More about: Best Things To Do in Ibiza
Many people dream of a getaway to Ibiza but it is often thought that this island is all about partying and nothing could be further from the truth! If you're looking for a good time, of course you'll have plenty of nightlife to keep you dancing if you want to for three days.
But if you are looking for peace, nature and disconnection, you have chosen the best possible destination. Because this small Balearic island has the best beaches, coves and natural spots where you can lose yourself. Read on to discover them all.
1. Dance night and day
Ibiza continues to hold the throne as the undisputed party capital: its nightclubs are some of the most famous in the world and it's no wonder the island receives millions of visitors every year in search of satisfaction for their most hedonistic desires.
The island earned its reputation in the 1980s and 1990s, and since then its clubs have been the scene of partying that is increasingly out of reach for fewer and fewer. Amnesia, in the centre of Ibiza; Benimussa Park, also known as Zoo; Es Paradis and Eden, both on San Antonio beach; Pacha, next to Ibiza Town harbour; Ushuaïa, in Playa d'en Bossa; are just a few of the many, many places you can party during your holiday.
The island is not short on beach bars, restaurants and smaller venues for an equally unforgettable night out.
My personal favourite, the Ushuaïa discotheque
There are many clubs in the world, but Ushuaïa is a place like no other. Festival facilities, a spectacular atmosphere, and partying of the highest quality. The likes of David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Calvin Harris, AVICII and Carl Cox have all played here in house and techno sessions throughout the afternoon.
If this is your style of music, Ushuaïa is probably already at the top of your list of things to do in Ibiza, but even if it's not 100% your thing it's a perfect experience to leave the hustle and bustle of work behind and get your holiday off to a great start.
2. Discover Formentera on a day trip
Formentera is the opposite of Ibiza: the beauty of its mostly unspoilt beaches combines the sugar texture of its sand with the vibrant, crystal-clear colours of the water. It's a little piece of the Caribbean Sea in a corner of the Mediterranean, whether it's its charming coves or its hinterland of villages and paths to cycle through.
Visiting Formentera from Ibiza is not just a way to disconnect and rest from the party and the hustle and bustle, it's an experience you'll fall in love with. When your trip is over, you'll be dreaming of coming back the following summer.
By the way, if you're looking for ferry tickets and organising your visit is a bit lazy, I recommend a full -day boat trip to Formentera, which also passes through some of Ibiza's most beautiful spots.
3. Feel the magic of the islet of Es Vedrà
Es Vedrà is a place you'll end up going to one way or another on your trip to Ibiza: that's the magic hidden in this islet, one of the three points of greatest magnetic force on the surface of the earth along with the North Pole and the Bermuda Triangle.
This place will literally attract and trap you, and this not only has a scientific explanation, it is also the setting for a large number of myths and legends. It is said that the mermaids that attacked Ulysses' ship in Homer's Odyssey lived here, shadows and lights have been seen under the sea without apparent explanation, and even strange sightings of objects flying over the sky.
I recommend visiting this monolithic slab that rises out of the sea off the coast of Ibiza at sunset, with a bottle of wine or champagne, as one of the best things to do in Es Vedra, and after having visited the cove of Atlantis, which I'll tell you about next.
4. Relaxing in one of Ibiza's exclusive spas
For the complete opposite experience to that of an intense night out, you can visit one of Ibiza's elegant and exclusive spas. Most of them are inside a hotel or resort, although you are allowed to enter them whether you are a guest or a visitor.
Perhaps the most genuine of the island's spas is Atzaró, located in the middle of an olive and palm orchard in Santa Eulalia. Here you'll find facilities such as a Swedish sauna, hammam, swimming pool and retreat where you can enjoy a range of massages and beauty treatments.
Another great one is Magness Soulful Spa, at the Bless Hotel Ibiza. Halfway between a social club and a spa, you'll find a hydrotherapy water circuit, loungers for a relaxing massage, sauna, ice water pool, hammam and even a Jacuzzi.
5. Take a trip to the beautiful Punta d'es Moscarter lighthouse
The north coast of Ibiza is the most special place to go hiking on the island, another of the best things to do in Ibiza. The trails pass through remote farms, pine forests and a coastline decorated with charming coves.
One of the paths I recommend you take is the one that starts in the tiny coastal village of Portinatx and ends at the Punta d'es Moscarter lighthouse, a beautiful lighthouse painted with a black spiral where you can enjoy unbeatable views of the cape.
To get there, you'll first have to find the Portinatx cove, from where the path starts, which you can walk along in about 20 minutes without being in too much of a hurry. From the path, you'll see one of my favourite Ibiza postcards: a cliff with deep blue waters and the lighthouse standing watch in the distance.
6. Explore a lost world at the Atlantis cove
The cove of Atlantis, built by human hands, is a fantasy setting that invites you to dream of other planets. An old quarry on the edge of the sea from which much of the stone used to build the wall of Dalt Vila, in the historic centre of the city of Ibiza, was extracted. Today it is a cove that in the hippie era served as a refuge and a place of communion with nature.
There are two options for getting to Atlantis. By sea it is very easy, as you can moor your boat nearby and approach it by swimming or paddle surfing. By land is a bit more complicated: leaving Sant Josep de Sa Talaia, you should head towards Cala d'Hort and just before arriving you will find the turn-off to Torre des Savinar. You will reach a car park and you will have to walk down the dirt road for about half an hour until you reach the cove.
7. Watch the sunset at the authentic Café del Mar
Cafe del Mar is an Ibiza icon: a famous beach bar where you can enjoy the sunset listening to soft relaxing music.
Located in San Antonio, it is one of the most famous places on the island and therefore it fills up very easily. You'll have to go early and get a seat, but it's an experience to remember and a complete must if it's your first time in Ibiza.
8. Escape from the tourist crowds in Ibiza's coves
Ibiza is a paradise for the senses but not just for the partying, also for its beaches, coves and beach bars made to suit your enjoyment and relaxation. You have numerous boat trips in Ibiza to get to them. Here is a list of my favourite places to escape the crowds on the island:
Sa Caleta
This is one of the quietest coves on the island, where you can enjoy a more family atmosphere. As such, it's a favourite with the locals, who you'll find planting their colourful umbrellas from early in the morning.
The cove has a beautiful variety of colours that you can admire from the small cliff that surrounds it, from which you can enjoy the views and take a very cool photo for Instagram or include a panoramic one in your trip's TikTok.
Molí Cove
This cove next to San Antonio has very few visitors as the beach is pebble, so you won't find any sunbeds, deckchairs or beach bars. Total peace and quiet to rest from the crowds, if that is what you are looking for, and turquoise waters in which to take a purifying swim.
Jondal Cove
One of the most exclusive coves on the island, chosen by many locals to moor their yachts and spend the day. You'll find restaurants and beach bars here and it may not be the best place to relax, but it is the place to enjoy a festive atmosphere during the day and night.
Bassa Cove
Especially recommended if you are visiting Ibiza with your family, this cove with shallow waters, surrounded by a forest of pines and junipers where you can eat in the shade and rest, is an ideal place to spend the day. You can also take the opportunity to snorkel in this beautiful cove.
9. Take an evening stroll through Dalt Vila, the historic centre of Ibiza
Dalt Vila is the historic centre of Ibiza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a visit you'll enjoy whatever your plans on the island.
The town's impressive fortifications were the work of Charles V, who had them built in the 1500s to defend the settlement from attacks by Berber pirates and the French navy. You can walk around them and look out over the fantastic views of the port.
From the wall you can access the citadel of what is properly known as Dalt Vila. Simply follow the signs through the narrow streets until you come to the knightly main gate of the old town, which leads to the Plaza de Vila from where you can begin to explore this beautiful neighbourhood. You'll find restaurants, art galleries and little shops to stroll around.
Make the most of your visit to Ibiza Town and don't miss its majestic cathedral, the beautifully named Catedral de la Virgen de las Nieves, built on the site of a former mosque and mixing Gothic and Baroque styles in the central nave.
10. Attend an Ibizan festival
Ibiza celebrates a number of festivities throughout the year, of which the Festa de Maig and the Festa de Nostra Sanyora de la Victoria are some of the most colourful and beautiful. If you happen to visit the island in May, you can enjoy an experience that will make your trip even more memorable.
The Festa de Maig is the festival that celebrates spring, and takes place on the first Sunday in May in Santa Eulalia. You will see carts adorned with flowers and locals in folkloric costumes performing traditional dances.
La Festa de Nostra Sanyora de la Victoria takes place on the second Sunday in May. To attend this celebration, you will have to go to Ibiza's neighbouring island, Mallorca, and visit the village of Sóller, where the attack by Turkish pirates on the island in 1561 and how they were repelled by the Mallorcans in a mock battle with gunfire and fire is re-enacted.
11. Take a road trip around the island
Finally, I recommend an experience that doesn't require much planning or organisation. Hire a car, pack your backpack for a couple of days and take the road along the beach for a circular route around Ibiza.
It is possible to do a road trip around Ibiza in about five hours, in which you will drive along the 192 kilometres of roads along the coast. But my recommendation is to do this trip in two days: stop at lighthouses, viewpoints, cliffs and beaches and find a place to watch the sunset and spend the night. The next morning you can head back to your starting point following the circular route and finish this beautiful trip.
What is the best time to travel to Ibiza
As you can see, the island is full of plans that you can easily enjoy at any time of the year. Its nature and its privileged location in the middle of the Mediterranean delight all types of travellers, whether they are looking for a party or want to lose themselves in its beautiful coves. But if you're still deciding when to go, here's a list of the best things to do in Ibiza all year round:
- 10 things to see and do in Ibiza in February
- 10 things to see and do in Ibiza in March
- 10 things to see and do in Ibiza in June
- 10 things to see and do in Ibiza in August
- 10 things to see and do in Ibiza in September
- 10 things to see and do in Ibiza in October
- 10 things to see and do in Ibiza in November
- 10 things to see and do in Ibiza in December
- 10 things to see and do in Ibiza in summer
- 11 things to see and do in Ibiza in winter
And finally, to make the most of your getaway, be sure to check out our guides with the best activities according to the length of your stay in Ibiza: