Ibiza: Island Guide, Coves and Clubs

Discover Ibiza

Ibiza has a reputation that overshadows the island: it's talked about as a clubbing destination, yet the clubs occupy only a few square kilometres, and the rest is pine forest, 150 coves and a quiet interior of whitewashed churches where nothing much happens. Both things are true at once. In the years when the hippies arrived, Ibiza was a poor farming island with cheap housing; out of that grew a scene that opened the first big clubs in the 1980s, and today DJs from all over the world fly in every July and August. At the same time, above the harbour stands Dalt Vila — a 16th-century UNESCO-listed fortress whose walls were built by the same engineer responsible for the fortifications of Antwerp — and half an hour away are coves where all you can hear is the water. Ibiza is small, just 40 km end to end, so even a quiet holiday can reach the lively side and back again. The season runs from May to October; outside it the island falls markedly quiet and much of its hotel stock closes.

What to see

The places worth your time in Ibiza, and what to expect at each

Dalt Vila

Ibiza Town

The fortified old town above the harbour, ringed by Renaissance walls from the mid-16th century that were never breached. Cobbled lanes climb inside towards the cathedral and the castle, passing galleries, an archaeology museum and viewpoint bastions overlooking the whole bay.

Tip: Enter through the main gate, Portal de ses Taules, and go up via the free lift by the Mercat Vell — the climb on foot in the heat gains 150 m in height. The ramparts are best an hour before sunset.

Admission:: free, museum €3
Time needed:: 3 h

Es Vedrà

south-west

An uninhabited limestone island rising 400 m from the sea off the south-west coast. It's home to an endemic species of lizard, and legends persist about a magnetic anomaly and claims that it's a peak of Atlantis — only the lizard is confirmed fact.

Tip: The best view is from the Torre des Savinar viewpoint above Cala d'Hort, a 20-minute walk from the turn-off on the main road. Arrive an hour before sunset, but park as early as you can — there's space for only a few cars, and it fills up by afternoon in August.

Admission:: free
Time needed:: 2 h

Ses Salines

south

A nature park with historic salt pans on the island's southern tip, from where salt has been exported since Carthaginian times. Flamingos and herons nest here, and beyond the pans lie 2 of the island's finest beaches — Ses Salines and Es Cavallet — with fine sand and pines down to the water.

Tip: The car park at Ses Salines beach fills up by 10am in July and is paid; arrive early or take bus number 11, which runs from Ibiza Town every half hour. Flamingos mostly stay in the salt pans in autumn and spring.

Admission:: free, parking €5
Time needed:: a full day

Cala Comte

west

A string of small beaches on the west coast facing the islets of S'Espartar and Illa des Bosc, with white sand, flat rocks and the clearest water on the island. It offers one of the most celebrated sunsets in the whole Mediterranean.

Tip: The main beach is small and packed in season; over the rocks to the left, 5 minutes away, are near-empty stretches where you lie on rock rather than sand. The whole island descends here for sunset, so expect to leave after dark.

Admission:: free, parking €5
Time needed:: half a day

Cala d'Hort

south-west

A cove with a shingle-and-sand beach directly facing Es Vedrà, ringed by pines and a handful of fish restaurants right over the water. It's the most photographed view on the island and one of the few beaches that has kept its fishing-village character, with wooden boat sheds still in use.

Tip: The restaurants above the beach serve excellent fish, but in season you need to book several days ahead. The access road is narrow and the car park small — after 11am you won't get in, and an officer turns cars away.

Admission:: free, parking €5
Time needed:: half a day

Sant Antoni and the Sunset Strip

west

The island's second-largest town on the west coast, where the tradition of sunset sessions with music began in the 1980s. The row of bars on the rocks west of the harbour is still called the Sunset Strip, and the chill-out sound that spread from here went on to travel the world.

Tip: The bars on the rocks require you to buy drinks and charge steep prices; sit about 50 m further along on the bare rock with a beer from a shop and get the same view for free. A night bus, the Discobus, runs back to Ibiza Town all night.

Admission:: free
Time needed:: half a day

Santa Eulària des Riu

east

The island's most family-friendly town, on the east coast, with a long promenade, a marina and the only permanent river in the Balearics. Above the town stands the fortified 16th-century church of Puig de Missa, with views over the whole coastline.

Tip: It's the only major resort on Ibiza without clubs and with a beach right in town, making it the safest choice with children. There's a craft market on the main avenue on Saturdays, and a boat line to Ibiza Town runs from April to October.

Admission:: free
Time needed:: half a day

Las Dalias hippy market

north-east, Sant Carles

A market in Sant Carles running continuously since 1985, a direct continuation of the 1970s hippy scene. Several hundred stalls sell textiles, jewellery and music under the trees, alongside concerts and bars. There's a night version in summer too.

Tip: The Saturday day market is the biggest, but the best atmosphere is at the night markets on Tuesdays and Mondays from June to September, with live music. Parking is along the road, and leaving afterwards takes a while — the bus is a better bet.

Admission:: free
Time needed:: 3 h

Portinatx and the north

north

A trio of sheltered coves on the island's northern tip with shallow water and pines down to the sand, surrounded by the least built-up part of Ibiza. A path leads from here to the Punta des Moscarter lighthouse, the tallest in the Balearics.

Tip: The cove of S'Arenal Petit is the shallowest and calmest, so it suits small children best. It's a 25-minute walk to the lighthouse, with no shade along the way — set off in the morning. The north is furthest from the clubs, and hotels here tend to be cheaper.

Admission:: free
Time needed:: a full day

Photos: Dalt Vila — =Matthias Prinke (CC BY-SA 2.5) · Es Vedrà — Jürgen Dietrich (CC BY 3.0 de) · Ses Salines — Lesbardd (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Cala Comte — stavros1 (CC BY 3.0) · Cala d'Hort — athinaf (CC BY 2.0) · Sant Antoni and the Sunset Strip — JanManu (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Santa Eulària des Riu — Kayman2016 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Las Dalias hippy market — Laura Ferrer Arambarri (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Portinatx and the north — David de Mallorca (CC BY 2.0)

Where to stay

Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking

Ibiza Town and Playa d'en Bossa

Best for: a first visit, nightlife and sights

The capital, with the Dalt Vila fortress, the harbour and the marina, leading into the 3 km stretch of Playa d'en Bossa, home to the biggest concentration of clubs and beach clubs on the island. Accommodation is pricey and it's noisy until dawn in summer, but everything is walkable and the airport is just 10 minutes away.

Sant Antoni

Best for: lower prices and sunsets

The west coast, with a long beach, a harbour and the Sunset Strip. Historically the island's cheapest resort and a magnet for young British groups, though that's been changing in recent years as the town cleans up its image. It's closest to the western coves, and the Discobus runs here at night, so it works well as a base for exploring further afield.

Santa Eulària and the east coast

Best for: families with children and a relaxed holiday

The calmest of the big resorts, with no clubs, a promenade, a marina and a beach in town. Around it lie the coves of Cala Llonga and Es Canar, with shallow water and reasonably priced hotels. It's 20 minutes by bus to Ibiza Town, so you can head out for the nightlife and come back to the quiet.

The interior: Santa Gertrudis and Sant Joan

Best for: peace and quiet, farm stays and food

Whitewashed villages in the middle of the island, where people stay in converted farmhouses known as agroturismo, among almond and fig trees. It's roughly the same distance to either coast, 15–20 minutes by car, and it has the island's best restaurants. It doesn't work without a car, though.

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Getting around

From the airport

Ibiza's airport is 7 km south-west of the capital and receives charter and low-cost flights from all over Europe in season. Outside the season, connections usually go via Barcelona or Madrid, both with frequent, affordable onward flights. From the airport, bus 10 runs to Ibiza Town and line 9 to Sant Antoni, both operating into the night in season. The alternative is the ferry from Barcelona or Dénia, which takes 2 to 9 hours depending on the vessel and can carry a car.

Ibiza (Es Codolar) (IBZ) · 7 km

Bus 10 to Ibiza Town· 20 min· €4
Bus 9 to Sant Antoni· 40 min· €4
Taxi to Ibiza Town· 10 min· €20
Hotel transfer· 15–40 min depending on the resort· included in the stay

Around town

Buses connect the airport, both main towns and the major resorts, running frequently in season, but they don't reach the smaller coves at all. At night from June to September the Discobus runs a circuit of the clubs and resorts all night, and is the most sensible way to get back. A car cuts both ways on Ibiza: it gets you anywhere, but car parks at the coves fill up by 10am and parking in Ibiza Town is nearly impossible in season. A scooter is therefore more popular here than elsewhere.

BusesA network covering the whole island, with frequent services in season and only a few departures a day outside it. · €2

DiscobusA night line linking the clubs, Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni, running all night from June to September. · €4

Car hireBook months ahead — demand in August is extreme and prices multiply. Park at the coves early in the morning. · €45/day in season

Boat linesConnect Ibiza Town, Playa d'en Bossa, Santa Eulària and Formentera; more pleasant than the roads. · €12

Useful apps: Google Maps, Moovit, Cabify, El Tiempo AEMET

When to go

The season runs from May to October. May, June and the second half of September offer the best balance of weather and calm: over 25°C, sea temperatures above 20°C, and prices a fraction of August's. July and August are the clubbing peak, when the island runs at full tilt, but accommodation can cost 3 times as much and the coves fill up before 10am. Clubs typically open in late May and close in the first week of October with so-called closing parties. In winter Ibiza is quiet and cheap, though a large share of hotels, restaurants and boat lines don't operate.

Best time

May, June and the second half of September

What to avoid

August, for the prices and the crowds; November to March, if you want the island fully open

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Day	16°	16°	17°	19°	22°	26°	29°	30°	27°	23°	19°	17°
Night	8°	8°	9°	10°	13°	17°	20°	21°	19°	16°	12°	9°
Rainy days	5	4	4	4	3	2	1	2	5	7	6	6
Sea	15°	14°	14°	16°	18°	21°	25°	26°	25°	22°	19°	17°

Food & drink

Ibizan cuisine is classic Balearic fishing-and-farming fare: bread with oil, cured sausage, fish from the boats in Sant Antoni, and stews born from whatever the fishermen didn't sell. Alongside it, though, runs one of the most expensive restaurant scenes in the Mediterranean, where a sunlounger at a beach club on Playa d'en Bossa or in the marina can cost more than a room elsewhere. The two worlds are 15 minutes apart by car — the best value for money is found at village restaurants in Santa Gertrudis, Sant Joan and Sant Carles. Fish is ordered whole and charged by weight.

What to try

Pa amb oli

Ramallet bread rubbed with tomato and olive oil, served with cheese, sobrasada or ham. The most common light supper, and the cheapest item on any menu.

Sobrasada

A soft, paprika-spiced cured sausage made from black Balearic pork, spread on bread. Best with honey, which balances the heat.

Ensaïmada

A spiral-shaped yeast pastry made with lard and sugar, the breakfast of choice across the Balearics. Sold in large round boxes as a gift, and small enough to carry onto a plane as hand luggage.

Hierbas

A herbal liqueur steeped in fennel, rosemary and thyme, made in sweet and dry versions. Served chilled after a meal, and homemade batches are usually better than the bottled kind.

Frit

Sautéed offal with potatoes, pepper and fennel. It sounds bold, but it's the island's most typical dish; the frit de peix version, made with fish, is milder.

Bullit de peix

A fish broth with potatoes, after which rice is cooked in the same pot and served with aioli — the two courses come one after another. The island's signature dish, ordered for 2 or more.

Flaó

A cheesecake made with sheep's and goat's cheese and mint, made since the days of Moorish rule. The combination of mint and cheese is a surprise, but it's the best dessert on the island.

Sofrit pagès

A winter stew of lamb, chicken, potatoes and home-made sausage, slow-cooked for hours. Village restaurants only serve it in the cooler months.

What it costs

Coffee and a croissant

€4–6

Menu del día (set lunch)

€15–20

Dinner at a restaurant

€30–50 per person

Beer, 0.33 l

€4–6

Entry to a big club

€40–80

Sunlounger at a beach club

€25–60

Car hire for a day in season

from €45

Night in a 4-star hotel in August

€200–350

Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.

Practical information

SocketsCEuroplug, two round pinsFSchuko

Voltage230V / 50Hz

Tap waterTap water is drinkable — Tap water is safe but very hard, and slightly brackish in coastal towns because the boreholes sit close to the sea. It's fine for cooking; for drinking, most people buy bottled water in 5-litre containers.

TippingTipping isn't compulsory, and locals themselves leave little — small change in a café, rounding up or adding 5% in a restaurant. 10% is the upper limit, given in cash, since card machines rarely have a tip option.

Driving on theright

SafetyIbiza is safe, and violent crime is rare even at the height of the club season. The real risks lie elsewhere: pickpocketing in crowded clubs and on Playa d'en Bossa, overpriced unlicensed taxis outside clubs after closing time, and scooter accidents, which are common in season. Street drug dealing is an organised scam, and police pursue it aggressively. On rocky coves, people jump into water with boulders lurking below the surface — don't do it without checking the depth first.

Opening hoursShops generally open from 10am to 8pm, later and at weekends in season in the resorts. Clubs open around midnight and peak between 2am and 5am; beach clubs run from midday. Outside the season, from November to April, many restaurants and hotels close, and there's little chance of shopping in the villages on a Sunday.

Customs & etiquetteCatalan is spoken in the Balearics, and signage, including place names, is often in Catalan; everyone speaks Spanish too, but the local language is a matter of identity for residents. Lunch is around 2pm, dinner after 9pm. Going shirtless away from the beach is finable under municipal bylaws in both Palma and Ibiza Town.

A few local wordsHello — Bon diaThank you — GràciesPlease — Si us plauThe bill, please — El compte, si us plauCheers — Salut

How to plan your days

1 day

A day in Ibiza Town

1Morning at Dalt Vila fortress, up by lift from Mercat Vell.
2The ramparts, the cathedral and the archaeology museum.
3Lunch in the harbourside district of La Marina.
4Afternoon swim at Ses Salines, on bus number 11.
5Evening stroll along the marina and the hippy market on the waterfront.

2 days

2 days along the west coast

1Day 1 as above.
2Day 2 morning at Cala Comte, while the beach is still empty.
3Lunch at Cala d'Hort facing Es Vedrà, booked in advance.
4Afternoon walk to the Torre des Savinar viewpoint.
5Sunset in Sant Antoni and dinner on the promenade.

3 days

3 days including Formentera

1First 2 days as above.
2Day 3, morning ferry to Formentera from Ibiza's harbour.
3Bike or scooter to the beaches of Ses Illetes and Migjorn.
4Lunch in Es Pujols and back on the afternoon ferry.
5With a 4th day, head inland to the Las Dalias market.

Day trips

Formentera

20 km · 30 min by fast ferry

The smallest inhabited Balearic island, with beaches that draw comparisons to the Caribbean — Ses Illetes and Migjorn have white sand and crystal-clear shallows. The island is flat and just 20 km long, so it's best explored by bike or scooter. Boats from Ibiza run every 30 minutes, and the last return sailing is usually around 8pm.

Santa Gertrudis and the inland villages

15 km · 20 min by car

Whitewashed villages in the middle of the island, with fortified 16th-century churches, galleries and restaurants that draw lunch crowds even from those staying on the coast. Santa Gertrudis is the best known; Sant Miquel and Sant Joan de Labritja are quieter. It's the best way to see the Ibiza the brochures don't cover.

Cova de Can Marçà

25 km · 35 min by car

A cave 100,000 years old in the cliff face above Port de Sant Miquel, once used by smugglers as a storeroom. The tour takes 30 minutes and ends with an artificial waterfall and a light show. It combines well with a swim in the cove below and a trip to the north of the island.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ibiza just about the clubs?+

No. The club scene is concentrated on Playa d'en Bossa, in Sant Antoni and at a handful of big venues near the capital, which together are a fraction of the island. The rest is pine forest, 150 coves, fortified villages and the UNESCO-listed Dalt Vila fortress. Anyone staying in Santa Eulària or in the north might not come across a club at all.

When are the clubs open?+

The season opens with opening parties in late May and ends with closing parties in the first week of October. Outside that window the big clubs are shut. Nights get going around midnight and peak between 2am and 5am. Entry usually runs €40–80, and drinks inside cost upwards of €15.

Can you take children to Ibiza?+

Yes, if you pick the right part of the island. Santa Eulària, Es Canar and Portinatx have shallow, sheltered coves, family-friendly hotels and no night-time noise. Playa d'en Bossa and part of Sant Antoni, by contrast, are loud all night in season. The difference is fundamental, and it should decide where you stay, not the star rating.

How much does a holiday on Ibiza cost?+

It's the most expensive of the Balearic Islands, and prices swing enormously within the season: a room that costs €100 in May will run to €300 in August. Restaurants in the marina and beach clubs are among the priciest in Spain, but village bars inland charge normal prices. Travelling outside July and August is the way to save.

Do I need a car on Ibiza?+

For the coves, yes — buses don't reach most of them. Bear in mind that the car parks at Cala Comte, Cala d'Hort and Ses Salines fill up by 10am, and in Ibiza Town parking is next to impossible in season. Book a car months ahead; in August on-the-spot prices exceed €100 a day.

Which are the best beaches?+

Cala Comte in the west, with views of the offshore islets; Cala d'Hort, facing Es Vedrà; and Ses Salines in the south, with pines down to the water. In the north, Cala Xarraca and the coves near Portinatx are quieter. Most are small, so in season it's worth arriving before 10am or after 4pm.

Is a trip to Formentera worth it?+

Yes, it's the best day trip from Ibiza. The fast ferry takes half an hour, runs every 30 minutes, and a return ticket costs around €45. On arrival, hire a bike or scooter and circle the island in a day. Its finest beaches, Ses Illetes and Migjorn, rank among the best in the Mediterranean.

What's Ibiza like out of season?+

Quiet, green and cheap. From November to March it's around 16°C, the almond trees are in blossom and the island belongs to the locals, but a large share of hotels, restaurants and boat lines shut down and swimming isn't an option. For hiking the coastal paths and sightseeing it's an excellent time, but not for a beach holiday.

Visa Requirements

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Emergency Numbers

Police112 Ambulance112 Fire112

Language

Spanish

Currency

EUR

Timezone

Europe/Madrid

Dial Code

+34

Population

47.6M

Area

505,990 km²

Voltage

230V / 50Hz

Driving Side

Right

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