
Ibiza, beyond the legend
Ibiza is far more than the stereotype it is known for. Before its fame as a hippie refuge and before the still-living legend of the island of fun and transgression, there was a land chosen by ancient peoples: the first were the Phoenicians in the 6th century BC. They called it Ibosim, "island of fragrant plants." With them came the island's logistical and strategic importance and the establishment of the famous salt pans, but they immediately brought their own rites and their sense of the sacred, consecrating the island to the goddess Tanit. That memory has not disappeared: it remains in the ancient stones scattered throughout the island, in the scent of wild herbs that envelops the paths through the woods, in the Natural Park of the salt pans, but nothing compares to the light and colors that the sun reveals every morning, culminating in the triumph of its famous sunsets. There's an energy that you sense the moment you set foot on the island before you even understand it. Something that pushes you to slow down, to look within, to ask questions, to connect with others: those who come here for the first time often find the habit of greeting each other with long, sincere hugs unusual. This isn't sentimental romanticism, but a rare combination of silence, beauty, and antiquity that strips away the superfluous and leaves room for the essential: it's no coincidence that so many like-minded people from all over the world gather here. This unique energy evolves every day in an algebraic sum of those who arrive, those who leave, and those who stay to give back to the island, and this equation has always yielded a positive result! We at White Lotus are here to help you create a space where you can feel and relive all this for the benefit of you, your community, and the island itself.
It all comes from the desire to change
We are Elisa and Andrea. We got married in Formentera in 2022, and as soon as I returned home, we were overcome with deep despair. We looked within ourselves, and after a deep listening process, we understood and agreed that the moment had come!
So, in the space of a few weeks we left everything behind: our jobs, our homes, the lives we knew. We loaded Bianca, our beloved Golden Retriever, into the car, while everything else joined us on a pallet, and here we are in Ibiza , not to escape from something, but to run towards something!
Even as I write this I can't believe it...
The Island chooses you
White Lotus Retreats was born from the heart, from the desire to help those wishing to organise a retreat in Ibiza, turning it into an unforgettable experience.
There's an old saying here: "The island chooses you" people say to anyone who arrives intending to stay, and we try every day to earn the island's willingness to keep us here by bringing kindness and value to everything we do.
For this reason, in addition to our traditional retreat support activities, we want to develop a programme to invite highly esteemed teachers, researchers, and communicators to come here, out of season, when the island reveals its quiet, solitary beauty, to share their experiences, teachings, and tools, so that the community of practitioners and professionals who reside here year-round can can benefit from high-level training opportunities.