Camping in Ibiza: the authentic island beyond the party
Ibiza has two faces that many visitors never get to know. Behind the international image of clubs and nightlife tourism, there is an inland island with pine-covered hills, fields of almond trees in blossom, stone farmhouses and white villages where time seems to stand still. Sant Joan de Labritja, Santa Agnès de Corona and Sant Mateu d'Albarca are examples of that rural Ibiza, best enjoyed in spring and autumn, away from the summer crowds.
Regulated camping in Ibiza is scarce: Balearic regulations limit wild camping and authorised campsites are few, so it is advisable to book well in advance in the high season. Motorhomes can find a few designated options, but the choice is limited and it is best to check the current regulations before travelling. That said, anyone who manages to get a place at an Ibizan campsite has an unbeatable base from which to explore the island.
The coves are the great coastal attraction. The north and west have some of the most beautiful and least crowded: Benirrás, with its dark sand and volcanic rocks; Cala Comte, with waters in several shades of blue; Cala Salada, surrounded by pines right down to the water's edge. Ses Salines Natural Park, declared a World Heritage Site together with Formentera, protects a unique ecosystem of salt pans, dunes, Neptune grass meadows and extraordinary birdlife, with flamingos and waders that can be watched from the park's paths.
Inland, Dalt Vila, the walled old town of Ibiza town, is one of the best-preserved historic ensembles in the western Mediterranean. Its 16th-century Renaissance walls, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, enclose narrow streets, churches and viewpoints looking out over the port and the sea. The craft markets, especially Las Dalias in Sant Carles, and the local cuisine, with bullit de peix, flaó de queso and Ibizan cocas, complete a destination that goes far beyond the nightlife.
Sea kayaking lets you explore the coast at your own pace, discovering small coves that cannot be reached from land. Hiking along the paths of the north offers views of cliffs and pine woods. And the sunsets from es Vedrà, the rocky islet in the south-west, are one of those moments that justify the trip all by themselves. Ibiza is a destination that surprises those who arrive with no preconceptions and let themselves be carried along by its most natural and peaceful side.
