Ibiza in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Ibiza is a destination to enjoy until dawn. Once you arrive on the island you find the medieval castles in a network of cobblestone streets in Dalt Vila, the Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de Las Nieves and beautiful walls while listening to the birds in the background. This contrasts with its vibrant nightlife, beaches, coves and idyllic corners.

If you are only staying for 3 days, you may not have time to see everything the island has to offer. However, with good planning you will be able to enjoy many of the best things to see and do in Ibiza.

Once you arrive in Ibiza start your tour with a route through the walled city and the best museums.

It is a circular route that you can walk or maybe you are interested in doing a bike tour. It will be 2 km long and on the way you can have lunch near the Portal de Ses Taule.

In the afternoon, I suggest you explore the interior of Ibiza along the paths of San Mateo and San Andrés and, to finish, I invite you to join in and enjoy the Ibizan clubbing.

Before starting the tour, you need to know two interesting details about the bastions:

• 1. The bastions are open from Tuesday to Friday throughout the summer, from 10:00-14:00 hours / 18:00-20:00 hours, and on Saturdays and Sundays between 10:00-14:00 hours. The rest of the year they are open from Tuesday to Thursday between 10:00-16:30 hours and Saturdays and Sundays between 10:00-14:00 hours.
• 2. Admission is free except for the Bastion of San Pedro and San Jaime.

Bastion of Santa Lucia

The first traces of this World Heritage Site date back to Phoenician times. However, the first records date back to the arrival of the Muslims and the Catalan conquest. After the remodeling order of Kings Charles I and Philip II, the Italian engineer Giovanni Batista Calvi built a great protective fortress.

Your first stop will show you 360° panoramic views of Dalt Vila from the Baluarte de Santa Lucia. Stop for a moment in front of the Portal de Ses Taules and in its enclosure also stroll through the famous Polvorín.

This is a quite demanded space in terms of offer of leisure in Ibiza and the most representative festivals take place in its interior.

Bastion of Sant Joan

The next stop is a double visit. On the one hand, you are going to know one of the architectural works of Jacopo Palazzo, better known as 'El Fratín', who devised the Baluarte de Sant Joan, or Bastion of San Juan at the end of the XVI century.

The second point of interest is located at the foot of this military construction: the Museum of Contemporary Art, whose entrance is free.

Bastion of San Pere

Following the route, walk northwest until you cross the Portal Nou, the entrance to one of the most complex walls, the Bastion of Sant Pere or Bastion of San Pedro.

It is a space that, located on a steep slope, represented an architectural challenge. The entrance to this bastion costs approximately 2 €.

Bastions of Sant Jaume

Continuing with the first fortresses built on this wall, you must go down Ronda Calvi to reach the magnificent Sant Jaume Bastion, which provides protection to the less strong corner of the wall.

Here you will see displayed much of the military weaponry available at the time. The entrance fee is 2 €.

Bastion of Sant Jordi and Bastion of Sant Bernat

Continuing with the Renaissance constructions, you are going to cross the tunnel of Soto Fosc to reach the first walls that were built in Ibiza: Baluarte de Sant Jordi, next to the Castle, and the Baluarte de Sant Bernart with very nice views to the port.

Santa Tecla Bastion

Leaving the tunnel of Soto Fosc you reach the Plaza de Almudaina, flanked by the Cathedral of the Virgen de las Nieves, the patron saint of the Pitiusas Islands.

As a firm protector, you will find the highest wall of Dalt Vila, the Baluarte de Santa Tecla, 500 meters from your starting point.

Stop for lunch

At the end of the circular tour of the bastions you will find yourself back in the surroundings of the Bastion of Santa Lucia, where there is a wide range of restaurants until you reach the promenade.

You can have lunch at Pino Dalt Vila and try their grilled octopus, although perhaps you will crave the prawns flambéed at La Plaza, or prefer to try the sea bass en papillote at La Torreta Ibiza.

Another great option is to take a gastronomic tour, one of the best activities in Ibiza.

Explore the interior of Ibiza

Now it's time to move through the valley of Es Broll until you reach Punta Galera. The passages are beautiful as you go through San Mateo and Santa Agnes.

And if the cliffs leave you open-mouthed, wait until you reach Playa d' en Bossa: you won't want to leave the coves around.

This tour can be done by car, renting a motorcycle or for more comfort and fun, join an off-road excursion to the trails of the interior of Ibiza.

Enjoy the clubs in Ibiza

At the end of the day watch the sun go down under the waters of the Mediterranean and enjoy the atmosphere of the terraces in front of the sea, if possible, near the port, as on your second day you are going to Formentera from Ibiza.

This island is frankly a sea lover's paradise. The Balearic Islands are surrounded by turquoise waters, but this little sister is the best kept secret in the family.

Already in 2001 the movie Lucia and sex showed some of the scenery such as the lighthouse of La Savina and the beach of Ses Illetes. However, here you can escape from the hustle and bustle of Ibiza and still enjoy the charming beaches.

How to get to Formentera

You must take a boat to get to the smaller island of the Pitiusas. The trip between Ibiza and Formentera takes 35-40 minutes and there are prices for all tastes.

Option 1: By ferry

Ferry Balearia. They operate between 07:00 and 20:30 hours on the Ibiza-Formentera route. On the return, the schedule is from 07:00 to 22:00 hours. Tickets are available from 25 € plus the supplement for your car.

This is a good alternative when you go equipped, since in Formentera the beaches are virgin, the beach bars are scarce or simply there are none.

Option 2: By sailboat or catamaran

Sail around Ibiza until you reach Formentera on one of the boat tours, either on a classic catamaran or even on a pirate sailboat.

Since the experts will take care of everything, you will just have to relax and choose between paddle boarding, swimming with your mask and snorkel, or lying in the sun while you enjoy the snacks and the bar of the catamaran or sailboat.

In this type of tours we usually stop at Espalmador beach, Ses Illetes beach and Es Cavallet beach, although it is possible to customize the experience when you hire a private tour.

Things to see and do in Formentera

This is the escape valve for the bustling Ibiza, without sacrificing the serene and transparent sea. In Formentera calm reigns and yet this great rock and its marine reserve give you a range of possibilities.

• Get to know its famous lighthouses: Get close to one of the points of inspiration of Jules Verne, the Faro de la Mola, the highest point of the island that appears in the novel Hector Servadac: Travels and adventures through the solar world. Other viewpoints that have gained attention are the La Savina lighthouse and the Cap de Barbaria lighthouse.

• Visit its fashionable center: In Es Pujols you will find hippy markets, nightclubs, car rental area, accommodation and beautiful walkways facing the sea. There are two kilometers that concentrate the tourist heart of Formentera. It is located just 10 minutes from the port of La Savina, where the boat parties take place.

• Water activities: In Formentera you can kayak, flyboard, paddle, dive or swim with your snorkel, especially if you have included the excursion among your things to do from Ibiza in summer.

Go out for drinks at the best clubs!

Once you return to Ibiza, you can go out for drinks in the party capital. In the marina you will find the legendary Pacha nightclub, in the Talamanca area, where it is open all year round.

If you prefer, you can also join the party at Amnesia, a fixed club in the ranking of the best nightclubs in the world.

Among the islets of Ibiza, Es Vedra is the most popular of all thanks to the range of activities you can do here, as well as the sort of mysticism, legends and magic that is attributed to it.

Located in the southwest of Ibiza, visitors marvel at this great rock where you should not miss:

The visit to the caves

The cliffs of Cap de Sa Serra are home to beautiful sea caves. On the way to the Pirate's tower you will find the Mirador Es Vedrá Cave, a space to which some runes have been added to its already evocative enclosure.

You may want to see remains from the Bronze Age. To do so, you will have to go to the Cueva de Ses Estelles cave or to the eden of paleontologists and speleologists, the Cueva d'Jaume Orat.

Each cave is enveloped in an aura of artistic inspiration with natural dyes and if you feel like connecting with the magical atmosphere of the island, these spaces are unmissable.

A route through its coves

The best way to visit the islets and coves is sailing, so the recommendation is to go to the yacht club of San Antonio and get on a catamaran, sailboat or llaut, those boats as typical as its covered docks.

The important thing is to cross the sea and choose the combination of coves you like. Only in this way you will be able to attest to having known Ibiza.

Among the main attractions, the following stand out:

Option 1: Cala Bassa

Located 15 minutes from San Antonio, west of Ibiza. It is a recurring meeting place for tourists thanks to the services offered, such as hammocks, umbrellas, beach bars and massages in front of the sea, as well as its easy access by land or sea.

This is a perfect cove to visit with the family. There are activities for everyone, including snorkeling, paddle boarding and jet skiing, one of the best things to do in Es Vedra.

Option 2: Cala Conta

The perfect place for paddle surfing and snorkeling. This cove boasts golden sand and serene waters. It is common to change the sun loungers for inflatable mattresses to let the light movement of the sea make the visitor enjoy to a greater extent.

On the other hand, the boats that cruise the island are usually equipped with slides and trampolines to make the experience more fun, not to mention the snacks and open bars. There are restaurants in the area, although on the cruise you may have an open bar.

Option 3: Cala d'Hort

This is a cove that enchants with its two clearly defined extremes: on one side, the fine sand brings together the largest number of bathers, while the rocky end is where photographers and surfers gather.

In this cove, besides lying in the sun, you can also stop at La Pedrera de cala d'hort, an old quarry located at the foot of the tower of Es Savinar.

This cove also has a rich biodiversity, in which birds and goats stand out. The internal trails are one of the tourist attractions of Ibiza.

Option 4: Cala Vadella

This is one of the coves that is better to begin to classify as a natural pool. Located in the middle of a narrow bay with shallow waters and white sand, it is another of the little paradisiacal corners where children can take their first steps with diving, often accompanied by paddle surfing and water skiing.

It is in Cala Vadella where the offer of hotels and restaurants expands. Visit its cliffs facing the sea and go from one beach to another trekking to Cala Molí or Cala Carbó and to finish the visit to Es Vedrá, enjoy one of the sunsets in Ibiza on one of the cliffs.