Most serenity-seekers decamp to the lesser-developed Balearic isles of Formentera and Menorca. But Ibiza also has a quiet side, with pristine secluded beaches, a pastoral countryside, and small inland villages with a bohemian soul that harks back to the island’s hippie past. One of its best-known natural areas is the UNESCO-listed Ses Salines Natural Park, a vast ecological sanctuary with salt flats and roughly 200 species of birds. The island is also known for its dense meadows of water-cleaning Posidonia seagrass, which are among the best preserved in the Mediterranean. The once-sleepy town of Santa Gertrudis is now one of the island’s hotspots, with trendy boutiques like Es Cucons, lively restaurants including an outpost of New York-born Il Buco, and an all-seasons Parra & Romero gallery. Not far from that is the village of Sant Mateu d’Albarca, where you’ll find the farm-to-table restaurant Juntos, which serves vegetable-centric dishes with ingredients sourced from the 173-acre farm. (Don’t leave without perusing ceramics, botanical-dyed robes, and other goodies at the expertly edited on-site boutique). Even the island’s famous party scene has grown up; today, the hardest rope in town is arguably the gastronomic chiringuito Jondal, helmed by El Bulli alum Rafa Zafra.
Stay Here: The recently shuttered Cas Gasi was one of the island’s most beloved agroturismos, tucked amid olive groves and orange trees near Santa Gertrudis. This summer, it reopens as Soho Farmhouse Ibiza, with just 18 rooms and a deeper focus on wellness. Expect two swimming pools, an open-air yoga deck overlooking the nine-acre estate, onsen baths, and spa treatments powered by Mediterranean plants and botanicals. As a bonus, the beloved property will now be open year-round, giving travelers the opportunity to experience the island’s quieter, off-season side.
Catalonia
Venture Beyond Barcelona
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