IBIZA - CHIRINGUITO AND BEACH BAR SEASON IS OPEN

Apr 25
2 min read

Updated: Apr 26

IBIZA’S FAMOUS CHIRINGUITOS HAVE STARTED TO OPEN AROUND THE ISLAND.

Sunbeds and plastic chairs suddenly appear. Wooden tables are dragged across sand that sat empty all winter, and music quietly drifts across the empty sand out to sea.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A FEW OF THE CHIRINGUITOS DOTTED AROUND THE ISLAND

And just like that, after months of silence and closed shutters, the chiringuito is open again.

Where does the word actually come from, and it’s not Spain; Chiringuitos didn’t start in Spain.

They actually started in Cuba.

In the 19th century, local plantation workers made coffee by pouring hot water through cloth or even stockings. This became known as chiringo, and the small bars that served it were called chiringuitos.

The word made its way to Spain with returning emigrants from the Americas. Journalist César González Ruano first used the term in Spain, describing a beach kiosk known as El Kiosket in Sitges on La Ribera beach as a chiringuito. In 1949, it was renamed “El Chiringuito”. Thus becoming the first official chiringuito.

In 1983, the Royal Spanish Academy added the word to the dictionary, defining it as a beach kiosk.

A chiriguito is a small, simple beach bar, often featuring a restaurant, located on a beach that serves drinks, snacks, and tapas.

Chiringuitos are mostly temporary structures that must be removed during winter and reappear around April or May due to coastal regulations and harsh winter weather conditions.

There is no dress code. You will see flip-flops and swimwear, but it is respectful to wear a shirt when sitting at a table. At a real chiringuito, you show up, find a table, and place your order.

It began with beer and wine. Then cocktails came along: mojitos, gintonics, and whisky.

The food typically includes fried fish, shellfish, calamari, salads, and patatas bravas. It is simple, featuring fresh, well-prepared ingredients.

Chiringuitos are social places where friends and family gather. Children play in the sand while adults relax, talk, drink, and eat for hours in a leisurely atmosphere.