Since the pandemic, there has thankfully been a significant shift in luxury between the traditional bastion of exclusivity, towards an emerging ethos of inclusivity, sustainability, self-affirming creativity and eco-friendly practises. The trend for high-end living is suddenly not about extravagance at ANY cost. It is now about a type of luxury that enriches our lives in a conscientious way. If old luxury was about ‘belongings’, then new luxury in our post COVID world, is certainly about ‘doing’. As our society faces new existential threats such as AI and sociocultural volatility, this new luxury stands for life-affirming creativity.
And aren’t we glad about that. NATIV asks a wide variety of islanders and professionals about what luxury means to them in 2024. We shall also be sharing with you some Ibiza experiences that will give you that beautiful luxurious feeling, without breaking the bank. Luxury in Ibiza is about living the life you want to lead and enjoying the small pleasures that are all around you on Ibiza. It’s about finding yourself again and not following the boring masses…
The Luxury of Nature
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Paddle boarding at sunrise on Cala Tarida will open your eyes to the tranquillity and unique beauty of the island from a differentperspective.
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Don’t be one of those people who miss the pink spectacle of the flamingos in the ponds of ses Salines. Seeing wildlife in its natural habitat is extra special.
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Autumn is the time to be hypnotized by the flocks of starlings that create figures in the sky with their synchronized flight. Utterly bewitching.
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For an unforgettable moonrise, head to Cala Llenya and scramble along the rocks to the rickety jetty for a perfect lunar experience.
Daniel Napoleón Fortunato
Ticket seller
“Luxury is the sea, the beach and all the nature that Ibiza offers us. It’s like a naked woman: the restaurants and all the rest of the leisure on offer are the jewels and the fine clothes, but the island itself is the beauty and the real luxury. The Ibiza I knew 35 years ago has completely changed, the luxury is disproportionate to the value of things – the more expensive, the more luxury”.
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De-stress with a natural Ibiza soundhealing courtesy of birdsong, forest life, peacocks and ocean waves…it’s your natural soundtrack to chill…
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Feed baby goats big handfuls of grass on the dusty track at Caló Roig in the north. You’ll want to take one home!
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If there is a paradise, it’s ses Salines on a winter morning. A leisurely walk and if you dare, a cold bath to make you feel immortal.
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Pretty wild flowers are everywhere. Pick a bunch from a roadside field and make your table look beautiful again.
Alexea Grech
Ibiza Property Advisor
“Dining under the stars in Sant Llorenç and then walking along the dusty track from the church to Can Quince under a full moon to relax in the quaint Moorish tower bedroom with views over the valley. Or arriving at a gathering as the sun is setting, dancing barefoot surrounded by old friends and new ones, dancing together until the sun rises”.
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Float across Ibiza in a hot air balloon with ‘Ibiza en Globo’ and you’ll never want to come down.
Javier Martín Parejo
Diver
“Living in Formentera is already a luxury. Just turn on the world news and you realize that this bubble is special. The quality of life is the best experience. As an inhabitant of Formentera we are not affected by what people understand by luxury: here a rich person has a relationship with any other person as an equal. I repeat, luxury is living here; how you live is up to each individual”.
Manuel Reyes
Jockey
“For me and for many Ibizans, luxury is when the tourism is over and the tranquility begins, the silence; when you can walk down the street and there is no noise, no dirt, no bad smells. I think luxury can be more than material possessions. It is the company of people, the moments of life with family, friends and health”.
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Grab a lungful of god’s air to swim through our mesmerising Posidonia meadows on the ocean floor.
Mariana Tur Torres
Teacher
“My favorite luxury experience in Ibiza is relaxing on a quiet beach at sunset listening to the gentle swell of the sea. The feeling of freedom is the ultimate luxury. As I understand it, luxury can indeed contribute to well-being and happiness, providing unique experiences of relaxation and connection with oneself and the environment. I don’t associate the concept of luxury with money.”
Antonio Guasch Torres
Ibiza Express train driver
“When I go out on a boat along the coast or around the island, there are some very beautiful enclaves. Two hours at sea is a luxury. I really like going to Tagomago, es Canaret or Cala Xarraca. Also to Cala Aubarca or es Vedrà, which are places that can only be reached by boat”.
Cultural Luxury
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The walled city of Dalt Vila celebrates the declaration of World Heritage Site in 1999 every May. It does so with a great Medieval Fair full of artisans, artists, musicians, vendors, performances and activities, which invite us to travel back in time…
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The recently restored Teatro Pereyra theatre had been the epicentre of Ibiza’s finest social and cultural happenings from 1899 to 1987. After a major renovation it’s opened again with the same Ibicencan spirit nevertheless.
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Ibiza is fiercely dedicated to protecting ancient traditions and the productions by the Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs which embody these, are spectacular.
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Can Ros Museum of Ethnography in Santa Eularia reminds us we really don’t need mod cons. Just the essentials. This typical house from 300 years ago even has its own wine press. Salut!
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The Necropolis Puig des Molins is a historical gem in the heart of Ibiza Town, it’s considered the most important burial site in the Western Mediterranean.
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Head to the Museu D’Art Contemporani D’Eivissa for a variety of art exhibitions and the incredible archaeological find displaying the site of Phoenician homes dating back to the sixth century (b.C.).
Víctor de la Serna
Music Director Elrow
“I have been coming to Ibiza every summer since the late 90s and one of the main things that I consider a luxury is that feeling of peace you get when you land in Ibiza. Not sure if it’s the same for everyone, but for me, with the hectic lifestyle we have, it definitely is a luxury”. “
Miguel López
Nurse
“Spending a day on a little boat and going to Formentera. The days I spent there with friends, my colleagues and my girlfriend have been a luxury experience. You can’t do it every day because of the budget, but once every summer you can. My perception of luxury before was not working and having money for everything; but now it’s enjoying every day, doing what you do with enthusiasm and, above all, being happy”.
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Ibiza has gone art crazy in 2024 with popups everywhere. There’s nothing like falling in love with a piece that you will cherish forever…
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Volunteer with organisations such as IbizaPreservation, Amics de la Terra, GENGOB and Voluntaris d’Eivissa: Participate in solidarity and conservation actions and initiatives to do your bit and contribute to the well-being of the island and its community.
Pedro Delgado
Truck Driver
“As I work in the summer, it is a luxury to be able to go to the beach with my family without crowds of people or to be able to sail around the island on a boat with friends. I don’t need money to feel I am enjoying luxury. I get a lot out of the places, the beaches and the clean areas, because I have seen tourists who don’t care about anything just because they have money. They leave everything dirty, and that is a continuous struggle”.
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Head to a beach before sunrise for a breakfast picnic, with a chilled bottle of cava… there’s nothing quite like having an entire swathe of sand completely to yourself.
Francisco Juan Mula de Arriba Caballero Fernández
Dedicated to art and spirituality
“I’ve had many experiences, but I can pick one, which was at the house of the owner of Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberté, on his birthday, and then at Can Soleil, the house he bought and filled with sculptures, where he created columns facing the sea. A lot of things happened: sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. Luxury is not money, it is not power; it is sharing, it is love and it should not be exclusive, but a right as a human being”.
Ana Vega
Apartment maid
“My favorite luxury experience in Ibiza has nothing to do with money; without a doubt, it is to enjoy a dawn While the sunsets are full of people, a dawn is silent, it is tranquility, it is peace. I think luxury is synonymous with excess nowadays. I hope that this can change in the future and become more responsible and sustainable so as not to exhaust the resources that the island offers.”
Fat Tony
DJ
“I have been coming to Ibiza since 1984 and the island continues to surprise me. The eternal magic is that, if you go off the beaten track and explore, you will always be rewarded with some kind of treasure – that for me is a luxury. I recently stumbled on the fabulous Antonioli fashion store behind an innocuous door and was rewarded with some beautiful pieces”.
Matías Martínez
Lifeguard
“For me, having to be on the beaches of Sant Josep from April to October is a luxury that I am grateful for every day. I think that in Ibiza some things are normalized such as the luxury of excess and waste. But in the world we live in, which is so unequal, for those of us who have enough to eat every day, have a place to rest, a decent job and can see the sea every day, that is a luxury”.
