Having now visited the white island more times than I can count, I feel that I have become somewhat of a pro when it comes to packing. If you are anything like me, then packing can be a nightmare; countless times I have found myself on holiday with all the wrong things. I find that sticking to a few simple rules can save a lot of time (and headache!) so I hope that these help anyone still planning on escaping to Ibiza (or any other destination for that matter) this summer.
1) Take wedges. The best beaches and restaurants in Ibiza tend to be a bit off the beaten track so it is essential to wear comfortable footwear. I am petite and therefore like to have a bit of height, so I live in wedges when I am in Ibiza. I found a pair of Paloma Barcelo ones years ago on Net-a-Porter and have been using them in Ibiza pretty much every evening for the past three summers. As in I am literally wearing them in 90% of my photos. Sadly me and my wedges had to finally part ways at the end of this year’s trip, but at least we had a good run. If you are not a fan of wedges then go for espadrilles. Manebi have a great pair with a platform that give a bit of height!
2) Don’t be afraid of a bit of sparkle! There are two occasions a year that I find it acceptable to wear sequins: Christmas and during my summer stay in Ibiza. I mean why not? It’s all about fun and considering some of the crazy outfits people wear in Ibiza, I don’t think anyone would bat an eyelid at a sequin dress. Or skirt. Or shorts. I found an amazing label in Baar&Bass called Chan Luu that do easy-to-wear sequin dresses. MLV also have great ones.
3) Take a big beach bag. You often spend an entire day out of the villa – going from breakfast in town (Passion Cafe is a MUST!) to a beach club for lunch to dinner at another beach club to possibly a night out in Pacha. Therefore I tend to fit my entire life into my bag. I often take a change of clothes (and sometimes shoes) as well as suncreams, my makeup, books, my camera, a towel…you get the picture. So you need a bag big enough to fit everything in. I would recommend getting a Goyard. My latest one is very special to me as it has my new LW initials on it, but to be honest a good straw bag does the job just fine. Rae Feather bags are a massive hit at the moment – who doesn’t love a bit of monogramming? But in case you don’t have time to wait for one of these to arrive on your doorstep (note: orders take 4 weeks), you can find some really cute ones in Ibiza Town too.
4) Pack bikinis. Lots of them! You will spend the majority of your time by the pool or at the beach. So make sure you have enough. Kiini bikinis are definitely the ones to go for this summer.
5) Dresses. Beach dresses, day dresses, night dresses. And playsuits. I am having a real moment with playsuits. I am a big fan of Revolve Clothing as they have a great selection of American and Australian brands such as Parker, Jen’s pirate Booty, The Jet Set Diaries, Lovers + Friends, For Love & Lemons to name a few. But Ibiza itself also has some great stores – I love the beach shop at El Chiringuito and the shop at Sa Punta. In town my favourites are Mirage Beachwear and Bagus (which sell Pitusa.)
6) Take accessories! Flower crowns, headbands (Rock n Rose) and turbans (Missoni). Have some fun with your headwear. And sunglasses. I am an avid collector of Illesteva and Le Specs sunglasses and I cannot recommend them enough. Net-a-porter stock both and the great thing about Le Specs is that they are very reasonably priced so you won’t be heartbroken if they break or you lose them.
7) Don’t forget your denims. Sometimes you might want a change from all the beach clothes and pretty dresses, so I find that a pair of denim dungarees always come in handy. Ibiza is very relaxed so if you want to dress up in the evenings that is fine but equally you can walk into any restaurant in a pair of denim cut-offs.
8) And finally – take a good quality camera. iPhones are fine but after buying my Canon I cannot imagine going on holiday without it. The beaches in the North, the winding streets in the Old Town, the sparkling waters of Formentera, the sunsets at Experimental Beach – there are so many moments you will want to remember from your time in Ibiza so make sure you take a few snaps along the way 🙂
Aside from that, all you need is some suncream and a sprinkling of positive energy. FB xx
Fab post. Where would you recommend to stay in Ibiza?
Hi Rachael! thank you – I’m glad you liked it. Villas are a great option in Ibiza as the countryside is so beautiful – usually you have to stay for a full week from Saturday – Saturday but you can have a look on https://www.airbnb.co.uk/ for shorter stays. For hotels there are quite a few amazing options. In town I would suggest Destino (http://www.destinoibiza.com/) or Ibiza Gran (http://www.ibizagranhotel.com/en/) but these are quite lively and have a lot of parties going on so if you want something quiet then forget about these. The Hotel Mirador Dalt Vila (http://www.hotelmiradoribiza.com/en) is a beautiful 5 star hotel at the top of Old Town. For something more low key I would suggest Hotel Ca N’Arabi (http://canarabi.com/en) and Can Jaume (http://canjaume.org/) that are very close to town but set amongst orange groves – quite basic but very beautiful. Atzaro (http://www.atzaro.com/en/) hotel is another beautiful one (Balinese style) but quite far out. For the best views stay at Hacienda Na Xamena (http://www.hotelhacienda-ibiza.com/en/) but be prepared to drive a bit as its all the way in the North about 50 mins from all the best beach clubs. And finally one more great one is Cas Gasi (http://www.casgasi.com/en/). Hope this helps :)))xxxx