In Ibiza, aged 52.. AND RAVING
Proof that great party isle is not just for kids
AS I boarded the three-hour flight to Ibiza, my only thought was this: Is 52 too old for a trip to the notorious party island?
Later that day I took my first tentative steps into one of the White Isle’s many beach clubs. And my worst fears were realised.
Everywhere I looked I saw ripped men and super slim women less than half my age in micro outfits.
And although I do my best to look after myself, I certainly wasn’t going to take my shirt off in that company.
But then, after my group grabbed a drink and took a seat to observe the party people, I began to relax.
Mingling with the young, tanned and beautiful were plenty of middle-aged folk and, surprisingly, people considerably more advanced in age than myself.
The atmosphere was chilled – many of them had enjoyed their fair share of refreshments but there wasn’t any hint of trouble.
For some visitors, Ibiza is all about the nightlife and we were lucky enough to be there for the closing night of Ibiza Rocks.
The Ibiza Rocks Hotel has hosted the likes of the Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian and we saw Manchester indie group The Courteeners bring the house down.
And while the mosh pit was full of young excited faces, the crowd as a whole was mixed. Phew.
But as good as it is, there is far more to Ibiza than the wild nights. Even if you completely avoid the clubs and the pubs, there is loads to keep people of all ages occupied on a long weekend.
We dodged the party capital of San Antonio and insted headed for the beautiful coastal town of Santa Eulalia.
It’s an ideal location if you’re after a quieter break. And the Sol Beach House Ibiza is a great base. The rooms are spacious and modern and the hotel doesn’t feel busy. It’s a world away from the party scene.
But if you feel like splashing out, the nearby ME Ibiza offers five-star luxury with direct yacht access, if you just happen to have one floating around.
Fabulous
The highlight of our trip was a guided driving excursion in a 2CV, courtesy of Global Star Events Enterprise. Driving these old Citroëns is great fun – and a novel way to see the island.
Our lead driver, Herman, led us down winding roads to untouched beaches to the north of the island and a gorgeous sheltered bay called Benirras in the valleys.
No trip to Ibiza is complete without an exploration of the sophisticated Old Town.
We booked a tour, which took us around the castle walls, where we enjoyed magnificent panoramic views of the island.
Away from the tourist spots are some fabulous seafood restaurants. We stopped at Cala d’Hort, with its golden arc of beach, and headed for El Carmen.
It Its seafood paella was delicious s – an and comes in a pan big enough to fe feed a family.
A All too quickly our long wee weekend on the White Isle was over over. And far from feeling that I’d see seen enough, I vowed my next st stay would be longer.
Well, we can’t let all those young people have all the fun. FACTFILE: On the Beach offers seven-night holidays staying at the Sol Beach House Ibiza in Santa Eulalia on a bed and breakfastb basis, with return fl flights from across the UK from £ £346pp.34 Book at onthebeach.co.ukk or c call 0871 474 3000.