Ibiza Guide
An island of two halves: a fortified old town on the east coast, and a west coast that plans its evenings around the sun.
Ibiza runs on a season. Most beach clubs, restaurants and every superclub open between late April and early May and shut through October, and rates swing by a factor of four between June and September. Distances look short and drive long in August, so pick a base — Ibiza Town for dinners and Dalt Vila, Santa Eulària for quiet, the west coast for sunsets — and let the day radiate from it.
Dalt Vila to the west-coast sunsets, end to end
Illustrated
Drawn by hand for the KEY2 Ibiza guide
Where to stay
Hotels
The KEY2 list
Happy Hour
Daylight
Hotel Pools & Pool Clubs
Eat
Best Food
Mornings
Breakfast & Brunch
Recover
Health & Wellness
After dark
Nightlife
Arenas
Sports
Tonight
Concerts & Comedy
Say it here
Weddings
Book the room
Event Spaces
Experiences
100 Other Things To Do
Ibiza explained
Hour-by-hour plans drawn by hand — pick one and follow it from first coffee to last call.
24 Hours in Ibiza
A tight loop through Dalt Vila, a west-coast sunset and a late Ibiza Town nightcap.
48 Hours in Ibiza
Two days balancing Dalt Vila, the wild south coast, a countryside spa and Formentera.
Ibiza travel guide
The practical layer: when to come, how to arrive, how to move, where to base yourself and what it costs.
Best time to visit
Late May to June and September offer warm sea temperatures, open clubs and beach clubs without the peak-August crowds and prices; most nightlife venues and many hotels close entirely from October to April.
Getting in
Ibiza Airport (IBZ) is about 15–20 minutes from Ibiza Town; a taxi costs roughly €20–25, while bus line L10 runs to Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni for around €4. In peak summer, pre-booking a taxi or transfer is wise as airport queues can run long.
Getting around
A hire car or scooter is the practical choice outside Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni, since beaches and villas are spread across the island and buses run infrequently, especially at night. Within the main towns, walking and taxis cover most needs; ride-hailing apps have limited coverage compared to mainland Spain.
What it costs
A mid-range hotel in July–August runs €200–400 a night (half that in June or September); dinner for two at a decent restaurant is €70–120; a taxi between Ibiza Town and Playa d'en Bossa costs around €15–20.
Where to stay
- Ibiza Town (Dalt Vila)
- The walled old town, best for history, restaurants and proximity to nightlife in Marina and Playa d'en Bossa.
- Playa d'en Bossa
- The beach-club and superclub strip, suited to visitors prioritising nightlife over quiet.
- Santa Eulalia
- Calmer, family-friendly resort town on the east coast with a relaxed marina and beaches.
- San José / Cala Tarida area
- West-coast base for sunset bars and quieter coves, a short drive from Ibiza Town.
Traveller tips
- Book club tickets and beach club sunbeds in advance for July and August — walk-ins get charged more or turned away.
- Car and scooter rentals sell out weeks ahead in peak summer; book before arrival.
- Many restaurants and beach clubs add a service charge, but a further 5–10% tip for good service is appreciated, not obligatory.
- The island runs on cash for smaller beach bars and market stalls, though most restaurants take cards.
- Sant Antoni's Café del Mar strip gets very busy at sunset in August — arrive early for a seat.
- Plugs are the standard European two-pin type.
The Ibiza calendar
The dates that actually move prices, crowds and opening hours.
April
Season opening & Semana Santa
Hotels and beach clubs reopen; Easter processions in Dalt Vila with the island still nearly empty.
May
Club opening parties
Hï, Ushuaïa, Pacha and Amnesia launch their residencies across two or three weekends — tickets go on sale months ahead.
June
Sant Joan, 23 June
Bonfires and village fiestas on the shortest night of the year, and the first properly warm sea.
August
Peak season
The busiest and priciest weeks: table minimums at the beach clubs, gridlock on the Sant Antoni road at sunset.
September
Warm sea, thinner island
The local favourite — full programming, 26°C water, and restaurants you can actually book.
October
Closing parties
The clubs close over the first three weekends of the month; by November the island is largely shut.
Seasonal highlights
- Spring (Apr–May)
- Green hills, wildflowers, cool sea; ideal for the north coast, hiking and Dalt Vila without crowds.
- Summer (Jun–Aug)
- Everything open, everything full — book beach clubs and dinners weeks ahead and drive nothing at sunset.
- Early autumn (Sep–Oct)
- The best window of the year: warmest water, closing parties, softer rates after mid-September.
- Winter (Nov–Mar)
- A quiet Mediterranean island — a handful of Ibiza Town restaurants stay open, almost nothing on the beaches.
Off-peak intel
- Late April to mid-May and the first half of October cost a fraction of August with the same coastline.
- Sunset spots on the west coast fill 90 minutes before sundown — arrive early or reserve a table.
- Weeknights in June are the cheapest way to see a headline residency; the same DJ plays to half the room.
- Almost everything on the beaches closes from November to March — check opening dates before booking a winter trip.