For many people the party scene on Ibiza is the main purpose of their holiday. Ibiza has become a popular destination for worldwide jet set, which includes movie stars, sportsmen and of course musicians and DJs who often own a villa on the island. You might walk into Elle Mac Pherson, Niki Lauda or Noel Gallagher in Pachá discotheque or one of the more exclusive bars and restaurants.
Usually one starts the evening with a drink in one or more of the many cafés in the harbor. Later the party crowd slowly moves into the streets of Sa Penya and Sa Marina. Many gay bars are to be found close to the old city walls. After midnight the night starts to come to life at the beach of En Bossa and in the sports harbor Marina de Botafoc where the casino is located. This fairly new area accommodates restaurants, bars and art galleries. Don’t go into any of the clubs too early, it won’t get busy there any time before 2 or 3 in the morning.
The clubs is what it’s all about in Ibiza. The music played in Ibiza clubs by famous DJs from all over the world is renowned as the Ibiza sound. The yearly festivals of the Ibiza clubs like Flower Power in Pachá, Foam Parties in Amnesia, MTV UK Dance Floor in Divino, Happy People in the Morning in Space or the famous Water Party in Es Paradís Terrenal, always reunite thousands of people on the dance floors. Every year the Ibiza DJ Awards, also called the “Oscars of Dance Music” take place to reward the most creative DJs in ten categories, like techno-trance, house-garage, ambient-experimental, drum’n bass-break beat and much more.
List of Ibiza Clubs:
Amnesia: Ibiza Town-Sant Antoni Road at 6km - Cavernous club with a capacity of five thousand. Historically the island’s most innovative venue, where resident DJs helped kickstart the acid house revolution. Today the club is split in two halves: a dark, moody club ideal for trance and hard house and an airy, verdant atrium-topped terrace ideal for Balearic tunes. Booked by Cream and gay promoters La Troya Asesina in the summer, and also features foam parties. Open daily June-Sept. Admission €30-€45; Drinks from €6.
Anfora: Dalt Vila- c/Sant Carles - Gay club built into a natural cave in the old quarter of Dalt Vila. Attracts a very international, mixed-age crowd with a combination of tribal house and camp anthems. Open daily May to early Oct. Admission €7 before 2am, €12 after.
DC10: On the Sant Jordi-Salines road at 1km - This unpretentious club, located at the end of the airport runway, is the success story of the last few years. There’s a large open terrace where the atmosphere can be electric, and a scruffy interior. Hosts day and night events – the Monday slot, promoted by the Anglo-Italian Circo Loco ensemble, is one not to miss. Open Mon from 9am, occasional evenings June-Sept. Admission €15-€25; drinks from €5.
El Divino: Port d’Eivissa - Across the bay from La Marina, jutting into the harbor waters with superb views of Dalt Vila from its luxuriant outdoor terrace. Comparatively small – with a capacity of 1000 – El Divino attracts an older, moneyed crowd with soulful house mixes. Open daily mid-June to late-Sept. Admission €30-€45; drinks €6.
Pacha: Avgda 8 d’Agost - On the edge of Ibiza Town, just north of the marina. The grand dame of the Ibizan club scene, superbly set in a converted white farmhouse. There’s house music in the main room, alternative sounds in the Global Zone, plus a funky room and salsa salon. The beautiful terrace over looks the city, and there’s also a fine restaurant and a sushi bar. Used by the UK Ministry of Sound club in the summer season. Open daily April-Sept; Oct-March weekends only. Admission €35-€50; drinks from €9.
Pin-Up: Platja d’en Bossa - New club venue, with a great beachside terrace and stylish interior. Got off to a slow start in 2002, but if the right promoters are secured the party potential is superb. Open June-Sept. Admission €15-€25; drinks from €5.
Privilege: Just off the Ibiza Town-Sant Antoni road at 7km - Formerly known as Ku, this club is located high up in the hills; a vast glass-sided and –roofed building with terrific views over the interior. Inside, the club (which has a capacity or around 10,000) Resembles a movie set, with a swimming pool in the centre of the vast main room, fourteen bars, and outdoor terrace garden, a chill-out dome, and a café. Home to the legendary Manumission. Open daily June-Sept. Admission €30-€50; drinks from €7.
Space: Platja d’en Bossa - This club on the beach is essentially a day venue (opening its doors around 9am), though it also now has some night-time dance sessions. Split into two distinct parts: a shadowy interior with pounding techno and trance, and a delightful open-air terrace where DJs play funky house and Balearic mixes. The most cosmopolitan clubbing crowd in Ibiza gathers for the legendary Sunday session, extended in recent years into a 22-hour carry-on-clubbing marathon. Only for the hardcore. Admission €30-€48.
