The Best Bars to visit in Ibiza, Spain

The moment a glistening George Michael floated around the pool, martini in hand, Pikes and cocktails became synonymous. The drinks aren’t free at the dreamy Ibizan institution where Club Tropicana was filmed, but they are a must-try. Wet your whistle with a fruity Wham, Punk-a-Colada or Mercury Margarita delivered to your swim-up stool. Explore gorgeous gardens at this rustic stone-built casa with rock’n’roll history, sup on the sunset terrace, and be sure to stay for the house party.

The detail to Diego Cabrera’s cocktails is something to be seen, savoured and documented on social media. Think iced gin with elderflower, tangerine and rosemary arriving in a tall-stemmed, beautiful blown-glass blowfish. San Antonio sunset rituals don’t start much more deliciously than under the bright white Belvue beams – where nothing but a sheet of glass divides rooftop swimmers and Ibiza’s famous bay. Diving into the pool with the chequerboard bottom while the DJ plays your favourite song, life does feel a beautiful game.

Between the ocean and the cloudless heavens, the view from the top of Sol Beach House is blue as far as the eye can see, curbed only by lines of little white buildings that skirt the edges of the island. Seek out this funky watering hole and you’ll find live DJ sets, quirky animal sculptures in white resin and creative late-night libations. On top of this, there is fine fizz for gentle day drinking and fresh fruit salads best enjoyed on the Bali beds, if you can bag one.

Resembling a sprawling Mediterranean ranch, full of homely wicker and stone archways among the Cap Negret countryside, La Torre is special. It’s the kind of place you save for your last night – imagine Café Mambo, but a tad less hectic. Try the new Perrier Joüet pairing experience or a Balearic Spritz – sweet vermouth, Aperol, gin and passionfruit with soda and cava – before climbing the rocks to watch the night descend over Conejera Island.

Vintage champagne and vast, sweeping views of Ses Salines National Park: not a bad way to start the evening, is it? When the sky turns pink, it’s time to drink up on the ninth floor of the Hard Rock Hotel, listen to live flamenco and watch the planes touch down on the nearby runway. Indeed, with its own minimalist, milky decor, the Ninth feels like a departure lounge in the sky.

Those with bohemian leanings should head to lively, hippyish hangout Kumharas. If you can take the heat, order its eponymous habanero-spiked tequila cocktail with mango juice. While this beachside bar is no great distance from San Antonio’s thronging tourist action, it feels a world away with its anti-poser ethos, super-chilled Spanish spirit, creative decor of Asian patterns and Moorish mosaic plus a shisha terrace. Want the wardrobe to match the mood? Kit yourself out from the market stalls selling far-out garms.

The food is practically art at this luxurious cabaret lounge. The spectacle you get from the live entertainment extends to equally attention-grabbing drinks – we’re talking top-shelf spirits in inventive concoctions. You can’t truly say you’ve sampled Ibizan nightlife without experiencing, first-hand, an evening produced by the internationally renowned Pacha franchise. Fluent in fun and glamour, Lío expertly channels the extravagance of the island’s renowned party scene.

As well as Amante’s superb cliff-top eats, pop by for the rural panoramas and party people plus plentiful boozy treats – namely scorched rosemary vodka with strawberry, lime and ginger beer. Perhaps you’d prefer a piquant mix of mezcal, grapefruit, lime and jalapeño while overlooking secluded Sol d’en Serra bay. The vibe is exclusive and the mood is magical. Mellow out at the open-air cinema before the moonlit Mediterranean, and fill up on popcorn, winning wines and old classics.

For a spot of sun worshipping, make a beeline for the beanbags scattered up the old-town stone staircase S’Escalinata is named after. This bar, next to the walled citadel of Dalt Vila, is ideal for a low-key couple of hours quaffing and people-watching in Eivissa. Find fruity smoothies alongside the likes of Don Hector: Ancho Reyes (chilli liqueur) with Aperol, elderflower cordial, aromatic bitters and ginger beer. That’ll leave you shaken and stirred. Arriba!

Casa Maca is full of statement sights – the al fresco cooking fire where fresh steak and fish are flame-licked over the grill, and the converted aluminium airstream bar complementing the next-level cuisine. A night at this former farmhouse, surrounded by almond and carob trees, begins with a pokey mix of mezcal, smoked pineapple syrup, orange liqueur and fresh lime juice (Smoked Piñarita) or vodka, fresh ginger, lime and lemongrass with a kick of kombucha (El Burro).

This is an updated rewrite of an article originally by Monica Burns.

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