Ibiza

Shaped like a swan, this Balearic island hosts the worthy heirs of beatnik lifestyles and thoughts. Whether they be club kids, jet setters, neo-hippies, hedonists, or indignés, the populations there, despite rarely comingling amongst themselves, cohabit with an exemplary tolerance. Ibiza is Pacific. It has a telluric energy, the fruit of a cultural and ethnic mix and match the likes of which is hard to find: in the shadow of the hippy community that made it their first gathering place in Europe, the island has now ascended to international notoriety. In the 60s, artists were electrified by its magnetic vibrations. Then came the 90s and its club scene. Like a promised land, Ibiza the wild child, Ibiza the spiritual guru, hosts quasi-royalty from the world over. Beyond the traditional ancient clay habitats left by the Arabs in the 8th and 9th century, by the footpaths, a raw surge of poetry disinhibits all those who pass by here, leaving them at the gateway to ecstasy in all of its many forms.

From the heights of the Formentera, the square white houses (“payesas”), the rivers, the coves, and the white sands give life to the concept of dolce vita topped off with freedom, love, and mutual understanding lit up by partying. You can dance outside, beneath the stars, feet in the water, or have your body be pierced with sun rays from a cerulean sky. A place of passage, Ibiza hosts artsy concept stores, but also bohemian restaurants that, along with designer hotels made of fisherman huts, guide the soul on a journey through earthly pleasures. Its villages trace their routes far from Saint-Tropez, the atmosphere that is often wrongfully compared to Ibiza’s. Far from being just a cool, fun place to hang out, Ibiza incarnates an inspiringly brave message that rings true to every nationality. The island’s best spots can’t be easily grouped together: they’re everywhere! As soon as summer begins, the season takes off. Every night, the clubs turn a different DJ into a shaman for the spontaneous and intense crowds. The intrigue of Ibiza is best experienced.