Best Things To Do In Ibiza

Ibiza is known for its world-class nightlife. But there’s so much more to do in Ibiza than partying till late in the night. It is one of those incredible Balearic Islands that’s so epic to explore. The Island is pretty diverse and well worth a visit. After visiting Ibiza in 2018 with some girlfriends I had come to find some must see places. I was convinced that Maarten would enjoy the island life just as much as I had and would have a wonderful experience.

So this July we booked some last-minute tickets to Ibiza. Pretty bold move if I say so myself because COVID-19 was still ongoing. Our government allowed travel to other European countries, the COVID numbers looked okay, so we thought why not? We had been quarantining since March and were kind of sick of working from home. Our flight was not cancelled, the hotel we booked stayed open, so 10-days in the sun were waiting for us. Here are my tips to make your Ibiza stay is one to never forget!

Getting to Ibiza

Ibiza is well connected and easy to reach. From some places, it will take some longer to get there, but on average it is quite affordable to reach Ibiza. A ticket from Amsterdam to Ibiza is around a 100 euro’s on average and this is similar in other countries.

Plane: If you want to go with the quickest way to reach Ibiza go by plane. In Europe, most of the larger airports have a direct flight to Ibiza. Otherwise, you will probably have one layover. If you are travelling from further, say outside of Europe, it is likely you will connect flights in a European hub before landing in Ibiza. Our flight from Amsterdam to Ibiza took 2,5 hours without any stops. There are a lot of great deals on flights to Ibiza, so compare cheap flights from hundreds of different airlines and the best travel agents to find the lowest fares all on one site.

Boat: If you are not seasick (like us) you can travel by boat from places like Barcelona and Valencia. There are also boats that go from the other Balearic Islands to Ibiza.

Where to say

This is choice really depends on the ‘type’ of holiday you’re looking for, since there are so many places to stay in Ibiza.

If you want to party: Most of the parties are in Ibiza city, so I would recommend staying in accommodation close to the city if you want to experience the world-class nightlife on the regular.

Relax: The North of the Island is the more relaxed and quieter part of Ibiza. Around Portinatx, Sant Vicent de Sa Cala or Port de Sant Miquel is it easier to get away from the hustle and bustle. Added bonus: the best beaches are in this area. We stayed at Grupotel Ibiza Beach Resort directly on the beach of Portinatx. This adult-only hotel is perfect for couples old and young.

Where to eat

There are so many lovely spots to eat in Ibiza that it is impossible to try them all in a short stay, but I want to share some of my favorites.

• Aiyanna Ibiza: Is a laid-back, luxe beach restaurant from the team behind Amante Ibiza. It is perfectly positioned on the stunning Cala Nova bay. A meal with a view is guaranteed here.
• Zulu Lounge: Right on the beach of Portinatx, can you find this little gem. Good food for a cheaper than average Ibiza meal. We ate there more than once for dinner or a late lunch.
• Giri Cafe: This Mediterranean restaurant is not what I expected! Nestled between old townhouses with a dreamy garden is this luxurious cafe, a must-see. The garden has over fifty different types of plants, chaise lounges for luxuriating in the sun or shade and amazing food to try.
• On the beach: The name says it all, a restaurant on the beach of Cala San Vicente. The restaurant serves amazing dishes and drinks. I visited this place in 2018 and had an amazing afternoon, so I needed to visit this restaurant again.

• Shamarkanda: We drove by this restaurant multiple times from and to our hotel, so we just decided that we should try it. The restaurant is set in a beautiful olive grove with the forest rising above. It has good food, good music and lovely staff. Try to get a table outside in the garden instead of inside. The garden has all these fairy lights so the evenings are pretty magical.
• Sunset Ashram: This restaurant is known as the sunset spot of Ibiza. It is the place to go if you are okay with paying some more money for awesome food and a beautiful view of the sunset.

What to do

1) Visit the beaches

Ibiza has a lot of nice beaches and I visited a new one almost everyday. Here is my top 5 favorite beaches, not necessarily in this order:

1. Cala Portinatx
2. Cala d’Hort
3. Playa Cala Xarraca
4. Cala Nova
5. Cala de Sant Vicent

Hidden gem: Between Cala Portinatx and Playa Cala Xarraca is there alongside the road a path that leads to a small strip of rocky beach. The beach has no name but has a super fun swing and you can climb the rocks to jump off. Park the car along the E-10 near Xarraca Colum and you will find it.

2) Wander the hippy markets

If you want loose flowy pants, knitted tops or a new hat the hippy market is the place to be. It is just one of those must does if you are on the island. There are diffrent markets all over the island. The most poluair ones are:

• Las Dalias Market in San Carlos (Saturdays from 10am till 8pm)
• San Jordi’s Flea market (Saturdays from 9am till 2:30pm)
• Punta Arabí market in Es Caná (Wednesday from 10am till 6pm)
• Sant Joan market (Sundays from 10am till 3pm)
• Playa d’en Bossa artisan street market (Everyday 6pm till 11pm)

The opening times can change based on the season so check before you want to visit one of the markets. Most of the market stalls are still cash only so pin some money before going.

3) Day trip to Formentera

From the port in Ibiza city is it possible to take a ferry to Formentera. Around every half an hour in the high season, a ferry will leave. Most ferries will take you to Formentera in less than 40 minutes. Read “A day trip to Formentera” for the extended guide on what to do on the island.

4) See the sunset

I love a good sunrise but during this holiday we skipped the early mornings and just enjoyed the sunsets. Almost everywhere on the Island are their epic sunset spots. The most popular is Es Vedrà. Es Vedrà is a mini island that is the result of a geological tumble.

5) Time and Space

Time and Space is also known as the Stonehenge. It is an impressive sculpture made from basalt stone from Turkey. The stones are arranged to represent the solar system. The central and largest pillar capped in gold represents the sun.