Posted on Wednesday, 1 May 2024

Give the nightclubs a miss and discover the quiet natural beauty of this beguiling Balearic.

If being packed into a hot night club with hundreds of other people, while having your eardrums blasted by a superstar DJ - and paying a pretty penny for the privilege - sounds like a holiday experience from hell, then you might believe Ibiza is the last destination to put on your bucket list.

Yet this, the smallest of the big three Balearics (after Majorca and Minorca), offers much more than super clubs.

From enjoying stunning coastal viewpoints to roaming fragrant olive groves, strolling around ancient citadels to exploring long-abandoned superclubs, Ibiza offers plenty for non-clubbers to do - enough, in fact, to fill several holidays.

Here’s our guide to Ibiza activities that don’t involve clubbing…

Es Vedra Viewpoints and Atlantis

These two beguiling locations are near each other, so it's worth visiting both on the same trip.

Public transport doesn't extend to this area, so you'll need a rental car or scooter.

Es Vedra

The Es Vedra rock formation soars 413m above sea level and is one of Ibiza's most iconic sights. It's located off the island's southwestern coast and can be enjoyed from one of three viewpoints - Torre des Savinar, Mirador des Vedrà, or Cala d'Hort.

Until 2016, a small trip of goats nibbled away at Es Vedra's flora (often admired by passing boat trippers), but sadly they were culled by the local government.

The Torre des Savinar viewpoint is so-called because of its proximity to Es Savinar Tower, a structure built on an arrowhead-shaped cliff in 1756. While this is worth visiting, a challenging 20-minute hands-and-knees hike is required to reach it.

You can pay a few euros to climb the tower for a slightly higher view of Es Vedra.

As mentioned, you'll need your own transport to reach any of the viewpoints; the nearest bus stop is several miles away, which would mean a strenuous hike (not recommended if visiting in summer).

Atlantis

Sa Pedrera de Cala D'Hort, aka 'Atlantis', is a dramatic disused sandstone quarry. Huge sections of rock were mined here in the 16th century to be used in construction in San Antonio and other Ibiza towns.

While the name Atlantis may seem a little over-the-top, it's nevertheless a wonderful place to spend a few hours.

The main activities are exploring the hewn rocks (many of which have had carvings added), swimming, and sunbathing on the vast sandstone slabs.

You can access Sa Pedrera de Cala D'Hort via a track down from Torre Savinar. It takes about 30 minutes and requires sturdy footwear.

Festival: The Abandoned Super Club

Way back before Ibiza was firmly established as a party island, the Festival super club was built on the outskirts of San Antonio.

This vast establishment opened its doors in 1972 but only survived two years before it shut.

The graffiti'd ruins of Festival are a 15-minute drive from Sant Antonio (or just over an hour by bus). The complex features stages, dance floors, restaurant seating, and many other features, all of which are in a poor state of repair and covered in spray painted art (some of which is very good).

Naturally, if you decide to visit the site you'll need to take care, since there are unsound walls and stairs, holes in the floor, and various types of debris scattered everywhere. There are also several old vehicles at the bottom of one of the slopes.

Aim to arrive here before sunset to get those Instagram shots. An absorbing and free way to spend an hour or two.

Enjoying sunset at Cafe del Mar

Unlike exploring the ruins of the Festival super club, visiting the world-famous Cafe del Mar is not free - far from it (at time of writing, a humble can of Coke is 8 euros, while cocktails run to 18 euros). However, the cost is worth it for at least one sunset.

Cafe del Mar is ideally positioned on Sant Antonio beach, affording fabulous views over the Med as the sun goes down.

Chilled-out background tunes and ostentatious beach club vibes draw many thousands here every year.

While it may be a little too close to 'partying' for some, and the price list will make you feel faint, it's worth visiting this legendary beach club at least once.

Ibiza's Old Town

The cobbled streets and chic boutiques of Ibiza's Old Town are centuries away from the strobing lights and pounding bass of the island's super clubs.

Take an afternoon to stroll around this historic area, pull up a seat at a street-side cafe and enjoy some tapas.

In the summer months, there's a great little night market where you can pick up some unique souvenirs. But the Old Town is probably best enjoyed in low season, where you have the hallowed streets more or less to yourself.

A highlight is the ancient UNESCO-listed citadel of Dalt Vila, a 2500-year-old structure that has seen Phoenicians, Romans, Moors, and hungover clubbers come and go. Here you'll find a stone drawbridge (Portal de Ses Taules), cobblestoned courtyards and squares, plus the occasional old cannon.

Within these ancient ramparts you'll also find the impressive Contemporary Art Museum, beneath which are the ruins of a Phoenician home. On August 8 each year, there's a huge fireworks display in the citadel, held to mark the defeat of the Moors many centuries ago.

Ibiza's Salt Pans

For centuries, various empires were attracted to Ibiza - not for its fabulous beaches - but for its superior quality salt.

It's thought the Phoenicians and Carthaginians may have extracted salt from here, while the Romans certainly did. In fact, ancient Rome coined the Latin term 'salarium' - from the root sal or "salt" - which was the amount of money paid to each Roman soldier in order to buy salt. Today, the English word 'salary' comes from this practice.

It's worth visiting the UNESCO-listed Parque Natural de Ses Salines to get a sense of Ibiza's salt history in person.

As well as glimpsing the otherworldly mountains of gleaming white salt, you'll see all manner of birdlife, including elegant flamingos, herons, egrets, and ospreys.

And don't miss the Sal Rossa and Ses Portes watchtowers, built in the 16th century to keep watch for the next invading empire!

The Beaches

Relaxing by the sea is arguably the top non-clubbing activity in Ibiza.

The island is blessed with innumerable beaches, each with its own character. But of course, if pulsating nightlife is not your thing, you'll likely want to keep away from overcrowded beaches like Figueretes and Sant Antonio.

Instead, consider Cala Xuclar, enveloped by fragrant pines and lapped by crystal clear water. And for bluer-than-blue water, head to nearby Cala Xarraca. Cala d’Hort, mentioned above, is another fabulous beach if you want a tranquil stretch of sand to yourself.

Countryside Adventures

Ibiza's interior, too, should not be missed. In spring, you can witness the almond trees' glorious blossoms, while in summer you can roam between ancient olive groves.

For a more challenging outdoor activity, why not ascend the 475m (1,558ft) Sa Talaia?

This peak, which overlooks Sant Antonio and the Salinas salt flats, can also be reached by 4x4 if you're feeling less energetic.

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