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Ilhas Baleares · Spain
The Balearic island of Dalt Vila’s walled old town, a World Heritage Site, of coves with transparent water, of the sunset at Cala Comte and of the famous nightlife.
In the photo: Cala Comte, Ibiza
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Ibiza (Eivissa in Catalan) is the third-largest of the Balearic Islands, in the Mediterranean, about 80 km from the coast of Valencia. The island is around 40 km long and its coastline is indented by coves, with transparent water over meadows of posidonia, the marine plant that filters the sea.
International fame came with the hippies in the 1960s and with nightclubs from the 1980s, but Ibiza has a long history: the Phoenicians founded the city in the 7th century BC, and the Puig des Molins necropolis holds thousands of tombs from that period. In 1999, UNESCO declared as World Heritage the ensemble of Dalt Vila, the walled upper town, the necropolis, the Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta and the posidonia meadows between Ibiza and Formentera.
The city of Ibiza, the capital, sits on a hill above the harbour, with the Renaissance walls, the cathedral at the top and the fishermen’s quarter of the Marina below. Beyond it, the island has white villages with fortified churches, salt flats with flamingos, cliffs like Es Vedrà and beaches for every taste.
In high season, from June to September, the island gets crowded and accommodation becomes competitive.
This destination brings together 1 city: Ibiza.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Outlines: IGN/CNIG, unidades administrativas, CC BY 4.0. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Aeropuerto de Ibiza (IBZ), in Sant Josep de sa Talaia · 7 km to Ibiza
Check before buying. Ibiza airport is 7 km from the capital, with flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other European cities. Ferries run from Barcelona, Valencia, Dénia and Palma. Formentera is about 30 minutes away by fast boat.
The local experience
Walled old town of Ibiza, with a Renaissance wall of seven bastions, stone streets, white houses, the cathedral on top and views of the harbor. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Cathedral of Santa Maria de les Neus, at the highest point of Dalt Vila, with a 14th-century Gothic tower and an 18th-century Baroque interior, from where you can see the island and the sea.
Phoenician-Punic necropolis founded in the 7th century BC, with thousands of tombs dug into the slope of an olive-covered hill and a museum of funerary objects.
Contemporary art museum housed in an 18th-century former armory on the walls of Dalt Vila, with works by artists connected to the island and Phoenician remains in the subsoil.
Natural park in the south of Ibiza and the north of Formentera, with salt pans used since the Phoenicians, flamingos, dunes, the beach of Ses Salines and the watchtower of Ses Portes.
A group of sandy and rocky coves on the west coast, with turquoise-blue water between islets and the island's most sought-after sunset.
Rocky islet 382 meters high rising from the sea in front of Cala d'Hort on the southwest coast, a nature reserve surrounded by legends, seen from viewpoints and from the beach.
The smallest inhabited island in the Balearics, 30 minutes by boat from Ibiza, with white-sand beaches and turquoise water such as Ses Illetes, lighthouses and a tranquil way of life.
A craft, clothing and music market in Sant Carles de Peralta, linked to Ibiza’s hippie era, which usually runs on Saturdays, with night editions in summer.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From May to June and in September the sea is usually good for swimming and the beaches are less crowded. July and August are packed and hot, with nightlife at its peak. From October to April many nightclubs and beach hotels close, and the island is quiet — good for walking.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Two days cover Dalt Vila, the Marina, Puig des Molins and an afternoon at the beach with the sunset. With four or five days you can visit the coves, Formentera, Es Vedrà and the inland villages. Those who go for the nightlife usually stay longer.
The city of Ibiza is the most practical base, with the Marina and Dalt Vila within walking distance and buses to the beaches; Playa d'en Bossa, to the south, concentrates beach hotels and nightclubs. Sant Antoni, to the west, is the sunset spot and draws a young crowd. Santa Eulària des Riu, to the east, is more family-oriented and quiet. In the interior, renovated country houses — agrotourisms — are far from the noise but require a car.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
No. The island has Dalt Vila and the Phoenician necropolis (a World Heritage Site), coves, hiking trails, inland villages and nearby Formentera. Nightlife is concentrated in a few areas and during high season.
It helps for reaching the coves and the interior, but there are buses to the beaches and main towns and boats between the capital and some beaches. In high season parking near the coves is difficult.
By boat from Ibiza’s port, with crossings of about 30 minutes on the fast boats and frequent departures. Check the timetables, which are reduced outside the summer season.
The season usually runs from May to October, with opening and closing parties. Outside that period most venues close. Check each club’s calendar.
A marine plant that forms meadows on the seafloor of the Balearics and gives the water its transparency. The meadows between Ibiza and Formentera are part of the World Heritage Site; do not anchor boats on them.
