Which is your party island? : Party till you drop: A comparison of the party islands of Mykonos and Ibiza
Pure party: The nightlife on the Cyclades island of Mykonos and on the Balearic island of Ibiza is legendary. Which one has the best party spots? In the large island comparison, we show which island has what to offer.
Hanging out on the beach during the day and diving into the waves, moving from beach bar to beach club in the evening and dancing until the sun comes up? After two Corona years of hardship, many people are longing for a party holiday – preferably on an island.
The two party islands of Mykonos and Ibiza are currently the most in demand on the large travel booking and hotel rating portal HolidayCheck. But which one should it be? Greek boho style or Spanish hippie chic? We compare the two islands in the large island check.
Mykonos: partying with high society – liberal, tolerant, glamorous
The island of Mykonos is located in the middle of the Aegean Sea, in the Cyclades archipelago. With a length of 14 and a width of ten kilometers, it is not particularly large, but it is known all over the world. On the one hand as a hub for island hopping, on the other hand as a favorite of the international jet set.
As early as the 1950s, Hollywood movie stars, artists and aesthetes traveled to enjoy the dream of blue and white. Not only at the former nudist retreat Paradise Beach an internationally unique party scene quickly established itself: glamorous, liberal, tolerant, colourful, flashy and open to LGBT – with champagne parties, exclusive clubs and chic beach discos. Celebrating in style and luxury is the motto here.
Most beautiful beaches in the Cyclades
Dreamlike beaches and small bays are lined up along the 90-kilometre coastline. Because of the turquoise water, the beaches of Mykonos are considered to be the most beautiful in the Cyclades. Psarou Beach, just five kilometers from Mykonos Town, is considered the glamor beach par excellence. Here it’s all about seeing and being seen for Hollywood stars, aristocrats and the nouveau riche.
The most famous party beaches have promising names like Paradise Beach and Super Paradise Beach, where mainly people under 30 years old hang out and party directly at the sea or along the promenade in clubs or permanent outdoor parties. If you need a little break from the nightlife, you can relax on the west coast, on the quiet Agios Stefanos Beach. Half of the beach is equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas, the other half can be used freely.
Windmills and Unesco World Heritage Site
The cozy cafés in the island’s capital with their cube houses also promise relaxation after a night of dancing. The Kastro district is also home to popular photo opportunities such as the white church of Panagia Paraportiani, which is built to resemble a ghost. Next to it, the most famous sights of the island, the windmills called Kato Mili, are enthroned on the hill above the city. Below is the Little Venice district with its Venetian houses right on the water.
And there is even more culture to marvel at: in the Archaeological Museum and at the Unesco World Heritage Site of Delos. The ancient excavation site is on the neighboring island of Delos, which was considered the holiest of the islands before Christ. The best travel time for party animals and beach beauties is from mid-June to September. In the high season it gets nice and hot with daytime temperatures of around 30 degrees. The sea promises a bit of cooling with values around 24 degrees. At night, more than 20 degrees is the perfect temperature for dancing.
Conclusion: Smaller and more intimate than Ibiza, Mykonos also attracts many like-minded people. After all, the motto is: Everyone can be as they want here. It’s celebrated around the clock in smaller disco bars and at long-term outdoor parties – always with a touch of luxury and liberality. Due to its blue and white Cycladic architecture and picturesque beaches, the island is absolutely social media friendly.
Ibiza: Wild nightlife in world-renowned clubs with a DJ line-up
The Balearic island of Ibiza is four times the size of Mykonos and was discovered in the 1960s by hippies, dropouts and artists from all over Europe as a place of freedom, creativity and self-realization. To this day, the hippie movement is still alive on the island, especially in the north and in flower power markets and chill-out lounges. Peace and Love was quickly joined by wild parties, which are now celebrated in clubs that are among the best and biggest in the world.
DJ stars like Sven Väth, Tiësto or David Guetta play here. They are spread over three party hotspots: Playa d’en Bossa with the “Ushuaïa”, luxury hotel and clubbing venue with a spectacular open-air stage by the pool. Ibiza Town with the world-renowned Pacha and its five dancefloors; and Sant Antoni on the west coast with Café del Mar, the birthplace of the chill-out sound, and Amnesia. Not forgetting the biggest disco in the world, the Privilege, halfway. There are said to be more than 90 clubs and discos on Ibiza – they can be reached by disco buses from sunset to sunrise.
Beach diversity with a high flirt factor
Extensive party nights are usually followed by long days at the beach. And for them there is a wide range on Ibiza: If you want to spot celebrities, you can drive south from the island’s capital in ten minutes by car to Las Salinas in the nature reserve of the same name. Everything cool meets on the 1.5 km long beach with soft white sand and clear water in turquoise tones – hippies and hippies, bikini beauties and fans of Balearic beats
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kylie Minogue and Kate Moss are said to have lounged here between the sand dunes and pine trees. Cala de Sant Vicent is considered one of the most beautiful bays on the island, with sand as soft and white as powdered sugar, azure sea and surrounded by wild hills.
Snorkelers love the crystal-clear waters of hippie Cala Benirrás Beach, where drums and bongos are played to celebrate the sunset on Sundays. Speaking of sunset: Pure romance is the order of the day at Cala Conta. There’s pure partying around the clock at Playa d’en Bossa, the longest (almost two kilometers) and most famous beach in Ibiza.
Pirate tower, stalactite cave and alley labyrinth
Just partying and chilling on the beach is almost a shame in Ibiza, because in addition to the different landscape zones with dream beaches, forests and the cliffs in the north, there are also a number of sights. Original villages, for example, such as San Miguel or the pottery village of San Rafael or the old town of Eivissa, which lies on a small hill and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After the alley labyrinth do you fancy something modern? Then off to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Adventurers and hikers head to Torre d’es Savinar. It was built to protect against pirates and offers a view of the opposite, uninhabited rocky island of Es Vedrà. Before the party in the underworld? Near the village of Port de San Miguel you can descend into the Cova de Can Marçà stalactite cave. The world of stalagmites and stalactites used to be used by smugglers to hide their goods.
While it’s a constant 20 degrees here, the thermometer outside often rises above 30 degrees during the best party time from June to October. At night, the values never fall below 22 degrees and the water temperature in summer is around 26 degrees, even in October it still reaches a pleasant 24 degrees.
Conclusion:
Anyone looking for superlatives is in the right place on Ibiza: top DJs, spectacular shows with drag queens and sexy dancers in the biggest clubs in the world. Of course, this also has its price: Club entries can cost up to 80 euros. But in return, something unforgettable is offered – including a high flirt factor.