Tucked away almost out of sight in the San José hillside, Cova Santa is the outdoor dancefloor that many Ibiza visitors are still waiting to discover.
Back for 2023, the self-styled gastroclub and mixology centre has planned its most diverse summer yet. Fusing dance, theatrics, high-end restaurant and experimental cocktails, it opens its doors on Friday 26 May with a tantalising Opening Party.
Playing the curtain-raiser is a great cast of characters, comprising of Sapiens label head Agoria, boundary-pushing duo Red Axes, the consistently excellent Alex Kennon, Deep House duo Los Suruba and John Woods.
They are the first names to play publicly on Cova Santa's improved sound system, which has been installed to reduce noise bleed but heighten sonics on the dancefloor.
The sound system may have been upgraded, but otherwise, the enchanting format remains untouched. All parties start in the open air from 18:00 or 19:00 until 23:00, before quite literally moving underground to the cosy basement club thereafter.
For those who have yet to go, the outside bit is where the magic happens - and even more so if you have the inclination to book a table at the restaurant which overlooks the dancefloor.
The food, service and entertainment put it amongst the best dining experiences you can have on Ibiza.
Back to the parties, let's take a closer look at what Cova Santa has in store beyond its opener...
Woomoon & Storytellers by LunArts
Every Sunday from 28 May to 1 October and eight selected Fridays
If there have been two parties that have epitomised the rise of Cova Santa as a clubbing force on Ibiza, then they would be Woomoon and Storytellers - both produced by the theatrically-minded LunArts creative agency.
Both share a roster of artists that overlap and, additionally to the music, each comes with its own theme and shows performed by colourful characters and expert entertainers. Woomoon is the worship of heavenly bodies... and the worship of heavenly bodies, if you catch our drift!
Meanwhile, Storytellers invites you to regress into a state of childlike innocence and lose yourself between the metaphysical pages of their book.
Woomoon: BUY TICKETS & MORE INFO
Storytellers: BUY TICKETS & MORE INFO
All Day I Dream
Every Thursday from 15 June to 21 September
One party which put the emphasis firmly on community, is Lee Burridge's dreamy, cloud-exploring All Day I Dream.
Husked in shades of sky blue and with a soundtrack so deep, you'll slip into a musical trance, ADID has a welcomed familiarity to it: to the music, to the smiling faces on the dancefloor and to those in the DJ booth. Everybody is connected.
The party made a name for itself in open-air settings in New York and Los Angeles, but there's nothing like being outdoors at Cova Santa, surrounded by the scent of pines, call of cicadas and warm Balearic breeze. It's a match made on cloud number nine. BUY TICKETS & MORE INFO
The Soundgarden
19 July, 2 August and 13 September
Another party that's the perfect fit for Cova Santa's lush, pine tree location is The Soundgarden. Cultivated with care by head gardener Nick Warren, The Soundgarden gets its own run of parties in 2023 after looking after dates for Storytellers the previous two years.
Commanding a loyal following, The Soundgarden is known for being a champion of Progressive House, Deep House and downtempo Electronica that tugs at the heart strings, maybe even occasionally drifting into classical territory. It is both emotive and uplifting in nature.
We don't like to be too presumtuous, but we reckon there's a high chance we get Nick Warren back-to-back with Hernán Cattáneo at least once over the three dates. Not to be missed.
Flower Power
Monthly Saturdays, June to September
Evergreen Flower Power is a certified Ibiza institution. Well, it has been going for over 40 years at Pacha - tell us where else you will find a party which has such a legacy? And yet, outside of Ibiza, it still remains relatively low-profile.
Hippy-spirited in every sense, Flower Power doesn't feature electronic or even modern music.
In a throwback to the swinging '60s, this liberating party is all about psychedelic Rock and music from the era of free love. Putting it in an outdoor setting only elevates the sense of freedom.
El Fabuloso
10 June, 8 July and 12 August
Unashamed fun is also the main impetus behind El Fabuloso. It's camp, colourful and never takes itself too seriously, providing all the ingredients for a shrieking good time. Music-wise, you can expect hits aimed specifically at a Spanish audience.
Even so, you'll have a great time regardless of your nationality, although some of the personalities from Spanish TV appearing, such as Eduardo Navarrete and Samantha Hudson, might not mean much to anyone outside of Spain. BUY TICKETS & MORE INFO
PIV Ibiza
First Tuesday of every month, June to September and 19 September
After last season's maiden voyage to Ibiza, Prunk and his era-defining PIV Records are returning to Ibiza for round two in 2023. Few labels represent the current landscape of underground House music better than the Amsterdam-based outfit.
Minimally-minded and studiously cool, PIV is sure to invite only the most respected DJs on the circuit. In turn, you can count on a knowledgeably, music-savvy crowd rushing to Cova Santa for each monthly edition.
Names like Kolter, Jaden Thompson, Archie Hamilton and Kellie Allen will no doubt have fans itching to advance to the dancefloor. BUY TICKETS & MORE INFO
Them
Starting Thursday 1 June with more dates TBA
Right at the opposite end of the spectrum, Them is a new venture for 2023 that is all about upfront, underground music of the Minimal variety.
Aimed squarely at clubbers in the know, Them comes out of the Romanian capital Bucharest. It has garnered a reputation for its commitment to after-party culture, first in its homeland, but also at clubbing destinations such as Barcelona and Amsterdam. And now Ibiza too!
Rhadoo, Sonja Moonear, Praslesh and Priku all play on the first confirmed date.
Eastenderz
27 June, 22 August and 26 September
Similar in both sound and target crowd, are the dubbed-out grooves of East End Dubs and his cult favourite Eastenderz. Just like last summer, the man from London's east end has three dalliances with Cova Santa to share his much-sought playlist and personal edits.
Sweaty basement clubs in Brick Lane and lush, open-air Cova Santa don't have too much in common, but East End Dubs will bridge the gap with his expert track selections.
Do Not Sleep
18 July, 15 August and 12 September
After several season using the format, it seems Do Not Sleep is content in its unorthodox method of starting the summer at Amnesia before moving to Cova Santa. Ultimately, its the clubbers on the dancefloor that get the best of both worlds.
Already this summer, the party from Electric Ibiza has lit up Amnesia's Terrace. Now it'll look to carry that momentum into the San José hillside with three alfresco editions. They all arrive in the middle of the months of July, August and September.
Before line-ups are confirmed, it's fair to assume that it will include many familiar faces from the agency's roster. Its books boast Sidney Charles, Seb Zito, Marco Faraone and Mar-T, so there's no shortage of talent. BUY TICKETS & MORE INFO
Sacro by Mëstiza
27 May, 24 June, 1 and 22 July, 5 August, 9 and 23 September
Some concepts are so ambitious in the absurd, that they end up dovetailing to beautiful effect. Pulling together the traditional Spanish dance of flamenco and dreamy, deep, hypnotic electronic music is the all-woman duo Mëstiza and their fusion concept Sacro.
Other artists playing include Medusa Odyssey, Gaya Brisa and Belanuit.
We're just getting started. Cova Santa has more in store, such as the women-led Shibiza Nights and one off Unreleased On Fayer, with more to come still.
Tickets to all of the residencies listed above will become available on Ibiza Spotlight in the coming weeks.
General Admission and pre-20:00 early entry tickets for the Opening Party are on sale now and can be picked up below.
