Those who love Ibiza know there are endless layers to this magnetic Balearic island. Flung just off Spain’s east coast, the White Isle is much more than its world-famous party scene. It’s a place where dusty-pink sunsets blaze across the sky, olive groves ripple through the rural heartland, whitewashed villages hide among the low-lying hills and velvety golden beaches mingle with cliff-edged coves along the coastline.
Over in the capital Ibiza Town, the looming 16th-century ramparts of ancient Dalt Vila steal the show. All over the island, Balearic crafts with centuries of history pop up at stylish hippy markets and boho-chic boutiques, and even the local wines and salt flats have roots in Phoenician times. Then there’s the flourishing wellness scene, paired with a creative culinary energy that never fails to surprise.
So whether you’re here for the clubs, escaping on a romantic beach break, enjoying a family holiday with the kids or finding some solo zen on a yoga retreat, Ibiza is just the ticket. It’s no surprise that everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Shakira and George and Amal Clooney has been lured to its shores. These are the best things to do in Ibiza.
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1. Paddleboard at sunset
Steer a paddleboard into the blazing sunset from San Antonio bay, which faces due west; the bars here are sought-after for their early-evening chillout sessions and beach parties. From the water, sunset is all the more magical, the music from the sunset bars drifting across the bay as you paddle along the rocky coast. You don’t need any experience; there’s an SUP orientation and the pace is very gentle (you can kneel or sit if you feel too wobbly to stand), with a safety boat for back-up and a round of mojitos to celebrate the end of the excursion. You’ll be given a full copy of all the photos taken, too.
2. Walk with a local
Explore the cove-indented coastline of Ibiza on foot with a local guide. Walking Ibiza offers everything from sunset strolls to family excursions and epic four-day round-the-island hikes. You’ll see parts of the coast that are right off the beaten track; a hike from Cala San Vicente, for example, takes you up an old pilgrims’ path to Tanit’s Cave, an ancient Phoenician-Punic place of worship some 2,500 years ago. Walks from four to eight miles are available — whatever grade you choose, prepare to learn about the island’s wildlife, geology and folklore in a friendly group while keeping fit.
3. Take to the skies at sunrise
Drift over the island in the soft early-morning light in a hot-air balloon for a bird’s-eye perspective of turquoise coves, cliffs, white villages and rocky islets. On a clear day, which is most days, you’ll see the whole outline of Ibiza and the hills and beaches of Formentera beyond, the view sometimes stretching to the south of Mallorca and the edge of the Spanish mainland. You’ll come back to earth after this serene experience for a glass of cava and a traditional Spanish breakfast — and a certificate to commemorate your flight.
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4. Taste the island’s food
Delve deeper into Ibizan cuisine on a gourmet four-hour tour of Ibiza Town. Led by an expert guide, you’ll visit food markets, a hidden tea shop, a posh tapas restaurant, the island’s oldest bakery and a top wine distributor. Tastings of local produce throughout the tour include wine, tapas, beer, olive oil, Iberico ham and local pastries, with chances to meet some of the island’s best chefs, all passionate about local cuisine. You’ll leave with a greater understanding of Ibiza’s culinary traditions — and a whole new list of dishes to try when you explore the island’s restaurants.
5. Hop over to Formentera
The platinum sands and aquamarine waters off sleepy Formentera are as close as you’ll get to the Bahamas on this side of the Atlantic, and a day trip reveals a more laid-back face of the Balearic islands. Ferries run regularly from Ibiza Town to La Savina, Formentera’s tiny port, where your best bet is to hire a bicycle and head off around the island. From La Savina to the Far de la Mola lighthouse guarding the island’s eastern tip takes about four hours but you’ll want plenty of swimming stops at those irresistible sandy beaches. Migjorn is one of the best; a five-mile stretch of soft sand, lined with chillout bars and chiringuitos — toes-in-the-sand beach bars and restaurants. Alternatively, opt for a small group trip to the island by sailboat that includes stops at several beaches for swimming and snorkelling.
6. Sip sundowners at San Antonio
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Even if you’re not here for the clubs, a trip to San Antonio’s legendary Sunset Strip is all part of the experience. Café Mambo is the big daddy of the strip, its sunset chillout tunes, DJs and daiquiris drawing a hipster crowd for 25 years. Around sunset, when there’s a festival atmosphere all along the waterfront, the DJ booth is taken over by Pacha for its pre-party, so you’ll see all the big names here. Mambo’s not cheap, mind; there’s a minimum spend per person for each table, the price you pay for a front-row seat and a blazing sunset in the hippest spot in town.
cafemamboibiza.com
7. Cycle Ibiza Town
Explore the waterfront, port and backstreets of enchanting Eivissa, or Ibiza old town — all whitewashed alleys and cool shops and bars spread out around the foot of the hill on which Dalt Vila, the medieval “high town” perches. You won’t cycle up to Dalt Vila itself (the hill is punishingly steep) but you’ll learn all about the history of the island as you pedal with a local guide along the seafront, around the port, to the Necropolis del Puig des Molins and the arched gate in the chunky fortifications, Portal de ses Taules. Sightseeing on two wheels is a winner; you’ll see and learn more and it’s sustainable at the same time.
8. Explore Dalt Vila
The best way to take in the narrow streets and chunky ramparts of Dalt Vila, the oldest part of Ibiza Town, is on foot. Try a walking tour, where you’ll learn about the town, from its foundation by the Phoenicians in 650BC and waves of other invaders, right up to the hippy era of the 1970s and the present-day clubbing scene. Afterward take time to visit the excellent Archaeological Museum on Plaza de la Catedral, the highest point of the town. The exhibits, discovered all over Ibiza and Formentera and spanning 3,000 years of history, help put much of what you’ve learned into perspective.
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9. Taste local wines
Ibiza’s wine scene flies under the radar on Spain’s packed vino map, but a crop of small-scale vineyards on the northwest side of the island is now shaking things up. Wine has been made here since Phoenician times, and some of the island’s most distinctive drops come from traditional local grapes such as monastrell, garnatxa and malvasia. Dive into it all with a tour led by the switched-on family team at Can Rich, a renowned organic winery near San Antonio that also produces premium salt, olive oil and vermouth. Visits end with a leisurely tasting on a sunny terrace outside the traditional whitewashed finca — sipping a glass of the prize-winning Can Rich Blanco with some local payes bread and island cheeses on the side is an Ibiza dream.
bodegascanrich.com
10. Refresh with a yoga retreat
Ibiza might be a party-loving island, but it has also grown into one of Europe’s top spots to practise yoga, attracting respected teachers from around the world. There are retreats all over the island, though some of the best congregate in the un-touristy and beautiful north. Hidden away near Benirras beach, Ibiza Yoga was founded back in 2000 and has been hosting beloved, sensibly priced programmes ever since. While ashtanga yoga is a speciality, there are plenty of other styles available too. Retreats run year-round, with daily yoga classes and fresh vegetarian meals, and you can also pop in for a drop-in class.
ibizayoga.com
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11. Delight in contemporary art
It’s a fabulous fusion of intricate architecture, archaeological treasures and exciting art at Dalt Vila’s Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Ibiza. Set within the old city walls of Ibiza Town, the island’s top gallery combines a beautifully restored, 18th-century military building with a subtly integrated, light-filled extension. Once you step inside, glass floors reveal the ruins of structures dating back to the original Phoenician settlement here. Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos is on the line-up for this summer, though there’s always something exciting to see, including a permanent collection with pieces by Antoni Tapies as well as local artists such as Ibiza-born Antoni Mari Ribas.
eivissa.es/mace
12. Explore Ibiza’s countryside on a Vespa
Take to the back roads of the island on a classic Vespa, exploring sleepy, whitewashed villages and quiet coves in a small group, with a guide. There’s a north and western route, where the scenery is more rugged, and a southern route, past gorgeous beaches. You’ll have plenty of stops along the way and the pace is gentle — in these parts of the island, away from the resorts, the roads are quiet and you’ll see an entirely different, more rural face of Ibiza, a world away from the glitz and glamour of the coast. All you need is a driving licence.
vadellarentals.com/en/ibiza-vespa-tours
13. Zip-line through the trees
Clamber through the pine forest on this thrilling high ropes course and whizz down a series of zip lines at high speed. Located between Santa Eulalia and Es Canar, Acrobosc is perfect for families as an alternative to the beach; and children as young as three can have a go on the Green Route. Six-year-olds and above can tackle the rickety bridges and rope ladders of the Blue Route, clipping on to zip down seven lines, while the Red Route is much tougher, high in the canopy, with ten zip lines. The experience is an adrenaline rush for the whole family; all you’ll need is a head for heights.
acroboscibiza.com/en
14. Pose in Pacha
Pacha is the original Ibiza club, set in a former country estate on the edge of Ibiza Town and an icon since the hippy heyday of the 1970s. To this day, the club is famed for its glamour and exclusivity; a magnet to big-name DJs, celebs and beautiful people, its jaunty cherry logo one of the world’s most recognisable brands. All-night theme parties, people-watching in the VIP area and simply losing yourself in the music are part of the club’s enduring appeal. You’ll find the club on the north side of the harbour; the Disco Bus stops right outside. Book ahead, dress to impress and don’t complain about the price of drinks.
pacha.com
15. Ride a rescue horse
Neither riding stable nor an animal shelter, the fascinating Ibiza Horse Valley is a sanctuary for abused horses, located in a canyon in the rocky natural park of Es Murta in the island’s north. The horses live semi-wild as a herd as part of their rehabilitation and those that are ready are reintroduced to riding. Half-day rides from St Joan de Labritja take you into the mountains, while full days include the beach; many of the herd are keen swimmers. You’re encouraged to meet all the horses, learn about their herd mentality and individual backgrounds, bond with them and choose the one you’d like to ride. It’s a heartwarming experience.
ibizahorsevalley.com
16. Kayak Cala Xarraca
Cala Xarraca, in the far north of the island, is wild and unspoiled, pine trees clinging to the rocks, the water below so clear you can see shapes on the seabed from your kayak. This three-hour tour involves a gentle, guided paddle in double sit-on-top kayaks, pottering along the rocky coast and venturing into sea caves; without doubt, this is one of the most satisfying water sports for admiring the coastline, keeping fit and minimising your carbon footprint. There’s a stop at Cala Xuclar, where there’s a chiringuita on the beach for refreshments and the chance to take a cooling dip off the rocks, with masks and snorkels provided.
kayak-ibiza.com
17. Hang out at the Hippy Market
Take to the backroads of the island in a 4×4 from Sant Llorenc and explore sleepy villages, forested countryside and hidden coves. You’ll stop at a beach for snacks and a refreshing dip before heading on to the highlight of the trip, the Hippy Market at Las Dalias, one of the original and best markets on the island, still going strong after 40 years. What used to be a clutch of stalls run by hippies trying to earn a few pesetas has evolved into a dazzling craft fair with a festival vibe — live music, food stalls, mime artists and shopping. Handmade shoes and bags, jewellery, clubbing gear and the floaty fashions that characterise the Ibiza look are all good buys.
lasdalias.es/en
18. Party on the beach
The salt pans of Ses Salines, in the far south of Ibiza, have an otherworldly feel, with the light reflecting off the shallow pools and mounds of crystalline salt sparkling in the sunshine. South of the salt lakes is the long, sandy strip of Ses Salines beach, one of the coolest on the island, known for its glamorous clientele, hipster beach bars and anything-goes spirit as the party starts at lunchtime and carries on beyond sunset. For a taste of the experience, try Sa Trinxa, a posh beach shack offering seafood lunches, DJs, dancing on the sand and a more chilled attitude than some of the flashier clubs.
ibiza-spotlight.com/night/venue/sa-trinxa
19. Join the party in Ibiza Town
You don’t have to hit the big clubs to be captivated by Ibiza’s happy, magical spirit. The nightlife on the busy streets around the port is as dazzling as the clubs themselves once the sun has set and the night owls emerge. Take a ringside seat and watch an endless parade of stilt walkers, dancers, outrageously clad club promoters and partygoers around the old fishing quarter of La Marina and Sa Penya. Browse the hippy stalls, bar hop, or head over to the gay-friendly Calle de la Virgen for cool music bars and boho boutiques — and fetish shops.
ibiza-spotlight.com/night/ibiza_town_i.htm
20. Sail into the sunset
Catching the sunset from out on the glinting water is one of Ibiza’s most magical experiences, especially over on the west coast where peachy skies burn above the jagged shapes of scattered offshore islets. On a four-hour Sunset Tour with Jay Ibiza Charter, you’ll head out from San Antonio bay aboard a classic yacht for up to 11 people, stopping for a swim before the sun dips into the Med. They also do half-day and full-day trips to hidden bays dotted along Ibiza’s west coast, with drinks and snacks included and plenty of time for paddleboarding, snorkelling and sun-soaking.
jayibizacharter.com
21. Lunch like a local
Sunday lunch in Ibiza is a ritual and there’s nowhere better than dreamy Cala d’Hort, where locals flock to the three restaurants to feast on giant pans of paella and lavish seafood platters against a backdrop of the glittering sea and the limestone hulk of Es Vedra. El Boldado is up on the cliff, while Cala d’Hort is right on the beach, just along from El Carmen. At any of the three, try bullit de peix (assorted fish coated in a rich saffron sauce) or the signature seafood paella. Crusty bread with creamy aioli and jugs of fruity, iced sangria will keep you happy until the shadows begin to lengthen.
en.welcometoibiza.com/restaurants/Restaurante-cala-dhort
Additional reporting by Isabella Noble
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