If you’re planning a family holiday to Ibiza, you might be wondering how to make the most of your time on the island. I recently visited Ibiza with my three youngest (aged 1, 6 and 8 years old) and my sister and this is our itinerary;
We caught an evening flight to Ibiza and went straight to our hotel in Sant Antonio to sleep. We were travelling on a small budget so we stayed in the Hostal Anibal which was a basic 2 star hotel with clean rooms, a pool and a bar that served food and drink. It was £120 in total for three nights in a room and I would stay again. There are plenty of other options in this family friendly area if you have a bigger budget.
Day 1 : Sant Antonio
We were eager to start exploring the beautiful island of Ibiza. Our first day was spent in the charming area of Sant Antonio and the seafront was only a few minutes walk from our hotel. We decided to take a stroll along the front and discovered many parks that were perfect for the children to play in. It was around 21 degrees which felt so warm after the English weather, so we couldn’t resist having a paddle in the sea and collecting shells along the beach.
For lunch, we chose a local restaurant where we could dine outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. There were playgrounds next to many of the restaurants so the children could play whilst they waited -something we really appreciated! We then browsed the shops and bought some souvenirs before heading back to our hotel for a swim in the pool and some quiet time.
In the evening, we made our way on foot to the sunset strip to watch the sun set. As most of the clubs and bars weren’t open yet, there was plenty of space to sit with a picnic and watch the sun going down and the kids loved climbing in the rocks. I think in the height of the season this is an area you need to pay to enjoy as the decking is all used by the bars but over the Easter holidays you can bring your own food and drink and enjoy the views for free.
Day 2: Abandoned Festival Club and Ibiza Old Town
The next day, we decided to explore some of the historical and cultural aspects of the island. We drove to the abandoned festival club and were blown away by the graffiti art that covered the walls. The children were fascinated by the vibrant colours and designs. This wasn’t the most toddler friendly area as the ground is uneven and there is lots of rubble, but the 6 and 8 year old just loved exploring. We took plenty of photos to remember this unique experience. It isn’t easy to reach unless you have a hire car but is well worth the trip. We only saw one other family the whole time we were there.
Afterwards, we drove to Ibiza old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We admired the beautiful white streets that I always associate with Spain, and went up to the castle to take in the stunning views and see the canons. For lunch, we decided to try some tapas at a local restaurant but we headed further down from the castle as the prices got cheaper the further you went. There was a playground next to the place we chose so the children were happy to play and make new friends while we enjoyed our meal.
After returning to our hotel for a swim and rest again, we went to Sant Antonio beach with a picnic to watch the sunset and play football on the sand. The beach was pretty much deserted and the colours of the sky were incredible. This was possibly my favourite memory from our trip, the children were so happy, the views so beautiful and I felt really grateful for the experience.
Day 3: Hippy Market and Playa Den Bossa beach
On our last day in Ibiza, we knew we had to visit the famous Hippy market. It’s full of vendors selling handmade goods, jewellery, clothing, and other unique items. It was a great place to buy souvenirs and soak up the atmosphere. We spent a couple of hours wandering around and browsing the stalls. The market only runs on a Wednesday so make sure you time it right and bring cash.
Afterwards, we headed to Playa den Bossa to swim in the Mediterranean sea and play on the beach. The kids loved building sandcastles and playing in the water. We did find it harder to get food in this area as many of the local hotels and bars aren’t open yet but there were still some open restaurants and we pretty much had the beach to ourselves. The sea is quite cold still in April, but we all had a swim.
We drove back to the airport in the early evening ready for a late flight back to the UK.
Overall, our holiday in Ibiza was an unforgettable experience. I feel like our itinerary gave us a great overview of the island, it suited all our ages and we managed to do it on a very low budget (other than flights, accommodation and food our only expenses were car hire and souvenirs. We ate out once per day but bought the rest of our food from the supermarkets and made picnics). Would you visit Ibiza with children?
