3 Days in Ibiza: Experience Real Ibiza’s Hippy Past (You Won’t Find This Elsewhere)

In the 1960s, people from all walks of life that were tired with the rules, politics, wars like the Spanish Civil War or Vietnam War, and oppressions of their countries sought an idyllic escape were they can live a laidback, cheap, rural, and carefree lifestyle. Since Ibiza was poor and so far off the Spanish coast, the Spaniards didn’t care much for what happened to the island and how it ran. That’s why hippies from all around the world came here in refuge to live out there carefree days. It was frequented by poets, creatives, and musicians that gave it it’s creative name and vibe. Today Ibiza’s hippie have either adapted to the capitalistic, modern, and superficial realities of Ibiza, or have left. But you can still experience a slither of this feel if you know where to go, where to look, and what to do. That’s what Patrick and I sought to find during our 3 day Ibiza itinerary–the real hippy past. And it can be found – mainly on the East Coast of Ibiza. Read on to see how to experience it.

Let’s start off with a common question: Isn’t Ibiza just for partyers?

No, Ibiza is not just for partygoers. I, myself, am not a huge partygoer and went to the island to experience it for myself. While the island is famous for its vibrant nightlife and renowned clubs, what many don’t know is that Ibiza is also famous for its nature, wellness retreats, activities, food scene, hikes, and cultural heritage. Afterall, Dalt Vila, Ibiza’s main town, is known as a UNESCO World Heritage town. While the west coast of the island is famous for it’s party-scene, the east coast is the more tranquil and quieter side of Ibiza. Remember, while Ibiza may seem small, it takes about an hour to drive through it from West to East and about 30-40 minutes from North to South. So yes – the two sides of Ibiza couldn’t be any more different. During our 3 day Ibiza itinerary, we stayed and spent the majority of our time in the serene ambiance of Ibiza, on the East coast.

How many days do you need in Ibiza?

The number of days you need to see Ibiza really varies based off your interests. However, a general rule of thumb is minimum 3 to 5 days to get a taste of a bit of everything Ibiza has to offer. Patrick and I stuck with a 3 day Ibiza itinerary and could’ve definitely used a few extra. We allocated each day to a different area of the island. We tried to hit up at least 1 to 2 coves and beaches a day, visit at least 1 new area and town per day.

Want an abbreviated version of this 3 day Ibiza itinerary? See my TikTok below:

@svadore

My 3 day itinerary to the real, hippie side of Ibiza. Link in bio for full itinerary details. #ibiza #traveltiktok #itinerary #tiktoktravel #travel #spain

♬ original sound – Sveva Marcangeli

What are the different areas or municipalities of Ibiza and what is each known for?

Quick Navigation

– Arrival –

Patrick and I land and grab our rental car just a few miles from the airport. We hop in and embark on our journey to the rural area of Ibiza, Spain. The one less known and less frequented by the partygoers and afficionados of the movida of the island. This is the area where locals who come back year after year go to hide and relax. Away from the crowds and the noise. Closer to the private and secluded hippy life. We leave behind the bustling streets and vibrant energy of the coastal towns and venture into the serene countryside, where the charm of a country house awaits us.

As we approach our destination, we drive onto a dirt road and roll down our windows. The scent of blooming wildflowers and the gentle hum of nature guide us along the path lined with ancient olive groves and swaying pine trees. The sun casts its warm golden glow upon the landscape, painting a picture of tranquility and serenity.

Nestled amidst the rolling hills, our country house stands as a testament to traditional Ibicenco architecture. Its rustic stone walls, adorned with blooming bougainvillea, emanate a sense of timeless beauty. The entrance is framed by an arched wooden door, inviting us to step into a world where time slows down, and the worries of the modern world fade away. As we stepped in, a warm and genuine welcome awaited us. The host, a friendly local with a beaming smile, greeted us with open arms, making us feel instantly at home. This is definitely not your stereotypical Ibizan greeting. Rather than being greeted by the cold static cookie-cutter hotel greeting in the many all inclusive and party hotels on the island, this is a true local greeting.

With genuine hospitality, the host extended a refreshing drink—a glass of Ibizan wine. Sipping our drinks, we engaged in delightful conversation, as the host shared fascinating stories about the history and culture of the island. Their passion for Ibiza was contagious, igniting a sense of curiosity within us to explore its hidden treasures. A friend of his came and sat down with us and joined in on the conversation. The host’s inviting nature made us feel like cherished guests, as if we were old friends reconnecting after a long time apart. They took the time to understand our preferences and interests, offering personalized recommendations for local experiences, off-the-beaten-path attractions, and charming villages nearby.

The host’s genuine warmth, inviting nature, and local insights added an extra layer of authenticity to our experience at the country house. One that is almost no longer existing on the bustling and commercialized island of Ibiza. This is why Sant Joan or San Juan area left a special place in my heart. In their company, we discovered the true essence of Ibiza, connecting with the island on a deeper level and leaving with a profound appreciation for its culture, traditions, and the warmth of its people.

Dinner: Restaurant & Lounge Eden at Hacienda Na Xamena

The first thing we need to do when landing is start the vacation off right. No vacation is complete without FOOD and our 3 day Ibiza itinerary was packed with good food. For our first restaurant, we chose Hacienda Na Xamena’s Eden Restaurant & Lounge. Hacienda Na Xamena is known as the best 5 star hotel on Ibiza. It’s secluded in a cove in San Juan, away from the craziness and with views that will take your breath away. We chose the Esencia tasting menu, which let’s you pick a starter, main and dessert. Our meal was accompanied by plenty of extras including 5 different kinds of butter with bread, an amuse bouche, and romantic live music that wasn’t too loud that we couldn’t hear ourselves. The food was amazing…from the pork shoulder to the octopus. The menu changes monthly and is made using as many local ingredients from the area and their garden. It’s a must for lunch or dinner and a great way to start your 3 day Ibiza itinerary on the island.

– Day 1 –

Breakfast: Can Mayans Café, San Carlos

We drove into San Carlos and stopped by a local spot where they only spoke Spanish called Can Mayans Café. If you know me, I think breakast is the most important meal of the day and Can Mayans Café serves a delightful cappuccino and freshly baked croissant to satisfy that craving. We got an OJ, a cappuccino, and two croissants for breakfast. The outdoor terrace, surrounded by ancient olive trees, is located on the main road to San Carlos.

There’s a bank ATM located in front of it so you can take out some cash as well for the duration of your trip (you’ll need it in Europe.) We always recommend taking out anywhere from 200 – 300 euro at a time. Trust me, you won’t go through it as quickly as you think. You can use credit cards for dinner, so you’ll more likely use them for breakfast, lunch, snacks and other miscellaneous activities.

Mid-Day: Cala Xarraca: Beach, Hikes, Medicinal Mud and Caves

Afternoon: Relax at country house and take a nap

After returning from a beach that was fairly crowded, the country house was a wonderful respite. It embraced us with a sense of seclusion and privacy, providing an idyllic escape on the otherwise lively island of Ibiza. Lounging by the poolside, we were accompanied by a symphony of nature’s sounds—a gentle breeze rustling through the trees, birdsong carrying on the wind, and the distant chime of sheep bells echoing across the fields. We lounged poolside with a glass of wine, some fruit from the garden that had been left for us in our room, and a good book.

And as if the host were not warming enough, the dog on property exuded the same spirit. He had an affinity for us and would come knocking on our door with his nose. We’d open our wooden door and he’d drop and push his “favorite rock” towards us. He loved it when we played with him. In this rural haven, time seems to stand still, allowing us to reconnect with nature, ourselves, and our loved ones. The country house in the rural area of Ibiza embraces us with its enchanting ambiance, creating moments of intimacy that will forever be etched in your heart.

Dinner: Apio

But as the sun set, we began to get hungry. We decided to try a new restaurant with some excellent reviews in the village of Saint Jose’. No one knows about it yet…which is what made this excellent find all the more special. The Italian restaurant is called Apio and is a family run business. It has 4.9 stars on Google Reviews for a reason. Unfortunately, the restaurant recently closed, but you can still taste their amazing cuisine. They’ve now started a new venture “Your Private Chef Ibiza,” where you can hire them to cook for you at your house. I guess they made it big! Aside from the exceptional service and warm welcome, the food presentation and quality of the food is sensational. I have to say, our meals on Ibiza were quite incredible. We didn’t have a bad one.

When you arrive, you are served fresh focaccia piping hot straight out of the oven. As a starter we ordered their specialty, the vitello tonato, which was made using a recipe handed down to the chef from his great grandmother from the Piemonte region of Itally. It’s the real deal friends. As a starter, I got the pasta con le vongole, or clams. t was the special of the day since the clams were caught and cooked day of. Pat got the canneloni con ricotta, foia and iberian ham. We ended the night with a chocolate lava cake of course and a local digestif of Hierbas Ibicencas, which is homemade using 28 different herbs and is great for your health and digestion.

It was a Friday night so we had hoped to go out and explore Old Town Ibiza. But the Ibizan weather did not work in our favor this night. That’s ok, with a 3 day Ibiza itinerary, we were bound to go out one night. There was a terribly strong thunderstorm making it’s way through the island. Pat and I actually had to rush out of dinner following dessert because the rain was about to drench us on the way to the car, which we had parked 10 minutes from the restaurant. We made it without about 1 minute to spare and then had to drive through the countryside through the pouring rain back to our stay. Thunderbolts striking in the distance, lighting up the night sky, sea, and outlining the countryside mountains. Well, at least we’d sleep good tonight. We watched as the storm made it’s way over to Menorca across the sea and went to bed early that night.

– Day 2 –

In the morning, the first rays of sunlight filter through the curtains, gently awakening us from a peaceful slumber. I woke up earlier than Patrick, 9:20AM, despite going to bed at a really reasonable hour. I guess the jetlag really set in this time. I let Pat sleep as I stepped outside and immersed myself in the natural beauty that surrounded me.

Morning: Cala Mastella

Cala Mastella beach is as rudimentary and as far away from a typical Ibizan beach as it gets. It has an old fishing port on one side and a rocky beach on the other. No water activities and no beach or sun loungers. Just a beach bar, one of the top restaurants on the island, and a secluded natural bay. Bring your own towel and cushion up because while it may not be comfortable, it’s raw and real. It’s me – it’s Svadore style – it’s Sveva’s style. If you decide to spend time here, you’ll definitely want to pack a thick, heavy cotton beach towel to protect your skin from the rocky shores. Pack your snorkeling gear as well as there are plenty of fish to see in the shallow rocky waters of this cove. You’ll also catch the occasional local going for their morning or mid-day swim.

Lunch: El Bigotes

Afternoon: Aguas Blancas

Evening: Run to Cala Es Canaret

Now when one thinks Ibiza, their first thought is not wellness. But if you haven’t gotten this from my itinerary yet, this is not your typical Ibizan itinerary. This is a local, more off the beaten path version. The East coast of Ibiza is focused on agriculture, holistic lifestyle and remedies, mud baths, yoga retreats, farm to table food, and a sleepy yet relaxed way of life. This is my type of Ibiza. So when I tell you that rather than spending my 7PM on a Saturday living it up at a Chiringuito getting drunk to the loud thumping of music, I spent it going on a run down to a local Caleta to watch the sunset – you’ll believe me.

Patrick and I are more early day drinkers. We like to spend a few hours at Aguas Blancas drinking a pitcher of Sangria and swimming rather than raging it up. So by the time it hit 7PM, I was still feeling good. I was sipping a beer and felt like I hadn’t moved my body in a few days. I was craving a run. Patrick didn’t believe me at first, but I was serious. I was relaxed, I could do anything in that moment – I could sleep or run. I put down my beer, laced up my sneakers and ran down to Cala Es Canaret for sunset. It was a 24 min run down and 24 min run back. It wasn’t what one thinks of when they think Ibiza, but there was not a soul in sight at this spot – except for one RV that was taking in the sunset just like us, in solitude, in peace, with no music blasting in the background. Just how I like it.

Dinner: Casa Lhasa, Sant Lorenzo

A run was the best way to work up our appetite for Casa Lhasa in San Lorenzo, located in the middle of the island of Ibiza. The town is a little secret outside the mainstream towns of Sant Getrudis and San Carlo. It’s a sleepy, rural village that preserves the magic of the less exploited Ibiza with reformed farmhouses and not much going on. Except one thing…Casa Lhasa. Casa Lhasa is a natural wine bar that specializes in comida Ibicenca – or Ibizan food. The restaurant is none for it’s close to 0km approach. That means that every ingredient at the restaurant comes from 3 farms located less than a 10-minute drive away from Casa Lhasa. The focus here is on seasonal, local and organic. Because of this, the menu changes daily. Casa Lhasa is also a wine bar, first and foremost, so they specializing in pairing natural, local, and unpretentious wines with the food. The result is a romantic and quiet evening sipping wine and tasting unique local flavors while dining beneath string light lit fruit trees.

Night: Explore Ibiza Old Town, Eivissa

– Day 3 –

Breakfast: Café Girasol Panadería, San Carlos

The last day is when we found the good breakfast spot. If you know me, I’m obsessed with breakfast. The most important meal of the day, by far. And my favorite. Café Girasol Panadería, which means sunflower coffee and bakery. It had great pastries and coffees, so good, that I forgot to take a picture of it before eating it, so see above for crumbs and remains. The inside feels real and the people are authentic. It feels like your classic Spanish coffee scene with locals drinking a café at the bar or sipping their morning beans with a newspaper outside in the morning. It’s the spot to go, trust me. We even grabbed a bocadillo from there for lunch. More on that below.

Morning: Explore San Carlos

San Carlos village feels homey and welcoming. It became famous in the 1960s as a mecca for hippies, attracting peace lovers from around the world. Many of them moved here and lived in the old farmhouses, or fincas, in the surrounding area. You’ll immediately get the hippie feel once you walk by the many stores selling bohemian clothing and accessories. The village feels very quiet and intimate.

If you’re here in the evening, a stop at Anita’s bar is a must for 2 reasons. First, back in the day, it used to be the only bar with a phone in the village, so all the hippies would hang out here. You can still find the original phone booth at the bar. Second, it hosts the mailboxes of many villagers. No postal delivery service to every house exists in the countryside of Ibiza. Therefore, many people pick up their mail from post offices, mailboxes places along the roads, in shops, or…in bars like Anita’s! Where people can pick up their mail and catch up with locals while doing so over a cool glass of hierbas.

Mid-Day: Punta Galeras

Afternoon: Cala Gracioneta

We couldn’t leave Ibiza without doing one of the more popular Ibizan beaches that Ibiza is known for. Right next to Punta Galera was Cala Gracioneta, so we didn’t need to go too far to experience it. It wasn’t too different than what I had expected from the party side of Ibiza. Very small, narrow beach full of sun loungers you have to pay premiums for. A beach bar in the back blasting music while people eat their over-priced paellas for lunch. And the water, while it was truly crystal clear and beautiful, was packed with people. The view wasn’t that great either since you can see some buildings in the distance. Pat and I stopped for a quick cerveza, or beer, on the rocks, a quick dip and then headed back to the quieter Eastside…where we belonged!

Afternoon: Cala Es Canaret

While the day before we ran to the top of Cala Es Canaret and back, we decided to actually go down to the cove and experience Cala Es Canaret as our last beach in Ibiza. It’s about a 10 minute walk downward. Definitely wear proper shoes. Once at the bottom there’s a very small boat dockyard that fits about a dozen people. Everyone’s laying their towels down on the hard and uncomfortable concrete dockyard. But again, like most Ibizan coves, you’re not here to tan. We spent most of the time in the water, swimming into and out of the narrow and crystal clear watered cove that creates a river like funnel out into the open sea. It was secluded, quiet, and local. The only thing we could see was a small hotel in the rocks in the distance (good to know for next time)!

Evening & Dinner: Las Dalias Hippy Market

Nightlife: Secret Night Club Inside Las Dalias Hippy Market: Akasha Club

Ok, I told you I’m not really into electronic music and all that, but I couldn’t leave Ibiza without experiencing at least ONE type of nightlife. I was set on going home without having experienced one because the one’s I had come across just were not for me. But as destiny would have it, I was meant to experience a bit of nightlife in Ibiza (aside from the dancing at the Hippy market). And destiny knew exactly what type of nightlife was right for me.

While we were eating our 11:30PM dessert and drinking a digestivo – some hierbas and a whiskey – a guy walked up to us and gave us 2 free tickets to what they said was the club hidden inside Las Dalias. We were so confused. Giving out free tickets? It must not be that popular then. What we didn’t realize is that actually, if you dine at Las Dalias café on Saturday and Sunday and spend over 30 euro per person, you get free entry to Akasha Club. We didn’t spend 30 euro per person, but they still gave us 2 free tickets. While we were tired and we were leaving for Italy the next morning…we were so close to midnight, so figured we would wait and go check it out.

The place was super cool. It was small and intimate and the vibes were actually much more up my alley than any other big super club in Ibiza. My only one problem was that the strobe lights were way too much. Pat and I actually had to close our eyes because we felt like we were going to have a stroke from how much they were changing and spasming. But if it hadn’t been 1AM and we didn’t have to catch a 7AM flight the next morning to Milan, and if the strobe lights hadn’t been that jarring, we likely would’ve stayed at this club and made this one our “Ibizan clubbing experience.” I’m not big into electronic super club music with hoards of people, so this more mellow, vibey and hippy like club was perfect for us. If I had to choose a place to go dancing, Akasha Club definitely would’ve been the spot on Ibiza.

– 3 Day Ibiza Itinerary Map –

– Where & What to Eat in Ibiza –

– How to Get Around Ibiza –

Ibiza is big. You need a car, especially for a 3 day Ibiza itinerary. Remember, while Ibiza may seem small, it takes about an hour to drive through it from West to East and about 30-40 minutes from North to South, so it’s pretty big. And don’t think about getting a motorcycle or scooter. How do you plan on lugging your luggage to and from your stay? Taxis are super expensive here, so stick to the car. Also, there were a few summer rain storms that hit at night and we drove by a few people pulled over on the side of the road under an awning waiting for the thunderstorm to pass because they couldn’t see anything in the pitch black winding roads with rain pouring down.

– Important Things to Keep in Mind –

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