Santa Eulària, a river town.

The shape of the town

Santa Eulària is built around a river mouth, and the water shapes the town. The river comes down from the hills inland, usually with little flow in summer, and meets the sea at the northern end of the centre. From there a promenade follows the shore south past the marina, where sailing boats moor and the town looks back at itself. The town beach sits in the middle of this curve, sheltered by the bay.

Above the river stands the church on the Puig de Missa, a short climb from the bridge. It is whitewashed, with a walled yard and a covered porch, and it was built to serve as a refuge as well as a place of worship. The view from the top takes in the rooftops, the marina, the long beach to the south and, on a clear day, the coast towards the north-east.

The town faces the water along its whole length, and the evening walk is the same one almost everyone takes.

Beaches in and near the town

The town beach is the easiest swim: sand, shallow water and the promenade directly behind it, so the centre is a few steps away. South of town, Cala Llonga is a sheltered cove with a beach that suits small children, backed by pines and a small settlement that fills in summer. Buses run there from the centre in season; check times before relying on them.

North of Santa Eulària the coast turns sandier. Es Canar is a broad bay with a long beach and the Wednesday market at Punta Arabí in season. Further on, Cala Sant Vicent is a wide beach at the end of a valley, with hills behind it and a scatter of houses, popular with walkers and with people staying in the north-east. Both are a short drive from town, and both have buses in summer.

• Town beachSand and shallow water at the centre, with the promenade directly behind it.
• Cala LlongaA sheltered cove south of town, good for small children and reachable by bus in season.
• Es CanarA long sandy bay to the north, with the Punta Arabí market on Wednesdays in season.
• Cala Sant VicentA wide beach at the end of a valley in the north-east, with hills behind it.

Inland villages and markets

Inland from the coast, the land rises into low hills of almond and olive trees, whitewashed villages and narrow lanes. Sant Carles de Peralta is the nearest of these, with a church, a handful of streets and the Saturday market at Las Dalias, which shifts to other days at points in the season, so check before setting out. The roads between the villages are quiet enough for cycling if the day starts early.

The north-east road runs from Santa Eulària through Sant Carles and on to Sant Joan de Labritja and Portinatx, a slow, winding route with views back over the coast. Walking routes cross the same country, and the villages have fountains and shade where the lanes meet. In late winter the almond trees come into flower and the lanes fill with walkers; by summer the same paths are best walked early, before the heat builds and the light hardens.

• Punta ArabíHippy market at Es Canar on Wednesdays in season; check current days.
• Las DaliasSaturday market at Sant Carles; days change through the season, so check first.
• Sant Joan de LabritjaA small village on the north-east road, with a church and quiet lanes.
• Puig de MissaThe church above the river in town, reached on foot in a few minutes.

Who it suits

Santa Eulària suits travellers who want a town rather than a resort: a place with a year-round centre, a market, a marina and a promenade to walk in the evening. Families do well here, because the beach sits inside the town and the water stays shallow, and because the coves of the east coast are a short drive away. Guests without a car manage comfortably, since buses leave from the centre.

It is less suited to anyone who wants nightlife on the doorstep, a single small cove with nothing behind it, or a beach that stays empty in August. Santa Eulària is a working place with schools, offices and a marina, and its beach fills in high summer. For clubs and late bars, Playa d'en Bossa and Ibiza Town are a bus ride or a drive south, on a road that is simple to follow once out of town.

Evenings and food

Evenings in Santa Eulària happen on the promenade. In summer the kitchens along the front and around the marina open late, and the walk between the river mouth and the far end of the beach passes most of them. Fish and rice are the local order, with grilled vegetables and almond pastries from the villages inland. Menus appear in Catalan, Spanish and English, and the pace stays slow even in August.

Out of season the town still eats, but on a smaller scale. The centre stays open through the winter; places along the beach and at the marina close or cut their days roughly from November to April. A Wednesday in February looks nothing like a Wednesday in August. Book nothing on the assumption that a particular kitchen will be open, and ask where you are staying before setting out for somewhere specific.

Getting there from the airport

Ibiza Airport is about 18.7 km from Santa Eulària in a straight line, on the far side of Ibiza Town. The road distance is longer than that, because the route runs through the town or around it, and summer traffic adds time. Car hire at the airport is simple out of season; in July and August, collect the car and leave the airport area early, before the day warms up.

Buses link the airport with Ibiza Town, Santa Eulària and the south beaches, with more lines running in summer than in winter. Routes and timings change with the season, so check the island bus operator's timetable before the flight rather than on the day. Taxis wait outside arrivals, and the fare varies with time and season, so ask before setting off. In high summer the roads around the airport are slow, and the run east is no exception.

• By busIsland buses connect the airport with Santa Eulària; lines and times change with the season.
• By carHire at the airport and drive east via or around Ibiza Town; summer traffic adds time.
• By taxiRanks sit outside arrivals; fares change, so confirm the journey before leaving.

Getting around the east coast

From Santa Eulària, the coast road north reaches Es Canar, Sant Carles and Cala Sant Vicent in a short run, and carries on to Sant Joan de Labritja and Portinatx. South, the road returns to Ibiza Town past Cala Llonga and the turnings for the south beaches. A car makes the coves easier, particularly in the middle of the day when buses thin out; a bicycle works for the inland lanes away from the main road.

Parking in the town centre is limited in summer, and the marina area can fill early in the evening. Buses run from the centre to the beaches and to Ibiza Town, with more services between June and September than in the quieter months; times change, so check the island bus operator. Walking covers the town itself: the promenade, the marina, the river and the climb to the church are minutes apart.

When to go and how to visit lightly

May, June, September and October are the best months on this coast. The sea is typically around 18-19 °C in May and 23-25 °C in September, warm enough for long swims without the August crowds. July and August bring heat, full beaches and the busiest evenings. Winter is quiet: the centre keeps going, but the beach front and the marina empty out, and some places shut entirely.

Much of the tourist business, including many hotels, beach bars, boat trips, seasonal buses and restaurants, closes roughly from November to April. The main towns, Santa Eulària among them, stay open all year. Flights and ferries are fewer in winter, and the boat trips that run in summer simply stop. Plan a winter visit around the town itself, the inland villages and walking, rather than around the water.

The Balearic sustainable tourism tax, often called the ecotasa, is charged per person per night by the accommodation. The rate depends on the type and category of the place and on the season; it is lower in low season and for longer stays, and children under 16 are exempt. Rates change, so check the Govern de les Illes Balears. Anchoring over posidonia meadows is regulated by a Balearic decree, with mooring buoys installed in some bays in summer.