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It's raining wine, hallelujah - Ibiza'a best winter drinking guide

Drinkers left cold by summer crowds love Ibiza in the cool season. The streets are calm, taxis plentiful and camaraderie among imbibers is typically warm, due to the lack of competition for elbow space at the bar.

So if the chink of glasses and the hum of conversation is music to your ears we've got opening hours and entertainment options from San An to SIN.

IBIZA TOWN

I-Town is the babydaddy of drinking zones. The vice is tight in the small area stretching from the seascape lookout at the end of Calle de la Virgen through Sa Peña, taking in D'Alt Vila and Plaça del Parc. You could bury yourself in a whole heap of intense leisure services tho we suggest you steer clear of the lurching street urchins and go to one of these nice bars instead:

La Room is open from Wednesday to Sunday - not only at night like during the summer but also during the afternoon from 3pm.

Celebrity angle: Skin from Skunk Anansie has been known to play rock records here.

Location: Pujada de Sa Drassaneta 3, the stairs between C. de la Virgen and Plaça de sa Drassaneta (click here for an earlier article on the area).

Social Club (C. D'enmig 11) - NEW!

This hot little number is run by the expanding empire of Lo Cura on C. Antoni Marí Ribas. Dub mag's Hofer66 resident vibes controller and they also have guests every week including Bruno, who famously ousted chill king Jose Padilla from his prime position at Cafe del Mar.

Open: Thursday through Saturday, from 10pm to 4am

La Tierra and La Oveja Negra on C. Trinitat are two of the oldest bars in the port and play local sounds for local folks.

Open: Thursday, Friday, Saturday

De Miedo, also on C. Trinitat

Musically the most eclectic, atmospherically the most electric.

Wednesday: Loadsa short films from Incortum (www.incortum.com)

Thursday: Live bits

Friday and Saturdays: Different djs every week, inc. Daisy Heartbreaker with chunky punk clash and Javi Box from the band Pete Colours with a more sepia-tinted selection

SIN, C. Carlos III

The promoter Jill Canney says her first well-timed Girlz Skool here on December 7 suffered little truancy. Having it on the day before a bank holiday helped. The girl with the curls is djing herself, along with local media personality, Elena Sanchez.

"The weather's been really mild apart from a couple of weeks of rain," she tells us. "And there's definitely enough people around for a party every night of the week." If you like Ms Canney's lessons you can also try her regular Sunday Papers on at El Horno, just before Dome in Sa Peña.

Cafe el Pirata, Av. Santa Eulalia (near the McDonalds, overlooking the port)

Delicious pizzas and delectable djs. Fridays is with the busy Daisy Heartbreaker.

THE MARINA/IBIZA NUEVA

This new area across the harbour from the glory hoggers in the port is well lit and has plenty of parking.

Try Grial, down the road a bit from Pacha on Avinguda 8 d'Agost. It glows like a beacon to draw in moths and the tipsy alike. Here's the winter lineup:

Mondays: residents

Tuesdays: residents

Wednesdays: What's Up? with Nano Vergel

Thursdays: Francis Lorenzo

Fridays: Juan Carlos Escandell

Saturdays: B side with Miyagi and Francis Lorenzo

Sundays: Blaxploitation with Joan Ribas, Mad Dog, Mack Mariano and Mark van Haze

Wine Bar, Paseo Juan Carlos I 25

The Wine Bar's rather prosaic name conceals a bar with speedy track record. Last winter it was truly dangerous. This winter's line up:

Monday: Dj Tina (electro/tech-house)

Tuesday: Dj Fiber (soul/funk/hiphop)

Wednesday: Dj Issie (Mr Cairo, Konga)

Thursday: Djs Luc and N'Joy (minimal and electro sounds from the guys behind the new record store Vinyl Club)

Friday: different guests every week

Saturday: different guests every week

Keeper (Paseo Maritimo) is a good bet if you want a busy bar in the weekend. It's opposite El Divino, just follow the noise of partying people.

Can Pou bar (behind the now closed Gusto). If you like Can Pou in the port, you'll like this place as it's run by the same guys. Open every day.

El Encuentro & Irma's (behind Keeper)

Both these music bars are open on weekends only and provide a cheaper alternative its more famous neighbour.

Santa Fe (next to Pacha) is an after hours open every morning.

SANTA EULARIA

More than just a place where Germans go to die, Santa Eularia is home to a profusion of bars and even a nifty night spot or two.

Recommended is Guarana (located at the very entrance to the marina), who hosted a nastydirtysexmusic party on Friday December 10. Here's their upcoming schedule:

Friday: Tomas Hedburg vs Graham Sahara + live performances

Saturday: Plug Promotions Inc. with Franco de Mulero and guest djs,

Sunday (the big one): Live jazz and blues + Dj Jade and Tom Hedburg comes back for more.

www.guarana-ibiza.com for updates

SAN ANTONIO

Limp, mostly. If you like this style of tourism, try Benidorm. It's much nicer in the winter. Benidorm Spotlight will show you how.

However if you're set on a Sa An sunset then our pick is Rey de Copas. It's fifteen-odd years older than its Ses Variades neighbour, Café del Mar, and equally as charming.

Open: Fridays (from 5pm), and all day Saturdays and Sundays

If you're really sad you could try Secret Garden on Avinguada Dr. Fleming 29, the strip club with no strippers. It's gone r'n'b for the winter!

Other sunset options:

Cap des Falcó (recommended)

Open: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Hostal la Torre, Cap Negret

Happy drinking. Remember not to get hammered and drive and if you do we hope you get nicked and locked up.

Muchas, muchas, muchas gracias to our forum fiend McRackin. Go to

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