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Ibiza isn’t the place it used to be. Even in autumn, the change is more obvious than ever. Gone are the traditional weeks-long holidays. Nowadays, it’s all about flying in light and fast with just a mini-backpack and squeezing the “must-sees” into a punchy three or five-day whirlwind.

 

This rapid-fire travel style has taken over thanks to low-cost airlines and social media. Travellers arrive with bags designed to fit under an airline seat and a phone primed for TikTok. Instead of taking chances and making space for spur-of-the-moment discoveries, or shopping for crafts and souvenirs, everyone has a crowd-sourced itinerary at their fingertips, straight from content creators and AI-powered guides, such as Chatgpt or Grok.

 

It’s a different Ibiza: picture-perfect but compressed. It’s all about the essentials with everyone rushing to tick off the island’s most iconic spots. Nearly every visitor focuses on the same historic highlights, like the walled old town of Dalt Vila and the pretty port, plus famous beaches such as Benirràs and Ses Salines.

 

The beach clubs and turquoise water at Platges de Comte and Cala Bassa are regular fixtures on “top ten” lists, and the village of Santa Gertrudis has become a popular lunch stop. For sunset, most choose well-known venues like Café del Mar, and nearly everyone gets that postcard-perfect photo with Es Vedrà, the mythical rocky outcrop off the coast.

 

When travel is packed into just a few days, there’s less room for coming across an unexpected island gem or discovering a local pottery shop. That unique, handmade ceramic bowl may have to stay on the shelf if it won’t fit in a mini backpack.

 

Local businesses are feeling it. “They come with just the right amount and leave just as they arrived,” one shopkeeper shared, adding that fewer people have time or space for browsing now. Restaurants are seeing the same trend: quick lunches in the places trending online, while family-run tavernas and hidden gems get skipped.

 

Ibiza will always be magical, but how people experience that magic is changing fast. Now, with holidaymakers racing against the clock and relying on algorithms for adventure, the island risks becoming less about discovery and more about ticking off the same list as everyone else.

 

But while these express holidays have made Ibiza feel smaller and more familiar, the island still rewards those who take it slow. Whether you linger on a quiet beach or strike up a conversation in a tucked-away village café, there’s always a chance to discover a side of Ibiza that doesn’t show up on social media... if you’re willing to look beyond the algorithm.

 

You might also be interested in: The two beaches with the bluest waters in Spain revealed: Ibiza and Formentera shine in new study

 

 

 

Image: Raymond Petrik/Pexels