Ibiza is a place I visited a long time ago in a different life. It is so easy to get to from mainland Europe and so full of life and excitement. I absolutely loved it, but it never occurred to me that it might also be a great place to visits with kids. Anne-Laure, a fellow Frenchy, has recently moved to Ibiza and kindly shares her favourite places to visit with kids. Turns out there are a ton of things to do for the whole family! Here’s her guide:

Have you ever thought of Ibiza as an Island Break for family? Well Ibiza is the perfect spot because this tiny little island has it all! Wonderful weather from Easter to mid-November, good flight connections with most European cities, small villages, beautiful beaches, incredible food and lots of fun for kids and adults.

I moved here last February and even though I already loved the island before moving, I can assure you that the more I know it the more I fall in love with Ibiza. The positive energy which captivates all its visitors will also charm you.

I am a French native, a natural cosmetic blogger and mother of 2 incredible sons, Gabriel (20 months) and Paul (4 months)… 🙂 I can see you raising your eyebrows! Yes, it is a hell of a lot of work and organisation to be able to keep up with all the things you used to do before having children, like going out for lunch with friends, shopping, partying, etc… But with all the tips I have listed down here you will be able to do it in Ibiza. Here’s my list with all my favourite places to go around the island to enjoy the Ibiza Lifestyle with your children:

STAY:

Sa Talaia is a small country boutique hotel located in the center of the island, on top of a mountain, surrounded by pine trees and nature. The hotel has only 14 rooms and very well prepared to accomodate children. The breakfast is served outside on a sunbathed terrace, the pool is surrounded by white Balinese beds and the chill out music flows around you creating a really relaxed atmosphere. The gardens are so big, they are ideal for your children to play football and for little girls to imagine princess stories, as the house look like a small Mediterranean fortress!

Grand Palladium Palace is a wonderful 5 star all inclusive resort. The hotel is perfectly located on the Playa den Bossa, offers a huge swimming pool, a bunch of sporting activities, children clubs from toddler to teenager, a luxurious spa, and delicious food. It is the perfect place for a family vacation where everyone can find their own rhythm and then gather again around a table at the beach club for lunch.

Casa Corazon is an absolutely unique experience that you will only find in Ibiza. This place is a well know as a yoga love retreat, and it offers a special programme for moms and babies (under 12 months) called “Yoga love retreat”. The owners of the place, two British women, will organize a special 5 day programme for you and your baby, with daily sunset yoga session, massage, coaching, meditation and a homemade organic menu. It is a wonderful nourishment for your body, mind and soul.

As an alternative to a hotel, I would also recommend to you to rent a boat and sail around Ibiza. Formentera is definitely also worth a visit as it offers the most gorgeous beach with turquoise water. Once you have seen this natural lost paradise, you will never ever want to go back to the Caribbean.

PLAY:

The best playground in Ibiza are definitely its beaches with pure crystal water! My favourites are the ones on the west coast, which are more protected from the wind. In particular Cala Salada, north from San Antonio and Cala Vadella near San Jose. Playa de Talamanca, close to Ibiza City, is also a really good spot as the water is really calm and not deep at all, almost like a lake! Most of the beaches and Calas are perfect for families because they are very well organised with big and free parking places near the sand. They mostly also have showers and wooden paths to get close to the water with a stroller and good snacks bars.

Mini Ibiza is located in the country club of Ibiza and is a great place to visit with your children. Alternatively you can let them having fun, while mom&dad play tennis or play a form of of squash that only exist in Spain and Argentina with a paddle. The garden is huge and there is also an air conditioned area for the smallest members of the family. The staff is super friendly and speak French, English and Italian!

AguaMar Slide Park is the best water park on the island, located in Playa den Bossa, perfect for a fun family day. Many pools, surrounded by long and curvy slides are a great alternative to the beach.

EAT:

Sirocco Beach Club: Ibiza is the Mediterranean island with the most numerous and amazing beach clubs!!!! Most of them are really fancy with sushi and loud DJ’s, but my favourite is Sirocco. The relaxed atmosphere of this restaurant located in Playa den Bossa is really pleasant as the owner have children themselves and will do every thing to make you feel at home. The food is absolutely amazing, the burrata is home-made and well as all the fresh pasta, the desserts and ice-cream. The fresh fish is absolutely outstanding. And your children might end-up playing with a Real Madrid player’s child!

La Tagliatela, is a very good italian restaurant where you can choose between 50 types of fresh pasta and sauces and make you own combinations. Their pizzas are also excellent and the quantity are really generous, which makes it the best quality/price value restaurant on the island. This restaurant is located in the harbour of Ibiza city.

Hostal Parque: When I arrive by boat on the island from Barcelona, Hostal Parque is my first stop for a good breakfast and for the fresh juices and wonderful buttery croissants. But the best thing is the location on Plaza del Parque, which is the only square in Ibiza with trees, so your children can run and play far from the car traffic. There are plenty of terraces and cafes around with a very cosmopolitan atmosphere and often live music.

La Paloma is one of my favourite restaurants, because everything is freshly made with organic products from the island. The Foccacia is one of the best I have ever tasted. It is located in the village of San Lorenzo and oriented toward the beautiful open-landscape of Ibiza countryside! The children will enjoy a large garden with games and slides. In the evening it is lit by candle light and you might get the table next to Sienna Miller or Jade Jagger!

SHOP:

Ibiza is a really fun shopping place as the island is stuffed of small boutiques, imported fashion from Bali or Italy, hand crafted jewellery pieces, beautiful hand-made bags from India…. Here there is no place for franchises and the first Zara only opened a few years ago. It was very hard for me to pick a few shop as my original list was really really long…..But if you are a fan of Bohemian Chic Style, this island is your Ali baba’s cave!

Moms&Babies: Even though I always prepare my list of thing I should not forget, I always forget something at home! This shop, located downtown Ibiza has all you need for your baby, Dr.Browns bottles, Aden&Anais swaddles, holidays accessories, and all the most innovative baby products.

Angels Ibiza, located in Santa Gertrudis, is the best place to shop for local fashion designers, a dress from Beatrice or a pair of boots from World family….. this is the place to get a beautiful white dress for you and your daughter with a small flower headband – it will give you the perfect neo-hippy look!!

Las Dalias is the famous hippy Market located between Sant Eularia and San Carlos. It is definitely worth it to come to browse and enjoy the incense infused atmosphere. You can sip a mint tea under the Moroccan tent, look around you and catch the feeling of another Ibiza far the beaches and night clubs! During the summer every Thursdays night from 19:00, the market hosts special activities for children like magicians, theater and face painting,…

Sluiz is the most amazing concept store I have ever seen and is located near Santa Gertrudis. Its Dutch owners travel the world in the winter to offer you the most incredible melting pot of culture, kitchenware, home decoration, clothing, toys, restaurant and bar with chill-out area and live music! WWoooWWW!

SEE or maybe PARTY!

In Ibiza, every thing is possible! There is a web page I love to consult called White Ibiza. You will be able to find the spot that you heard about in the last VOGUE Summer Edition!

There are not enough superlatives to describe Ibiza, because it is the island of extreme. The most peaceful and quiet place on Earth in the winter tuns out to be most exciting and trendy place in the Summer.

Even though you are parents, you might want to experience the night life of Ibiza, personally I do! So I would definitely recommend you to go and have a drink at the new up-scale Ushuaia Hotel because their party are from 05:00 pm till 12 which can perfectly fit in the family schedule after a dinner without the children!

I hope I convinced you to start planning a trip to Ibiza!