Juniper, salt pans and a watchtower at the southern tip, inside a natural park.
Coastwide · SummerThe seagrass meadows that keep the water clear. Look, don't anchor.
West · EveningsShallow water and an open line to the west. Arrive early for a spot.
North · Calm daysSmall bays under pine, reached most easily from the water.
Ibiza Town · All yearRenaissance ramparts around the old town, part of the UNESCO listing.
South-west · AfternoonA short climb to a watchtower facing Es Vedrà.
East · Wednesdays in seasonStalls under the pines at Es Canar, a tradition since the 1970s.
South-west · Cool morningsA pine-forest walk to the island's highest point, about 475 metres up.
Ibiza Town · All yearA Phoenician and Punic burial hill and museum, part of the UNESCO site.
South · All yearThe foundations of the first Phoenician settlement on the island, by the sea.
West · MorningsTwo clear-water coves north of Sant Antoni, reached down a pine-lined road.
East · SaturdaysA crafts and clothes market at Sant Carles de Peralta, running since the 1950s as a bar.
The things people come for, the clear water, the dunes and the cliffs, are protected because they are fragile. A few habits keep them that way.
Choose boat trips and rentals that anchor on sand or use mooring buoys. Anchors dragged through posidonia destroy meadows that grow only a few centimetres a year.
Keep your distance from nesting seabirds on the islets, and take everything you bring back to shore.
Stay on marked paths in the natural parks. Dunes are fenced for a reason: the plants that hold them together break easily.
Fire risk is high in summer. Smoking and barbecues in forest areas are restricted, and the rules are enforced.
Leave dead posidonia leaves where they lie. The banks protect the sand from winter storms.
Don't take sand, shells or stones home. On busy beaches, use the bins provided or carry rubbish out.
Buses reach many beaches in summer, and some popular calas limit car access in high season. Arriving early or by bus avoids the worst of the traffic.
For Formentera, a bike from the port is easier than a car and the island is flat.
No. It is a nature reserve, and boats circle rather than land.
Wherever there is posidonia and rock: Cala Comte, the north coast calas and the waters off Ses Salines are good starting points.
In July and August, yes. Ask operators how and where they anchor.
The big hippy markets run in season. Check current days before you go.
Either. Fast ferries take about 30 minutes, so a day works, but a night or two lets you see it after the day boats leave.
Dalt Vila is the walled old town above Ibiza Town port, with 16th-century Renaissance walls and the cathedral at the top. Allow a half day to walk the streets, walls and viewpoints. The route is steep and cobbled, so go early or late in hot weather and carry water. Some buildings keep limited hours, so check with the Consell d'Eivissa.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site covers Sa Caleta and Puig des Molins as well as Dalt Vila. Sa Caleta is the Phoenician settlement on the south coast; Puig des Molins is the necropolis beside Ibiza Town. Both are protected archaeological sites with limited access, so check opening days and any guided visits with the Consell d'Eivissa before setting out.
Many hotels, beach bars and boat trips close roughly from November to April, but the main towns stay open. Walking in Ses Salines Natural Park, exploring Dalt Vila and visiting the Phoenician sites can fill a winter or spring break. Flights and ferries are fewer, and some sites keep shorter hours, so check with the Consell d'Eivissa and the natural park office.
The salt pans lie within Ses Salines Natural Park, and salt is still harvested there. Routes on foot and by bike cross the wetland, with birdlife and open water. Access, parking and path closures change with wildlife and harvest work, so check with the natural park office before setting out. Carry water and sun protection.
Half a minute of Ibiza, from the old town of Dalt Vila to the coves and headlands of the coast.
Captions are built in; the transcript is on the Ibiza page.
Video: JUAN CARLOS NAVALON SANCHEZ, Steven HAuse, Haseeb Ahmad, Josh Tavernier, Boris Ivas, Luca Musella on Pexels
