The bass drum pulses across the water from a club on the Playa d’en Bossa, but from the pine-scented hilltop of Dalt Vila it sounds distant and harmless, like a heartbeat from another world. Ibiza is 572 square kilometres of pine forests, hidden coves, and a UNESCO-listed old town that predates the first DJ by roughly 2,500 years. The clubs that make the island famous will still be there at midnight, playing to crowds who have come from every corner of the world. Before that, there is an entire island to discover, and these five activities are the best place to start.
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Dalt Vila: The Walled City Above the Sea
The old town of Ibiza sits on a hill above the port, enclosed within 16th-century walls built by Charles V to defend against Ottoman attacks. The walls are among the best-preserved fortifications in Europe, a UNESCO World heritage site that encircles a labyrinth of cobbled streets and whitewashed buildings. The cathedral, built on the site of a former mosque, offers views across the harbour to the island of Formentera. The archaeological museum traces the island’s history from the Phoenicians, who founded a settlement here in 654 BCE, through the Romans, the Moors, and the Spanish. Dalt Vila at sunset, with the lights of the port coming on below and the sky turning pink over the sea, is the best view on the island, and it costs nothing to experience.
Es Vedra: The Mysterious Rock
Es Vedra is a limestone rock that rises 382 metres from the sea off the southwest coast of Ibiza. The rock is uninhabited and protected as a nature reserve, and the myths surrounding it are extensive. Some say it was the home of the Sirens who tempted Odysseus. Others claim it is a magnetic vortex, the third most magnetic point on Earth, though this is not scientifically accurate but the legend persists. The best view is from Cala d’Hort beach, where the rock sits on the horizon like a submerged cathedral. The sunset here is the essential Ibiza experience, with the rock silhouetted against a sky that shifts through orange and pink and purple before fading to navy. The beach restaurant serves paella, the paella is fine, but the view is the point.
The Hippy Markets: A 1960s Tradition That Never Ended
The hippy movement arrived in Ibiza in the 1960s and never left. The Punta Arabi market in Es Canar has been running since 1973, the largest and most famous of the island’s markets, with stalls selling handmade jewellery, leather goods, clothing, and food spread across a wooded site near the beach. The Las Dalias market near San Carlos is smaller and more authentic, operating since 1985 in a garden setting with live music and a focus on artisan crafts. Both markets happen on Saturdays, though Las Dalias also opens on Sundays in summer. The markets are touristy, and they are genuinely enjoyable. The vendors include the descendants of the original hippies who came to Ibiza in the 60s and never left. The batik shirts are still being made, the incense is still burning, and the atmosphere is still relaxed, even when the crowds are thick.
Cala Comte: The Beach That Looks Photoshopped
Cala Comte is the most beautiful beach on Ibiza, a shallow bay of white sand and turquoise water that looks like it has been digitally enhanced. The water clarity is extraordinary, and the sandy bottom means you can wade out for metres before it deepens. The view takes in the small islands of S’Espartar and Es Vedra on the horizon. The beach faces west, and the sunsets here are spectacular enough that the beach bar, Sunset Ashram, plays chill-out music as the sun goes down and the crowd applauds when it disappears into the sea. The cliche is earned. Arrive by 5pm to secure a good spot on the sand, and stay until the last colour has faded from the sky. The beach bar serves cocktails and grilled fish, and the whole experience is Ibiza at its most polished and most beautiful.
Formentera: The Quieter Sister
Formentera is Ibiza’s smaller, quieter sibling, a 30-minute ferry ride from Ibiza Town. The island is 20 kilometres long, the beaches are among the best in the Mediterranean, and cars are restricted, which keeps the atmosphere peaceful. Rent a bicycle at the ferry terminal and cycle to Platja de Ses Illetes, the most famous beach on the island, where the water is shallow and turquoise and the sand is white and fine. The beach bars serve grilled fish and cold white wine, and the atmosphere is relaxed to the point of somnolence. The ferry costs about 40 euros return, and the bicycle costs about 15 euros for the day. Formentera is the Ibiza that Ibiza was before the clubs arrived, and it remains one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean.
Did you come to Ibiza for the clubs and stay for the coves, or did you never make it to the clubs at all?
Category: Spain Travel Guides. Updated: June 11, 2026.
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