Long known for being the world’s club-scene queen, Ibiza has quietly grown into a dreamy destination for culture-loaded city breaks, romantic country escapes, fun-filled family holidays, outdoor-adventure activities, zen-fueled retreats, and much more. Visiting the Balearics’ endlessly irresistible White Isle outside the Mediterranean’s high season (July/August) reveals a slower pace of island life, and each month brings its own beauty, from the winter almond blossom to the September wine harvest.
Ibiza is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is 150 kilometres (93 miles) from the city of Valencia and is the third largest of the Balearic Islands in area, but the second-largest by population. Its largest settlements are Ibiza Town, Santa Eulària des Riu, and Sant Antoni de Portmany.
Ibiza is well known for its nightlife and electronic dance music club scene in the summer, which attract large numbers of tourists. Ibiza is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Phoenician colonists called the island "Fragrance Island", likely due the abundance of aromatic plants.
In 654 BC, Phoenician settlers founded a port on Ibiza. With the decline of Phoenicia after the Assyrian invasions, Ibiza came under the control of Carthage. The island produced dye, salt, fish sauce (garum) and wool and was a major trading post along the Mediterranean routes.
Rome attacked in 217 BC but Ibiza negotiated a favourable treaty with the Romans, which spared Ibiza from further destruction and allowed it to continue its Carthaginian institutions, traditions and even coinage well into the Empire days, when it became an official Roman municipality.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire and a brief period of first Vandal and then Byzantine rule, the island was conquered by the Muslims in 902, the few remaining locals converted to Islam and Berber settlers came in.
The Crown of Aragon took the island in 1235 and the local Muslim population was deported, as was the case with neighbouring Majorca, and Christians arrived from Girona. The arrival of democracy in the late 1970s led to the Statute of Autonomy of the Balearic Islands. Today, the island is part of the Balearic Autonomous Community, along with Majorca, Menorca and Formentera.
Large portions of the island are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and there are unique sites to visit such as the Renaissance walls of the old town of Ibiza City, one of the world's few Renaissance walls that were not demolished, and part of the medieval wall is still visible. Ibiza is chock full of things to do.
Ibiza is well known for its nightlife and electronic dance music club scene in the summer, which attract large numbers of tourists. Ibiza is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Phoenician colonists called the island "Fragrance Island", likely due the abundance of aromatic plants.
In 654 BC, Phoenician settlers founded a port on Ibiza. With the decline of Phoenicia after the Assyrian invasions, Ibiza came under the control of Carthage. The island produced dye, salt, fish sauce (garum) and wool and was a major trading post along the Mediterranean routes.
Rome attacked in 217 BC but Ibiza negotiated a favourable treaty with the Romans, which spared Ibiza from further destruction and allowed it to continue its Carthaginian institutions, traditions and even coinage well into the Empire days, when it became an official Roman municipality.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire and a brief period of first Vandal and then Byzantine rule, the island was conquered by the Muslims in 902, the few remaining locals converted to Islam and Berber settlers came in.
The Crown of Aragon took the island in 1235 and the local Muslim population was deported, as was the case with neighbouring Majorca, and Christians arrived from Girona. The arrival of democracy in the late 1970s led to the Statute of Autonomy of the Balearic Islands. Today, the island is part of the Balearic Autonomous Community, along with Majorca, Menorca and Formentera.
Large portions of the island are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and there are unique sites to visit such as the Renaissance walls of the old town of Ibiza City, one of the world's few Renaissance walls that were not demolished, and part of the medieval wall is still visible. Ibiza is chock full of things to do.
Roam around Unesco-listed Dalt Vila, Ibiza Town's historic centre
Awash with cobbled streets, intriguing monuments, and laundry-strewn balconies,Ibiza Town’s magnificent fortified historical core was originally settled by the Phoenicians, and was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site back in 1999. Wander through the 16th-century ramparts until you reach the elegant hilltop cathedral of 14th-century Catalan Gothic origin and millennium-old castle. Time-travel to Moorish Ibiza at the Centre d’Interpretació Madina Yabisa and don’t miss nearby Ses Feixes, the ingeniously irrigated croplands created in Moorish times. The cutting-edge Museu d’Art Contemporani d’Eivissa, set in a converted 18th-century building, hosts excellent temporary exhibitions, while the neighboring Necròpolis Puig des Molins reveals Ibiza’s Phoenician roots. There are some fabulous restaurants hidden away in Dalt Vila, too, and off Ibiza Town’s yacht-filled waterfront.
Awash with cobbled streets, intriguing monuments, and laundry-strewn balconies,Ibiza Town’s magnificent fortified historical core was originally settled by the Phoenicians, and was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site back in 1999. Wander through the 16th-century ramparts until you reach the elegant hilltop cathedral of 14th-century Catalan Gothic origin and millennium-old castle. Time-travel to Moorish Ibiza at the Centre d’Interpretació Madina Yabisa and don’t miss nearby Ses Feixes, the ingeniously irrigated croplands created in Moorish times. The cutting-edge Museu d’Art Contemporani d’Eivissa, set in a converted 18th-century building, hosts excellent temporary exhibitions, while the neighboring Necròpolis Puig des Molins reveals Ibiza’s Phoenician roots. There are some fabulous restaurants hidden away in Dalt Vila, too, and off Ibiza Town’s yacht-filled waterfront.
Explore the secluded north coast
The rugged, rustic, under-explored north is arguably the most beautiful part of the island. Sweeping pine-scented hills give way to tiny white-walled villages and cliff-edged coves only reachable by hiking. Mellow Sant Joan de Labritja is the northern hub (with cafes, hotels, and a farmers market), from where you can head out to the candy-striped Portinatx lighthouse, the former smugglers’ hideout Cova de Can Marçà (great for kids), and a clutch of refreshingly quiet swimming spots - Port de Ses Caletes, Es Portitxol, Cala d’Aubarca. Don’t miss the remote wine-making village of Sant Mateu d’Aubarca or isolated Santa Agnès de Corona, where the almond trees bloom in January/February. A wonderfully rewarding way to explore northern Ibiza is on horseback with Ibiza Horse Valley, which rehabilitates abandoned and mistreated Spanish horses.
The rugged, rustic, under-explored north is arguably the most beautiful part of the island. Sweeping pine-scented hills give way to tiny white-walled villages and cliff-edged coves only reachable by hiking. Mellow Sant Joan de Labritja is the northern hub (with cafes, hotels, and a farmers market), from where you can head out to the candy-striped Portinatx lighthouse, the former smugglers’ hideout Cova de Can Marçà (great for kids), and a clutch of refreshingly quiet swimming spots - Port de Ses Caletes, Es Portitxol, Cala d’Aubarca. Don’t miss the remote wine-making village of Sant Mateu d’Aubarca or isolated Santa Agnès de Corona, where the almond trees bloom in January/February. A wonderfully rewarding way to explore northern Ibiza is on horseback with Ibiza Horse Valley, which rehabilitates abandoned and mistreated Spanish horses.
Escape it all at a peaceful agroturisme
Soul-soothing, hidden-away agroturismes are an Ibizan speciality – beautiful old farmhouses reimagined as inspiring rural hotels, fusing original beams and whitewashed walls with creative design and home-cooked meals fueled by their Balearic gardens. The options are endless, from charmingly rustic hideouts (perhaps Can Fuster in Sant Joan) to luxurious, spa-haven boltholes, including boho-chic Atzaró near Sant Llorenç and garden-ringed Can Curreu in Sant Carles. Many agroturismes host yoga, fitness, wellness, and cooking retreats, too.
Soul-soothing, hidden-away agroturismes are an Ibizan speciality – beautiful old farmhouses reimagined as inspiring rural hotels, fusing original beams and whitewashed walls with creative design and home-cooked meals fueled by their Balearic gardens. The options are endless, from charmingly rustic hideouts (perhaps Can Fuster in Sant Joan) to luxurious, spa-haven boltholes, including boho-chic Atzaró near Sant Llorenç and garden-ringed Can Curreu in Sant Carles. Many agroturismes host yoga, fitness, wellness, and cooking retreats, too.
Dive into Ibizan wines
If you thought Ibiza’s dusty landscapes weren’t grape-growing territory, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the handful of outstanding wineries sprinkled around the northwest. Earthy reds made from local monastrell and garnatxa grapes are the stars, and malvasía ibicenca whites and rosés are increasingly popular too.
Most of Ibiza’s vineyards offer tours, tastings, and tapas pairings; you’ll usually need to book ahead. Jump in at organic-fired Can Rich near Sant Antoni, which also produces olive oil, and respected Ibizkus outside Santa Gertrudis, where the focus is on recuperating old monastrell vines. Over on Formentera, family-owned Terramoll is reviving organic autochthonous grapes.
If you thought Ibiza’s dusty landscapes weren’t grape-growing territory, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the handful of outstanding wineries sprinkled around the northwest. Earthy reds made from local monastrell and garnatxa grapes are the stars, and malvasía ibicenca whites and rosés are increasingly popular too.
Most of Ibiza’s vineyards offer tours, tastings, and tapas pairings; you’ll usually need to book ahead. Jump in at organic-fired Can Rich near Sant Antoni, which also produces olive oil, and respected Ibizkus outside Santa Gertrudis, where the focus is on recuperating old monastrell vines. Over on Formentera, family-owned Terramoll is reviving organic autochthonous grapes.
Get a taste of rural Ibiza
Worlds away from the beachy coastal scene, inland Ibiza unravels in a swirl of pine forests, narrow roads, and unhurried villages where fortified churches await on shady plazas. As well as northern Ibiza’s villages, seek out Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera, home to several top restaurants, Sant Carles de Peralta, for its hippy market and 18th-century church, Sant Llorenç de Balàfia, where dining at La Paloma is a highlight, and southwestern Sant Josep de sa Talaia with its buzzy cafes.
Worlds away from the beachy coastal scene, inland Ibiza unravels in a swirl of pine forests, narrow roads, and unhurried villages where fortified churches await on shady plazas. As well as northern Ibiza’s villages, seek out Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera, home to several top restaurants, Sant Carles de Peralta, for its hippy market and 18th-century church, Sant Llorenç de Balàfia, where dining at La Paloma is a highlight, and southwestern Sant Josep de sa Talaia with its buzzy cafes.
Wander the markets
Join the local-produce scene each morning at Ibiza Town’s lively 19th-century Mercat Vell, which bursts with just-baked bread, fresh flowers, Balearic cheeses, and other organic island-sourced treats. Most Ibizan towns host their own weekly farmers' markets; one of the most exciting happens on Sunday mornings in Sant Joan, with musicians and craft stalls also cramming into the whitewashed village square.
Ibiza’s beloved hippy markets, meanwhile, are the perfect place to feel the island’s bohemian heritage, hear the bongo-drum beat and pick up handmade crafts (embroidered bags, pattern-painted ceramics). Best-known is Las Dalias, which takes over Sant Carles on Saturdays. And Ibiza’s original hippy market, founded in the 1970s, is still going strong at Punta Arabí on Wednesday evenings in season.
Join the local-produce scene each morning at Ibiza Town’s lively 19th-century Mercat Vell, which bursts with just-baked bread, fresh flowers, Balearic cheeses, and other organic island-sourced treats. Most Ibizan towns host their own weekly farmers' markets; one of the most exciting happens on Sunday mornings in Sant Joan, with musicians and craft stalls also cramming into the whitewashed village square.
Ibiza’s beloved hippy markets, meanwhile, are the perfect place to feel the island’s bohemian heritage, hear the bongo-drum beat and pick up handmade crafts (embroidered bags, pattern-painted ceramics). Best-known is Las Dalias, which takes over Sant Carles on Saturdays. And Ibiza’s original hippy market, founded in the 1970s, is still going strong at Punta Arabí on Wednesday evenings in season.
Dig into history-rich Santa Eulària des Riu
Clinging to the east coast, Ibiza’s laid-back third-largest town, Santa Eulària, is thought to date from Roman times. The morning sun casts its hazy light across Puig de Missa, the gleaming-white hillside old town, crowned by a 16th-century fortified church where people once took refuge from pirate attacks. Make sure you check out the intriguing museums here – the Museu Etnogràfic is set in a typical casa payesa (farmhouse) – and pack your beach gear for a post-exploration dip at pine-fringed Cala Mastella or sapphire Cala Pada.
Clinging to the east coast, Ibiza’s laid-back third-largest town, Santa Eulària, is thought to date from Roman times. The morning sun casts its hazy light across Puig de Missa, the gleaming-white hillside old town, crowned by a 16th-century fortified church where people once took refuge from pirate attacks. Make sure you check out the intriguing museums here – the Museu Etnogràfic is set in a typical casa payesa (farmhouse) – and pack your beach gear for a post-exploration dip at pine-fringed Cala Mastella or sapphire Cala Pada.
Chase the sunset
Gazing out on the Balearic Sea as it blends into a fiery orange-pink sunset is an unmissable Ibiza moment. Walk up to the 18th-century Torre des Savinar watchtower to see the show over the mystery-wrapped islet of Es Vedrà, off southwest Ibiza’s golden-ochre cliffs; there are equally magical views from nearby Cala d’Hort. On Sundays, silver-tinged Benirràs beach on the north coast hosts a sunset-drumming session, while DJ-led Hostal La Torre and boho-chic Sunset Ashram are good-vibes sunset-watching spots along the west coast.
Gazing out on the Balearic Sea as it blends into a fiery orange-pink sunset is an unmissable Ibiza moment. Walk up to the 18th-century Torre des Savinar watchtower to see the show over the mystery-wrapped islet of Es Vedrà, off southwest Ibiza’s golden-ochre cliffs; there are equally magical views from nearby Cala d’Hort. On Sundays, silver-tinged Benirràs beach on the north coast hosts a sunset-drumming session, while DJ-led Hostal La Torre and boho-chic Sunset Ashram are good-vibes sunset-watching spots along the west coast.
Drink in the views at Ses Salines
Ibiza’s exquisite southeast corner revolves around the 168-sq-km (65-sq-mile) Parc Natural de Ses Salines, a Unesco-protected wonderland of pine-dusted cliffs, silky blonde beaches, shimmering salt flats, and underwater Posidonia meadows stretching across to Formentera. With buzzing restaurant-bars and wild golden-white sands, Platja de Ses Salines and LGBTQI-friendly Es Cavallet rank among Ibiza’s top beaches (arrive early to park), and you can hike to the 18th-century Torre de Ses Portes watchtower on Ibiza’s southern tip. At sunset, the ancient salt pans glow purple-pink; Experimental Beach is a dreamy sundowner spot. From August to October, you’ll spot flocks of flamingos here.
Ibiza’s exquisite southeast corner revolves around the 168-sq-km (65-sq-mile) Parc Natural de Ses Salines, a Unesco-protected wonderland of pine-dusted cliffs, silky blonde beaches, shimmering salt flats, and underwater Posidonia meadows stretching across to Formentera. With buzzing restaurant-bars and wild golden-white sands, Platja de Ses Salines and LGBTQI-friendly Es Cavallet rank among Ibiza’s top beaches (arrive early to park), and you can hike to the 18th-century Torre de Ses Portes watchtower on Ibiza’s southern tip. At sunset, the ancient salt pans glow purple-pink; Experimental Beach is a dreamy sundowner spot. From August to October, you’ll spot flocks of flamingos here.
Dance into the night
Few places rival Ibiza’s dance-until-dawn hype, whether you’re keen to catch the world’s top DJs at glamorous Pacha (the original Ibiza megaclub), go daytime-clubbing at uber-chic Ushuaïa, sip cocktails with a blazing sunset, relax at Ibiza Town’s lower-key terrace bars, or hit the LGBTQI+ clubs along Carrer de la Mare de Déu. Big-name DJs move around every season, so check who’s playing where.
Few places rival Ibiza’s dance-until-dawn hype, whether you’re keen to catch the world’s top DJs at glamorous Pacha (the original Ibiza megaclub), go daytime-clubbing at uber-chic Ushuaïa, sip cocktails with a blazing sunset, relax at Ibiza Town’s lower-key terrace bars, or hit the LGBTQI+ clubs along Carrer de la Mare de Déu. Big-name DJs move around every season, so check who’s playing where.
