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Tourist guide: what to do and see in Ibiza
Where your dreams come true.
Known as the world's balmy, party-and-beaches isle par excellence, but also a nature paradise with a history (and historic sites) which will astonish you. Welcome to the island that never sleeps: Ibiza!
- Sights
- Shopping
- Leisure
- Dining
- Open air
- Museum
- Sights
- Shopping
- Leisure
- Dining
- Open air
- Museum
Hipérbole Bookshop
An Eivissa bookstore especially strong on Ibiza and Balearic writers
A spot of lit, anyone?
Located at Carrer Bisbe Carrasco 1-3 in Eivissa, Ibiza's best known indie bookshop is a cultural hub which is especially strong in authors from Ibiza and the other Balearic Islands, as well as out-of-print books. If you speak Spanish or Catalan, do check out the schedule of presentations, workshops, and literary events hosted here.
La Fromagerie Cheese Shop
And not just cheese, actually - tasty gourmet treats and wines in Santa Gertrudis
Say 'cheese'!
In the lovely little whitewashed village of Santa Gertrudis, in the middle of the island but just a 15-minute drive from Eivissa, this little gourmet shop is worth the trip, especially if you're a cheese-lover. Run by a French expat, La Fromagerie has more than 50 lovely kinds of mostly French fromages, and mostly made with raw milk, which gives them a very special flavour indeed. There are plenty more tasty treat treats on hand, as well, such as pâtés, home-baked pies and cakes, home-churned butter, special sauces, magret of duck, rillettes, and a long list of other delicacies for the most demanding palates, accompanied by an exclusive selection of fine wines. It'll help make your holidays all the tastier, à la française!
Sant Joan de Labritja Organic Market
Never on Sunday? We beg to differ - here's a charming marketplace experience indeed!
Delightful market up north
On Ibiza's northern coast, about a half hour's drive from capital Eivissa, the centre of the charming whitewashed town of Sant Joan de Labritja (site of the resort of Portinatx) is home to a Sunday morning market in which some of the island's bests artists, artisans, and farmers offer their wares. Here you'll find paintings, embroidery, handmade pottery and jewelry, and beauty products. Also edible, largely organic delights - produce, but also sweets, honey, baked goods, teas, and much more. There are usually a few music acts on hand to serenade the proceedings, as well. A lovely - and most productive - experience indeed!
Boulevard Outlet Ibiza
What better addition to your holiday than up to 70 percent off on famous brands?
High fashion, low prices
Up on the northern outskirts of Eivissa (Bulevard Abel Matutes 6), the fairly new Boulevard Outlet is a shop to make any fashionista smile, offering discounts of up to 70 percent on clothing and accessories of top Spanish and international brands including Antony Morato, Amy Gee, Benetton, Desigual, Diesel, Fornarina, Guess, Pepe Jeans, and Tommy Hilfiger. That includes tops, trousers, dresses, jackets, shoes, handbags, and much more.
La Sirena Shops
More than 20 well-stocked shops islandwide carrying a very useful variety of merchandise
The sirens' call
Starting as a small family business, the La Sirena (Siren, aka Mermaid) Group is these days an enterprise with more than 20 variety shops spread across Ibiza - a good source of everything from beach toys, cosmetics, scents, and accessories to children's clothes and adult brands both domestic and international (such as Armani, Calvin Klein, and Lacoste). Several of its locations are a bit more specialised, such as the one at Eivissa's Carrer Antoni Palau, dealing mainly in sporting goods. A bit of everything, from beach toys to clothing to perfume - all of it useful!
Dalt Vila Shopping
The old town's full of shops selling high-quality traditional handicrafts
Crafty indeed
Eivissa's mediaeval old town is wonderful for strolling, sightseeing, and dining, but also offers a wide range of sweet shopping opportunities, especially when it comes to artesanal local products - usually handmade and sold in small, family-owned shops. Products such as fabrics, sandals, home décor items, costume jewelry, Ibiza fashion, wicker baskets, figurines, and much else. Whether you're looking for mementos for yourself or gifts for friends/family, Dalt Vila should be the first place you look. Furthermore, during the summer season June through September, the artisan members of Es Retorn Cultural Association gather here every Thursday to exhibit their excellent traditional wares on the streets.
Marina Ibiza
Down at the port, a retail mix of high fashion and casual options
Top shopping, plus dining/nightlife
Located in the Talamanca district of Eivissa across the harbour from the old town, Ibiza's premier marina goes beyond just flaunting some of the world's sleekest yachts and assorted floaty bits. It's also home to some of its poshest shopping, dining, and nightlife. Luxury fashion brands like Ermanno Scervino, Ibiza Bagús, and Blue Ibiza mix with more casual shops like Zeus and Can Prieto. Other retail includes jewelry shops, artisans' workshops/showrooms, shoe stores, hair salons, music shops, and even haberdashers (hats being an important item on a sun-drenched Mediterranean isle). Many of these shops are open during the summer season as late as midnight, and you can also go from shopping to chic dining, dinner shows, and nightspots such as Blue Marlin and Lío.
"Adlib" Ibiza Clothing
Elegant casual white apparel in natural fibres, with hippy roots, now sartorially synonymous with Ibiza
Visions in white
If you happen to spot your favourite celebrities and A-listers dressed in breezy white duds with creatively embroidery, chances are it's following a style dubbed "Adlib", an outgrowth of the hippy aesthetic in the early 1970s which then became something of a sartorial symbol of the Balearic Islands and Ibiza in particular. It combines natural fibres and a handmade look, which comes across as casual, comfy chic. You can find no shortage of boutiques which sell fashion lines based on the concept, such as the celebrated Ad Libitum (Carrer Bisbe Cardona I Tur, 10) right by the port, carrying dresses, tunics, and both long and short trousers - including the collection of noted Adlib designers like Charo Ruiz. For guys, the most noted brand is BSF MAN. You can also find plenty of examples of this style (at perhaps gentler prices) in the island's open-air "hippy" markets.
Las Dalias Hippy Market
Ibiza's longest-running and best-known open-air market
The Summer of Love lives on
The second of the locals market left over from the 1970s when Ibiza was a top spot on the world "hippy" circuit, Las Dalias is north of Santa Eulària des Riu near the town of Sant Carles. Even older than the Punta Arabí market in Santa Eulària town (founded by a local farmer back in 1954), it's also perhaps even more overtly "groovy"; for example, you can check out some far-out musical instruments along with clothes, music, and other articles with Hindu/Buddhist as well as other mystical and world cultural themes. That alongside second-hand garments and typical Ibizan crafts and clothing, and all bathed in a distinct aroma of sandalwood incense. Las Dalias is held every Saturday 10 am to 6:30 pm year round, and during the June through September high season there's also a smaller but still very popular night market on Mondays, and a Christmas market in winter.
Punta Arabí Hippy Market
A long-running street market in Santa Eulària with a wealth of original stuff to browse
Just another groovy Wednesday
Before mass tourism really took off in Ibiza, a good bit of the island's allure for foreigners back in the 1960s and 70s had a decidedly hippie vibe, and even today there are still a few remnants of that era hanging around here and there. Exhibit A is this weekly market in the Punta Arabí section of Santa Eulària des Riu, held every Wednesday since 1973. You'll find handmade local handicrafts of various types; distinctive antiques and costume jewelry; highly original home-décor items; natural cosmetics and beauty products; Ibiza-style clothing; and various other merchandise that will get anyone's retail therapeutic juices going. As a bonus, there's also live music and other performances, and plenty of spots for catching a bite to eat. Definitely a Wednesday must for local flavour.
Es Amunts Interpretation Centre
A wonderful showcase for the flora, fauna, and culture of this hilly region of northern Ibiza
Nature up north
Ibiza's more northerly areas are more hilly and offer an impressive variety of ecosystems rather different from the rest of the island, and the Es Amunts reserve takes up nearly a quarter of this region, from Sant Antonio to Sant Carles. Its centrepiece is the small patch (150 square metres/1,615 sq. feet) making up the Centre d'Interpretació Es Amunts d'Eivissa. Here you'll find a botanical garden, along with indoor displays, showcasing the area's flora and fauna; spots of particular interest; architectural highlights; and geographic features including cliffs, beaches, and forests.
Ibiza Ethnological Museum
In Santa Eulària, a country house showcases Ibiza's life and times of yore
Customs, costumes & more
A traditional country manse in Santa Eulària des Riu more than 300 years old is the perfect site for Ibiza's Museu Etnològic. It showcases the island's everyday life and times over the centuries, with many photos as well as displays covering traditional farm and trade tools; weapons; an impressive jewelry collection; handicrafts; and costumes. Of particular note are is an old olive oil press and the manse's kitchen, including oven and chimney, all very well preserved. Throughout the year there are also temporary exhibitions as well as traditional handicraft workshops.
Madina Yabisa Interpretation Centre
With both artifacts and entertaining multi-media displays, a fascinating showcase of 2½ centuries of Moorish rule
A look at Muslim Ibiza
Located right next to the cathedral on main drag Carrer Major of Eivissa's old town, Dalt Vila, this cutting-edge multi-media centre named for Moorish Ibiza (990-1235) takes you back to the Middle Ages when this island was administered by the taifa of Dénia (over on the mainland in present-day Valencia). On display: numerous household objects; coinage; pottery; and even segments of its Moorish city walls, visible behind plexiglass. It's really an extraordinarily well done spectacle of images and sound, culminating in a fantastic mock-up which shows Madina Yabisa's evolution through Ibiza's 2½ centuries of Muslim settlement.
Ibiza Diocesan Museum
Religious art/objects of great interest to history and/or art enthusiasts
Holy cow!
Religious art probably isn't one of the top ten things that come to mind when you think Ibiza, but the Catholic Church has thousands of years of history on this island, so both history buffs and art appreciators will find something to like in this museum, founded in 1965 and housed in the sacristy and adjoining areas of the cathedral in Eivissa. Here you'll find an interesting variety of lovely paintings, sculptures, and devotional objects including rosaries and a variety of chalices. However, the jewel in the crown of this collection, is without a doubt the silver-plated monstrance of the 14th century, just 25 centimetres (barely 10 inches) high, depicting a Gothic church with its stylised arches and stained-glass window.
Broner House Museum
A house that's a celebration of a noted 20th-century 'rationalist' architect's life and work
A minimalist architectural gem
The whitewashed, double-decker villa of German Jewish immigrant architect Erwin Broner (1898-1971) in the Sa Penya district of Eivissa was opened as a museum in 2010. A refugee from the Nazis, Broner was a major figure in mid-20th-century Ibiza architecture, for example as a co-founder of the Ibiza59 group. The flat is a prime example of "rationalism" that came out of Italy in the 1920s and 30s, a kind of minimalism. Minimally decorated inside, the villa is in a neighbourhood perched on a cliff over the sea, and sports good-size windows with inspiring views of the Mediterranean. It occasionally is used as the venue for exhibitions about the work of Broner as well as other avant-garde architects and artists.
Puget Museum
Island scenes from back in the day, in a splendid late-Gothic manse
Ibiza's past century, artistically presented
On Carrer Major in Eivissa's old town, Dalt Vila, this late-Gothic manse displays 130 oil paintings, watercolours, and drawings by local father-and-son artists both named Narcís Puget - works ranging from the late 19th to late 20th century, which set out in delicate brushstrokes the daily life of Ibizan fishermen, street scenes, and popular traditions and characters of times gone by. There are also a handful of self-portraits, along with lovely (and fascinating) old-timey photos of island scenes. The house itself is a wonderful bonus, with outstanding features including its front windows and its stylised staircase.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Catalan master Antoni Tàpies is just one of the giants featured in this Eivissa old town institution
Old town, new art
It may be located in Eivissa's old town, Dalt Vila, but the Museu d'Art Contemporani is all about the recent and current (though it's also one of Spain's oldest modern art museums, established in 1969). Names on the walls include Tàpies, Floris, Bechtold, Miralles, Faber, and Micus, as well as a host of Balearics Islands talents you'll likely be discovering for the first time. There's also a great collection of engravings, donated by distinguishe gallery owner Carl van der Voort featuring the best work from the firm Ibizagráfic. Its main garden is also sometimes used as the venue for temporary exhibitions of the most cutting edge art on the contemporary scene. One especially cool thing about the museum is that its recent expansion gives you a peek at some of the remains of the ancient Carthaginian city that was once on this site, uncovered during excavation and construction.
Sant Jaume & Sant Pere Bastions
Fascinating history of Eivissa's old town and its encircling walls
Key points in the city walls
If you're impressed by the doughty, centuries-old stone walls of Eivissa's old town, Dalt Vila, come check out these two bastions to learn more about their construction and history, along with the strategies deployed by local defenders over the generations to repel enemy attacks. The exhibitions in the Baluart de Sant Jaume specialises in the military technology of the 16th through 18th centuries, displaying and explicating all manner of heavy mortars, cannon, and other artillery, as well as swords and pistols - plus even helmets and corsets you can try on yourselves. At Baluart Sant Pere you can check out the casemates where arms and munitions were stored, including recreations of how it looked back in the day. To the walls!
Puig des Molins Necropolis/Museum
Incredibly ancient and fascinating cemetery and accompanying museum tracing Ibiza's history back to centuries BC
Traces of the past
One of Europe's oldest cemeteries, founded by Phoenician settlers in the 7th century BC and also used by subsequent colonisers from ancient Carthage and Rome. Its superior state of preservation as well as the value and importance of its relics and more than 4,000 tombs make this one of the Mediterranean's most important archaeological sites. Artifacts from various eras include amulets, jewelry, offertory vessels, coins, and bronze tools - the most outstanding of which are on display - and curated with gravely (ahem) interesting explanations and audiovisual material - at the Puig des Molins Archaeological Museum right alongside this necropolis; here the top stars include an impressive bust of the goddess Tanit and pantheons of gods Eshmun and Baal Hamon. Just wow.
Ibiza & Formentera Archaeological Museum
An amazing timeline stretching back into prehistory
You'll really dig it
Ibiza these days may be widely thought of as a beaches-and-party isle, but civilisation here and on neighbouring Formentera stretches back into prehistory, and at this Dalt Vila museum founded in 1907 you'll get a look at an astonishing timeline, which before the Catalan Christians took over in 1235 included Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and Moors. It displays hundreds of valuable artifacts and fragments found in local excavations - amphorae, pottery and other decorated ceramics, jewelry, tools of daily life, and statues from tiny to quite large. Have a look, too, at the ceilings in here, in mudéjar (Moorish-influenced) style with fine Moorish and Gothic details. An annex to this museum is the Phoenician necropolis (aka cemetery) down the hill in Puig des Molins.
Side Trip to Formentera
The least populated, most laid back of the Balearic Islands is a gentle, castaway paradise
Small is beautiful
About 24 kilometres (15 miles) due south of Ibiza, the island of Formentera is the smallest and least populated of the four Balearic Islands, and the only way to get there is by boat from Ibiza (regular ferry service runs from Eivissa and day trips from Santa Eulària des Riu and Playa d'En Bossa). What makes Formentera special is its pristineness, all but unaffected by mass tourism, and devoted to an eco-friendly, sustainable way of life. Intimate beach coves with crystalline waters such as Ses Canyes and Caló des Mort; romantic sunsets down on the south coast at Cap de Barbería Lighthouse; and healthy mud baths at the north's s'Espalmador Islet. More than perhaps anywhere in Europe, this is truly "getting away from it all," island-style.
Other Transport Options
All using different kinds of horsepower - it's totally up to you
Different ways to discover
We've covered hiking, boating, and biking elsewhere, but there are even more interesting options for getting out to discover Ibiza. For example, a 4x4 can allow you to get out to some of the island's most remote spots, including forests and isolated little villages. A number of stables and riding schools run horseback tours. Or hire a scooter for a breezier, more laid-back alternative to a car. To really get off-road into rugged terrain, quads are also available. In summer, there are several multi-car trenes turísticos (tourist trolleys) that putter through lovely countryside, beaches, and villages. As you can see - no shortage of ways to get out on the island!
Biking
Compact size, mild conditions, lovely scenery - a great recipe for some bodacious bike touring
On- and off-road
Ibiza's manageable size, good roads, pretty scenery, and agreeable year-round temperatures make it an attractive place indeed for two-wheeling, with a choice of itineraries depending on your interests and desired level of physical challenge. You can for example explore the coves and beaches along the coast, passing through different eco-systems; some, such as Sa Capelleta and Camí Vell de San Rafael, are particularly reknowned for their beauty. In addition, there are some 21 mountain-biking trails to let you experience off-road Ibiza up close and personal.
Hiking
Flat, step, coastal, mountainous - trails for all levels through some truly breathtaking scenery
This isle was made for walkin'
Hikers, pack your boots or sturdy shoes, because you'll most definitely want to hit the trails on Ibiza. The hilly hinterland harbours landscapes of tranquility and cinematic beauty through nearly virgin natural areas. Various trails are available for all levels of experience, interest, and stamina - from short jaunts along flat plains to challenging multi-hour treks up mountain pathways, along the coast or deep into rarely experienced parts of the interior.
Sailing the Mediterranean
An amazing experience, a different perspective, a wide range of options
Ibiza from the sea
Islands are surrounded by water - surprise! But seriously, it should then come as no surprise that experiencing Ibiza from off its shores will give you an important - and highly enjoyable - perspective on the whole business. There are a bevy of boats at your beck and call, available for excursions both scheduled and customised. Some are just cruises along the coast, others include food, drink, and/or activities such as swimming and snorkelling. If you're in a group, even a private charter can be quite affordable. However you do it, though - get out on the water!
Can Marçà Cave
A change of pace, in a phantasmagoric underground journey
The land down under
Ibiza's beauty isn't just skin deep, but under the skin, as well. In the Cova de Can Marçà, up on the north coast near the town of Sant Miquel you'll witness truly jaw-dropping natural formations some 100,000 years in the making - stalactites, stalagmites, underground lakes, and fantastical rock formations in an otherworldly underground landscape. They've opted to gild the lily even more here by installing sound, light and water special effects, but admittedly the greens, blues, and reds that play over some of these marvellous formations are entrancing. A 40-minute tour includes explanations of the cave's known history, including tales of pirates and smugglers. The cliffs surrounding the cave also provide a spectacular natural setting and some amazing views.
Es Vedrà Island
A dramatically craggy islet off a west coast beach isn't just scenic, but also the focus of strange tales
Mystical isle
Out on Ibiza's west coast, near Sant Josep, the beach of Cala d'Hort faces a good-size offshore island rearing dramatically some 413 metres (1,355 feet) out of the sea. Es Vedrà is one of the island's main natural attractions, and you can take boat excursions (including snorkelling) close to its shores. Furthermore, there is definitely a mystique about it, including rumours of the paranormal. It's said, for example, that the island accumulates energy and is a locus of magnetic radiation; there are also tales of mysterious lights and even UFO sightings. Whether or not you subscribe to any of that, its breathtaking beauty - especially from the beach across from it - is undeniable, and a good part of the allure of Cala d'Hort itself.
A Bonanza of Beaches
It might take years to explore all of Ibiza's splendid beaches; here are several to get you started
Strands for every taste
For a modest-size island, Ibiza boasts an impressive number of beaches on all its coasts - around 80 - and you'd need multiple holidays to experience them all. But how to choose? Depends on your needs/preferences as well as where you're staying. In the city of Eivissa, for example, if you're staying in or near Dalt Vila, you might want to consider Figueretes, the capital's most popular strand. Over on the other side of the harbour, wide Talamanca is especially great for families because of its calm waters. South of the city, Es Cavallet is a favourite of the LGBT crowd as well as nudists. Out on the west coast near Sant Josep, Cala d'Hort is a standout for its tranquillity and spectacular scenery. Over near Sant Antoni de Portmany, S'Arenal is known for its discos and Cala Salada for a more laid-back vibe. More decisions!
Compte Cove
Ibiza's best known beach still has a delightfully castaway feel
Paradise found
Beaches were what put Ibiza on the tourism map back in the 20th century, and Cala Compte is Exhibit A. Located near the island's west coast, just down the coast from Sant Antoni de Portmany, its powdery white sands and brilliant turquoise waters are surrounded by gorgeous scenery, featuring dramatic cliffs and out on the horizon, a small island, the Illa d'Es Bosc. It's popular year round with sun worshippers, whose only worry is how long they want to luxuriate in it all. Our recommendation: get out here early, when it's practically deserted, and have a leisurely soak in the limpid waters. Another wonderful time of day is sunset, of course. Decisions, decisions...
Strolling Dalt Vila
A magical labyrinth of shops, restaurants, museums, and more
Ibiza's charming mediaeval heart
"Party island" Ibiza may be perceived to be, but it also has a millennia-long, hugely historic pedigree, and the pride of capital Eivissa is Dalt Vila ("Upper Town"), a walled UNESCO World Heritage Site up on a seaside hill, with whitewashed houses and a labyrinth of narrow, sometimes steep cobblestone lanes and magical corners where you can really feel yourself transported back centuries. Popular day and night, it's rich with shops, eateries, museums, and galleries, and many visitors find themselves back here repeatedly during their stays. It goes without saying, finally, that given its elevation, the views out over the city, coast, and sea are something else!
Acrobosc Adventure Park
An outdoor adventure park where young and old can climb and zip around to their hearts' content
Fun out in the forest
In the woods by the sea right outside the town of Santa Eulària des Riu, Acrobosc is a theme park of sorts, where it's all about adventure in the great outdoors that will delight both kids and grown-ups. Test your skills with rope bridges, climbing walls, and various activities up amid the trees and climbing vines. Perhaps the coolest things here is the trio of zip line circuits of varying degrees of challenge, length, and age appropriateness. There's also a nice picnic area to rest and have lunch. It's truly a great place to create bonds and memories with family and friends.
Cap Blanc Aquarium
Formed in a grotto from the sea itself, a splendid close-up of Ibiza's marine ecosystem
Stay dry underwater
Just north of the east-coast town of Sant Antonio de Portmany, this modest-size facility is a very different kind of aquarium, based in a large cave adapted as a 300-square-metre (3,230 sq.-foot) marine sanctuary that's essentially part of rather than separated from the Mediterranean. You'll see quite a few of the area's most typical species, including groupers, rays, damselfish, lobsters, moray eels, bream, and julia fish, among many, many others. You can get pretty up close and personal with them, too, thanks to a clear underwater tunnel. This is supplemented by various other exhibits of other cool stuff, from sea sponges to shark eggs. Kids will love it - but so will grown-ups!
Dramatised Dalt Vila Tours
An hour in which actors in period costume take you back to the 16th century
Bringing history alive
Dalt Vila, Eivissa's hillside old town, is already plenty atmospheric and dramatic. But you can make it even more vivid, in addition to wandering and just getting lost a bit (which we do highly recommend), every Saturday evening the local city administration sponsors a family-friendly walking tour that includes the out of the way as well as the obvious - andse tours along the route, period-garbed actors bring history to life - for example during the building of the city's stone walls in the 16th century, as well as other legends and lore. These tours last just over an hour, and can be booked at any branch of the Ibiza tourism office.
Adventure Sports
Out in the great outdoors, wild but also relatively mild - whatever floats your kayak!
Adrenalina!
Ibiza is one of Europe's most popular destinations for enthusiasts of both the great outdoors and adrenaline, and the full panoply of adventure sports and activities is on offer, from the relatively mild (stand up paddling, kayaking excursions to the lovely little coves around the island) to wild (heart-pounding kitesurfing). Just a few other options include rock climbing, rapelling, parasailing, hang gliding, and ballooning. Something for any taste imaginable, and any of these activities are a tremendous way to experience another side of Ibiza.
Diving/Snorkelling
Warm waters and a varied marine life/landscape make undersea exploration a magical experience
Undah da sea
Swimming and playing in the limpid waters of Ibiza's inviting beaches is just the beginning. Under the surface is a magical, otherworldly submarinescape of flora and fauna, with various reefs, caves, and crannies to explore. Warm water temperatures let you do it throughout the year (apart from the Canary Islands, pretty unusual for much of Europe). And when it comes to scuba, whether you're a newbie or an old hand, many dive shops and outfitters all along the coast will be happy to help, from renting equipment to running guided excursions. Take a deep breath! ;)
Partying on the High Seas
Various daytime clubbing options on a wide choice of party cruises
Two words: disco boats!
Ibiza clubbing is so extensive and varied that you also have an option that's become increasingly popular: boarding a party cruise, most typically midday through evening - at which point you can take a break for dinner, then continue to one of the many, many other nightlife options on terra firma (also typically, a party-boat ticket includes a visit to a club on land). There are a whole lot of choices and prices, including open bar; food included; with stops at coves and beaches; music from underground to commercial; some with diving boards; others with JetSki/WaveRunner options.
More Laid-Back Nightlife
On Ibiza, it's not totally about high-octane clubbing; plenty of smaller bars, pubs, and lounges fuel a buzzy but less frenetic nightlife, too
Cocktails by the sea, anyone?
The megaclubs garner much of the attention, but there are plenty of smaller, more low-key spots (including outdoor options) in Eivissa, and other Ibiza towns. In the capital, for example, Lío offers great meals and a dinner show in a posh ambiance. In Sant Antoni de Portmany, one spot we especially like is the Café del Mar, a classic for enjoying the sunset with tasty cocktails and a chill-out soundtrack (also at this café is Bar Zero, with mostly British pop, rock, and indie sounds). Up in Santa Eulària des Riu, check out the beachside cocktail bar Líquido, which does indeed pour many tasty liquids, in an ambiance that's made it an island favourite.
Clubbing Night and Day
The world's largest disco is one of dozens in Ibiza's sizzling nightlife scene
Famous megaclubs plus many smaller venues
This, for many across the world, is what Ibiza has become synonymous with: vibrant, sometimes over-the-top, nightlife in more than two dozen megaclubs and countless smaller bars, pubs, and lounges. To soundtracks especially heavy on house, trance, and electronica, the party rocks on till 6 am (and sometimes well into the morning) in clubs like Pachá and Amnesia, the pioneers and still going strong; open-air Ushuaïa; beachfront Space, an indoor/outdoor mix; Bora Bora, a daytime beach spot; and Privilege, the world's largest megaclub.
Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Club
Ibiza's premier outdoor disco party - a spectacular, high-octane experience indeed
Another top nightlife hot spot
Another of Ibiza's nightlife's musts these days, on chic Platja d'En Bossa, only about ten minutes south of Eivissa, this hotel is pool party central beginning in the afternoon and stretching well into the wee hours. For many, partying out in the open to mindblowing light shows and the hot sounds of internationally famous performers and DJs like David Guetta and Armin van Buuren - every so often with airplanes landing and taking off at the nearby airport. For party peeps who just can't tear themselves away, a big part of the facilities here involves a full-service hotel and restaurant. It may be called Ushuaïa, but it sure ain't Patagonia!
Club Pachá
Europe's party-people central, with top DJs, the planet's hottest sounds and scenes
A global nightlife legend
Par-tay! For many across the world, Ibiza has long been synonymous with hot nightlife - and one reason is Pachá, in Eivissa's northerly district. A temple and icon of house music, it's played host to some of the hottest DJs on the planet, including the recent likes of David Guetta, Pete Tong, Steve Aoki, and Luciano. There are five big spaces to choose from, each with a different sound - besides house, for example, there's R&B/funk, and out on the terrace under the stars, lounge/chill. If you've got the money, there are also of course plenty of VIP options for a more private hideaway amid all the delightful madness. General admission is 19 euros these days, and drinks are on the pricey side - but of course its fans say it's worth every penny. There's a restaurant here, too, by the way.
Restaurante Marvent
On the east coast, it's a great value with great service
A star of Es Canar
One of the best-value restaurants you'll find on Ibiza is located in the east-coast town of Es Canar. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, its dishes tend toward the simple side but tasty and ample. Some have an international flavour: ribs, chicken curry, and - one of El Marvent's stars - the "big burrito". A strong point is the location, right on the sea, which also makes it a great place for sunset/evening drinks before or after a stroll on the beach. Service is top-notch.
Amante Beach Club
Stylish, delicious, and with a sweet beachfront location
Ibiza's best beach restaurant
Long celebrated as Ibiza's best beach restaurant, and for good reason - Amante Beach Club just south of Santa Eulària des Riu is one of those spots that leave you just speechless. A combination of luxurious dining; sleek minimalist décor; and excellent bar service right on the beach, with the limpid Mediterranean practically lapping at your toes (you can even arrange to arrive here by boat). Amante's menu is heavy (so to speak) on light, fresh fare created from top-notch ingredients and presented in a spectacular fashion, such as creamy lobster rice, vegetables sautéed in seafood broth, and black cod marinated in teriyaki sauce. Its elaborate and extensive cocktail list is also amply worth an honourable mention.
Villa Mercedes Restaurant
Creative Mediterranean fusion with a view
Tops in Sant Antonio de Portmany
There's plenty of fine dining to be found beyond the capital, of course, and Exhibit A might be this longtime bastion of Mediterranean-fusion creativity in Sant Antoni de Portmany. Villa Mercedes is known islandwide for its distinctive touches on dishes such as quinoa risotto, confit of duck with caramelised pears, and warm scallop salad. The menu also throws in some Asian-flavoured creations, like tuna tataki and veal carpaccio with yuzu. All available à la carte, or you can opt for a tasting menu. The two-toned icing on this tasty cake is the location right in front of the harbour, with lovely sea views, as well as musical shows to serenade your every bite.
Bar San Juan
An Eivissa 'hole in the wall' with cheap, hearty traditional fare
Old fashioned family-owned eatery
Comida Bar San Juan on Eivissa's Carrer de Guillem de Montgrí is an old-timey, family-run "hole in the wall" which dishes up solid, copious, extremely affordable fare on the traditional order of fish soup, pork chops in sauce, fried anchovies, fried croquettes, squid, spinach with chickpeas, and that old classic, potato omelette. The folks here make you feel very much at home - and as the place is cheerful, popular and can get a little crowded, they might very well sit you down at a table with strangers. No matter - everybody's an amigo here!
Tapas La Bodega
A popular Eivissa old town classic with a large, reasonably priced menu
Best tapas in town
A great option to start out the Eivissa night after a pleasant stroll around Dalt Vila, the old town. La Bodega is a tapas bar up here - especially popular with young people - which is well known for its extensive and appetising menu. That makes it ideal for going in a group and sampling a wide variety of tasty traditional tapas such as meatballs, patatas bravas (fried potatoes in spicy sauce), boiled octopus with paprika, fried calamari, fried green peppers, cured ham, and local cheeses, among many other specialities. The vibe, decor, and music are great, and prices very reasonable. It's a good idea to make reservations, otherwise you could find yourself waiting quite a while for a table.
El Faro Restaurant
A reputation earned over decades, attracting many celebrities from the worlds of politics, sports, and entertainment
Superb fare, service, seaside setting
Ibiza is fortunate to boast a number of superb restaurants, but what makes El Faro (The Lighthouse) shine even brighter is its memorable, al-fresco setting by the sea. Known for decades for its sterling service and high-quality cuisine, this eatery has been patronised over the years by many of Spain's boldface names - politicians, sport figures, entertainment figures, and more. Its menu is filled with a wide range of gourmet offering such as lobster and seafood cocktails, scallop carpaccio, prawn salads, caviar, Ibiza-style rack of lamb, seafood stews, and superb rice dishes such as paella. It's not cheap, to be sure, but well worth a splurge for a romantic, top-quality meal.
S'Ametller Restaurant
Cuisine as art at a restaurant reknowned for its creativity and attentive, friendly service
Mediterranean marvels
Superb ingredients including lamb, duck, and fish spun into fresh, contemporary Mediterranean creations presented with cheerful, top-notch service are the hallmark of this well known Eivissa restaurant. You can't go wrong, whether you opt for the à la carte or the tasting menu, plus there is a very interesting wine list.
Desserts on Ibiza
Ibizans have a sweet tooth, too, and these three dishes are their favourite ways to indulge it
How sweet it is!
As brilliant as the savoury is in Ibizan cookery, the pudding that comes afterward is sweet indeed. The island's top star in this regard is likely flaó, a round, mild cake made with eggs, farmer's cheese, anise, and mint - the last two of which give it a particularly distinctive taste which many connoisseurs in fact consider the quintessence of Ibizan flavour. Back in the day, it was made only for Easter week, but these days you can easily find it all year round. Other island indulgences include greixonera, a pudding of sugar-dusted ensaïmada pastries and eggs (sometimes biscuits are also added); orelletes, a onetime wedding banquet speciality that's a crispy fried dough in the shape of an ear, flavoured with a couple of shots of anise liqueur; and salsa de Nadal, a favourite Christmastime sweet sauce based on almonds but also incorporating meat stock.
Rice dishes
Catalan cuisine is big on rice, and Ibiza gives it its own savoury twist
Rice, rice, baby
Seafood may be king, but its queen consort is clearly the rice dishes especially characteristic of all the coastal regions of the Catalan and Valencian communities. They're hearty, healthy, flavourful cornucopias incorporating the best of the vaunted "Mediterranean diet". Paella is the most famous, of course, but there are many variations, for practically all tastes. There's arròs a banda, tasting perhaps the most intensely of the sea thanks to being cooked in fish stoc. Arròs nègre ("black rice") also has plenty of seafood, but is black thanks to the addition of squid ink. For a little taste of the island's interior, the arròs de matances is all about different cuts of pork. Yes, on Ibiza, rice is nice!
Ibiza Seafood
Three dishes with savoury Mediterranean flair and long pedigree
An island's stars from the sea
As is natural and proper for an island, fish and shellfish play an outsize role in Ibizan cuisine, which has a long pedigree and these days is better than ever in the hands of top-notch local chefs. Stars of the plate include tonyina a l'eivissenca, a distinctive tuna stew with raisins, pine nuts, and spices; borrida de ratjada, ray stuffed with vegetables in a rich almond sauce; and perhaps the top island dish of all, bullit de peix, a rockfish stew with potatoes and often ali-oli (garlic mayonnaise). When it comes to seafood, on Ibiza whatever you cast your line for will reel in something delicious.
Monument to the Discovery of the Americas
Perhaps one of Spain's funkiest public monuments
"Columbus' Egg"
Many statues of explorer Christopher Columbus in both Spain and Latin America are typically heroic, solemn, even bombastic. But when it came time in 1992 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus' landmark voyage, Ibiza went in a very different direction. Perhaps the island's funkiest public monument, located in the roundabout at the entrance to Sant Antoni de Portmany, the Monument to the Discovery of the Americas is a six-metre-high (20-foot) white egg, with a gap containing an iron statue of Columbus' ship the Santa Maria, its prow facing west. Popularly known as the Huevo de Colón ("Egg of Columbus", an allusion to a famous anecdote in which Columbus made a point about the world by balancing an egg on its end), the presence of this monument is also testament to the theory held by some that Columbus was not Italian but in fact Ibizan.
Hotel Montesol
With its elegant neo-colonial façade, it has played host to the crème de la crème for eight decades
Ibiza's original grande dame
Mass tourism on Ibiza for the most part has its roots in the 1960s, but the industry has a much longer pedigree, and this grande dame is Exhibit A. The yellow-and-white Hotel Montesol was the first large hotel built on the island, in 1933, on Eivissa's elegant Vara del Rey, and over the course of eight decades played host to the visiting great and the good, including celebrities such as Caroline of Monaco, Orson Welles, and Pink Floyd. It's a handsome stand-out in neo-colonial style, with its balconies; various styles of French doors looking out on the street, and ground floor lined with a gracefully stylised arcade. Sadly, the Montesol is at present actually no longer in operation, having closed its doors on 31 December 2014, but a building this special will soon see another distinguished incarnation. In the meantime, it still provides another iconic touch of class to this 19th-century district of Eivissa.
Other Ancient Remnants & Ruins
From the Middle Ages all the way back to cave dwellers, many civilisations have left so much for us to marvel at
Ibiza's astonishing ancient history
Ibiza may be best known today as a "party island", but its rich history stretches back to centuries BC, leaving a wealth of remnants of varied civilisations all across its length and breadth. A good example is Es Culleram, where the Phoenicians conducted rituals in honour of the goddess Tanit; Ibiza's only prehistoric cave paintings at Sa Cova d'es Vi, near Ses Fontanelles cliff; the Roman settlement of Ses Païsses, founded in the 5th century BC, featuring a necropolis and a four-metre-deep (13-foot) water cistern; and the plain of Ses Feixes, where the Moors constructed an amazing irrigation system to make the arid landscape bloom. An impressive march of history, indeed, for a "party island".
Pont Vell Bridge
A centuries-old stone bridge with an air of mystery - and a diabolical legend
The Devil made them do it
The most iconic landmark in Santa Eulària des Riu, up on the northeastern coast, the stone Pont Vell is also known as the "Roman Bridge", but it was likely built in the 16th and 17th centuries (then had some work done at the end of the 19th). Over the centuries, the bridge has accumulated its share of legends, lore, and mystery - for example, that witches once dwelled here, and Satan himself helped build it (hence another popular nickname, "Devil's Bridge"). Some 90 metres long and nine high, it's open to foot traffic only (vehicles use the nearby Pont Nou). One thing's for sure: it makes a very pretty and photogenic sight nestled amid the surrounding trees and shrubbery.
Settlement of Sa Caleta
A Phoenician village dating back as far as the 8th century BC
Ibiza's oldest ancient settlement
Down on the southeast coast, Sa Caleta is known more for its lovely beach, but nearby next to a pier you'll also find an ancient UNESCO World Heritage settlement that isn't Roman but rather Phoenician, and far older, dating back to the 6th-7th century BC. Believed to have been home to up to 500 residents, the village isn't all that big - about six hectares (15 acres) - and there has been considerable erosion, but you can still see the remnants of narrow lanes, dwellings, a defensive bastion, and circular ovens some two metres (6½ feet) in diametre.
S'Argamassa Roman Aqueduct
Not as large as other aqueducts of Roman Spain, but impressive nonetheless because of its length - more than 400 metres
A historic water carrier
An ancient treasure of Ibiza up the south coast from Santa Eulária des Riu, this aqueduct built by Roman settlers in the 1st century AD runs an impressive 400-plus metres (a quarter mile). Its height and width are quite a bit more modest, varying according to the terrain, up to a mere two metres (6½ feet) tall. Its main purpose, archaeologists have figured out, was not agricultural but aquacultural - to feed fish farms and holding pools near the coast. Also nearby are the ruins of a seaside farming settlement as well as a small industrial nucleus. Some of the stretches of aqueduct are in better condition than others - and another odd thing is that the Hotel Melià S'Argamassa was allowed to build virtually alongside one particular stretch - you can practically reach out and touch it from some ground-floor room patios.
Old Town Walls
Surrounding the hilltop Dalt Vila, they're a beloved symbol of Eivissa
Among the world's best preserved
A UNESCO World Heritage Site that's one of the world's best preserved walled towns, these doughty stone walls stretch nearly two kilometres (just over a mile) around Eivissa's historic upper town Dalt Vila. Heptagonal in shape and including seven great bastions, they were built over the latter half of the 16th century by order of King Phillip II and designed by Italian engineer Giovanni Vatista Calvi. One of the symbols of this city, its main entrance is the Portal de Ses Taules.
St. Agnes' Cave
Outside Sant Antoni de Portmany, a cave where worship may date back nearly 2,000 years
Spooky underground chapel
Just outside the town of Sant Antoni de Portmany, the Cova de Santa Agnès is an irregularly shaped underground grotto with an entrance excavated in the rock. Its origins are murky, although archaeologists believe Christians may have worshipped there as early as the 3rd century AD. Along with several narrow side galleries, there's one central chambre, containing the altar and almost non-existent adornment and furnishings except for the image of St. Agnes and several calceous stone benches. At the beginning of the 20th century, Moorish pottery fragments were also found down here. A highly atmospheric subterranean experience, to be sure!
Santo Domingo Church
Another curious example of austere outside, exuberant inside
Eivissa's second most important church
Eivissa's second most important Catholic church after the cathedral, Santo Domingo is a single-nave affair lined with small side chapels; of these that of the Holy Christ of the Cemetery is the most striking and unusual. The façade is quite simple, with the main decorative elements being the columns flanking the entrance and an image of the church's namesake St. Dominic above it. Once you enter, however, you're bowled over by the likes of dramatic ceiling frescos; other sublime paintings done by the Majorcan artist Matas in 1884; and perhaps even more stupendous, a striking golden, Genovese-Baroque-style altarpiece. In the 18th century the church had to be remodeled because of an explosion in a nearby gunpowder magazine.
Santa Maria Cathedral
Looming over the capital city, it's sober on the outside, exuberant on the inside
Ibiza's mother church
A striking landmark looming over Eivissa from on high, the Catedral de Santa Maria is of course the island's primate church, constructed over the course of the 14th century over a mosque built by the island's previous Moorish rulers (it wasn't promoted to cathedral until 1782). It's basically Catalan Gothic in style, but some 17th-century additions and renovations gave it some Baroque lines, as well. Its rather austere exterior, with minimal decorative frippery, contrasts surprisingly with a lovely, profusely adorned interior, consisting of a single nave lined with chapels on either side. Over the main altar you'll find the Madonna of the Snows, patron saint of Ibiza and neighbouring island Formentera; other artistic treasures here include 14th- and 15th-century Gothic altarpieces, as well as a Gothic silver monstrance from 1399.
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