Cala Sant Vicent, a bay under hills.

A bay closed by green hills

Cala Sant Vicent sits at the mouth of a valley on the north-east coast of Ibiza, in the municipality of Sant Joan de Labritja. Green hills of pine and scrub run down on both sides and meet at the sand, so the bay feels closed rather than open to the horizon. The beach is broad, the water shallow a long way out. Behind it a small settlement of a few low-rise streets follows the valley floor.

The place runs at two speeds. From roughly May to October the sand fills through the middle of the day and the few streets behind it are busy at lunchtime. Outside that window the bay empties, the shutters come down and the approach road carries little traffic. The hills, the sand and the water do not change. There is one road in, and everything else is on foot once the car is parked.

The beach and the water

The sand is wide enough for a crowd to spread out, and the seabed shelves gently, which suits children and less confident swimmers on calm days. The bay opens to the north-east, so it takes more swell than the sheltered south coast; when the wind is up the water can be rough and the sand shifts. In season everything needed sits behind the beach. Out of season the beach is bare and quiet.

Beyond the swimming zone the seabed carries Posidonia oceanica, the Mediterranean seagrass that keeps the water clear and holds the sand in place. The meadows are protected and anchoring over them is regulated under a Balearic decree; in summer some bays have mooring buoys for boats. Swimmers and snorkellers meet the meadows where the sand ends, and the shallow edge is where most damage happens. Do not stand on the plants.

The water is clear because the meadows offshore filter it and hold the sand in place.

Walks and places nearby

Walking is the quiet pleasure here. Lanes and tracks climb out of the bay into the hills, and the inland village of Sant Joan de Labritja sits on the road to the south, with its church and a handful of streets. The north of the island is a patchwork of small fields, dry stone walls and pine. It is walking country rather than hiking country: short routes, uneven ground and heat by midday.

Along the coast, the coves and small resorts of the north-east are within easy reach by car, and the hippy market at Es Canar runs on Wednesdays in season. Portinatx sits at the end of the northern road. Inland, Sant Joan de Labritja keeps a whitewashed church and a quiet square. Santa Eulària, further south, is the nearest town with year-round life: a promenade, a port and shops that stay open in winter.

• Sant Joan de LabritjaInland village with a whitewashed church, a handful of streets and a quiet square.
• PortinatxThe northern road ends at a cluster of small coves and beaches.
• Es CanarThe hippy market runs on Wednesdays in season; check the current day before going.
• Santa EulàriaThe nearest town with year-round shops, a promenade and a port.

Who it suits

Cala Sant Vicent suits families with young children, couples who want quiet, and anyone whose good day ends with a swim and an early dinner. It also suits walkers, because the hills start where the sand stops. It does not suit people who want to step out of a door into bars at midnight, or who prefer a town with pavements, shops and a bus every few minutes. The bay is small and self-contained, and it stays that way.

The trade-off is distance. The bay is a destination rather than a through route, and a car makes an enormous difference: to the beaches, to the inland villages, to the airport run. Without one the stay depends on a seasonal bus and on walking. Anyone who wants town life on the doorstep is better based in Santa Eulària or Eivissa; the north rewards those who accept the quiet. Parking is limited in high season, so a small car helps.

Evenings and food

Food in the bay is simple and mostly fish: grilled sardines, fried squid, rice cooked in the pan, and the Ibizan fish stew, bullit de peix, in the places that keep the old recipes. Kitchens work around the season rather than the clock, and many open only from spring to autumn. Terraces behind the beach fill at lunch and again in the evening. In August, arrive early or wait. Menus are short, which is usually a good sign.

Evenings here are short and early. Dinner is the main event, then a walk along the sand or a drink at one of the few terraces, and by midnight most of the bay is dark and quiet. Nightlife is elsewhere: Sant Antoni and Playa d'en Bossa carry that trade, half an island away. For a wider choice of restaurants, drive to Santa Eulària. The bay does not pretend to be a night out.

• Fish and riceGrilled fish, seafood rice and bullit de peix are the local standbys.
• LunchThe longest meal of the day, taken slowly on a terrace behind the sand.
• Early dinnerMost people eat early and the bay is quiet soon after.
• In seasonMany kitchens open from spring to autumn only; check before counting on one.

Arriving and getting around

Cala Sant Vicent lies about 29.3 km from Ibiza Airport in a straight line, and further by road, because the route runs through Santa Eulària and then north towards Sant Joan de Labritja. Hiring a car at the airport is the straightforward option, and it turns the bay into a base rather than an outpost. The drive crosses the island; allow time for it in summer. Distances on Ibiza are short, but the roads are slow in season.

Buses run to the north, more often in summer and thinly outside it, and the timetables change with the season; the island bus operator publishes the current ones. A taxi from the airport is the other way in, and it is worth arranging a return rather than relying on finding one late in the bay. Neither option gives the freedom a car does. Both need checking before a late arrival, when services thin out.

Once there, distances are short. The beach, the settlement and the start of the paths are all within a few minutes on foot. A car or a bicycle opens the rest of the north: the coves towards Portinatx, the lanes inland, the market at Es Canar. Cycling here is hilly and hot, and the roads are narrow in places, so it suits early starts rather than afternoons. Parking behind the beach is limited in high season, and the approach fills by mid-morning.

• By carHire at the airport and use the bay as a base for the north.
• By busSeasonal services run north; the island bus operator has current times.
• By taxiAvailable from the airport and the main towns; arrange the return in advance.
• ParkingSpace behind the beach is limited in high season; arrive early or park on the approach.

When to go, and what closes

The best months are usually late spring and early autumn. In May the sea is around 18 to 19 °C, in June 22 to 23 °C, in August 25 to 26 °C and in September 23 to 25 °C. July and August bring the crowds and the fullest car parks. June and September give warm water with more room on the sand, and the light is better for walking. The bay is small enough that a busy day still leaves space at the edges.

Out of season the bay changes character. Many businesses close roughly from November to April, so terraces, boat trips and seasonal buses disappear and the beach is left to residents and walkers. Sant Joan de Labritja and Santa Eulària stay open year round, and Eivissa is a short drive for anything missing. Flights and ferries are fewer in winter, so plan the return as carefully as the arrival. A winter visit here is about weather and walking, not swimming.

Visiting lightly

Water is the first thing to think about. Ibiza is dry, and the north has few taps away from the villages, so carry a bottle and refill it where possible rather than buying a new one each day. Take litter back to the village bins. Leave the sand, the stones and the plants where they are, and keep to the paths where the hillsides are fragile. In summer the hills are tinder dry, so smoking and fires are restricted; check local notices.

On the water, the rules matter more than the intentions. Anchoring over Posidonia is regulated, and the meadows that make the bay clear are protected under the UNESCO listing that covers the posidonia between Ibiza and Formentera. Boats should use a mooring buoy where one is installed or anchor on sand. Swimmers can help by not standing on the plants at the edge of the beach. None of this is difficult, and all of it shows by the end of August.