Guide to Ibiza

So I’ve written blog posts for a lot of international locations and it struck me that the place I know best and get asked most about is actually that little Mediterranean island I’ve spent a lot of my life on: IBIZA.  Many people ask me for holiday tips so here goes…

When to go

My personal favourite months in Ibiza are just before and just after the summer season i.e. April/May and October/November.  The weather is at the perfect temperature in those months, there’s enough going on events wise yet you avoid the crowds the summer brings.  You can park your car easily, get cheaper prices and get in some relaxing time too.  Other good times to visit include:

June: Summer is well and truly here with all the accompanying events but not as busy as the rest of summer if you avoid opening party week.

January:  New year is great in Ibiza plus the first Saturday of the month brings my favourite party of the year: San Antonio Flower Power.

Where to stay

This depends on your budget and can range from cheap room in a hotel to luxury villa!  Taxi’s are not cheap in Ibiza so I would advise staying where you think you will spend the most time unless you’re hiring a car.  The most popular areas to stay are San Antonio and Playa Den Bossa where you will find plenty of budget accommodation.  Villas are great for big groups but tend to be in more remote locations.  There are also a few budget hostels or you can always use the island campsites if you’re willing to brave the heat of the summer.

Getting around

Taxi: Very pricey in Ibiza but quick and reliable.  Can be long waits during peak hours (e.g. certain party arrival times)

Bus: Buses serve most parts of the island and are reasonably priced.  They include an airport bus and the famous ‘Discobus’ which runs throughout the night every 30 minutes -1 hour between San Antonio and Ibiza Town stopping at all the major clubs.  The Discobus runs off-season Fridays and Saturdays only at less regular times.

Water taxi:  There are some water taxis around the island which are a scenic and relaxing way to cut out walking in the heat particularly if you’re going from San Antonio town to the bay area.

Private boats:  There are many private boat companies that will take you and your friends around the island (or part of it) often including a drinks package.

Tourist boat services:  Only run in summer season to a few beach locations. San Antonio boats run to Cala Bassa, Cala Conte and Cala Gracio.  There is also trips to Es Vedra and back.  From Ibiza Town there are boats to Playa Den Bossa.

Ferry:  Ferries run between Ibiza and Formentera but are expensive costing around 45 euros to return in a day although they are reliable and fast.  There is a cheaper but slightly slower boat service for the summer season called Aquabus that runs from Ibiza port, Figueretas and Playa Den Bossa which is over half the price.

Car hire:  Car hire is the best way to get around Ibiza but can be expensive in the summer months.  Also make sure you read the conditions carefully as there have been cases where people have had to pay out a lot of money for silly reasons.  Parking during the summer season can be very difficult.  Arrive to your destination early to guarantee a spot and be prepared to pay an extortionate rate for the privilege.

Beaches

So many to choose from!  This really depends when you go and what you’re looking for.  I personally prefer a bit of space on the beach to breathe so some of the beautiful beaches that are great for a winter trip I would avoid like the plague in summer therefore I shall break things down in an award like fashion!

Best for posing: Salinas

Best for nudity: Aguas Blancas

Best 0ff-season: Cala Bassa

Best for sunset: Cala Conte (See photo above)

Best for remoteness: Cala Llentrisca

Best for families: Cala Llenya/ Cala Gracioneta

Best hippy vibes: Benirras

But there’s a lot more to explore aswell!  Try: Cala Salada, Cala San Vicente, Cala Llonga, Cala Carbo, Cala Vadella, Cala Tarida, Es Cavallet, the list goes on!

Restaurants

There are many amazing restaurants in Ibiza, in fact way too many to mention so I shall just name a few of my favourites!

Tapas:  Tapas is a local San Antonio favourite and you can’t have a bad experience here. Tapas fusion, great value dishes, amazing cocktails (I particularly recommend the strawberry daiquiri), relaxed dining outside dining area, great for large groups, friendly and efficient staff. (See photo above)

Ritas: San Antonio port.  A locals favourite still going strong after all these years and recent changes.  Great for breakfast and smoothies or sitting people watching with a cafe con leche.  Also their pancakes are a must!

Sa Capella:  Set in a beautiful old monastery near San Antonio, the food is always top quality here.  The service by very well-dressed waiters is impeccable and do not under any circumstances miss their homemade Hierbas de Ibiza at the end of your meal!  Booking in summer is essential.

La Boedga:  Great buzzing atmosphere in Ibiza Town, delicious tapas dishes and wine.  Can’t go wrong! Booking essential.

Es Boldado:  Spectacular view of Es Vedra, serves traditional Ibicencan and Spanish dishes.  I particularly recommend the paella although bullit de peix is also not to be missed! Book ahead!

Comidas bar San Juan:  Doesn’t take bookings, you need to be there waiting for it to open because it’s tasty food at a budget price in Ibiza Town always attracts a crowd, and it is not a large place!  Expect traditional Spanish food.

La Paloma:  Delicious healthy international food in a gorgeous garden setting or lovely dining room.  You’ll need a car to get to this restaurant up in San Lorenzo.

Bar Anita:  Up in San Carlos serving traditional Spanish food in an active post office.  Great atmosphere and good for coffee and cake!

Destino:  This lovely little tapas spot in San Jose never disappoints.  Sit outside and soak up the village atmosphere and eat some seriously tasty tapas dishes. Booking essential.

Seventeen:  Lovely little spot in Siesta that does simply delicious food.  That’s all there is to be said.

The Fish Shack:  This is a little pop up shack every summer that sticks mix n’match tables and chairs on the rocks and serves up amazing fresh fish! Perfect.

Can Tixedo:  Lovely local tapas near San Antonio.  Usually displaying local art and is great for coffee, a few canas or a delicious tapas meal for lunch or dinner.  It’s all good so try them all!

The Olive Tree:  If you’re missing the delights of England then this gastro pub in San Antonio bay is home from home and does the islands best Sunday roast by far!

Casa Colonial:   The food served here is gourmet and really quite special but be prepared to pay accordingly for it.  The surroundings are beautiful and service excellent.  Near Santa Eulalia.

There are so many more amazing restaurants in Ibiza…enjoy!

Sunset

Sunset is a big deal in Ibiza and you need to make sure you see one at least.  Get ready to clap as soon as the sun disappears on the horizon, it’s an Ibiza tradition.

Cafe Del Mar, San Antonio: The Classic.  Everyone should see one sunset here in their lives.  hundreds of people gather to watch it every night with the Cafe Del Mar famous soundtrack.  The atmosphere is electric as people contemplate their day in the sun and their night activities ahead. (See photo above)

Punta Galera:  Otherwise known as Flat Rocks because of the amazing rock formations that lend themselves perfectly to sunbathing and sitting with friends watching the sunset. More secluded than most sunset spots and with the odd random hippy cave dweller to entertain you or make you a mojito.

Kumharas: Right round the bay of San Antonio, Kumharas is always buzzing with life for sunset and often includes some great live music to accompany the sun’s ‘adios’ for the day.  Buy a drink in the bar or simply sit on the rocks in front. Don’t miss a regular performance by island flamenco fusion favourite Paco Fernandez here.

Hostal la Torre:  Arguably the best view of sunset on the island accompanied by dramatic classical music in this bar/restaurant on the rocks.

Sunset Ashram:  This bar/restaurant has the prime position in Cala Conte and you can’t go wrong watching the sunset from here with a shandy.  Always busy with a great atmosphere.  If it’s too crowded then join everyone on the beach or the surrounding coastline which is also gorgeous.

Es Vedra viewpoint:  Es Vedra is the mysterious rock that beams out of the sea next to Ibiza and there’s something incredibly special about it.  Watching the sunset with Es Vedra in view is spectacular.  If you’re there in good time and fancy a walk, make your way up to the pirate tower (sometimes locked) for an extra Wow factor! Read about the many legends surrounding Es Vedra here.

Golden Buddha:  This is a great place to meet friends and relax for sunset, avoiding the bigger crowds of the sunset strip in San Antonio.

Places to party 

Obviously Ibiza knows how to party and there is the best selection of international DJs and parties in the world here in the summer season.  My personal favourites are as follows:  (although these are subject to change yearly with new trends, new nights etc so to get the latest you’ll have to keep your ear to the street!)

Rock Nights at Pikes Hotel:  Intimate and quirky hotel with fun music and a great vibe. Hang out in the garden, dance to some tunes or visit the boudoir for dress up fun! Wednesdays for Rock Nights after the live gig at Ibiza Rocks is my favourite time to go.  Do not miss Sunny’s kareoke bathtub or a crazy piano session.

Nightmares on Wax at Las Dalias:  Always the best live music and vibes at NOW.  A locals favourite in the Las Dalias market. Setting is lovely in the garden or there’s some serious dancing to be done on the sweaty dance floor. (See photo above)

Underground:  Some great DJs play at Underground but without the big price tags.  Again, great outdoor area and some proper music to dance to here! This place is consistently good year after year and doesn’t need to advertise like all its big next door neighbours.

Glitterbox at Space:  It’s Space’s final year and what better way to see it off than dancing about covered in glitter to some classic house tunes? Great vibe, drag queens and sparkle!

Flower Power at Pacha:  Pacha is the prettiest of the super clubs and Flower Power is a long running iconic night playing 60s and 70s music.  Dressing up is a must, you’ll feel silly without it!  Expect lots of fun entertainment throughout the night.  Don’t miss the funky room!

Other big Ibiza clubs include: Amnesia (needs to be done once in your life I would say just to witness the sheer scale of things), Privilege, Es Paradis and of course the original Pacha.

Day trips/Places to visit

San Miguel caves:  These caves are well worth a visit combined with a beach in the north of the island or a walk.

Salinas:  These are the salt marshes of Ibiza and are very pretty at sunset comboned with a beach afternoon at Es Cavellet or Salinas beach.

Dalt Vila:  This is the old town of Ibiza surrounded by fortified walls.  It has narrow, pretty streets with many hidden gems for food and drinks.  Great for wandering around, looking out at views at the top or visiting the museum.

Cap Blanc Aquarium:  Combine this on a walk from San Antonio to Cala Gracio.  This is an aquarium/restaurant/bar.  All the seas creatures are released and re-caught from local waters every year and actually live in caves in the rock in the actual sea.

Waterpark:  Great for a kids (big kids!) day out with waterslides, pools and ice creams available.

Formentera: Ibiza’s little neighbouring island is absolutely gorgeous and worth a day trip.  Go early morning and come back in the evening to make the most of your day.  You can rent a motorbike or bicycle to explore the islands beaches or visit the remote lighthouse.(See photo above)

Markets

Ibiza has some great markets which make a great day trip and you might even pick up something to wear, eat or marvel at!  There are lots of seasonal markets that pop up all over Ibiza for various festivities but here is the lowdown on my favourite regulars:

San Jordi:   Imagine all the weird and wonderful characters in Ibiza and then imagine all the weird and wonderful things they have in their houses…well, at San Jordi on Saturdays these little gems can now be yours!  Set in the hippodrome near the airport, this flea market is very popular with locals out of season and has a cafe for that much needed cerveza break. In the summer it tends to be full of tacky sunglasses and the like but in the winter months you can pick up things you had no idea you needed for bargain prices!

Cala Llenya:  My personal favourite, this is a Sunday flea market with a little more class.  Things can be a little more expensive here but are of better quality and just much cooler.  You’re likely to pick up a cool vintage jacket or pair of cowboy boots here, think second hand hippy chic!  There is also delicious local food served and usually some entertainment in the form of a band.  Couple this market with an afternoon on Cala Llenya beach and you have the perfect day on your hands.

Las Dalias Hippy Market: Another Saturday morning market.  Great atmosphere and excellent quality handmade products but with the matching price tags!  This famous market now even has an online shop so is not always good for the budget but some beautiful things can be found here.  Your shop will usually be accompanied by some live music and a few drinks at the bar.

Money saving tips

There’s no denying it, Ibiza can be ridiculously expensive but it is possible to visit on a budget.  Here are my money-saving tips for those on a budget or just those who don’t want to spend their entire savings in one week!

Club entrance fees can vary from free to 80 euros plus!  Always look for deals or free entry given by promoters usually on the day or the day before on the beach. NEVER pay on the door: you will be charged maximum price.  Some club nights offer free entry before a certain time which may be a good idea.  For popular nights look online and try to scope out the best deal possible.

Drinks – A drink in the big clubs can be up to 18 euros for a spirit and mixer and even a water can be 10 euros!  The only saving grace is that the measures are a lot stronger than in the UK.   Drink before you go is the only advice here as this is a sure-fire way to blow your budget straight off.  Beer and wine in most restaurants and bars are a much cheaper option.

Use buses where possible…it’s a lot easier than you might think and a lot cheaper.

If you want to see big name DJs but not pay the club entrance prices then maybe go to one of the free sunset pre-parties at bars like Mambos.  There are often free beach bar parties on Playa Den Bossa aswell.

If you’re spending a lot on food, then why not eat in?  Ibiza has some amazing fresh fruit and vegetables and excellent seafood options.  If you want to find healthy and organic food try Herbarius in San Antonio.

Remember to take essentials such as water with you to the beach to avoid paying extortionate beach bar prices.  Also why not opt for a simple sarong rather than pay out for sunbeds on the beach…sand is exfoliating!

More advice

Ibiza’s resources are seriously stretched in the summer season so please be careful not to waste water and to recycle as much as possible to help the island and it’s residents have a happy life.  To save money and reduce plastic water bottle waste, refill bottles with water from portable water points on the island such as next to the petrol station in San Rafael.  Whatever you do, do not under any circumstances leave your litter on the beach.

I hope you’ve enjoyed by Ibiza guide.  This is just the tip of the iceberg of things to do in Ibiza but if you’re going on holiday to the island it should keep you quite busy!  For other advice about more specific topics please give me a shout!  Caroline 🙂