Ibiza family holidays and breaks

Ibiza is THE party island, but while the boho and rave set make it their own each summer, this is an unexpectedly great place for family holidays as well, with safe, sandy beaches for tots, plenty of family entertainment and lots of fun for teens. Clubbers rarely venture far from Ibiza town, so the rest of the island with its dense pine forests is left for you to explore.

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Today

20°C
68°F

Flying Time	2.5 hours
Carbon Footprint	1.25 tonnes CO2
Timezone	GMT +1
Local Currency	Euro

What to do

Hit the beaches. It’s best to come in the morning, before the clubbers awake from the excesses of the night and pack them out. On the busier beaches you’ll find everything from banana boats and pedaloes to paragliding, plus lots of restaurants and cafés. Sometimes the best moments of family holidays are those spent idling time away at a café table admiring the view and eating ice cream. 

Or you may prefer to seek out smaller, more sedate (although not undiscovered) beaches for low-key picnics and paddling. Our favourites include Cala Llonga on the east side of the island, with its crystal-clear waters and great facilities, the popular family choices of Puerto de San Miguel and Portinaz in the north of the island, and, in the south, Figueretas, Playa d'en Bossa, Es Cavallet, Las Salinas, Cala Jondal, and Sa Caleta. Playa d’en Bossa has carousels and bouncy castles, while some of the larger beaches have playgrounds. In the west, try Talamanca, close to Ibiza Town and attracting an eclectic mix of people, including families. 

For a spot of culture, take kids to Ibiza town’s medieval castle of Dalt Vila, a disorientating myriad of tunnels and labyrinthine streets, and to its Archaeological Museum, built over a Carthagean burial site reported to contain more than 4,000 graves.

Look around the Can Marca Caves, a maze of caverns more than 100,000 years old, once used to smuggle illicit goods

Take at least one trip by water taxi, a fun (but essential) way of getting around. You can also take boat-trips to nearby beaches, the gimmicky Aguamar Water Park, and Formentera, where with older kids you can hire bikes to have a look round the island. 

Experience the hippy markets of Punta Arabi and Las Dalias, remnants of the hippies who beat the ravers to Ibiza when they descended on the island in the 1970s. The bling, batik and bongos never fail to impress even the surliest of teenagers. 

See our feature on Parent-friendly Holidays on Ibiza for childcare on the island for those parents who still have enough energy for clubbing!

Where to stay

You won’t be lost for accommodation options for family holidays in Ibiza, with the number of hotels and apartments ever on the rise. The most popular tourist areas are Eivissa, San Antonio and Santa Eulalia; for family-friendly resorts, you can’t go wrong with Santa Eulalia, Es Cana, Portinatx, Cala Vadella, Cala Llonga and San Antonio Bay. Playa d'en Bossa or Figueretas also both have a lot to offer. Check deals with Thomson Holidays  and Booking.com.

Make sure your chosen accommodation isn’t popular with clubbers if you want a quieter holiday. Self-catering villas make a great base to explore from; many have their own pools, and some are close to secluded beaches. Check out Meon Villas for villas with pools, James Villas and Villa Select.

See also our feature on Green Places to Stay in Europe for an eco-friendly Ibiza recommendation.

When

Schedule family holidays on Ibiza for Apr–Oct. If your kids are not yet in school, take full advantage of the lower prices in June or September – the crowds have gone but the weather is still gorgeous.   

How

It’s a tot-friendly 2hr flight to Ibiza from airports all over the UK. See our flight deals and family holidays car-hire pages , but if you do hire a car, bear in mind that some of the roads are a bit scary in the north, with some sheer drops.

Eat

In and near Ibiza's resorts, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any Spanish food – expect cottage pie, fish and chips, pizza, pasta, Chinese and Indian restaurants, and Continental breakfast. To sample something more authentic on family holidays, including tapas and rice, vegetable and seafood dishes, head away from the resorts.

Cost

Family holidays on Ibiza start from as little as £130pp for 7 nights’ self-catering in a 3-star hotel, if you book early enough. More upmarket options include luxury villas, retreats, private yachts and boat-based holidays.

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