One of the big adjustments to Ibiza for those of us from chillier Northern Europe is the idea that winter is a time for enjoying the outdoors - not hiding from it.

In our native climes winter is often an excuse to hunker down and hibernate. We wrap up tight in big coats, drape ourselves in metres of woolly scarves and pull on gloves. Not coincidentally we turn to comfort food and, often, even the most dedicated outdoor-lovers avoid anything but essential walking.

The whole polarity is reversed in Ibiza though. Summer is hot, frenetic and hectic. Roads are packed, beaches are overrun and the gyms are full of dancers and sun-worshippers buffing up their bodies for the season. Winter, when everything turns down a few notches, is the perfect time to reconnect, reinvigorate and renew your active life.

If you enjoy running, biking or rollerblading bright winter afternoons are the perfect time to practice your sport. I’m a runner and the mixture of bright sunshine and fresh breezes over the last few weeks have been bliss, as is the selfish pleasure of running on perfectly empty beaches.

Cyclists, too, benefit from the quiet roads of the off season, enjoying leisurely rides through fruit-laden orange groves and past endless rust-red fields. Whether you ride for pleasure or are a competitive cyclist, or triathlete, looking for a training boost this is the ideal season take advantage of the beautiful scenery and varied terrain. The ciclotourism website www.ibizacicloturismo.com has loads of terrific riding routes (on road and off) mapped out for all levels.

Yoga is another perennially popular activity that gets even better in winter. The atmosphere is intimate and relaxed and it’s a great way to make friends. One of the favourite local teachers is James, who runs StretchOm yoga (www.stretchom.com). He offers year-round group and private lessons, and if you have a few friends and the space he will even come and teach a class in your home. Be warned, though, yoga sessions are great excuse to then enjoy an unhurried lunch or dinner, so you may want to set aside a few hours to fully enjoy the experience!

Those in search of an adrenaline rush make note, the brisker weather is excellent for kitesurfing. A high-voltage version of windsurfing, this combines the skill of a board sport with the thrill and challenge of being airborne. Check out the Ibiza Kite website www.ibizakite.com. Or contact Nomad Surfers 34 971 311 717 or email: infoATnomadsurfers.com.

If you have iron nerves and stainless-steel fingernails you might want to test your nerve rock climbing. Ibiza offers some challenging climbs against stunning scenic backdrops. Ibiza Vertical runs a variety of courses (www.ibizavertical.com, website in Spanish only) or for a privately-led climb or lessons contact Ayelen (630 225 174, English and Spanish), Rainer (971 33 45 39, German and English).

One thing many people miss in winter is swimming. Unless you’re very brave, or own a dry-suit, the sea is too cold for more than the occasional ritual toe-dip, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to dry land. Ibiza Town has a masters swim club, which is open to all adults and trains every evening, Monday through Friday.

If you struggle to keep your head above water, the winter months are also an opportunity to improve your swimming technique. Ibiza Swim www.ibizaswim.com offers lessons year-round for swimmers of all ages and levels. After a few confidence-boosting lessons you’ll be impatient to try your skills in the sea, but probably best to wait till spring.

Ibiza also has - believe it or not - its own cricket club www.ibizacricketclub.net . It has been running for over 20 years, and has a busy calendar which includes a Christmas dinner and dance. Just the thing to help you recover from an arduous day of standing around in a jumper.

As you can see, there is no shortage of active diversions in Ibiza and no excuse to succumb to the winter blues. Whether training hard at your favourite sport, learning a new skill, making friends or finding inner peace, winter on the island need never be dull.

By Cila

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Tags: Activities

This entry was posted on Monday, November 17th, 2008 at 1:04 pm and is filed under Activities, Ibiza, Winter Tourism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.