Europe · Beach and resort guide
A beautiful island with family resorts, old-town character and nightlife, not one single scene.
Is it right for you?
A strong fit for
Friends, couples and families who choose the right base.
We would think twice for
Families looking for a value beach fortnight, because the island's pricing is set by its style and club trade, and the quiet corners are quiet precisely because there is little around them.
What we would want you to know
The wrong resort can give you an entirely different holiday.
Our research-led view
Ibiza's reputation tells you very little about the island you will actually get. We have not stayed there ourselves, so our advice is built from resort-by-resort research and the questions clients ask about it, and most of it goes on steering people to the right end of the island: a family in Santa Eulària and a group in San Antonio are on different holidays.
We have not been here ourselves yet and will never pretend otherwise. This advice comes from the operator, mapping, hotel and transfer research we do for real enquiries.
Map and areas
The island's capital, with the walled old town of Dalt Vila above a marina lined with restaurants and boutiques. It is the stylish base, well placed for the southern beaches and the Formentera ferry. Town beaches are limited, and the streets around the port stay loud late into summer nights.
A long strip of sand south of Ibiza Town, lined with big hotels, beach clubs and two of the island's superclubs. It knows exactly what it is: great for a group here to dance, poor for a family trying to sleep. Planes pass low over its southern end.
The west-coast town famous for sunset bars along the rocks and a busy West End of bars and clubs. Across the water, the hotels of San Antonio Bay are calmer, with the town a short boat hop or a walk around the bay away. Beaches in the town itself are small.
A real town on the east coast with a long promenade, a marina, a sandy town beach and a good number of restaurants that open all year. Evenings are calm, and the hotels suit families and couples who want the island's looks without the volume. Nightlife means a late drink, not a club.
A small resort in the far north built around three sheltered sandy coves with clear water and rocks to explore. It is peaceful and green, but there is little beyond the hotels, a handful of restaurants and the coves, so choose your hotel with care.
Weather and seasons
Two calendars run Ibiza: the weather and the clubs. The big venues open around late May, when days reach 23°C, and close in early to mid October; outside those months San Antonio and Playa d'en Bossa are half shut. July and August average 31°C, with the island's highest room prices and packed beaches. September is the month for swimming, with the sea around 25°C, and closing parties fill its last weekends. Families and couples who do not care about clubs get the island's looks at calmer prices in June and late September, while winter is quiet, green and mostly closed.
Worth timing a trip around
A medieval fair takes over Dalt Vila for a long weekend, with stalls, music and costumed parades inside the walls. Dates vary, so check before you book.
The clubs launch the season with big opening nights. Room prices rise sharply on those weekends, so check the club calendar before choosing dates.
Ibiza Town's feast day for its patron saint, with folk dancing in traditional dress, concerts and fireworks over the harbour.
The season ends with a run of closing parties, a popular time for groups. The sea is still warm and the island calmer by day than in August.
| Month | High | Low | Sea | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16°C | 7°C | 15°C | 26 mm |
| February | 16°C | 8°C | 14°C | 15 mm |
| March | 18°C | 9°C | 14°C | 20 mm |
| April | 19°C | 11°C | 16°C | 22 mm |
| May | 23°C | 14°C | 18°C | 12 mm |
| June | 27°C | 19°C | 22°C | 4 mm |
| July | 30°C | 22°C | 25°C | 0 mm |
| August | 31°C | 23°C | 26°C | 29 mm |
| September | 28°C | 20°C | 25°C | 47 mm |
| October | 24°C | 16°C | 22°C | 95 mm |
| November | 20°C | 12°C | 19°C | 72 mm |
| December | 17°C | 9°C | 16°C | 15 mm |
Temperatures are 2015 to 2024 averages from NOAA records for Ibiza/Escodola, 6 km away at 6 m. Rainfall is from the same station and shows the typical (median) month, so one freak storm does not skew it. Sea temperatures: NOAA OISST, 1991 to 2020.
Sand, shingle and swimming
Fine sand inside the salt-pan natural park in the south, with clear water and a fashionable beach-bar scene. The car park charges and fills in summer, so arrive early or take the bus.
Turquoise water over sand and rock ledges on the west coast, famous for its sunsets. There is little natural shade, and when the wind picks up the swimming suits confident swimmers only.
A pine-fringed bay of pale sand near San Antonio, reached by road or by boat from the town. Calm, clear water makes it an easy family beach, though most loungers belong to a beach club.
A deep, sheltered bay between tall wooded cliffs south of Santa Eulària, with soft sand that shelves gently. Small children find the swimming here easy.
A north-coast cove known for sunset drumming on summer Sundays. The sand is coarse and the water calm on most days, but the narrow road jams when the drummers are playing.
Things to do
The walled old town above the harbour is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with Renaissance ramparts, a cathedral at the top and views across to Formentera. The lanes are steep and cobbled, so wear sensible shoes and go in the cooler late afternoon.
A great rock islet rising sheer from the sea off the south-west coast. Watch the sunset from the cliffs near the old watchtower above Cala d'Hort; the path is rough, so wear trainers rather than sandals.
Ferries from Ibiza Town cross to the flat, quiet island to the south, known for the white sand and shallow turquoise water of Ses Illetes. Hire bikes or a scooter at the port, and book return sailings in August.
Ibiza's hippy markets date back to the 1970s and 1980s. The market at Es Canar runs on Wednesdays in season and the one at Sant Carles on Saturdays, with crafts, clothes and jewellery. Arrive early for parking.
The big clubs sit around Sant Rafel and Playa d'en Bossa and run from late May to October. Tickets bought online in advance are usually cheaper than on the door, and plan the ride home, because taxis are scarce at closing time.
A small village in the middle of the island with a square of cafés, delis and art shops. A good stop for a long lunch between beaches, and a glimpse of Ibiza's quieter side.
The fortified white church on the hill above Santa Eulària was built to shelter villagers from pirate raids. Climb up for the views and the small ethnographic museum beside it.
The rocky north and east coasts have clear water for snorkelling, and small boat trips run from most resorts to coves you cannot reach by road. Take something to cover up, because the sun off the water is fierce.
Food and drink
A fish and potato stew with saffron, followed by rice cooked in the same broth. Many kitchens ask you to order it a day ahead.
A farmhouse dish of lamb, chicken and local sausages cooked with potatoes, garlic and saffron. Rich and filling, and better suited to spring and autumn than a hot August night.
A sweet tart of fresh cheese, eggs and mint, one of the oldest recipes on the island and sold in most bakeries.
A bread-and-butter-style pudding made from day-old ensaïmada pastries, eggs, milk and cinnamon.
An aniseed liqueur flavoured with island herbs such as rosemary, thyme and fennel, served cold after dinner.
Money
Ibiza carries a premium over Majorca and Menorca for a comparable hotel, and summer weekends are the dearest of all. The larger variable is what happens beyond the hotel: club tickets, beach club sunbeds and boat days can quietly outrun the room rate, so we budget them as separate lines. Santa Eulària and the north give you more hotel for the money than the fashionable south west. On a small cove, spend extra on a hotel with a good pool, because the beach may be tiny.
Flights and transfers
Direct seasonal flights run from Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle, and the flight is short. Transfers are modest because the island is small; where you stay matters far more than how you get there.
Flights from UK airports
Route check September 2026. Some routes are seasonal and schedules change, so we confirm the live options when we quote.
Practical details
1 hour ahead of the UK
Euro (€)
Spanish and Catalan (Eivissenc)
Type C and F, 230V
On the right
Treated and safe, but largely desalinated with a strong taste; most people drink bottled
Not expected; 5 to 10 percent for good restaurant service is appreciated
Entry for British passport holders
Visa. No visa needed for tourist stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
Passport. Issued less than 10 years before you arrive, and valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave the Schengen area.
The EU Entry/Exit System is now in use, so you may be asked to register your fingerprints and photo at the border on your first visit. It is free.
Summarised from the FCDO travel advice on gov.uk, checked 29 September 2026. Rules change: read the current entry requirements and the full travel advice before you go.
Questions we get asked
Yes, if you choose the right base. Santa Eulària, Cala Llonga and Portinatx are calm, with sheltered beaches and early evenings. Avoid San Antonio's West End and Playa d'en Bossa with young children, and expect family hotels to cost more than similar ones on Majorca.
Playa d'en Bossa puts you next to two of the big clubs and the beach clubs, San Antonio has the sunset strip and the busiest bars, and Ibiza Town is the stylish choice, with late restaurants and the marina. The superclubs at Sant Rafel are a taxi ride from all three.
The main clubs open in late May or early June and close in early to mid October, with opening and closing parties at each end. Outside that window the famous venues are shut and the island is quiet, which suits walkers and couples but not clubbers.
Mostly. Buses link Ibiza Town with San Antonio, Santa Eulària and the main beaches, and boats run between resorts in summer. Taxis are hard to find at peak times, especially at night. A car helps if you want the northern coves or the inland villages.
Four to seven. Four nights suits a group trip built around two or three club nights, while a week gives families and couples time for Formentera, the north coast and some lazy beach days. For longer, many people add a second Balearic island.
Photographs
Also worth a look
Your world, your way
Tell us roughly what you have in mind. We will compare the flights, hotels, routes and operators, explain the trade-offs and build the version that works for you.
Start your trip
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}