When I was 18, I dreamed of going to Ibiza. As well as stories of the best clubs in the world and all-night parties, my friends also came home from the White Isle with tales of bottles of water costing €10 and having Lays for dinner to save money.
With this in mind, I told them: "I think I'll wait until I'm 25 and have loads of money, then I'll go to Ibiza."
By 25 came and went, and I still didn't have the funds to visit the topic of my favourite Vengaboys song.
But this year, at the grand old age of 34, I finally made it to the Balearic Islands' most famous destination. Was it worth my 16 years of dreaming? Let's discuss.
My trip to Ibiza
My friends and I stayed in a villa, hosted by Ibiza Summer Villas. Our home for the week was Villa Blanca, which slept 12. It had its own pool with plush loungers all around the outside – 18-year-old me would have been beside myself.
As well as an undercover terrace worthy of Love Island, Villa Blanca had a generous outdoor seating area, which was perfect for our al fresco dinners, comprising the best Ibiza-grown tomatoes of my life, tasty salads and amazing tapas dishes.
One of the best things about Villa Blanca, aside from the incredible sea views and spacious property, was the concierge offering by Ibiza Summer Villas. You could order welcome hampers for all your necessities, to save you from having to make an emergency trip to the supermarket when all you really want to do is explore the beach, or even better, you could hire a private chef to come around and make dinner.
You could pick between BBQs and Thai food, paella and tapas, and you could even choose a private breakfast chef. If you were hiring the villa for a hen do, I can think of nothing better.
Speaking of parties, you could also order beer packs and mixed packs to make sure you had everything you needed.
For an ultra-luxe holiday, Ibiza Summer Villas will also charter boats for you – what a dream!
Eating in Ibiza
Far from teenage me's fear of eating crisps for every meal, the food in Ibiza is possibly the best I've had on holiday. We ate at the Giri Café one night in their beautiful moonlit garden, and at Palamo, a secluded garden restaurant offering the best steak and Italian food another night.
While every meal was perfection, there were two culinary highlights I'd recommend to anyone who visits Ibiza.
Madunia, for a start, is the most beautiful restaurant I've ever been to, with sea and sunset views galore. On the west coast of the Island, it offers open-fire cooked meals, comprising of exquisite meats, incredible sides (have the BBQ leeks!), fresh fish and delightful desserts – I'm still thinking of the churros.
The outdoor restaurant is set on several levels, each one offering a slice of magic, from a live DJ and trickling water features, to fire pits and a cocktail bar. The décor is African-inspired and feels super high-end. Plus the sommelier was incredible, selecting us a Spanish Alberino wine we'd likely never chosen ourselves.
The second restaurant I haven't been able to stop thinking about was Nobu. The Nobu Hotel in Ibiza Bay was breathtaking from arrival. Set right on the sea with uninterrupted views of Ibiza's bright moon and twinkling sky, nothing could prepare us for how wonderful an experience it was.
We ordered course after course of food (my favourite was the tempura aubergine and asparagus, but my fish loving friends raved about the eel nigiri), with every dish more impressive than the one before.
The staff were exceptional too and didn't mind that we kept adding to our order as the evening went on. For a world-renowned restaurant that has every right to be elitist, Nobu was laidback and welcoming, with everyone from families to business meetings to couples sitting nearby.
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Party time
When I first pictured my trip to Ibiza all those years ago, I'd imagined nights and early mornings spent at Pacha and Ushuaia. At 34, that wasn't on the cards, but we still wanted a taste of Ibiza's party reputation, so booked a bed at Nikki Beach.
I've heard that beach clubs can be posey and more about the pictures than the vibes, but that was so far from the truth at Nikki Beach.
Firstly, we had so much space to lounge with both a bed and a sofa to relax on. The music was the perfect volume to add a fun atmosphere while still being able to chat, and the food was some of the best I've tried.
The Sexy Salad was a must with lobster, crab and shrimp, and we loved the seared tuna steak too. I'd never expected the food to be so good at a beach club, but every element of Nikki Beach was so seamless and high end – and the staff were incredibly attentive too. My friend had a sore knee and they made sure to keep her plied with ice and we were never low on wine, Diet Coke or water.
From influencers taking shots to families enjoying lunch, everyone was welcome at Nikki Beach, and I can't wait to go back.
Was Ibiza all I dreamed it to be?
Ibiza is unlike anywhere I have been. I've been on Euro holidays with the girls to various Greek islands and mainland Spain resorts, but Ibiza exudes a class I've never felt at other "party destinations."
The vibe is different in Ibiza. There's a magic you don't feel anywhere else. One taxi driver told us about the Es Vedra rock, which is one of the most magnetic places on earth, and whether that's the reason for the impeccable atmosphere, or the fact that Ibiza has been the place to go for a good time for many decades, I don't know. All I know is I am glad I finally made it to the White Isle, and I can't wait to go back.
