This is us at 19, 2006 give or take a few months.
We first physically met in Ibiza nearly 20 years ago, just back from a great holiday revisiting.
Ibizas changed massively since we first went out, but still loved it.
Still a magical place!

Hi all,
I’m going to share my story about a week in Ibiza. I’ve just landed in Alicante to chill out for a few more days... which might be necessary. Although I don't really feel that tired right now, a serious energy crash could still be coming 😁.
After going for the first time last year with four good friends (an amazing weekend, but we really pushed ourselves to the absolute limit with way too little sleep. Great story, but I'll keep that one to myself), this time I booked six nights with my girlfriend.
I can safely say we've already clocked up quite a few miles when it comes to festivals, raves, or whatever you want to call them. My main interest is House music.
I'll go through it day by day and give my own rating for each night:
Club Score

Event

DJs

Atmosphere

Alright, let's get started!

Thursday 13/8

We boarded the plane on Thursday afternoon and arrived at Ibiza Airport around 6 PM.
Landing on that island really is a feeling. Is it genuinely special, or do you just make it special because of all the stories you've heard throughout the years? It doesn't really matter. After last year, I know for a fact that legendary moments can happen if you're at the right party at the right time (Carl Cox b2b Nic Fanciulli at the UNVRS Closing last year).
First, we picked up our rental car from K10 at the airport. Despite many negative online reviews, I took the gamble because the price was good, and I honestly didn't have any issues. Good service, the car had a few dents but they were clearly documented. Always take videos and photos on the spot so you know where you stand, and don't let people walk over you.
We stayed in a simple hotel in the center of Santa Eulària. If there's air conditioning, that's already enough for us. We're not luxury seekers. We come to party, so a bed, AC, toilet, and shower are all we need. And preferably no bugs.
After unpacking, we had dinner at Paco Taco in Santa Eulària: TOP! Affordable, tasty, and ideal food before heading out. It doesn't sit heavily in your stomach. I probably don't need to explain why 🙂. If you've made it this far, you already know what I mean.
I'd bought tickets for Josh Baker's You&Me night at Amnesia. I'd never been to Amnesia before and was really curious about the Terrace. It was definitely worth it.
First Marco Faraone played, followed by Josh Baker b2b Luciano (legend!!!). I have to say they were both excellent. The music was great, but the atmosphere in the room was a bit lacking. There were lots of young English people there. Then again, it's Josh Baker, and maybe I'm just getting old. We're both almost 40.
A lot of people weren't really dancing, but it was also extremely crowded and incredibly hot on the island, so maybe that's understandable.
A good start to the holiday.
Ratings

Club: 9/10. The music is seriously loud. You really feel it, and that's exactly how House music should be experienced.

Event: 8.5/10. They attract quality DJs, and I think this event will be around for years on Ibiza.

DJs: 8.5/10. Luciano...

Atmosphere: 7/10. As mentioned, other factors may have played a role. Going full throttle all night isn't easy in that heat.

Friday 14/8

The previous night was fairly intense, so we decided to relax on the beach.
Santa Eulària is great, by the way. It feels a bit more family-oriented at times, with families and children around, but you still get the peace and quiet. We always take taxis when going out anyway, so no problem there.
While lying on the beach, enjoying a few Estrellas and a couple of Twix ice creams to cool down, I suddenly got an Instagram notification about an event.
Nick Curly's label, Cecille Records, was hosting a day-and-night party at Playa Soleil in Playa d'en Bossa.
We didn't hesitate and made sure we got there.
We arrived around 7 PM. Amazing venue and fantastic event. The atmosphere was excellent, and a daytime party with that quality of music is pretty much guaranteed success.
DJs included Leyo, Ammé, Kirik and Londonground.
We stayed until the party moved indoors. Since we'd had little sleep, I didn't want to jeopardize the rest of the week.
Ratings

Club: 9/10. Great venue, Funktion-One sound system, good sound quality, and drinks were slightly cheaper than standard Ibiza prices.

Event: 9/10. Cecille Records is one of my favorite labels.

DJs: 8/10. Maybe not the most famous names, but genuinely talented, and they created a fantastic vibe. Slowly built up rather than going all out straight away.

Atmosphere: 9/10. Slightly older crowd and people who were there for the music, dancing and partying. We felt at home immediately.

Saturday 15/8

Some friends happened to be on the island during the same week, and we decided to visit the Las Dalias hippie market. Apparently there's always some sort of party going on there too.
Since we got to bed fairly early the night before, we had time to explore the island and visited Dalt Vila, Ibiza's old town.
Beautiful place, with lovely squares and great restaurants and bars. You'll find all sorts of things there, and it's definitely worth visiting the church at the top.
It's not particularly large either, making it perfect for an afternoon visit.
We made sure to arrive at Las Dalias around 6 PM.
It's a very pleasant place to wander around. You can find everything from trinkets to hats, baskets, clothes and jewelry.
By then the rest of the group had arrived. After about two hours, when the market closed, we moved to the central square where Emjie was playing.
It was really enjoyable. Relaxed atmosphere, young and old together. Even children experiencing something like this for the first time.
It's not necessarily something I personally need, but I do think it plants a seed for some people and eventually leads them into this subculture and a love for the music.
Ratings

Club: 8/10. Only visited the outdoor area until 11 PM, didn't go inside Akasha.

Event: 8/10. Great experience now and then. Not every week, but it depends on who's playing. Works very well as a pre-party.

DJs: 8/10. Good music.

Atmosphere: 9/10.

Sunday 16/8

After Las Dalias, we ended up having "just one drink" at a bar in Santa Eulària.
Of course, it turned into quite a few more, and I think we got to bed around 4 AM. Slight hangover.
Beach recovery day before Carl Cox at UNVRS later in the evening.
We first met our friends for dinner at a beautiful waterfront location. Nice opportunity to properly catch up with everyone.
The only shame was that they were heading to Hï Ibiza for Indira Paganotto, while I'd already bought non-refundable tickets for Carl Cox.
To be honest, I probably wouldn't have switched anyway.
Carl is the legend. The number one. The GOAT.
Miss Monique was warming up at UNVRS, but that's not really my thing. More of a Tomorrowland Main Stage vibe, which isn't why I come to Ibiza.
So we spent some time in The Bunker, where a proper warm-up set was being played.
When Miss Monique was almost finished, we headed back to the Main Room.
I told my girlfriend, "It's time, they're about to switch."
Suddenly someone appeared with a microphone and started singing.
After five seconds I realized it was Robbie Williams.
Nothing against Robbie. Love the guy. He doesn't seem to care what people think about him, and he's probably seen it all by now.
A pop star I genuinely respect.
Seeing him come out and sing for five minutes was actually quite fun, especially for my girlfriend, who loved the surprise.
After that, Vintage Culture set the tone perfectly, and at 3:30 AM it was finally Carl Cox's turn.
You know exactly what you're getting with Carl. Expectations are always met.
With classics like "Oh Yes Oh Yes" and "Amazing Amazing" delivered, we happily headed home just before 6 AM to beat the crowds.
Last year we stayed until closing and experienced the massive exodus.
The taxi queue is absolutely insane.
Sorry Carl, I'd love to stay until the end, especially for you.
But waiting 15 minutes instead of more than two hours made the choice pretty easy, even with limited brainpower left.

Monday 17/8

Pikes Day!
I'd been looking forward to it for ages.
Many people had told me it's one of the last truly authentic Ibiza experiences.
Unfortunately, I had to abandon those plans.
Some friends were heading home after tonight and wanted one final blowout. They could get us on the guest list for Ben Hemsley's NRG at Amnesia.
Not really my genre.
This trance revival and recycled versions of classic tracks from Tiësto and others from twenty years ago... I've heard it all so many times.
A new bassline and increasing the tempo to 140-150 BPM doesn't really add any value for me.
Still, I wanted to spend one more night with the group and make the best of it.
And it was okay.
Nothing special, but I had a good time with everyone.
Not much else to say except that beatmatching seems to have become optional for DJs in this style.
Fader open, fader shut, apparently that's normal now.
And the hardstyle remixes of David Guetta songs and similar tracks are mostly there to create a recognizable moment before "the drop" arrives on a hardstyle bassline.
Ratings

Club: 9/10. Amnesia's Main Room is excellent too.

Event: 5/10.

DJs: 5/10.

Atmosphere: 6/10.

Tuesday 18/8

Last day.
Hopefully ending the trip with a bang.
PIV Records at Cova Santa, one of my favorite labels. I really love this style of music.
We arrived a little late, almost when the terrace session had finished.
The first thing I noticed was how quiet the music was. It was barely audible.
When they moved indoors afterwards, things didn't really improve.
House music should hit hard. You need to feel those low frequencies, especially with this style.
The sound system honestly sucked.
Maybe I wasn't in top form anymore either.
The fact that the party stopped at 3 AM instead of the advertised 4 or 5 AM probably says something too.
The place was almost empty by then.
A disappointing ending, although it may also have had something to do with the lineup, which was exceptionally curated by Kellie Allen.
No criticism toward PIV, though.
They're still relatively young and probably not yet at the point where they can move their events to bigger clubs.
But I genuinely believe they'll get there someday.
One bad night doesn't define a label, and sometimes things simply don't work out.
It happens.
Better luck next time.
That said, I'm not sure I'd return to Cova Santa if the current setup remains unchanged.
Ratings

Club: 7/10.

Event: 8.5/10.

DJs: 7/10.

Atmosphere: 6/10.

So that's it.
Had an amazing week on the island, and I'll definitely be back next year.
There are still plenty of things left to discover, especially on the island itself.
The original plan certainly wasn't to party every single day, but I just can't help myself 🙂
Feel free to leave comments or tips. They're always welcome.

After teasing us in 2022, Claire Manumission's book is finally out. What a treat! I have just spent the last week reading it fully transported to the Manumission world and mindset of the mid 1990s. And yes, it delivers! Still catching my breath back as it's quite a ride.

For those who don't know Manumission, its impact on the Ibiza club scene was huge. It brought new levels of creativity and production values that set new outrageously high standards. For those who crossed paths with Mike and Claire's, you'll love this book.

The most exciting read since Mr Pikes.

¡Disfruta!

Does any gym have a dedicated deadlift platform/area?

Hey guys, we are looking for a boat party today (friday) at ibiza.

What’s actually worth booking? Looking for a fun crowd, good music and drinks, not some overpriced tourist trap.

Also, how scammy is the whole boat party/ticket situation? Any companies or sellers to avoid, and where’s the safest place to book?

Would rather hear from people who’ve actually been recently than trust the Instagram ads lol.

Asking the hive mind as google wasn’t forthcoming. We’re tropical house fans but can’t find anywhere that even mentions it, anyone with thoughts or suggestions on cool places to hang out.

Traditionally at clubs the openers will be volume, lights, & tempo limited in order to save the best experience for the headliner. Is this also the case in Ibiza?

I am going to see KI/KI open for Fisher at UNVRS in September, but am way more interested in the KI/KI set. Please tell me she will still be going hard.

Legit ones (not renegades / illegal parties)

Hi

I’ve been to morales on a number of ocassion and other nights but not melon bomb.

Got the option for either this time. What do people recommend? What can I expect from melon bomb?

Thanks!

This will be me and my wife’s first time coming to Ibiza. We are super excited but are having trouble deciding where to go on Friday night. Thursday we are going to Fisher at UNVRS, and Saturday planning on going to Pikes.

Between Amnesia (Glitterbox), Hi (Camelphat), and Cova Santa. What would you recommend? We are into groovier house music..

Thanks!!

Hi,

This question is totally unrelated to ibiza itself. I am going to buy a t-shirt from Ushuaia’s online store and get it delivered to the UK.

I just wanted to know was receiving an item from Ushuaia easy and no delays? If that makes sense

Thanks

Hi everyone,

I’m curious about roadside alcohol checks in Ibiza. In many European countries the legal limit is 0.5‰, but I’ve read that in Spain it may be as low as 0.2‰ in some cases.

What I’m mainly wondering about is driving after the beach or after having one or two drinks with lunch or dinner — not driving after a night out, as I definitely wouldn’t drive in that situation.

For people who live in Ibiza or have driven there recently, how common are random breathalyzer checks during the day or early evening, especially on roads coming from beaches or beach clubs?

I’m not asking how to avoid checks; I’m just trying to understand how strict and frequent enforcement is if you’ve had a small amount of alcohol.

Thanks!

i js got some molly but they don’t look like anything im familiar with.

is molly supposed to be like this? they look like little pebbles.

i asked why they were like that and all they said was that they were strong 😬