Find out everything you need to know about the island for your summer holidays
Are you planning your trip to Ibiza this summer? Find out everything you need to know about one of the most sought-after tourist destinations for this summer season: beach, fun, nature, gastronomy… Ibiza has it all!
The island of Ibiza is one of the jewels of the Mediterranean Sea. This is one of the favourite destinations for travelling this summer and it is very well communicated, both by air and sea, with Spain’s cities and with some of Europe’s most important countries. If you already have tickets to Ibiza, don’t skip the lines below where you’ll find out why you’ve done well by choosing Ibiza as the destination for your next summer holiday.
We’ll show you everything about Ibiza
Ibiza (Eivissa, in Catalan) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea that is part of the Spanish Balearic Islands. It has an area of 570 kilometres and a population of 147,914 inhabitants (INE 2019), although the population increases considerably during the summer months due to the large influx of tourists. It has a coastline of 210 kilometres, alternating between small rocks, sandy beaches and secluded coves. The island’s maximum distances are 41 kilometres from north to south and 15 kilometres from east to west, which makes it a very accessible island to travel around by car.
Ibiza is located some 79 kilometres east of the Iberian Peninsula, opposite Denia and north of Formentera. The island is divided into five municipalities: Eivissa, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Sant Joan de Labritja, Sant Josep de sa Talaia and Santa Eulària des Riu. The capital is Ibiza, the municipality with the highest population density and the greatest administrative and cultural importance.
Ibiza, a World Heritage Site
In 1999, UNESCO recognised Ibiza’s assets as a World Heritage Site. The authenticity, technical perfection, exceptionality and excellent state of conservation are the values that were recognised to achieve this consideration. The posidonia oceanica or Neptune grass, the settlement of Sa Caleta, the necropolis of Puig des Molins and the walled enclosure of Dalt Vila are the locations highlighted as unique assets in the entire planet.
Dalt Vila is considered a perfect example of a fortified acropolis. Its 16th century Renaissance walls consist of seven polygonal bastions that constitute a unique testimony within the model of military construction that was later exported to the New World, according to UNESCO.
Ibiza’s idyllic beaches
With an area of 572 square kilometres, Ibiza offers 21 kilometres of beaches. It is not hard to imagine that wherever you are on the island there is always a beach nearby. The island’s beaches stand out for their unique beauty, their turquoise waters and their transparency, which is due to the posidonia oceanica, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1999.
The municipality of Ibiza has three urban beaches: Ses Figueretes, Talamanca and Playa d’en Bossa, the longest beach on the island and shared between Eivissa and Sant Josep. Es Cavallet and Ses Salines, in Sant Josep, are two beaches of great natural beauty that attract numerous celebrities from all over the world every summer. There are other beaches in Sant Josep, such as Cala Jondal, Cala d’Hort and its magical islet of Es Vedrà, Cala Vadella, Cala Tarida, Cala Bassa and Compte beach. On the other hand, Sant Antoni de Portmany has corners such as S’Arenal, Cala Gració, Punta Galera, Cala Salada, Caló d’es Moro (right by the Hotel & Spa Blau Parc) and des Pouet beach (next to La Kiki Apartments). In the north of the island, we can find secluded beaches, such as Es Portixol, Cala Xarraca or Cala Aubarca, where you can enjoy the clean, transparent waters that are so characteristic of the Mediterranean Sea. Es Port de Sant Miquel and Sant Vicent cove combine a family atmosphere with traces of the hippy movement. In Santa Eulalia, we can also find wonderful beaches such as Aigües Blanques, es Pou del Lleò, s’Estanyol, Cala Mestella, es Canar and Cala Llonga, where our Hotel El Pinar is located.
Ibiza, capital of nightlife
Although this year we still can’t enjoy the fun Ibizan nights, the island of Ibiza is known worldwide for its wide and varied nightlife offer. The reasons for Ibiza’s good reputation for partying and electronic music are due to the fact that the hippy movement of the 1960s brought music, ideology and cultures to Ibiza that were unknown to the rest of Spain. On the other hand, the local permissiveness and the infinity of nightclubs together with the large number of foreign visitors that the island receives every year place Ibiza at the forefront of the world’s music scene. The DJ and dance music industry has set its sights on Ibiza and attracts celebrities from the worlds of fashion, film, music and sport. Ibiza is home to the world’s most famous clubs: Pachá, Amnesia, Privilege, Lío Ibiza, Ushuaïa, Hï, Es Paradís, etc.
As an alternative to the parties that take place every night in Ibiza’s nightclubs, you can choose to stroll through the port’s many streets, sit on any of the terraces and watch the island’s different atmospheres mingle.
Hippy markets and local handicrafts
Ibizan handicrafts date back to Punic and Roman times, and are still made today using materials found in nature, such as clay, wood and esparto grass. In Sant Rafel, there are several potters’ workshops where you can buy their work, and every year on Paseo Vara de Rey in Eivissa there is a craft fair attended by the island’s artisans.
In the Archaeological Museum of Ibiza we can see samples of remains of the island’s artisan past in the form of figures from the Punic and Roman periods, bowls, vessels, plates and other objects that make part of this legacy.
A special mention should be made of the hippy markets set up in many parts of the island. The craft activities carried out by the hippies in the 1970s led to the creation of this type of market, some of which are internationally famous and still survive today. The best known is Las Dalias, in Sant Carles, which is held every Saturday (in summer it opens a few more days). There, they sell Adlib clothes, costume jewellery, sandalwood, exotic musical instruments, ethnic music CDs, jewellery, decorative fabrics, statuettes, Indian antiques, sarongs, books and much more. The market also has a restaurant and other places to enjoy fresh juices and Arabic pastries.
The other most important market on the island is the Punta Arabí market, which is more than thirty years old and which offers visitors its 400 sale locations of handicrafts every Wednesday.
There are also other markets on the island:
- Santa Eulària (Passeig s’Alamera): open from May to October. Every day except Sundays. May and October only open in the mornings; June and September, until 5 pm; and July and August, from 9:30 am to 10:30 pm.
- Eivissa (La Marina district): open from April to October. Every day. April, May, September and October, from 5 p.m. to midnight. June, July and August, from 5pm to 3am.
- Platja d’en Bossa: open from May to October, from 10am to 10pm.
- Sant Antoni (Passeig de ses Fonts): open from May to October. Every day, from 6 pm to midnight.
Ibiza’s gastronomy
The restaurant industry is a very active sector in Ibiza. The island has more than 850 restaurants, characterised by the freshness of its raw materials and a very close relationship with the customer.
Fish is a speciality in many of the island’s restaurants. Typical dishes include Bullit de peix, Guisat and Borrida de ratjada. One of the Ibizans’ favourite fish is Raor, which is considered a luxury due to its scarcity. Other typical fish types are Roja or red fish, cockerel and Espardenyes.
The influence of typical Mediterranean cuisine is obvious in the Ibizan table. Examples of this are the extensive use of olive oil and the sea influence on the recipes. However, there is another, more deeply rooted aspect that is linked to the rural world in which meats and sausages are the protagonists. Arróz de matances is a clear example of this, as is Ossos amb col. Another emblematic dish is Sofrit pagès.
Sobrasada, stuffed belly and butifarró are typical of the pig slaughter. Equally typical are the Pitiusa goat and sheep cheeses, honey, local wine and olive oil, which is made on the island in old trulls.
As for pastries, Flaó is probably the most original of all the specialities. It is a cake whose main ingredients are fresh sheep’s cheese and mint. Another typical dessert is the Graixonera, made with dried Ensaimadas, milk, eggs, cinnamon, sugar and lemon. Orelletes and Bunyols are usually served at almost all local celebrations. The Salsa de Nadal (Christmas sauce) is a kind of liquid nougat that can be eaten hot or cold.
As for drinks, Ibizan herbs are the most popular liqueur on the island. They are made at home in a traditional way or by distilleries such as Marí Mayans or Can Rich. These herbs are made from more than 18 different plants and have an aniseed flavour. In addition to Ibizan herbs, a typical liqueur is Frígola, made from thyme, which is drunk as an aperitif. Special mention should be made of Caleta coffee, made with lemon, cognac, cinnamon and coffee beans.
