A relaxing and peaceful holiday in Ibiza…perhaps not the
words you’d usually associate with the party capital of the Balearic Islands,
but for me it was exactly that! Located in the very North of the Island with white sands, crystal clear waters and beautiful sunshine Portinatx was the most
stunning and idyllic place I've ever visited. We chose to visit the Northern
side, for a slightly quieter and tranquil holiday, but with
still enough going on to be entertained and we were not disappointed!
After a very quick flight of just over an hour from mainland
Spain we landed in Ibiza. It was then a 40 minute drive from the airport until we reached our
hotel. Driving through the town you
really got an insight into Ibiza life and how big tourism is out here! There
were stalls lining the streets selling traditional Ibizan souvenirs, sarongs,
sunglasses, jewellery etc, holiday makers relaxing in open air café’s and bars
whilst others browsed the pretty displays.
I often wonder what it would be like living in a place so focussed and
dependant on tourism.
We eventually arrived at 5pm and having not eaten since
breakfast we had to settle for an ice-cream to tide us over until dinner and
silence our hungry bellies. The
remainder of the evening was spent exploring the hotel and the beautiful cove
on which it sat.
Just after 7pm we headed down to the dining area and were
slightly blown away by the huge selection of food on offer. Usually I would choose to go for
self-catering but after reading reviews of the hotel, we chose full board and
it more than exceeded expectations.
There was food ranging from cold cheeses and meats, mixed salads,
seafood, rice, pasta and a fresh pizzeria and grill where you could select what
you wanted and watch whilst it was cooked in front of you. The food was
definitely not the typical hotel buffet and we were spoilt for choice!
I didn't take many photos of the food...as you can imagine having
such a huge selection more often than not I spotted something I hadn't yet
tried and ended up with a little of everything, so it wasn't exactly a photo
worthy image!
The hotel itself sat perfectly on the beach, overlooking the
beautiful cove and unspoilt scenery. After dinner we decided to take advantage
of this and walked down a few steps before reaching the soft white sands of
Portinatx beach. We were just in time to catch the evening sunset and the
lights in the distance shone against the darkening sky, casting coloured
reflections in the water. It was just beautiful and I couldn’t help but take a
few…ok maybe a lot of photos, before heading back for a few drinks and then bed.
The next morning after a slightly disturbed night…mainly due
to the heat we got up bright and early and went down to breakfast. Again we
were not disappointed by the selection of warm freshly made breads and
croissants, granola, cereals, fresh fruits and traditional cooked
breakfasts.
There was fresh melon and other fruits served daily. The melon was definitely a favourite of mine...it just has that real holiday taste and was so refreshing in the hot weather!
They even had pink champagne
chilling in ice buckets and tables overlooking the stunning sea views…perfect!
Above is a photo I captured from the breakfast table, overlooking Portinaxt cove, the views were just beautiful!
We spent the rest of the day wandering round a few local souvenir shops and relaxing at the beach, floating peacefully on lilo’s.
As Portinatx is a cove, the sea was almost still with just the odd gentle wave, usually created by one of the speed boats sailing past. I couldn't believe just how clear and warm the water was, you could walk straight in without even a flinch at the change of temperature. There were people snorkelling and doing water sports whilst others hired pedalos and motor boats.
The beach itself
could be busy at times, but once you got out in the water you barely noticed there
was anyone there!
After dinner we decided to explore the area a little more
and went for a night time walk…we did our usual trick of going on a detour and
getting slightly lost!
Day 3 of the holiday was spent relaxing on a sunbed by the
hotel pool with a book in one hand and an ice cold drink in the other…the
perfect way to spend a morning.
For the afternoon we decided to go back down to the beach where we caught the afternoon sunrays exploring the cliffs and coves and diving into the sparkling warm waters, where small fish scattered with the splash!
During the evening as usual we sat outside by the pool with
a few drinks and watched the evening entertainment even if a little cheesy at
times…I guess is was all part of the experience!
For day 4 we decided to visit another small beach just
around the corner from the hotel on the other side of the cove. Here small
beach bars and souvenir shops sat in harmony with the cliffs, where you could
sit outside and take in the views.
When the evening came we wondered down to the beach and sat
on the rocks overlooking the sea. I
couldn’t help but realize we were now over half way through the holiday,
everything looked so beautiful I just wished we’d never have to leave!
The next morning we were up extra early and busily tucking
in to breakfast. As you can see from the photo above, I had a freshly made cheese, pepper and mushroom omelette from the grill.
The rest of the day was spent cliff jumping and snorkelling!
It’s
amazing just how many fish you can see when you go just beneath the surface of
the water! I saw puffer fish and others burying themselves in the sand and even
the odd jelly fish…I didn’t get too close to those ones though! (Unfortunately I didn't have a waterproof camera to capture them).
For each evening there would be a different theme at the
hotel restaurant along with the everyday Italian pizzeria and fresh grill. Tonight was Mexican themed offering
everything from Quesadillas, nachos, Mexican beans and wraps, together with the
usual selection of fresh fish, salads and hot and cold meats. Mexican is one of
my favourite foods so I was pretty pleased at tonight’s choice!
So day 6 of the holiday finally arrived, meaning after today
we only had one full day left on the island :( We decided to make the most of
the time we had and caught a clear bottomed boat for an hour’s tour of the
island.
The scenery was absolutely stunning. We saw fish meandering through the
waters and sea birds perched on the cliff fronts.
I decided to sit out on the deck at the back of the boat,
where I could take in the sea air and really appreciate the gorgeous views. The
sun reflected casting glistening rays on the water surface, soon to be broken by
a trail of bubbles left behind from the engine.
There were people doing water sports and sailing past in
speed boats. We passed private beaches, small chirringuitos and caves.
Although
Ibiza is best known for it's parties and night life, which attracts many but may
also put some people off, the stunning views and unspoilt surroundings
particularly in the north are just some of the hidden treasures which a lot of
people wouldn't realize!
After the boat trip we spent the remainder of the morning
relaxing at the beach and browsing the souvenir shops, searching for gifts to
take back for friends and family. We then had dinner in the hotel restaurant
and enjoyed a few drinks outside before retiring to our room.
Sunday and the final day on the island came upon us and I can
honestly say, I felt pretty sad at the thought of leaving. I had the most
amazing, relaxing and fun holiday and I can’t believe how quickly time goes! It
felt like we’d only just arrived, yet we’d been away so long! (Do you ever get
that feeling?)
During the morning we headed down to the beach for the final time, and a chance to soak up a few last rays of sun.
After breakfast people would often take left over bread down
to the beach and feed the fish which would swim right to the surface and eat
out of your hand. I wasn’t quite so brave but it was an unusual sight to
watch…I only wished I had a waterproof camera to capture a really good shot!
After lunch we retreated to the poolside. We hadn't really
made much use of the it during the week, as the beach was so close and the
views were just too good to pass! It was nice to have a slight change of
scenery though and make use of the poolside bar!
After dinner we took an evening walk past the beach to a
cute little chirringuito bar overlooking the waterfront and had cocktails. As
you can see from the picture above they were absolutely huge and tasted what I
can only describe as a tropical holiday…delicious! We then made our way back to
the hotel for our final night.
All in all the holiday was exactly what I needed…a chance to
relax, unwind and just have a bit of thinking time and a change of scenery.
Ibiza was the most stunning and serene place and if I had the chance I would
move there in an instant, but as the song goes I guess all good things have to
come to an end eventually…until next time!
