't get scared if you see only trees for long, long time before finding it. Once you get there, ask for a table sea side. Lots of local families go there too and prices are fair)

Welcome to IBIZA!

Only 40 minutes away by ferry from Formentera lays Ibiza, THE party island :o) Ibiza's style is completely different from its neighbour, however I advise you to visit both isalnds if you have time! It goes without saying, in Ibiza in summer time you will find the best parties and clubs of Europe - if you love music this is the place to be. The only down side is the price: tickets for clubs can go from 30 to 70 euro each and cocktails from 16 to 20 euro once you are in. So, keep this is mind and unless you are a billionaire choose your parties carefully! You can buy your tickets in small stands/shops all around the island and get advised on the best parties in town. Of course, in Ibiza music is played everywhere all day long, you can enjoy it on the beach, bars etc...In my opinion, it would be an error to think that Ibiza is just parties and clubs: this is a part of it, however the islands has beautiful beaches and landscapes to offer! You must take the time to discover them. Be aware though that beaches are mostly crowded, nothing to do with the deserted beaches of Formentera! Ibiza is also much bigger than Formentera and here you will need to rent a car to move around - you could do with a cab but then you would lose part of your freedom and spend lots of money anyways. Ibiza is made of different areas: we were in Sant Antoni de Portmany and we quite liked it. In a way, this area is calmer than Playa d'en Bossa, where the main clubs are. At the same time, near to Sant Antoni there are some of the best beaches of Ibiza and the whole area felt safe at any time of the day and night. If you go to Ibiza, don't miss the sunset at Café del Mar: regardless of the bar itself (you can decide to sit on the rocks, drink a beer and enjoy the exacly same miracle) the thing that I loved the most was everybody clapping when the sun went down. It was like the entire island was mesmerized, looking for long minutes to the same direction and finally thanking God for that miracle that happened once again in front of our eyes. How beautiful! Thank you Lord for giving us such an amazing planet!Another thing that I enjoyed quite much was the visit to the old city of Ibiza, called Dalt Vila (literally "high town"): narrow little streets, art-craft little shops, chilled bars, no cars allowed and a wonderful view that will make you feel like you are in a completely different town.

What to see in Ibiza:

Clubs: all of them, depending on your taste (my favourite is the Ushuaia)

We stayed at Hostal Marino, new, clean, with a nice swimming pool and a bar where you can have a lovely breakfast in the morning. I can definitely recommend this hotel!

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