A look into the history of Pacha Ibiza

Pacha Ibiza: A deep dive into one of the most iconic clubs of all time.

In 1966, Pacha Group founder Ricardo Urgell opened the original Pacha in Catalonia, Spain. In 1973, seven years later, Urgell opened a sister club, the soon-to-be infamous Pacha Ibiza. Pacha Ibiza’s original exterior was meant to channel a Spanish farmhouse. It featured an unassuming white clay exterior, a vibrant backyard, and a swimming pool. In an era devoid of cell phones, guests would often party until sun up then go skinny dipping for sunrise. It was a culture of bohemia and hedonism that would only amplify as whispers spread of the emerging zeitgeist: Ibiza nightlife. 

Although house music originated in the 80s in Chicago, it quickly took root in Ibiza, whereupon it transformed into the genre “Balearic house.” This new wave of music was soft and warm, yet circulative and percussion-heavy. The variation sounded like a European, retro, whimsical version of today’s psychedelic house. Eminent DJs from all over Europe played on Pacha’s open-roof terrace, which inspired the sprouting of many akin open-roof terrace clubs all across the island.

By the mid-90s, Pacha had taken off as vagabonds flocked to Ibiza to witness the freedom, glitterati, and bonhomie. By the mid-2000s, the creators behind Pacha Group expanded the company, opening Pacha club chains worldwide. From New York to London to Buenos Aires, the clubs sizzled for a few years before diluting the overall essence of Pacha. In 2017, ownership decided to shutter the global franchise’s doors and focus on the brand’s core, the location in Ibiza. 

In 2023, Pacha celebrated its 50th anniversary. Most clubs cannot make it more than 10 years, but Pacha beat the statistics five times over. During Ibiza’s summer season, which takes place from May to October, Pacha showcases some of the world’s leading house DJs, still dominating the electronic dance generation after generation, and for generations to come.