Every Wednesday in season, the pines at Es Canar fill with stalls, food and music. Punta Arabí has been part of the island's summer since the 1970s.
Wednesdays in seasonbest time
Es Canarnearest area to stay
23.5 kmfrom IBZ, straight line
Punta Arabí is the long-running hippy market at Es Canar, on Ibiza's east coast, held under the pines on Wednesdays through the season. Stalls sell clothing, leather, jewellery, ceramics and food, with music through the day. It is a morning out, best done slowly and early, before the heat and the crowd arrive. Nothing is indoors; the trees do the work that a roof would do elsewhere.
01
What the market is
Punta Arabí is an open-air market held under the pine trees at Es Canar, on the east coast of Ibiza. It began in the 1970s, when the island's hippy community turned leatherwork, jewellery and craft into a summer trade, and it has kept that shape: rows of stalls in deep shade, food, music and a crowd that mixes residents, long-stay visitors and day trippers. Nothing here is indoors. The pines are the roof, and in high summer that shade is the reason people linger.
The stalls sell what the island's craft scene has always sold, plus a good deal more: cotton clothing, leather bags and belts, silver and beaded jewellery, ceramics, woven baskets, printed textiles, soaps and small pieces of furniture. The range is wide and quality varies, and the best stalls are usually the ones where the maker is sitting at the table. Food and drink are sold on site, and there is live music through the day. Most of it fits in a shoulder bag, and larger pieces can often be sent on.
Stalls in the shade of pines: the market has looked like this since the 1970s.
02
How to get to Es Canar
Es Canar sits on the coast in the municipality of Santa Eulària, north of the town of the same name. The market spreads through the pines at the edge of the village, a short walk from the beach and the small streets behind it, so the last part of the journey is on foot. Roads into Es Canar are busy on market mornings and parking near the site fills early. Allow more time than the map suggests.
Buses from Santa Eulària and Eivissa serve Es Canar, with more departures in summer than in winter; check the island bus operator for current times and for the last bus back. From the airport, take the bus towards Santa Eulària and change there. Taxis are available but demand is high on Wednesdays, so book a return or plan to wait. Driving from Eivissa, the inland road through Sant Carles de Peralta is the slower, quieter option.
By busServices run from Santa Eulària and Eivissa in season; check the island bus operator for times.
By carThe road north from Santa Eulària is the direct approach; expect slow traffic on market mornings.
On footIf you are staying in Es Canar, walk; the site sits at the edge of the village.
ParkingSpaces near the market go early, and parking further out means a longer walk in the heat.
The view north from the end of Es Canar, Ibiza03
The best time to arrive
The market runs on Wednesdays through the season, and the first hour is the calmest. Come when it opens: the aisles are still clear, the shade is cool, and stallholders have time to talk. By late morning the site fills, and from midday the heat under the pines is real even in the shade. Plan to be finished, or to be sitting with a drink, by early afternoon. Wear a hat and carry water; there are few places to sit out of the sun once the crowd arrives.
The season matters more than the hour. The market operates through the main visitor season, roughly late spring to early autumn, and the exact dates shift from year to year. Outside those months the site is quiet and the stalls are packed away. If you are travelling at the edges of the season, in April, May, October or November, confirm the day before making the journey. A Wednesday in August is a different event from a Wednesday in June: busier, hotter, louder.
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How to do the market
Treat it as a slow walk, not a shopping list. The site is big enough that a first circuit without buying anything saves time: note stall numbers, compare what is on offer, then go back. Keep to the shaded rows and follow the edge of the pines when the middle becomes congested. Set a meeting point if you are in a group, because phone signal and noise make finding each other difficult. Start at the far end and work back towards the entrance, and the aisles stay clearer.
Buying is a conversation. Ask what a piece is made of, where it comes from and whether it can be adjusted; makers generally welcome the question and it is a better use of time than bargaining hard on handmade work. Ask before photographing a stall or a person. Cash is the simplest way to pay at many stalls, though card readers are increasingly common. If a purchase is fragile or large, ask about packing and transport before paying, not after.
05
How to tread lightly
The market sits under mature pines on sandy ground, and it works only because the site is left much as it is found. Take everything away with you, including fruit skins and small wrappers that feel harmless. Refuse plastic bags and straws where you can, refill a bottle before you arrive, and use the bins at the edges of the site rather than the gaps between stalls. A refillable bottle is the single most useful thing in your bag on a hot Wednesday.
The rest is ordinary courtesy. The stalls are people's livelihood, not a backdrop: greet the stallholder, do not move stock to take a photograph, and keep phone calls short and quiet. Children and dogs move through the crowd at knee height, so watch where you step. Drivers should park where it is legal and walk, rather than stopping on the verges of the lanes around Es Canar. The lanes behind the market are narrow, and a car left on a verge blocks a bus.
WasteTake it with you; the site has bins but not enough for a busy Wednesday.
PlasticSay no to bags and straws; a cloth bag and a refillable bottle cover most needs.
PhotographsAsk first, and never move a maker's stock to improve the frame.
ParkingUse legal spaces and walk; the lanes around Es Canar are narrow.
Vendors and stalls at a street market on Ibiza
Protect itThe pines give the market its shade and its character. Carry your rubbish out, refuse single-use plastic and leave the ground under the trees as you found it.
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What to bring
A refillable water bottle, a hat and sun cream are the basics; shade under the pines is good but not complete. Bring a cloth bag or two for purchases, and something to wrap anything fragile. Comfortable shoes matter more than they sound, because the ground is sandy and uneven and you will be on your feet. Cash in small notes makes buying simpler at the stalls that do not take cards. A light long-sleeved shirt helps against sun and insects in the late afternoon.
Leave behind what you will not need: heavy shopping bags, valuables you would have to watch, and anything that makes a narrow aisle harder for others. If you are buying ceramics or glass, ask for packing at the stall and plan how the piece will travel home. A written list of sizes, colours or measurements saves a second walk across the site. Keep a card with the stall's details if a piece needs to be sent later, and photograph the item before it is wrapped.
WaterBring a refillable bottle; the walk is warm even in the shade.
BagsOne or two cloth bags, plus something to wrap glass and ceramics.
ShoesThe ground is sandy and uneven; sandals with a back strap are enough.
CashSmall notes make payment quicker where cards are not accepted.
ListSizes and measurements, written down, save a return trip.
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What is nearby
Es Canar itself has a beach, a small centre and a seafront that stays quiet outside market days. Cala Nova and Cala Martina lie close by, both small coves that fill early in summer. North along the coast, the road runs towards Sant Carles de Peralta, a village of white houses inland with its own market at Las Dalias on Saturdays, a different scale and a different mood. Ses Salines and the old town of Eivissa are further south, worth another day of their own.
Santa Eulària, south along the coast, has a promenade, a church on a hill and a working town centre that stays open all year. Inland, the lanes between Sant Carles and Sant Joan de Labritja are good for a slow drive or a bike ride, with fig trees, stone walls and very little traffic. The north coast beaches, Cala Sant Vicent and Portinatx among them, are a longer drive from here. Booking a table for lunch is wise on market day, when the coast fills.
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Practical notes
The market is a seasonal event, and much of Es Canar's tourist business closes from about November to April. Outside the season, check before travelling: days, opening hours and the number of stalls all change, and the village is very quiet. Within the season, Wednesday is the busiest day of the week locally, so plan meals, parking and the return journey around the crowd rather than against it. Wear shoes you can walk in and expect to stand more than you sit.
Payments vary by stall, so carry some cash even if you plan to use a card. Weather can close the site or thin the stalls; a summer storm or a strong wind off the sea changes the day, so check the forecast before setting out. The tourist tax is charged by accommodation, not at the market, and rates change, so check the Balearic government pages if you want the detail. For anything that changes, the local source beats the guidebook: ask in Es Canar or check the island's official listings.
DaysWednesdays in season; confirm the current schedule before a journey out of season.
WeatherSummer storms and strong wind can change the day; check the forecast.
CashCard readers are not universal; carry small notes.
ReturnCheck the last bus back before you start browsing.
Check before you goSeason dates, market days and bus timetables all change. Confirm the Wednesday schedule locally and check the island bus operator before you plan a day around the market.
Where to wake up
Stays near Punta Arabí hippy market
Stays near Punta Arabí hippy market: the first 6 of 51 stays in the IMPT hotel database in or close to Es Canar, the nearest area to Punta Arabí hippy market, five-star first, then four-star, then by guest score. Each button opens live prices for your dates in the IMPT app.
It is an open-air market held under the pine trees at Es Canar, on the east coast of Ibiza, on Wednesdays through the season. Stalls sell clothing, leather, jewellery, ceramics and food, and there is music through the day. It began in the 1970s and has stayed outdoors, in the shade, ever since.
Which day is the Punta Arabí hippy market held?
Wednesday, through the main season. The season's start and end shift from year to year, so a Wednesday in April or late October is not guaranteed. Check the current schedule locally or with the island's official listings before you build a day around it, and remember that most seasonal business in Es Canar closes over the winter.
Where exactly is the Punta Arabí market?
At Es Canar, in the municipality of Santa Eulària, on Ibiza's east coast. The stalls spread through the pines at the edge of the village, a short walk from the beach and the small streets behind it. The last part of any journey is on foot, and roads into the village are slow on market mornings.
How do you reach the Punta Arabí market without a car?
Buses connect Es Canar with Santa Eulària and Eivissa, with more departures in summer than in winter. From the airport, take the bus towards Santa Eulària and change there. Check the island bus operator for current times and for the last return, which matters if you plan to stay for the afternoon.
When is the best time to arrive at the Punta Arabí market?
When it opens. The first hour is the calmest: clear aisles, cooler air and stallholders with time to talk. By late morning the site fills, and from midday the heat is real even in the shade. Aim to be finished, or sitting with a drink, by early afternoon.
Is the Punta Arabí market open outside the summer season?
Generally not. It is a seasonal market, and much of the tourist business in Es Canar closes from about November to April. The season's exact dates change, so a spring or autumn visit needs checking rather than assuming. Out of season the village is quiet and the ground under the pines is empty.
What can you buy at the Punta Arabí market?
Clothing in cotton and linen, leather bags and belts, silver and beaded jewellery, ceramics, woven baskets, printed textiles, soaps and small pieces of furniture. Quality varies by stall, and the best are usually the ones where the maker sits at the table. Food and drink are sold on site, and larger pieces can often be sent on.
Is the Punta Arabí market good for children?
Yes, with the usual cautions. The site is flat and largely free of traffic, but the crowd is dense by midday, the ground is sandy and uneven, and the heat under the pines builds. Go early, keep hold of small children in the narrow aisles, and set a meeting point if the group splits up.
How does the Punta Arabí market differ from Las Dalias?
Punta Arabí fills the pines at Es Canar on Wednesdays, with a broad spread of stalls across a large site. Las Dalias, inland at Sant Carles de Peralta, runs on its own days and has a different feel. The two can be spread across a week, but both are seasonal, so check before travelling.
