Founder of Kid & Coe, Zoie Kingsbery-Coe shares her favorite things to do and places to go in Ibiza, where she lives with her 3 kids.
Ibiza is small but it’s diverse. It can be ritzy and fancy, with five-star restaurants and wall-to-wall bling, or barefoot and carefree. You can have a superstar experience or you can have a rustic hippy day, eating bocadillos con atún (tuna sandwiches) wrapped in foil on a quiet beach. And that’s what’s so magical about it!
What to do
It’s all about the beaches. In the north, you’ll find wild, rugged beaches, with crystal clear waters. Older kids love jumping off cliffs and swimming. You might want to consider bringing a picnic with you as there might not be a beach bar service in these areas and they can be challenging with younger kids. Down in the south, beaches are more likely to have bars and restaurants. There, you can rent chairs at beach clubs like Tropicana and have sangria con cava sent to them, but beware, it’s easy to spend €100 in an hour in one of these serviced spots!
Salinas is gorgeous if you’re coming out of season — it’s a long quiet beach. But avoid it August as it’s heaving. We like Jockey Club for food and steps down into the beach filled with kids.
Cala Gracioneta is a really nice sandy beach — it’s a very small cove with clear water and lots of hiking areas around it for older kids. It is serviced by a restaurant right on the beach. Best off-season as during the summer can be hard to find parking and a spot!
Chiringuito Blu is another great option- flat sandy beach, a great kids menu and kids club, and lovely shareable Mediterranean food and wine list.
What to see
Dalt Vila — This UNESCO World Heritage Site is at the top of Ibiza Town and is an ancient walled fortress dating to Roman times. You access this part of the old town by walking up a massive ramp, and can then wander around the village, browsing shops, stopping at restaurants and tiring the kids out. It’s good for a burst of history and for scenic views, too. I’d recommend starting with a late breakfast at The Croissant Show (an Ibiza institution) of nutella crepes — it’s at the base of one of the two entrances into Dalt Vila.
Marina Botafoch — Another way to entertain kids (especially the over 3 set) is to take the water taxi from one side of Marina Botafoch to the Ibiza Town harbour. It’s a good way to entertain the kids — they love being on the boat, and you can see all the luxury yachts as you go by. Then have a cheeky ice-cold canya — one of Spain’s petit draught beers — on one of the many restaurants that line the port.
You can walk around all of Marina Botafoch, which has a playground for the kids and a great restaurant called Passion (great for breakfasts, smoothies and green juices). At the end of the marina, turn left and you’ll find Talamanca beach ( pic below me with the two girls), a city beach with a promenade where kids can ride bikes, strollers, scooters. It’s a really nice walk/stroll with lots of restaurants and cafes on the beach.
Where to go
Las Dalias Hippy Market — Another nice thing to do is to wander around the hippy market, which is just outside of San Carlos, which is a charming small village in the north. After a browse, you can go into San Carlos. There is a grill restaurant with a lovely playground outside it, and a nice ice cream shop round the corner, so it’s a good stop for dinner after wandering around the market for a few hours.
Formentera — Take the ferry from Ibiza to Formentera — which takes 30 minutes each way — for an amazing day out. The water is wonderful — it’s just like having a bath! There are tons of restaurants and bars to enjoy, plus beaches, and the ferry trip feels like an adventure. El Tiburón is fun, a chiringuitos or beach bar set on a perfect sandy beach with pure aquamarine water.
Santa Gertrudis — This lovely village in the middle of the island is great for shopping and has a lovely square with a playground and ice cream shop. The village is full of charming little shops selling beachy coverups, clothes and homewares. In the center, there is a lovely square with an old church, tons of nice restaurants and one of the best places to get a bocadillo — Bar Costa. Grab some jamon and other delights from Bar Costa and sit in the playground while the kids burn off energy. We also love Chez Bibi – their croissants and baguettes are so good that my choosy french brother – in- law approves, and Musset for delicious breakfasts and fresh juices – directly across from the playground.
El Chiringuito —We love this classic spot on Es Cavallet — it’s good for shopping and there are dining options and a kids club. Sometimes you need it! It’s on a nudist beach (fair warning) and has a lovely boutique selling beach cover-ups, bags, bikinis and more. The restaurant here is upmarket and there is a kids club so you can have a beautiful lunch with wine and do a little shopping while the kids play.
Where to eat
Our favorite is Fish Shack, maybe better for non-mobile babies and 4 and up older kids as it’s on rocks, right on the water. Kids get to peel the barnacles off the rocks and jump into the sea from a little climbing ladder. It’s off Talamanca Beach and they serve the world’s best lamb chops and potatoes. They tear it down in the winter and rebuild it every season – it’s an amazing place.
Jondal, Es Torrent and Cala Bonita — these are really elevated dining options but still kid friendly ie feet in the sand. Essential to book ahead in the summer.
Can Vincente — This restaurant on Cala Carbo serves the best paella on the island, in my opinion, and is set right by the beach in a beautiful little bay. Sa Caleta is a close second!
Balafia is very special too-the world’s most garlicy dip, chips, tomato salad and perfectly grilled meat.
Xuclar (pretty twinkly photo below) is also one of the dreamiest spots on the island – a basic hut on the prettiest cove serving amazing innovative food.
Browse all our family-friendly vacation homes in Ibiza
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/ibiza/the-santa-g-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/ibiza/the-santa-gertrudis-de-fruitera-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/ibiza/the-finca-bonito
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/ibiza/the-casa-terra-finca-suites
