Walk to dinner
Town hotel
Ibiza Town or Santa Eulària. Restaurants, the port and buses at the door; the beach is a short ride.
Before the beach
First the coast. Then the cala.
Ibiza is about 40 km end to end, but each coast keeps different hours. The west faces the sunset, the south keeps the clubs, the north goes to bed early. Where you stay decides your evenings.
Five-star first
Where to
Where to
wake up.
Five-star first, then four-star, then by guest score, from the IMPT hotel database. Every booking through IMPT funds one tonne of verified CO₂ offset. All stays on Ibiza →
The island, pinned where it is.
Each pin sits at its real latitude and longitude. Pick one to see its coast, its distance from the airport, and what it looks like.
Three ways to sleep on the island.
Sand at the step
Beach hotel
On a bay, from the big strands of the south to the small calas of the north. Pick the coast first.
Inland, under the pines
Finca
Restored farmhouses in the interior, often with a pool and an orchard. Quiet nights; plan on a hire car.
By compass
Four coasts, four clocks.
Read them top to bottom. The picture follows whichever coast is in front of you.
The sunset side
Sant Antoni bay, Cala Comte and Cala d'Hort face the evening sun. People gather on the rocks well before it drops.
Sant Antoni · Cala Comte · Cala d'HortSalt and late nights
Playa d'en Bossa, the airport and the clubs, beside the salt pans and dunes of Ses Salines Natural Park.
Ibiza Town · d'en Bossa · Ses SalinesMornings and markets
Sunrise over the water, calm family beaches and the hippy markets. Evenings are slower here.
Santa Eulària · Es CanarPine and quiet
Smaller bays, cliffs and pine forest down to the water. The greenest corner, and the furthest from the airport.
Portinatx · Cala Sant VicentThings to do, coast by coast.
South-west·Calm days
Es Vedrà, from the cliff and the water
A protected rock islet off the south-west coast. Boats circle; nobody lands.
South·All year
Walk the Ses Salines dunes
Juniper, salt pans and a watchtower at the southern tip, inside a natural park.
Coastwide·Summer
Snorkel over posidonia
The seagrass meadows that keep the water clear. Look, don't anchor.
West·Evenings
Sunset at Cala Comte
Shallow water and an open line to the west. Arrive early for a spot.
North·Calm days
Kayak the north coast calas
Small bays under pine, reached most easily from the water.
Ibiza Town·All year
Walk the walls of Dalt Vila
Renaissance ramparts around the old town, part of the UNESCO listing.
South-west·Afternoon
Torre des Savinar walk
A short climb to a watchtower facing Es Vedrà.
East·Wednesdays in season
Punta Arabí hippy market
Stalls under the pines at Es Canar, a tradition since the 1970s.
South-west·Cool mornings
Climb Sa Talaia
A pine-forest walk to the island's highest point, about 475 metres up.
Area matcher
Tell us what you came for. We'll rank the areas.
Pick one or more. Areas score one point per match; ties go to the one closer to the airport.
Protected land and sea
The island you came for is a protected one.
Seagrass meadows, salt pans, dunes and cliffs are protected, and some are part of the UNESCO site listed in 1999. Here is how to visit them and leave them as you found them.
Sea · Blog
Posidonia, the meadow under the water
Why the water is clear, and why anchors are the problem.
Natural park · Area
Ses Salines, salt and dunes
Salt pans, flamingos and juniper at the southern tip.
Reserve · Thing to do
Es Vedrà, from the cliff and the water
Boats circle it; nobody lands.
Green travel · Guide
Travelling lightly on Ibiza
Water, parks, buses and the tourist tax.
When to go
Pick a month. See the island in it.
Sea temperature and sunset are typical mid-month figures, not forecasts. The dot marks the month you are in.
January
15°Csea, around mid-month
17:45sunset, local time
Low season. Quiet, mild and green. Many hotels close; the towns stay open.
On the island this monthSant Antoni Abat, 17 January, the patron festival of Sant Antoni
February
14°Csea, around mid-month
18:20sunset, local time
Low season. Almond blossom in the inland valleys, and nearly empty calas.
On the island this monthAlmond trees flower around Santa Agnès
March
14°Csea, around mid-month
18:50sunset, local time
Low season. Hotels begin to reopen. Good walking weather along the coast paths.
On the island this monthCoast paths at their greenest
April
16°Csea, around mid-month
20:25sunset, local time
Shoulder. Warm in the sun, cool in the sea. Easter brings the first visitors.
On the island this monthEaster processions in Ibiza Town and the villages
May
18°Csea, around mid-month
20:55sunset, local time
Shoulder. The season opens. Beach restaurants are back and the water starts to warm.
On the island this monthMay festival in Santa Eulària, first Sunday of MayOpening parties towards the end of the month
June
22°Csea, around mid-month
21:20sunset, local time
High season. The longest days and the latest sunsets of the year.
On the island this monthNit de Sant Joan, 23 June: bonfires across the island
July
25°Csea, around mid-month
21:15sunset, local time
Peak season. Busy everywhere. Book cars, boats and ferries early.
On the island this monthMare de Déu del Carme, 16 July: boat processions
August
26°Csea, around mid-month
20:45sunset, local time
Peak season. The warmest sea and the busiest month.
On the island this monthFestes de la Terra, early August, in Ibiza TownSant Bartomeu, 24 August, in Sant Antoni
September
25°Csea, around mid-month
20:00sunset, local time
High season. The sea is still warm and the beaches thin out.
On the island this monthThe best month for snorkelling over posidonia
October
22°Csea, around mid-month
19:15sunset, local time
Shoulder. Closing parties, then a quieter island. Still swimmable.
On the island this monthClosing parties early in the month
November
19°Csea, around mid-month
17:45sunset, local time
Low season. A locals' island. Check which hotels are open.
On the island this monthPosidonia leaves start to wash up and protect the beaches
December
16°Csea, around mid-month
17:35sunset, local time
Low season. Mild and quiet. Ibiza Town and Santa Eulària stay open year-round.
On the island this monthChristmas lights and markets in the main towns
Ibiza, municipality by municipality
Eivissa (Ibiza Town)117 stays · Ibiza Town, TalamancaSant Josep de sa Talaia249 stays · Playa d'en Bossa, Ses Salines, Cala Comte, Cala d'HortSant Antoni de Portmany188 stays · Sant AntoniSanta Eulària des Riu240 stays · Santa Eulària, Cala Llonga, Es CanarSant Joan de Labritja76 stays · Cala Sant Vicent, Portinatx
Before you book.
Rules and timetables change. Each answer says where to check the current version.
How do I get from the airport?
Ibiza Airport (IBZ) is about 7 km from Ibiza Town. Taxis wait outside arrivals and buses run to the main towns; check the island bus operator for current timetables.
Do I need a car (Ibiza)?
For Ibiza Town, Sant Antoni and the south, buses and taxis are enough. For fincas, the north, and the smaller calas, a hire car makes life easier.
Is there a tourist tax?
Yes. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night and varies by stay type and season. Your hotel collects it; check the Balearic government site for current rates.
How do I get to Formentera (Ibiza)?
Fast ferries leave Ibiza Town port for La Savina several times a day in season, taking about 30 minutes. Fewer sailings run in winter.
When is the sea warm enough?
Most people find it comfortable from June to October, with the warmest water in August and September.
What does the UNESCO World Heritage listing on Ibiza cover?
The listing, made in 1999 as Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture, covers the posidonia meadows and coastal ecosystems between Ibiza and Formentera, the fortified upper town of Dalt Vila, the Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta and the Phoenician-Punic necropolis of Puig des Molins. These are separate sites, so seeing the listing means visiting more than one place.
What is Ses Salines Natural Park and why does it matter?
Ses Salines Natural Park covers the south of Ibiza, the north of Formentera and the sea between them. It was declared a natural park in 2001 and is a Ramsar-listed wetland where salt is still harvested. The park protects posidonia meadows and the salt pans, so access and anchoring are regulated. Check current rules with the natural park office.
Can you land on Es Vedrà?
No. Es Vedrà is a limestone islet off the south-west coast, about 380 m high, and has been a nature reserve with Es Vedranell and the western islets since 2002. Landing is not allowed. The usual way to see it is from the coast around Cala d'Hort, Cap Llentrisca and the Sa Talaia natural park, where the islet frames the view.
When are the hippy markets at Es Canar and Sant Carles held?
Punta Arabí at Es Canar runs on Wednesdays in season. Las Dalias at Sant Carles runs on Saturdays, with current days to check as schedules change. Both are seasonal, and many stalls and nearby businesses close roughly from November to April. Check the market's own listings before travelling, especially outside the main summer months.
What are the five municipalities of Ibiza?
Ibiza has five municipalities: Eivissa, Sant Josep de sa Talaia, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Santa Eulària des Riu and Sant Joan de Labritja. The island is about 572 km² and roughly 40 km end to end. The municipality names are usually signed in Catalan, so Eivissa is the same town often called Ibiza Town in English.
