Why you should go to Ibiza in winter instead – where it’s still 24C with deserted coves and cheap flights

SIMON COWELL aside, few of us have the time, means or money to jet off to the Caribbean every winter.

Thankfully, there’s a two-hour-30-minute alternative — Ibiza.

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The White Isle — once the preserve of 18-30s hedonists — is rapidly becoming the place to holiday for those seeking some winter sun.

And, of course, fun.

Because Ibiza, away from its beautiful hills, nature and incredible hikes, will always be a place to get away from it all.

Whispering Angel, the millennial rose of choice, is served al fresco all year round, and with temperatures hitting 25 degrees last December, who needs an overpriced Barbados beach club?

Gradually, Ibiza has been extending its winter season and now, most of the clubs and bars close in November.

However, many hotels are now open all year round while several beach clubs also remain open.

Christmas and New Year’s Day have become huge party days on the balmy Balearic island while Ibiza’s famous hippy markets operate all year round.

Looking at my pasty skin, and realising I hadn’t needed to water my plants for WEEKS because of the seemingly endless driving rain and grey skies, I booked a very last-minute trip.

A regular in summer, I had never before been in the winter months.

It averaged an exceedingly bearable 24 degrees and, even better, was around half the price of peak season.

Which added another degree of sweetness to the four-day package.

We stayed on San Antonio Bay — not to be confused with San Antonio itself, THE party bit which has fairground rides, McDonald’s at every turn and bars offering two-for-one goldfish bowls.

The Bay, a seven-minute drive away, is far quieter and offers prettier views.

We booked into the INNSiDE Ibiza Beach hotel, part of the upscale-but-slightly-more-affordable Melia chain of resorts, where rooms cost around £200 a night including breakfast in October, dropping to £149 in November.

The hotel comes with a brilliant gym overlooking the sea — no back wall so you can feel the sea breeze as you pound away — and two pools.

The stunning rooftop infinity pool overlooks the azure Mediterranean, with a DJ spinning tunes at sunset.

One afternoon, a pop-up tattoo parlour appeared. (Incredibly, the hotel has a full-time studio in reception for adventurous guests to make their mark.)

Two happy hours — morning and evening — mean that the “vibe” is pretty buzzy, and some guests chose not to leave the confines of INNSiDE all week long.

The breakfast buffet, boasting a Bloody Mary station and a pancake pop-up, was also a sight to behold.

Quite literally a sight for sore eyes on a mild to middling hangover, too.

A chef makes up your eggs any which way, and each day there’s a local delicacy section offering regional delights.

A spinach, walnut, cranberry and nutmeg dish was the highlight (and tasted nicer than it sounds, granted).

A plethora of local restaurants are all within a ten-minute walk, but far and away our best meal out was at Aragma restaurant.

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It’s a Michelin-style Greek place owned and run by a British couple, with a talented Greek chef bossing the kitchen. The food was stunning.

At most restaurants, you can expect to pay around £75 for two courses and some wine.

It may be off season, but Ibiza is never cheap.

Secret coves

The flights, however — starting at about 90 quid return — are.

Ibiza isn’t all daytime drinking and indulgence, however.

On day three, we set off on a glorious 90-minute coastal hike, ending up at the CBbC beachclub on Cala Bassa — an equal split of locals and tourists.

Two glasses of champagne set us back £32, though.

Next time, Prosecco.

While the north of the island is unquestionably the most beautiful, the bay area is incredibly handy for travelling to and from places.

Quad bikes and E-bikes are available for hire, meaning you can explore the island at leisure in your own time.

Much like Antigua, where they say there’s a beach to explore for every day of the year, Ibiza is not short of secret coves and beaches.

We got a taxi to the Cotton Club restaurant, in Sant Josep, and decided to go off-piste.

Within eight minutes, we were perched atop a completely deserted — bar one woman and her swimming dog — private cove overlooking glorious, rugged red cliffs.

Sunsets are another USP of this beautiful island — all the more beautiful in winter without vape-puffing, sunglasses-wearing clubbers stumbling out of Pacha at 6am.

Perhaps the most famous place to watch the sun go down is at Cafe Mambo, in San Antonio, and although the bar is closed from November, the sprawling, pebble beach attracts picnickers and those supping bubbles on the beachfront all year long.

And, even better, you can bring your own.

So for anyone fed up with England’s winter misery, Ibiza might just be the short-haul trip of dreams with something for absolutely everybody.

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