A jetset lifestyle doesn’t have to be all private planes and decadent digs. In Paste Travel’s Jet-Set Bohemian series, we blend the best of high and low for just the right balance … enticing everyone from backpackers to luxury boutique hotel lovers to come along for the ride.
To master the art of jetsetting bohemian-style, it’s all about timing. Unless your friends invite you to hop on board the private jet or yacht to cruise the Caribbean by winter and Mediterranean come spring, you’re better off snagging deals to these hotspots before season is in full swing.
Most of the jetset crowd makes a similar summer circuit that revolves around the Mediterranean’s glitziest islands and principalities: May in Monaco, June in Ibiza or Mallorca, and July in Saint-Tropez, with jaunts to Capri, Corsica and Croatia thrown in.
Living in the South of France, I’m already perfectly poised for the highlights of the year—the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix. The fashion crowd flocks here (along with tons of tourists) for these parties in May that you probably won’t get in to unless you happen to be friends with the right director/actor/rapper.
The South of France really pops come summer with rosé served on every terrace and yacht parties in the bay of Saint Tropez, but late winter is when you’ll see these cities at their best. The weather hovers in the 50s making it prime for the region’s many outdoor activities. There’s a reason why some of the world’s top pro cyclists train on these roads—over 300 days of sunlight and numerous trails winding through Provence’s hills and around seaside cliffs make it a dream for cyclists, hikers and climbers. Old towns may seem sleepy and not every beach bar and restaurant will be open, but you’ll see the more authentic side of these towns before the locals leave to make room for summer tourists.
The party island of Ibiza is another that has a very Jekyll and Hyde personality. Tales of summer seem more outrageous than the next, with rumors of private clubs carved into caves and secret party boats where only the most privileged are awarded entry. Budget travel to Ibiza is doable, however, thanks to ferries from mainland cities like Valencia and Barcelona and hostels in the party-heavy areas of San Antonio and Playa d’en Bossa (home to one of the nightlife heavy hitters, Space Ibiza). Trading in a villa or five-star hotel can save you, but partying here isn’t cheap, with entry sometimes being upwards of $100.
Skip the party scene entirely and arrive when the island shuts down between the closing party in September and the first event of the year in May. Now is when the island that drew the likes of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell back in the 60s comes to life. Rent a car and hit each corner of the island exploring Ibiza’s hidden beaches like Atlantis, lying under the Torre del Pirata (or Pirate’s Tower) near Hort Creek, or join the artists at the Las Dalias hippie market in the town of Santa Eulària where you can snag handmade jewelry and tie-dyed tapestries.
