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Image by marucha from Pixabay

In the last decade or so, Ibiza has reasserted itself as a dramatically beautiful and historic place to visit, as well as being a fantastic place to go to dance all night and have a good time. The glamorous beach bars and world-renowned clubs are all still going strong, but people have started to notice Ibiza’s other charms: the range of beaches with their sands ranging from white to black, the rocky interior with its olive groves and orchards, the whitewashed, Mediterranean architecture, and the UNESCO Heritage Listed sites. Ibiza is a place for intimate beach retreats, inspiring agriturismos, bohemian boutique hotels, and big party all-inclusives — this island’s far-ranging appeal is as impressive as its DJ list and UNESCO Heritage Listings.  

Our Guide to Ibiza’s Towns and Centres

Map via see ibiza.com

Ibiza Town

Image by JOSE MANUEL ALABARCE PAEZ from Pixabay

Ibiza Town is the booming heart of hip and happening Ibiza. While its old town centre is framed by UNESCO Heritage Listed fortifications and has streets lined with medieval mansions and tiny, whitewashed cottages, some of which date from the time of the Phoenicians. Closer to the waterfront, you’ll find the bars and clubs, including Pacha, which dates back to the time of Ibiza’s birth as a club capital in the 1970s, and Privilege, which advertises itself as being the world’s largest nightclub. Ibiza Town has its share of great beaches too, and a range of accommodation that speaks of its varied charms and appeals. You can expect to find intimate, luxurious boltholes, through to glitzy contemporary hotels, and internationally known big chain names.

Sant Antoni de Portmany

By Standardizer - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

Sant Antoni de Portmany buzzes with life and fizzes with fun. It's a beach resort on a large, open bay, known for its daytime watersports and sunset bars and clubs. The aptly named ‘Sunset Strip’ is one of the best places in town to enjoy one of Ibiza’s signature spectacular sunsets sipping a cocktail, but you’ll also get a great view from the sand itself if you’re not ready to go indoors yet. Post sunset, San Antoni’s bars and clubs come to life — Sant Antoni has some of the best known clubs on Ibiza, including Es Paradis, Eden and Ibiza Rocks Hotel, which is known for its lavish pool parties. During the day, Sant Antoni de Portmany’s bay is filled with small crafts and watersports paraphernalia  — this is an idea spot for parasailing, jet-skiing and little sailing boats.  It’s also a ferry hub serving many of Ibiza’s port towns and beaches. Further inland is the town's palm-and-flower-lined promenade, with its artfully lit fountains, overlooked by cafes, bars and restaurants. Just beyond Sant Antoni proper are a number of smaller beaches, where you can catch a bit of peace and privacy.

Santa Eulària des Riu 

Flickr user Mark

One of Ibiza’s largest resorts, Santa Eulària des Riu, is popular because it’s close to the airport, and on a wide, shallow, sandy bay, making it an ideal pick for families. The town is also known for its restaurants and diverse gastronomic offerings; it has a rich cultural scene too, with art galleries, designer shopping and museums. There are clubs and bars here too, but they’re more laid-back than in Ibiza’s other large centres. Santa Eulària des Riu’s main boulevard has a pedestrianised strip down the middle: a shady row of market stalls that runs all the way to the water. Some of the nicest places to stay in Santa Eulària des Riu are on the hill at the western end of the bay, called Puig d’en Fita — the views from here are lovely.

Sant Miquel de Balansat 

Image from Pixabay

North of Ibiza Town, and just back from the coast, Sant Miquel de Balansat is a friendly and laidback village of whitewashed houses and cottages that spread into the surrounding countryside, where some of them offer incredible views of Ibiza’s dramatic interior, and some of the coastline.  These are wonderful places to go if you're looking for an off-the-beaten-track getaway. Sant Miquel de Balansat is laid out around a bright white church, with a slightly fortified look, and features pretty streets with independent boutiques, bijou cafes and bars, and some very nice family-run restaurants. This is a good base for walkers and hikers — it’s a lovely walk to the coastline, about four kilometres away, which alternates rocky coves and sandy bays. 

Portinatx

Image from Pixabay

Portinatx is a small resort on Ibiza’s beautiful northeastern tip. Behind the town are pine-clad hills, and in front of it is a bay of bright blue water. The resort’s hotels and villas stretch along the waterfront, behind three sandy beaches and rocky coves. All of the beaches have a shallow entry, which is one of the reasons this is a popular resort for families. The facilities are good too, both on and off the beach, with plenty of watersports to try – including pedalos and paddle-boards – beach clubs, bars and cafes. The largest beach, S’Arenal Gran is backed by a pretty promenade, with shops and restaurants, and the smallest, Playa Porto, has a well-regarded diving school. Portinatx also has a mini-golf course, tourist train, and a number of excellent walking trails. In addition to the family-friendly accommodation, Portinatx has a number of luxury resorts, including an adults-only option. Come the evening, the bars start to get livelier, and while this isn’t one of Ibiza’s best nightlife spots, there’s certainly an atmosphere of fun.

Sant Josep de sa Talaia

Flickr user Roberto Pla

Sant Josep de sa Talaia is well positioned. It’s the highest town on the island, situated between Ibiza Town and San Antoni de Portmany, and just ten kilometres from the airport.  As well as enjoying a beautiful vantage point and being surrounded by picturesque scenery, Sant Josep has an impressive set of towers and defensive walls, and a historic church. A number of island tours have included it on their itinerary, and it has grown in popularity from there – despite many of its most impressive artworks having gone missing during the Spanish Civil War. Sant Josep is also known for its natural park: the Ses Salines Natural Park.  But it may be best known for the molecular gastronomic restaurant, Sublimotion, which is one of the world’s most expensive places to dine!  But Sant Josep de sa Talaia is still a working town, where locals still outnumber tourists, even in the busiest stretch of summer. So its narrow streets around the church, and lanes lined with little shops, cafes and bars, still feature functional delis, supermarkets, and shops selling essentials. The Saturday market may not have the traditional prices it once did, but it's still a showcase for real local produce and crafts, and is a good place for picking up Ibizan ceramics.

San Carlos

<Flickr user Joost van Velzen

San Carlos is a small, picturesque village with a relaxed atmosphere and a bohemian vibe. It was one of ‘the’ places to come to be a hippy in the 1960s and '70s, and still has a friendly alternative lifestyle community. The town is centred around the 18^th century church and the historic centre of town, with its cafes, bars and restaurants, and colourful local shops — expect household items, as well as souvenirs and fashion. If you’re at all interested in the hippy scene, Bar Anita is the place to visit. On Saturdays, there’s an even more colourful local market. There are a few livelier bars and clubs in San Carlos, despite its small size, but it’s a laid-back party scene. San Carlos isn’t on the coast, but there are some nice beaches only about ten minutes' drive away. 

Platja d’en Bossa

By Alex Harries from Portsmouth, England - Playa d'en Bossa (Bora Bora club on the left), CC BY 2.0

Platja d’en Bossa is one of the most popular resorts on Ibiza, known for its long, long beach with cool beach bars and full-service beach clubs, and for its internationally renowned clubs and super clubs. Platja d’en Bossa‘s Ushuaïa and Hï Ibiza are two of Ibiza’s best-known clubs, and they attract an impressive line-up of DJs. Because it’s such a hub, Platja d’en Bossa has lots of accommodation, both low-rise and high-rise, and ranging from beach resort style options, to four and five star hotels, and great value aparthotels. Platja d’en Bossa has a friendly and lively early evening scene too, with lots of places to eat and drink, and even start dancing in the sand. Because it’s such a popular destination, Platja d’en Bossa has plenty of practical facilities, like supermarkets and shops, even department stores.