The quiet side of Ibiza? We’re raving about it! Exploring the island’s serene coves and swish hotels

The smell of sardines cooking on a grill wafts over tiny Cala Mastella, where pine trees border a shingle beach and the water is as clear as glass. A chalk board outside the small bar – known as a chiringuito – advertises its simple menu: sole, sardines and calamari, all just out of the sea.

Lunch at a chiringuito; treks to hidden coves; a visit to a mountain-top winery; a hike through pine-forested hills; dinner in a restaurant hidden in the heart of Ibiza Town – relaxing experiences such as these are now what this island is all about. Ibiza’s new visitor is one who embraces slow travel, keen to discover secret places on the White Isle.

Come the weekend, locals make a beeline to their favourite cove to swim and picnic. Many of these have remained off the tourist radar as…