Ibiza

IBIZA – WHY GO?

Famous as the Mediterranean’s clubbing capital, this is the place for round-the-clock sangria and dusk-till-dawn nightlife. But the third largest of the Balearic islands is also an appealing mix of whitewashed houses, secluded bays, fishing villages and rocky hills dotted with fig, orange and olive trees.

MUST SEE, MUST DO

Ibiza Town
Ibiza Town has a charming old quarter, elegant restaurants and a rich history. The fortified upper town (D’Alt Vila) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of narrow streets, high-sided Renaissance houses and tall watchtowers. Have a cooling drink in the elegant Plaça de la Vila, lined with shops and restaurants, or climb up the steep cobbled streets for wonderful views from the castle and the gothic Catedral de Santa María

Beaches
Ciudad de Ibiza boasts Talamanca in the north and Figueretes and Playa d'en Bossa in the south. Playa des Cavallet and Agua Blanca attract the nude sunbathers, while other sandy meccas for Ibiza’s sun worshippers are the cove of Cala Llonga, and the white sandy beach of Es Cana to the north.

Nightlife
Tanned clubbers have taken over the streets of Ibiza’s Sa Penya district at night, though the party beaches get as crowded as the dance floors. For the last word in dance decadence head to Platja d’en Bossa or Ses Salines. Beachside discos, clubs and bars ensure the place never stops buzzing.

Formentera
Separated from Ibiza by a narrow channel is the tiny island of Formentera – a 40-minute ferry ride – and fringed by relatively uncrowded soft white sands. The most southern of the Balearic Islands, it makes a great daytrip from Ibiza.

MAKE A DATE

May
Bright and colourful Festa de Maig, the spring flower festival, is held on the first Sunday in May in Santa Eulalia.

May
Head to Eivissa for a Medieval festival of music and dancing on the second Sunday in May.

July 15-16
Held across the Balearics, the Dia de Virgen de Carmen includes waterfront parades and the blessing of fishing boats.

July-August
Summer is when the nightclubs really heat up and there are hundreds of events on in clubs and discos across the island.

IBIZA ROMANCE
Ibiza is famous for its beautiful sunsets, so head to a quiet cove away from the clubbers with a picnic and a bottle of wine for a romantic end to a day on the beach.