5 reasons why Ibiza is perfect for family holidays
Ibiza may not be the first destination that springs to mind when you are looking for family holiday inspiration. But you’d be surprised by what the White Isle has to offer travellers with children. If you’re asking yourself ‘is Ibiza good for family holidays’ read on.
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Way before Mr Tin Box and I were ready to start our own family we booked ourselves a last minute break to Ibiza. But rather than going for the night life, we were there to relax and explore.
With this enlightening trip under our belts, we know Ibiza would be a great place to take our girls too. Liverpool John Lennon Airport asked us to share our experience of this destination and why we would consider a family holiday to Ibiza.
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Ibiza for families guide
We visited the Santa Eulària region of Ibiza and fell in love with its slow pace of life away from the party destinations of Ibiza Town and San Antonio.
However, our selection of this wonderful destination was more luck than judgement after we got a great deal on a three bedroom villa within a short hike of the original hippy town of San Carlos.
We spent our week lounging by our private pool, driving our hired Suzuki Jimny along the coastline and soaking up the cultural side of the party island.
Here’s our family guide to Ibiza including some of the things we enjoyed about the island, as well as some other reasons we’re tempted to return as a family:
1. Family activities in Ibiza
There are 12 cycle routes and eight hiking trails around Santa Eulària. These are new since our trip and a great draw for active families.
Then there’s the Acrobosc Ibiza Adventure Park – a Go Ape-like tree top trail for children as young as three.
If waterborne sports are more your thing then paragliding, canoeing and diving are available in Ibiza’s shallow, clear seas.
If you’ve got younger kids then a boat trip might be more up your street. Excursions leave from Cala Llonga, Santa Eulària, Cala Pada, Es Canar and Es Figueral.
2. Festivals and culture
In May there’s a family theatre festival, Festival Barruguet, in Santa Eulària. This is a relatively new event for Ibiza, packed full with street theatre, puppets shows and circus acts.
The area is also the birth place of the hippy movement. A visit to the famous Las Dalias hippy market, just outside San Carlos, is a must to pick up local handicrafts, fashion and jewellery.
3. Sightseeing
One of the highlights of our holiday was a visit to the Can Marca caves in Puerto San Miguel in the north.
You reach the opening by walking down the side of a cliff. If that isn’t enough to impress you, once inside the underground lakes are lit up to reveal the most amazing colours.
Other interesting sights to see include the Trull de Ca N’Andreu Olive Press, which shares some of Ibiza’s agricultural heritage.
If you prefer to sit back a be taken on a tour of the sights there are tourist trains.
4. Beautiful beaches
We loved discovering hidden coves around the east coast of Ibiza.
Santa Eulària has 46km of coastline with some beautiful spots for quiet days by the sea, like Es Pou des Lleo – a secluded inlet we visited with views of the island of Tagomago.
At the other end of the scale there’s Platja de Santa Eulària which is the first smoke-free beach in the Balearics, so you can be assured it’s clean and tidy for your children.
All in all there are 20 beaches in Santa Eulària, each with their own character.
5. Family-friendly accommodation: where to stay in Ibiza
We opted to rent a villa in Ibiza with private pool when we stayed in San Carlos. Now we have children, self-catering is a holiday style we continue to love for its freedom and flexibility.
However, the region of Santa Eulària has lots of family accommodation options, from camping to 5 star spa hotels.
When to visit Ibiza?
We visited in May, just before the main party season began so the island was less busy.
The weather was perfect for trips to the beach without it being too hot. This is also when the Festival Barruguet takes place in Santa Eulària.
Another great time to visit is in October at the end of the season when the weather is still mild.
How to get there?
You can fly to Ibiza from the UK in less than three hours. Flights are available from London airports, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and Newcastle.
Check Skyscanner* for the best direct flights for you.
Disclosure: this post has been written in collaboration with Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
Picture credit: Images courtesy of Visit Santa Eulària.
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Hi Claire,
Would you know if these areas will still be good for families during party season?
Many thanks
Q
Hi Qamar, we visited in May so it was outside the main season but the area of Santa Eulària is a much quieter part of Ibiza all season round. It’s ideal for families who want to indulge in the beauty of Ibiza.
Love to take my kids there, thanks for the details. Gives me a lot to think about.
Cheers Sharon…
Sharon recently posted…How safe are full face snorkel masks after deaths reported in Hawaii?
Glad you found it useful Sharon 🙂
Fully agreed, Ibiza is so much more than the European party island! Just got back from fantastic 5 days first time with the little people in Ibiza, they had a blast and we loved it! https://zenbabytravel.com/2017/05/20/ibiza-with-little-people-and-5-days-birthday-celebrations/
Looks like a fantastic holiday destination, not the party place I’d only ever heard about.
Lyn @ aholeinmyshoe recently posted…Covered Passages in Paris
Yes, I think Ibiza has got a reputation in the past few decades for one type of holiday. There’s so much more to the island.
Ibiza has firmly been on our radar for yonks! And we’ve still never been! I had heard that is such a beautiful island & there’s plenty to the island apart from its notorious party reputation. Your post has reminded me that a trip there could be just what we need! Thanks.
I’m happy to have helped. Yes, there certainly is more to Ibiza than partying!
Ibiza is one of the few Spanish islands I’ve never been to but the part outside the clubs always sounds so lovely, really chilled out and pretty with some great beaches and beach clubs. Sounds perfect with families too (especially if you go a bit outside peak season!)
Cathy (Mummytravels) recently posted…City Tripping #61
Absolutely! And you can get some really good deals on travel and places to stay when the clubbers vacate too 🙂
Great post Claire. I must admit I always think of Ibiza as the party island but clearly it has much to offer families too. My parents recently flew out of John Lennon airport and absolutely loved the experience, less hustle and bustle and really helpful, friendly staff. My dad is a nervous flyer so this really helped calm his nerves before take off!
Its so great to hear they had a good experience. Flying is definitely about more than just what happens in the air!
Looks like a fantastic place to travel with kids. I’ve only heard of Ibiza as a party destination. It’s great to see this side of the location.
I felt exactly the same until we visited. There’s so much more to Ibiza!
Sounds like a nice beach destination for the kids. There seems to be enough kids activities to keep everyone busy.
mark wyld recently posted…Meininger Munich – Reviewed for Family Travel
Yes, I think you could have a really active holiday here and there’s some great cultural experiences too!