IBIZA - PORTINATX - CHIRINGUITO CALA D'EN SERRA AND THE ABANDONED HOTEL

CHIRINGUITO CALA D'EN SERRA

UPDATE JUNE 2024

The long-time owner of the chiringuito license is said to have been "subletting" it for a long time, as insiders confirm. Until 2017, he rented it to a German-Dutch couple, and there is currently a deal with Six Senses Hotel.

When we asked at the Six Senses Hotel, they remained tight-lipped. The chiringuito does not belong to Six Senses, but you can reserve tables and loungers through the concierge.

And on-site? The staff were initially very friendly and told us that the exclusive wooden loungers, including cushions and umbrellas, cost €40. The food is a bit more expensive than before.

Something seems to be happening to the abandoned hotel, which is roped off in parts.

Some of the graffiti has been damaged, among them is the face of a woman, with the colours of the sea and the sky.

So you have been warned in case you are looking to photograph some of the great graffiti, it's a real shame that someone destroys such works of art...

PRE 2023

In the far north of the Island, you will find this great little oasis, set in a stunning location, with an excellent little chiringuito, serving cold beers, wines, and fresh simple meals.

You will see the sign for Cala d'en Serra on the right, just before you arrive in Portinatx. Follow the road until the tarmac runs out and park up. You can see the beach down below, which is a small horseshoe bay with further satellite coves nearby. The sandy beach has clean clear water and was once named in The Guardian newspaper, as one of Europe’s best beaches. The bay is surrounded by steep cliffs.

Beware, the access is steep (so not great for young children and elderly people) although, you can drive down to the abandoned hotel and park there if the road is not wet. Also, wear flat shoes.

Prices are a little steep but it is better than bringing a cool box up and down the hill.

You cannot book, so you just have to turn up. I would suggest arriving at around 12.30 pm to be sure of getting a table, as the Spanish tend to eat at around 2 pm. Once seated we had a jug of Sangria de Cava, and we then decided on our food.

Mixed salad.

A plate of calamare a la plancha (grilled baby squid).

Dorada a la plancha (grilled sea bream).

To finish, we had a few glasses of Kalimotxo (a Basque drink of equal parts red wine and cola).

After your meal, you can swim, paddleboard, snorkel, or just relax in the sun.

There is no phone signal or Wi-Fi at the beach, however, there is a public telephone for emergencies. You pay €10 per deckchair. They also accept, pound sterling £ and Thai baht.

Sitting above the chiringuito is the famous abandoned hotel. In 1969 a Luxury hotel resort was planned for construction here as it is one of Ibiza's most stunning and picturesque beaches.

The now acclaimed Catalan Architect Josep Lluís Sert was chosen for the design, although due to his political affiliations and aversion to General Franco’s totalitarian rule, he had been exiled, living in the USA.

Sert’s Clerk of Works Antonio Ferran signed off the project to get around Spain’s fascist government which wouldn't allow Sert to be accredited as the architect in the Catalonia & Balearic islands region and therefore, work on the hotel began.

A year later in 1970, construction on the massive building halted for several years. Development eventually ended, when Sert passed away in 1983. There were several discussions on whether the hotel should be completed in its original design or. if it should simply be demolished. However, neither option was taken, instead, the hotel was abandoned.

There are many works of artistic graffiti from various artists around the hotel. The hotel is fascinating not only for its artwork but also for its fantastic views of the beach and cove below. It's also an interesting place to see an urban landscape that, once abandoned, is engulfed by nature.

Various plans to finish the project have been rejected over time and the area is now protected by the Law of Natural Spaces and falls within an area of Natural Area of Special Interest, so it is very unlikely anyone will ever see the glory that Sert originally designed.