Skip to content Where should you be in Ibiza?
You want to prepare your vacation to Ibiza as well as you can, but are not yet familiar with the island. So where should your vacation home be?
Important for yourself (and for us if you were to book a house and want advice) is who your travel companions are, what you like and how big the group is. Are you coming alone with your family? And what age are the children then? Or are you coming with a group of friends and mainly want to go to the clubs and sleep out by the pool of your booked villa during the day? Want to visit a different beach every day, close to your home? And where should you be for pure tranquility, where is the most beautiful nature with spacious fincas and small villages with cozy cafes? Where are the most hippie markets or where can you enjoy a day of shopping? Do you like the city, or do you really want to be in the “campo” with no neighbors, with only the sound of crickets or a mewling goat?
In short: where should you be in Ibiza?
To make this list a little easier without going into too much specific detail, we divide the island into five sections containing a number of highlighted spots.
- The south of Ibiza /hotspots, partying, popular
- Western Ibiza /relaxed, beach clubs, popular
- The north of Ibiza /nature, tranquility, small scale
- The east of Ibiza /away from the crowds, small-scale, relaxed
- Central of Ibiza /hippie markets, tranquility, close to everything
1. The south of Ibiza
Why southern Ibiza?
Popular beaches, most nightclubs, close to Ibiza town and the port.
Who is the South perfect for?
If you want to be close to popular hot spots and big parties, then the South is perfect for you. When you are away from your vacation villa you will find that the south is a bit busier than the rest of the island.
South Ibiza is the most popular part of the island. Therefore, the big nightclubs and upscale beach clubs are generally located here (and in the west of the island). You’re close to Playa den Bossa, with clubs like Ushuaia and Hï. The sandy beaches you can go to then are the touristy Figueretas or Playa den Bossa, the nude beach Es Cavallet with the restaurants El Chiringuito and La Escollera, or the trendy beach of Las Salinas with the beach clubs Sa Trinxa, Jockey Club or the new Beso.
At your cottage you can enjoy peace and quiet (because all our houses are in quiet private locations) while still being quickly in all the hustle and bustle. Houses here are generally slightly more expensive than in the north or east of the island.
If you go a little more to the southeast, you will reach Cala llonga, Roca Llisa with a golf course and the quaint village of Jesus with Talamanca beach. Cala Llonga is a lovely cove among the mountains with plenty of restaurants for lunch. Driving from Cala Llonga to Sol d´en Serra you will find a great viewpoint and Restaurant Amante.
2. The west of Ibiza
Why the west of Ibiza?
Popular beaches, lots of beach clubs, sunsets.
Who is the West perfect for?
For anyone who loves beautiful houses, rest because there is plenty of it here, but also for those who like to go to a beach club, and want to enjoy the most beautiful sunsets.
First of all: it is beautiful here, both on the coast and inland, which remains quite unspoiled due to the government’s strict building regulations. And the sun is sinking into the sea on this side. What more could you want?
The most beautiful beaches in the southwest are Cala Comte, Cala Bassa, Cala Tarida, Cala d´Hort, Cala Codolar and Cala Vadella or just north of San Antonio the beach Cala Salada. From Cala d´Hort you can best see Es Vedra and if you drive a little more to the southeast there is the parking lot for the walk to the tower with an even more beautiful view of Es Vedra or the exciting hike to Atlantis.
Restaurants are plentiful in the Southwest. Our tips: Sunset Ashram or S´Illa des Bosc at Cala Comte or at Cala Tarida the trendy Cotton Beach Club. Also check out Km5, and Cova Santa for example.
The county to the southwest is called San Jose. This is also the name of the largest town in the west. San Jose is just a little bigger than the villages to the north, which is why you can eat great food and do some shopping. Tapas restaurant Destino where you can eat Spanish tapas with Moroccan influences or Raco Verd where they have “health food” with Mexican influences are our recommendations in San Jose. And don’t forget the beautiful little church!
Near San Jose is the popular Es Cubells and Vista Alegre, with great villas with infinity pools on steep cliffs with vantage points to mainland Spain.
For the most beautiful sunsets, you will have to be just beyond San Antonio. At Cala Salada and Cala Gracioneta (the latter is one of our favorites beaches, although quite small and quickly crowded. But with an ultimate vibe and good restaurant).
3: The north of Ibiza
Why northern Ibiza:
Tranquility, unspoiled nature, good small restaurants.
Who is the North perfect for?
If you want to escape the summer frenzy of the south, northern Ibiza is perfect. The ideal place to relax at your home, do some sports, hiking, enjoy small-scale restaurants around the cozy little villages.
In the north, there is mostly the tranquility. It’s a little more alternative. Many hippies from the 60s and 70s moved here and now run an eco-farm, pick up their mail at Bar Anita in San Carlos or sell artisan products at the market. In Spanish, this area is called the “campo,” the countryside. Vacation villas are often surrounded by beautiful nature. It is hilly, with orchards or winding roads past old fincas (farms) and a stray shepherd. You see fewer tourists there, there are not many stores, and for a big supermarket you have to go to Santa Eularia (15-20 min drive). Also, the clubs are 30 to 40 minutes away and for the airport you also have to set aside three quarters of an hour.
North is mostly for relaxing, detoxing, reading (or writing) a book, visiting a beach and eating at some of the nice restaurants this area has to offer.
If you want to eat out near your villa, your options are Giri Cafe and Gare du Nord in San Joan or Los Enamorados in Portinatx (both highly recommended!). Fun places to go are the Las Dalias hippie market in San Carlos on Saturday or the San Joan hippie market on Sunday. Beautiful beaches in the north are Cala d’en Serra or Benirras beach. On Sunday evenings, hippies are drumming it up in Benirras. For that, lunch at Elements on the same beach is also highly recommended. Plenty of sporting things you can do in the north. From the small beach at Los Enamorades, for example, you can walk via Punta Galera to the Far des Moscarter lighthouse. You can find real mountain crystals along the way.
In the northwest, the main villages are San Miguel, Santa Agnes and Sant Mateu. At Santa Agnes you have the viewpoint Las Puertas del Cielo with and amazing hike along the white chalk cliffs. At the beginning of the spring season in Ibiza you can also enjoy here when the fields of almonds are in bloom. We also know from experience that cycling in the north (both road biking and mountain biking) in the north is fantastic. You can rent these from Kandani, and have them delivered to your home.
The largest villages in the north are San Miguel, San Juan and Portinatx.
4. The east of Ibiza
Why the east of Ibiza?
Away from the crowd, small-scale, relaxed
Who is East of Ibiza suitable for?
If you care a little less about the busy nightlife (but let’s face it, in 30min you’re still in town), and those who care a little more about the old Ibiza and fine family beaches.
If you drive past Santa Eularia you enter what we call the east of Ibiza. A very relaxed place, where less happens, where you have a bit more space and where time sometimes stands still a bit. That’s pretty delicious, too. Actually, along with the north, this is a part that not everyone always thinks of when they think of Ibiza. And that’s fine, then the really big flows of tourists stay out. But somewhere it is also unjustified. Those who frequent the island know what we are talking about. This is where you want to sit more often, without being surrounded by the “real tourists. Delightful actually!
San Carlos is a cozy town to the east. Small but nice, with some simple coffee shops, a bakery and pizzeria with good (and affordable) pizza. Some beautiful beaches such as Cala Llenya and Cala Nova, and a bit more to the east Aquas Blancas (At the end of Aguas Blancas beach (heading north) you can take a mud bath)offer wonderful places for families to enjoy the sun (aquas Blancas, by the way, also has nudists, good to know). A bit further north at Cala San Vicente, we recommend lunch at The Boathouse or On The Beach.
If you want to be in a typical finca, they abound here. Relatively speaking, the prices are also a little friendlier. However, owners with modern tastes have also discovered this part for a while, so you will be able to find these houses here as well.
5. Central Ibiza
Why go to central Ibiza?
The tranquility of the interior with many cozy restaurants and yet being a short distance from the hot spots in the south. You’ll also find the island’s cutest hippie markets here.
Who is central Ibiza perfect for?
If you want to enjoy all the tranquility and rural life but not spend an hour in the car to visit hotspots then central Ibiza is right for you.
If you want to rent a house centrally located, because you want to go to the quiet north from time to time, but also want to be close to Ibiza town and you also can’t choose between the beautiful beaches on the southwest coast or the northeast coast, then you should look in the area of San Rafael, Santa Gertrudis and Santa Eularia.
The land there is a bit flatter, the beaches are close, and there are plenty of stores nearby.
Santa Getrudis is actually the village you think of when you think of the middle of Ibiza. Absolutely recommended to visit during the day as well as in the evening. There are nice stores, as well as a wide variety of good restaurants. You can eat the best “bocadillo con jamon” (Spanish ham sandwich) on the island at Bar Costa in Santa Gertrudis.
Santa Eularia is a small town with a great promenade on the first smoke-free beach on the island, a marina, in summer a daily “ramblas” with market stalls and the “restaurant street” (Carrer de Sant Vicent). There is also plenty to do in Santa Eularia in winter.
Near San Lorenzo, just east of Santa Gertrudis you will also find famous restaurants like Nagai and Bambuddha. Near San Lorenzo you can do some nice walks, but especially the restaurant La Paloma with tables in an orchard, should not be missed. The story goes that Madonna ate there and posted something on her social media and since then La Paloma has been the-place-to-be!
San Rafael, the village found on the way from Ibiza town to San Antonio has some nice restaurants and is close to the clubs Amnesia and Privilege.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you love peace and quiet, the north is your place to be. Here mostly locals live and you can relax at your villa and visit some small-scale villages. If you like a little more action then the south and east of Ibiza are the best place for you. Here lies the bustling Ibiza town, the bigger clubs can be found here and there is plenty of choice of great restaurants. Remember, the island is not big. So even if you are in the north, with a car you can easily explore the island from wherever you are staying!
The north is the most peaceful part of Ibiza. But still incredibly fun. The nature here is beautiful and the beaches are usually a lot less crowded.
There is still a real hippie vibe in the north. Las Dalias hippie market, drumming hippies on Benirras beach, Sunset Ashram and Es Vedra are spots to experience that real hippie feeling.
If you love peace and quiet, the north is your place to be. Here mostly locals live and you can relax at your villa and visit some small-scale villages. If you like a little more action then the south and east of Ibiza are the best place for you. Here lies the bustling Ibiza town, the bigger clubs can be found here and there is plenty of choice of great restaurants. Remember, the island is not big. So even if you are in the north, with a car you can easily explore the island from wherever you are staying!
A car will allow you to explore the island to the fullest. Public transportation in Ibiza is not optimal. Keep in mind that rental cars in Ibiza are fairly expensive compared to other Spanish destinations, but so are cabs. A car is definitely recommended.
