Since time began, the inhabitants in this north east corner of Ibiza have always enjoyed a sense of isolation, a feeling of being cut off from the rest of the island. Even the pirates couldn’t land and pillage these parts due to the rough coastline protecting the people and their produce. This however began to change in 1885 when a road to the capital was built and even though access to the rest of the world had now been made, many parts of the municipality were still living in the wilderness.
Micheal Mohn de Bistro Mondo
“The whole region from Sant Vicent up to Sant Joan was always known as the ‘lost valley’ says Rebecca Frayn, the film maker and best-selling author, who runs her 500 year-old regenerative farm Can Pep with son Finn, one of the designers of Juntos House. “I was living in London when I saw this property for sale and it was as far north as you could go. No one was interested in living there as it was so far from the airport and the clubs, but we fell in love with the area and its sense of deep time and remoteness, wild walks and hidden coves – plus the sight of so many hippies living side by side with Ibicencos, filled us with joy.”
Today the region is undoubtedly one of the leading ‘buzz’ locations in the world, with professionals from all walks of tech, finance, food, fashion and design all desperate to live here. “This is such an exciting time for the area” smiles Alexea Grech, the lady whose comprehensive knowledge of Ibiza ensures that her Ask Alexea service is one of the first people and brands call for property searches and travel advice. “Sant Joan feels like living in a harmonious wonderland because of the contrast of slow rural life and international community working alongside locals in little buzzing cafes, markets, art galleries where colourful personalities live together in their Sant Joan bubble.”
Diego and Alexeja at their Art Design Studio; Manuel Molina at Vista Alegre café
The Chai Shop
Suddenly these parts are attracting a new breed of global nomads – young modern trailblazers from Paris, Munich, London, New York and Amsterdam who have been structured in business their entire life, but are now rebelling against the corporate set up. “Instead of sharing boardrooms, these sharp minds are helping to create communities.” says Alexea. “They are not hippies but their core values are the same – instead of selling in hippie markets they are trailblazing in tech, wellness and trading in crypto. Sant Joan is the perfect place for them, it has the authentic spirit of Ibiza – freedom, nature, slow life and a community that is far from city dwelling and the harsh political climate of present.
Today San Joan is the least populated municipality in Ibiza and is still almost entirely rural. Life began to change here around 2004 with the arrival of Atzaró Agroturismo, a five-generation farm packed with orange groves that Victor Guach and Philip Gonda transformed into a five-star hotel. Now the district is sprinkled with some of the finest agroturismos in Spain.
Wiews of Sant Joan; Two Ibicencans enjoying Vista Alegre café
One idyllic place is Can Quince located in Balafia, the small village built between the 9th and 13th centuries. “Can Quince is a dream we keep alive as a family, that’s how destiny wanted it” smiles owner Sophie Gotovitch. In the middle of their forest Sophie’s son Louki has created the Oinni Garden, a platform where yoga classes, body expression, percussion, acoustic concerts, and so many other things are offered.
It is a cultural meeting point for artists, which, like all authentic things on the island, needs to be cared for. “My mother was an artist, and I feel that this place was like a blank canvas for her creativity; today, it is for me and also for my son. Its nature, its people, its magic of the north – which moves at a different pace, always dancing and celebrating life, at dawn, at sunset, or under the stars. It has a very special energy.”
An Ibicenco walking through Sant Joan: Sophie Gotovitch, owner of Can Quince with Alexea Grech.
This energy was one of the reasons DRYM Health founder Linda Vlasaku made the permanent move here from London two years ago. “I visited during Covid and was totally swept away by the nature and community” says Linda who lives here with partner Simon Denyer, the entrepreneur behind global sports streaming app DAZN. “As a psychotherapist, I’m very passionate about the importance of balancing the nervous system and preventing burnout. And I didn’t realise just how my body was living in constant state of stress until I experienced the pace of life on the island, and allowed myself to slow down and regulate my nervous system.
Surrounded by a landscape of contrasts, where green hills intertwine with valleys full of fruit trees and the blue sea meets rugged cliffs, the village of Sant Joan de Labritja is known as the last village of Ibiza. Every Sunday of course the square and whitewashed streets come alive with one of the best markets on the island. But for the rest of the week, the place has a pace like no other. Nestled on the ground floor of boutique hotel Gare de Nord sits vegetarian delight Bistro Mondo, brought to us by leading chef Boris Buono of Ibiza Food Studio and Noma fame.
Boris Buono at Bistro Mondo
“When the owner Alberto Cortés approached me two years ago saying he wanted to start pushing Sant Joan as a centre for sustainability, my ears pricked up. I have seen what a good local restaurant can do for a community and have always loved the humbleness of this village. The aim with Mondo was to bring a plantbased world bistro to Sant Joan with a local approach to food, with a global cuisine and local ingredients. And I love Sant Joan – when I first moved to Ibiza 13 years ago, I rented a room here and the comradery is still amazing. I am still treated like a newcomer which I love, the locals really don’t care for tourism but understand that growth is inevitable. It just has to be at their own pace.”
But it has to be said, very rarely do owners want to sell and it always requires discretion for the owner, the family, the staff and the clients. Based on these factors, the magic in Sant Joan can be felt all around. This is new luxury – waking up in nature, eating farm to plate produce, dining under century old trees, swimming in empty coves, dancing under the stars, exploring the little restaurants and cafes and staying in hidden gems run by owners who care. The Sant Joan buyer does not want white table clothes and Michelin stars, they are looking for understated where the quality is in the simplicity and local culture – with pillars of music, food and nature.
“The people who come to me for property vary between existing hotel owners on the island who want to expand their offering, hospitality brands who want a presence in Ibiza, member communities, retreat leaders, new wave tech entrepreneurs and individuals who are looking to run a lifestyle business to live their dream” admits Alexea Grech. “The process is complicated as the average cost for these small hotels in Sant Joan is 500,000 to 1 million euros per key which makes the numbers hard to justify to investors. This is positive as it has acted as a natural filter keeping away businesses whose sole purpose is profit. It means the buyers who purchase in San Juan are driven by passion and noble causes before profit.”
And of course, at the core of everything remains music – whether it’s parties in remote fincas, caves, village squares or forest clearings. “The difference between our party organisers and the rest of Ibiza, is that we don’t do it for money – we do it for fun” laughs Manuel Molina, the Sant Joan local who by day works at the Vista Alegre café and by night DJs everywhere. “Only friends of friends are welcome at our parties and most of the time, all we need is word of mouth to guarantee a crowd.
And it’s the friendliest crowd on the island.” Ibicencos have always had to be flexible to survive, the invading pirates always made it this way. The islanders though have always known they have had to collaborate rather than fight against change, it’s in their culture. And so as time evolves, this small part of paradise island continues to move with the times. Thankfully though, the correct people are involved ensuring San Juan’s legacy of being the region that did things their own way.
Alexea Grech, Ibiza Property Advisor, specialising in offmarket hotels, agroturismos and hospitality businesses for sale and lease in the area of San Juan. @alexeagrech_ibiza
