Best Things To Do in Ibiza

With the word Ibiza, paradisiacal beaches and parties until dawn come to mind, but the island has even more. I invite you to discover it with this post.

Alex Grande

Alex Grande

10 min read

Best Things To Do in Ibiza

vista del puerto |©steve gilman

Many people dream of a getaway to Ibiza but it is often believed that this island only offers partying and nothing could be further from the truth! If you are one of those who are looking for a good time, of course you will have many nightlife ven ues to not stop dancing if you want in three days.

But if you are looking for peace, nature and disconnection you have chosen the best possible destination. Because this small island of the Balearic Islands awaits the best beaches, coves and natural corners where you can get lost. Read on to know them all.

1. Dance night and day

Party at Ushuaïa| ©Federico Capoano
Party at Ushuaïa| ©Federico Capoano

Ibiza continues to maintain its throne as the undisputed party capital: its nightclubs are some of the most famous in the world and not in vain does the island receive millions of visitors every year in search of satisfaction for their most hedonistic desires.

The island earned its reputation in the eighties and nineties, and since then its clubs have been the scene of partying that has become less and less accessible. Amnesia, in the center of Ibiza; Benimussa Park, also known as Zoo; Es Paradis and Eden, both on the beach of San Antonio; Pacha, next to the port of Ibiza town; Ushuaïa, in Playa d'en Bossa; are just some of the many, many places where you can party during your vacation.

In addition, the island is not short on beach bars, restaurants and smaller venues where you can spend an equally unforgettable night.

My favorite, the Ushuaïa discotheque

There are many nightclubs in the world, but Ushuaïa is a place like no other. Festival facilities, a spectacular atmosphere, and partying of the highest quality. Stars like David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Calvin Harris, AVICII, or Carl Cox have played here in house and techno sessions all afternoon.

If this is your style of music, you probably already have Ushuaïa 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 kick off your vacation in style.

Book a party on a boat in Ibiza

2. Discover Formentera on a day trip

Ses Illetes Beach, Formentera| ©David Švihovec
Ses Illetes Beach, Formentera| ©David Švihovec

Formentera is the opposite of Ibiza: the beauty of its beaches, most of them almost virgin, combines the sugar texture of its sand with the vibrant and crystalline colors of the water. It is a little piece of the Caribbean Sea in a corner of the Mediterranean, whether for its charming coves or its interior of villages and paths to cycle through.

Visiting Formentera from Ibiza is not only a way to disconnect and rest from the party and the bustle, it is an experience that you will fall in love with. When your trip is over, you will dream of coming back next summer.

By the way, if you are looking for ferry tickets and organizing the visit makes you a bit lazy, I recommend you to take a full day boat trip to Formentera, which also passes through some of the most beautiful places in Ibiza.

Book the ferry to Formentera from Ibiza

3. Feel the magic of the islet of Es Vedrà

Es Vedrà illuminated by the moon and stars| ©David Holderbach
Es Vedrà illuminated by the moon and stars| ©David Holderbach

Es Vedrà is a place where you will end up going one way or another on your trip to Ibiza: that is the magic that hides this islet, one of the three points of greatest magnetic force on the earth's surface 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 scene of a large number of myths and legends. It is said that here inhabited the sirens that attacked the ship of Ulysses in Homer's Odyssey, sometimes shadows and lights have been seen under the sea without apparent explanation, and even very 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 will tell you about next.

4. Relaxing in one of Ibiza's exclusive spas

Entrance to the Atzaró Spa| ©Travelbusy.com
Entrance to the Atzaró Spa| ©Travelbusy.com

For a totally 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 tree orchard in Santa Eulalia. There you will find facilities such as a Swedish sauna, hammam, swimming pool and retreat where you can enjoy different massages and beauty treatments.

Another one that is also a blast is Magness Soulful Spa, at the Bless Hotel Ibiza. Halfway between social club and spa, you will find a circuit of hydrotherapy waters, loungers in which to receive a relaxing massage, sauna, ice water pool, hammam and even a jacuzzi.

5. Take a route to the beautiful Punta d'es Moscarter lighthouse

Lighthouse of Punta d'es Moscarter| ©Els
Lighthouse of Punta d'es Moscarter| ©Els

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 to do is the one that starts in the tiny coastal village of Portinatx and ends at the lighthouse of Punta d'es Moscarter, a beautiful lighthouse painted with a black spiral where you can enjoy unparalleled views of the cape.

To get there, you will first have to find the Cala de Portinatx, from where the path starts and you can walk it in about 20 minutes without being in too much of a hurry. From the path, you will see one of my favorite postcards of Ibiza: a cliff with deep blue waters and the lighthouse watching in the distance.

Book an excursion with activities in Ibiza

6. Explore a lost world at Atlantis cove

boats in the sea of Ibiza|©Jess Loiterton
boats in the sea of Ibiza|©Jess Loiterton

The cove of Atlantis, built by human hands, is a fantasy scenario that invites you to dream of other planets. An old quarry at the edge of the sea from which much of the stone was extracted to build the wall of Dalt Vila, in the historic center of the city of Ibiza, today is a cove that in the hippie era served as a refuge and place of communion with nature.

To reach Atlantis there are two options. By sea it is very simple, since you will be able to dock the boat in the vicinity and to approach swimming or in board of paddle surf. By land is somewhat more complicated: leaving Sant Josep de Sa Talaia, you should head for Cala d'Hort and just before arriving you will find the detour to the Torre des Savinar. You will arrive at a parking lot and you will have to go down the dirt road for about half an hour until you reach the cove.

7. Watch the sunset at the authentic Cafe del Mar

Enjoy the beautiful Ibicencan sunsets from the Cafe del Mar| ©Sara Suñé
Enjoy the beautiful Ibicencan sunsets from the Cafe del Mar| ©Sara Suñé

Cafe del Mar is an icon of Ibiza: a famous beach bar from 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 will have to go early and get a seat, but it is an experience worth remembering and a complete must if it is your first time in Ibiza.

8. Flee from the touristy coves of Ibiza

Molí Cove| ©Barney Moss
Molí Cove| ©Barney Moss

Ibiza is a paradise for the senses but not only for the party, also for its beaches, coves and beach bars tailored to your enjoyment and relaxation. You have numerous boat trips in Ibiza to get to them. Here is a list of my favorite places to escape from the crowds on the island:

Sa Caleta

It is one of the quietest coves on the island, where you can enjoy a more family atmosphere. For this reason, it is one of the favorites of the locals, who you will find planting their colorful umbrellas from early in the morning.

The cove has a beautiful variety of colors 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 in the TikTok of your trip.

Molí Cove

This cove next to San Antonio has very little influx of public since the beach is pebble, and therefore you will not find hammocks, sun loungers or beach bars. Total peace to rest from the people, if that is what you are looking for, and turquoise waters in which to take a purifying bath.

Jondal Cove

One of the most exclusive coves of the island, chosen by many locals to dock their yacht and spend the day. You will find restaurants and beach bars and will not be the best place to relax, but where to enjoy a festive atmosphere during the day and night.

Bassa Cove

Especially recommended if you are visiting Ibiza with your family, this cove of 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 advantage of this beautiful cove to practice snorkeling.

Book an excursion to Cala Bassa in Ibiza

9. Take a night walk through Dalt Vila, the historic center of Ibiza

Dalt Vila illuminated at night| ©Alex Kulikov
Dalt Vila illuminated at night| ©Alex Kulikov

Dalt Vila is the historic center of Ibiza, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a visit you will enjoy whatever your plan on the island.

The impressive fortifications of the city were the work of Charles V, who had them built in 1500 to defend the settlement from attacks by Berber pirates and the French army. 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 which to begin exploring this beautiful neighborhood. You will find restaurants, art galleries and little shops to stroll around.

During your visit to the city of Ibiza do not miss its majestic cathedral, which receives the beautiful name of Cathedral of the Virgin of the Snows, built on an ancient mosque and mixing Gothic and Baroque style in the nave.

10. Attend an Ibizan festival

Dancers in regional costume| ©Manuel QC
Dancers in regional costume| ©Manuel QC

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 colorful 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 of 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 of May. To attend this celebration, you will have to go to Ibiza's neighboring island, Mallorca, and visit the town of Sóller, where the attack of Turkish pirates on the island in 1561 and how they were repelled by the Mallorcans, in a mock battle with gunfire and fire, is reenacted.

11. Take a road trip around the island

Enjoy the island and its roads| ©MAX LIBERTINE
Enjoy the island and its roads| ©MAX LIBERTINE

Finally, I recommend an experience for which you won't need to organize or plan too much. Rent a car, pack your backpack for a couple of days and take the road along the beach to make a circular route around Ibiza.

It is possible to make a road trip around Ibiza in about five hours, in which you will travel about 192 kilometers 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 finishing 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 kinds of travelers, whether they are looking to party or want to get lost in its beautiful coves. But if you are still deciding the date of your trip, here is a list of the best things to do in Ibiza throughout the year:

And finally, to make the most of your getaway, be sure to check out our guides with the best activities distributed according to the days of your stay in Ibiza: