Ibiza - or Eivissa - is a guaranteed 'family fun holiday destination', despite being known for its famous nightlife that emerged from the hippie culture. Ibiza is one of the most popular islands in Europe and has everything from beautiful idyllic beaches and bays, hippy markets, cool shops and boutiques, cute villages and fancy restaurants. 

Our highlights

We had a lovely stay at this casa.  We stayed in ibiza for one week and we booked a rental car, which is highly recommended. In this blog we summarize our best places in Ibiza. 

1. Hippy markets

The hippy market emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. These are the years when hippies increasingly began to resist 'normal' life. The way they decided to do this is by selling homemade items to tourists in Ibiza. In many ways this is the biggest reason tourism in Ibiza has increased so much. Where the average hippy market initially consisted of only a few stalls, nowadays there are often hundreds of stalls. Two hippie markets in Ibiza stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of fame. We went to both markets.

Las Dalias Hippy Market San Carlos

This place is Bohemian Ibiza! Las Dalias hippy market was founded in 1985. At the time, it was Valentine's Day and some hippies decided to put up a few stalls together. There were 5 stalls in total. All in all, a small, intimate market.

In the years that followed, more stalls were added each time. People increasingly realized that the 'mercadillo Las Dalias' had something magical. People came from all over the world to visit this hippy market. We totally understand this concept as the original hippies intended it. Life should be fun. And when you walk through this hippy market, you really experience what this feels like.

Nowadays, this market has grown into a festival with more than 200 stalls, spread over several levels. They are all gathered in a special courtyard, surrounded by the leaves of the vine plant. On the most popular days of the year, as many as 20,000 visitors come to this market. Besides the stalls, there is live music, many food and drinks stalls, massage tents and activities foor children. Our children also loved the hippie market, we gave them some pocket money so they could buy a little souvenir from Ibiza.

Punta Arabi Hippy market Es Canar

Besides Las Dalias, Punta Arabi is the second of the most popular hippy markets in Ibiza. The Punta Arabi is even a little older and has been around since 1973. It all started with a few hippies who were allowed to sell their handmade products at Hotel Club Punta Arabi. There were only 5 stalls in total at the time. Accompanied by violins and guitars, there was always a great atmosphere.
Today, the Punta Arabi hippy market is the largest on the entire island. With more than 500 stalls, thousands of visitors visit this market almost every day. Things that make this hippy market truly unique are: influences from India, combination of conifers and cloths for atmosphere & shade, live music and good food. Many stalls sell jewelry, unique bracelets, specific feathers and bags. In many cases it appears that these products are made by hand. This gives just a little more value to your purchase.

The fun thing we did as a family at this market was a Hippy photoshoot. All four of us were dressed in hippy style and given various props to decorate the photos with (see pics). What a fun activity and a beautiful souvenir of our visit to Ibiza. 

Behind the scenes...

The end result :-)

2. Famous Sunset at Benirras Beach

3. Ibiza City

The most important places at Ibiza are Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni de Portmany. Ibiza Town is the capital of Ibiza and includes the old town, 'Dalt Vila' (see bullit 7) with the Santa María de las Nieves Cathedral which is listed at the UNESCO World Heritage Site! We visited the city in the morning (when it is not yet too hot), and getting to Salt Vila is a tough uphill walk, but really recommended. We strolled back through the narrow streets, had lunch at the Plaza del Parque and then went shopping in the cute streets of 'La Marina', and finished with a drink at Marina Botafoch, where we enjoyed watching the luxury yachts dock.

4. Cova de Can Marcà

We visited Cova de Can Marca, a multilevel cave system with underground caverns and an infamous history as a smugglers’ hideaway. The cave is very well lit but you need a guid who took us on an exploration down winding passageways and through eerie caverns filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Beautiful! Kids loved it. 

After our visit to the Cave, we went to Cala de sa Ferradura, a remote beach with just some basis amenities. Here, we went for a swim and lunch.

5. Beach Life

Ibiza actually only has beautiful beaches. There are more than 70 beaches and those who don't like sunbathing on a lounger come for swimming, snorkeling or fantastic food and drinks with a view of the sea.

Our favo's are the beaches in the north such as (hippy beach) Benniràs, the quieter Cala Xarraca and Cala de Sant Vicent (with high waves!). Cala Moli (located in the west) and Cala d'Hort (overlooking Es Vedra - located in the southwest) are also fantastic beaches. Playa de Ses Salines and Cala Jondal (both located in the south) are beautiful, but much more touristy.

6. Magical Rock Es Vedra

When you say Ibiza, you say Es Vedra: the magical rock that suddenly rises out of the sea off the southwest coast of the island. Magical indeed, because many claim that the powers of Es Vedra can be felt throughout Ibiza. He would also make compasses go haywire and boats disappear from radar. The reality, however, is slightly less exciting: due to the high concentration of minerals and metals that Es Vedra contains, there is a magnetic field around the rock. Magical or magnetic, the views are enchantingly beautiful in any case.

How do you get to Es Vedra?

From Cala d'Hort, a small beach with rocks and sand, you get the best view of Es Vedra. We understood from our host that it is a popular beach, so we went early to get a spot to enjoy the view and the sunset.

7. Dalt Vila 

8. Relaxing in the north of Ibiza

9. Local food in the most beautiful places

Ibiza is Spanish and therefore you can eat all the Spanish delicacies here, such as paella, grilled fish, prawns, tapas and sangria. A typical delicacy from Ibiza is: a shot of hierbas (herbal liqueur from Ibiza) and a bullit de peix (kind of fish stew) with a piece of flao (cheesecake with mint) for dessert. We tasted this at the traditional restaurants on the island. Lovely! 

10. Our Villa-Stay

We had a lovely stay at this casa.