Best new places in the Balearics

Published 17 May 2023

The family favourite

Despite its reputation as a party island, Ibiza is probably also the most family friendly island in the Balearic archipelago, with beach clubs welcoming all ages, some even with their own kids' clubs to look after the children while you look after the rosé.

Chiringuito Blue presents views south west across the bay to the Montanas Verdes

Chiringuito Blue for example has transformed the sleepy beach of Santa Eularia des Riu and has a pop-up kids' club to keep little ones entertained while the adults enjoy a beachside siesta after a long lunch.

El Chiringuito at Playa Es Cavallet is another beach club in a stunning location with fantastic cuisine, and again, a fun kids' club that will make the kids clamour for a return visit.

El Chiringuito is on the island's most southerly beach

For the best sunset view and entertainment, head to Cala Benirras. Go on a Sunday when drummers usually descend on the beach to celebrate the setting sun. Soon the scene becomes like a mini festival, with all ages joining in the fun.

Beautiful turquoise water laps the pebbles at Cala Benirras

The rural attraction

The White Isle (as Ibiza is known) has a genuinely rural spirit inland, sprawling with fig and olive trees, fields of vines and white-washed farmhouses. Here, the island’s gastronomic flavour shifts from lobster and foie gras to more earthy fare, and restaurants with their own organic garden, or at the very least a supply chain from a nearby farm, are popping up all over to join Ibiza’s field-to-fork movement, and the result is simply delicious.

Over in Port de Sóller, Patiki Beach is a waterfront chiringuito tucked away in the southwest corner of the bay, with farm-to-table cuisine enjoyed at tables set on a wooden-deck overlooking the port.

Freshen the palette with a kaleidoscopic salad and quinoa burgers at The Buddha Bowl at Aubergine, just outside San Miquel de Balansat.

Head to El Portalón inide the city walls of Dalt Vila, Ibiza's old town, for dishes created using local ingredients with a pan-Mediterranean twist.

Try La Granja, one of the original rooted restaurants surrounded by a six-acre plantation in a forest of carob and pine trees just south of San Mateo.

For modern-rustic cuisine enjoyed beneath the shade of a giant fig tree try Es Ventall, in Sant Antoni de Portmany on Ibiza's northwestern coast.

Enjoy a raw, vegan, plant based cleansing menu why not book a table at Wild Beets right in the heart of Ibiza at Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera.

On the island of Mallorca, the family-run Ca Na Toneta in Caimari has been championing seasonal ingredients and sustainable fishing practices for decades. This is the place to head for natural wines and local cuisine in a stylish and authentic setting.

The zen retreat

Few consider Ibiza their Balearic go-to for social relaxation, but among the island’s more wholesome secrets are its covert refuges.

Atzaró Agroturismo Hotel is one such establishment – showcasing the more zen side of Ibiza and ideal for the after-party, or the-day-after party. Set amid 13-hectares of orange groves, gardens and farm, head ashore in your tender and enjoy a dip in one of Atzaró’s four pools before enjoying a hypnotic facial in one of their nature-connected wood-built treatment rooms.

Over on Mallorca, the inland region known as es Pla (the plain) is where you will find Finca Serena. The property is surrounded by over 100-acres of olive groves, vineyards, vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. This is the place to retreat for a spa treatment in a former cowshed, followed by dinner on the terrace with spectacular views over Mallorca’s agricultural hinterland.

In the south east of the island, in the village of Santanyí, the restored 17th-century home of Can Ferrereta is another retreat set amidst lush grounds. Along with beautifully designed accommodation, Can Ferrereta also has a delightful Mediterranean restaurant serving delicious, locally sourced seasonal dishes, and a serene spa featuring both indoor and outdoor pools and a hammam.

The eco-conscious hideout

The most ecologically aware property on Ibiza (think high-tech water preservation and geothermal heating), Sabina is the first ecologically inspired premises on the island. Set above Cala Tarida and Cala Moli, this 42-acre eco-estate comprises a number of villas, a fashionable clubhouse, bowling alley, tennis courts, spa, and pool. Ex-Noma chef Shahar Tamir creates ecologically minded, exceptional farm-to-fork cuisine with a Middle Eastern twist, served poolside of at the Sabina Clubhouse restaurant.

The cool hangout

Setting an entirely different tone to that of the typical Ibizan beach club scene, Jondal is a breezy chiringuito located on one of Ibiza’s busier beaches. Tender ashore here to enjoy an afternoon beneath the shade of cotton sails, with a simple menu full of the best Mediterranean seafood and packed with local ingredients and flavours. The Mezcal Bar at the aforementioned La Granja is another hard to find gem worth searching out, and sits tucked away in Ibiza’s forested hills. Part of an agrotourismo members-club – think biodynamic food and vinyasa yoga – La Granja is housed in an 18^th century finca, while the bar itself is built around the trunk of an old carob tree.