While the foundations of Ibiza’s fame are largely built on its clubbing roots, increasingly people are cottoning on to the island’s many faces – it’s not all expensive bottles of water, sticky dance floors and sunsets (though you can never really have too many of these). Indeed, to unearth the real charm of this fair Balearic isle requires getting off the beaten track where lush, rolling green hills and pine forests alive with the song of cicadas quieten the mind and ease the soul. There’s plenty to Ibiza besides techno, and you needn’t look far to find it.
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Best for culture
Ibiza markets
£ | lasdalias.es; mercadillodesantjordi.com
There’s a market for every mood on Ibiza. From the unashamedly kitsch goods on sale at the hippie market in Es Cana to the handmade wares available at Las Dalias near San Carlos, it’s a bona-fide magpie’s paradise. For a more local experience, head to the sprawling San Jordi market on a Saturday, a giant car boot sale selling second-hand clothes, furniture and all manner of things you never knew you wanted. On Sunday, head for the sleepy village of San Juan, where there’s live music and paella from 12pm.
Santa Gertrudis
Free | visitsantaeulalia.com
Think of the classic Mediterranean scene and likely it features sunny, picturesque courtyards peppered with friends chatting animatedly over coffee. This vision comes to life in Santa Gertrudis, a vibrant village at the heart of Ibiza with a constantly bustling main square. Here, people spend hours watching a constant parade of characters while savouring their daily caffeine kick. For prime front row viewing head to Bar Costa, possibly the most famous sandwich bar on the island, and order an Iberico ham bocadillo, or simply a plate of cured meats. The paintings hanging indoors were exchanged for food by customers during the Seventies.
The Last Supper Club
££ | instagram.com/thelastsupperclub
There’s something timelessly charming about dining in nature, with the velvety sky twinkling above and the sound of birds chirruping wildly from nearby branches. And that’s the secret to success for The Last Supper Club, which pops up in different, idyllic locations all across Ibiza on surprise dates throughout summer. Tunes are provided by a local DJ, food tastes fabulous and is served with just the right amount of performance, and the company is always varied, making for spirited conversation everywhere you look. Take a jacket because Mediterranean nights can still get nippy.
Juntos Farm
££ | juntosibiza.com
Despite appearances to the contrary, wholesome activities aren’t hard to come by in Ibiza, and a visit to Juntos Farm, which supplies produce for the stunning farm-to-table restaurant Juntos House, is high on the list. Sat among 20 hectares of formerly abandoned land, this regenerative farm aims to reinvigorate soil health and biodiversity – processes you can learn about during detailed daily tours. You can also get your hands dirty on family harvest days, when kids can experience the joys of plucking ingredients fresh from the ground and branch before sampling them on the plate.
Don’t miss the opportunity for a cuddle with one of the farm’s resident Malagueña goats, which are free to graze among the margins between crops.
Bloop Festival
Free | instagram.com/bloopfestival
This world-leading art festival has been brightening up the streets of Ibiza since 2011. Taking place over a two-week period in August every year, it’s a free event that brings together a collection of some of the best contemporary artists in the world. Spanning video installations, live music events, performance and street art, it is most well known for being behind the enormous, striking murals that appear on the sides of buildings in San Antonio, Ibiza town and San José. Watching them unfurl in real time, artists hanging from a harness, is a treat rarely gifted to the spectator.
Best for adventure
Balearic Outdoor Adventures guided hikes
££ | balearicoutdooradventures.com
It should be mainstream knowledge by now that Ibiza isn’t solely about partying, but if you still need extra proof then Balearic Outdoor Adventures is the best way to uncover the island’s ruggedly wild true nature. Led by hiking guide and certified mountain leader Michael Stivi Stivanello (who speaks six languages, no less, and extends his services across all the Balearic Islands), adventurers are taken on landscape-sweeping hikes that weave between pine trees, descend rocky cliffsides and culminate in cooling dips in the Med. Days can be as bold or as gentle as you like, but if you’re not abseiling down a jagged rock face clinging to a piece of rope, can you really call it an adventure?
Mustang Adventures rentals
There’s nothing like the sleek, shiny lines of a Ford Mustang to get a car enthusiast’s juices flowing, and that’s before you mention the prospect of taking one out for a spin on winding, tree-lined back roads, of which there are countless to choose from in Ibiza. Mustang Adventures’ rental cars come in dark green, baby blue and black, but for maximum muscle points it has to be the 1965, red convertible V8, a machine that evokes all the glamour of a bygone era. You’re guaranteed plenty of admiring glances from onlookers, so be sure to perfect your thumbs up before hitting the road.
Ibiza Food Tours
While the majority may not venture far beyond the dance floor, those with a head for adventure look beyond the resort towns in search of the island’s vibrant wilderness. In this scenario, call on the experts at Walking Ibiza, who’ve been leading guided walks with immeasurable knowledge and passion for over a decade. Join a community walk for as little as €15 (£13) per person or head out on a private tour; regardless you’re guaranteed to see some of Ibiza’s most spectacular natural landmarks. Foodies will relish the Ibiza Food Tours, which unveil the island’s gastronomic past on foot through Ibiza town.
Underwater snorkel safari
££ | meetthesea.com
Boat parties in Ibiza are ubiquitous but Meet The Sea is a family-friendly excursion that hits a different note. Designed to coax kids into a state of sea-inspired awe, each four-hour trip includes an underwater snorkel safari that uncovers posidonia, sea cucumbers, octopus and sea tomatoes, among many other sea-dwelling creatures. Information on each species is compiled by marine biologist and champion free diver, Helena Margot, ensuring every sailing is the ideal combination of exploration and education for the whole family. Departs from San Antonio and Santa Eulalia throughout summer.
Es Vedrà Island
Located just off the southwest coast of Ibiza, the limestone island of Es Vedrà is steeped in myth and legend. Folklore claims it’s the third-most magnetic place on earth (though locals will laugh when you ask about this); that it’s the only visible tip of the lost city of Atlantis; and that it was the birthplace of the Phoenician Goddess Tanit. None of this can be confirmed of course, but in a sailing trip around the island the immense feeling of power projected by the rock is palpable. Look out for the infamous island goats, which despite being removed on several occasions apparently still linger.
Best free attractions
Ibiza Medieval Fair
£ | spain.info/en/calendar/fiesta-medieval-ibiza/
Every year in the second week of May, a celebration unfolds to commemorate Ibiza’s rich tapestry of history that spans from Phoenicians and Romans through to pirates and Christians. Held in the fortified town of Dalt Vila, a Unesco World Heritage Site, the four-day Ibiza Medieval Fair fuses the sights, sounds and smells associated with the Middle Ages, with street performances, jousting, market stalls and crafts. Locals get into the swing of it by drinking beer and eating supersized sausages atop the majestic castle walls. You should do the same.
Sa Talaia
Free | santjosep.net
Unlike the neighbouring island of Mallorca, Ibiza isn’t renowned for its mountainous landscape – the tallest point is only 1,560ft (475m) high, after all. Nevertheless, it’s well worth traipsing to the top of Sa Talaia because it still offers breathtaking views of rock and sea as it collides in a mish-mash of colour and texture below. The drive to the top is bumpy, or you can ascend on foot wearing sensible shoes. Visit at sunset, when the sky burns ablaze and you can toast the day’s end with a bottle of cava you hauled up the mountainside with you.
Best day trips
La Bella Verde catamaran tours
£££ | labellaverde.com/ibiza
No sojourn to Ibiza is complete without a boat trip – it’s one of the best ways to get to know the island’s coastline peculiarities. And there are no better vessels for exploring than La Bella Verde’s fleet of eco-catamarans, which sail across the Mediterranean with no fuss, no noise, and no emissions. All day trips come with a fridge full of refreshments and snorkelling equipment, and a homemade picnic can be thrown in for extra cost. Spend as much time as possible in the crystal-clear waters surrounding Formentera, there are few beaches as beautiful in the world.
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up-to-date recommendations.