Cala Tarida is a highly popular tourist resort in the municipality of Sant Josep de Sa Talaia, on the island’s western coast. Visitors will be amazed at the diversity of its scenery. A beautiful beach with small islets and contrasting rocky areas that mark out different sections of the beach. The cove’s calm waters, and its position sheltered from the winds, together with the availability of water sports and all kinds of services make this a favourite destination for family holidays.
But if seclusion and solitude are what you’re looking for, you won’t need to travel far. Around Cala Tarida, it is possible to escape to some of the beaches a little further north. You can even join the nudist bathers in the area opposite the islet of Sa Sabata (the Shoe). Swimming around oddly-shaped rocks and watching the sun set are simple but pleasurable activities that tend to linger in the memories of visitors to this lovely corner of Ibiza.
- Cala Tarida, peace and surprises in Ibiza
- Features of Cala Tarida
- Services and activities in Cala Tarida
- Cas Milà Restaurant, a gastronomic reference point
- Sunsets in Cala Tarida and visits to the surrounding area
- What to see near Cala Tarida
Cala Tarida, peace and surprises in Ibiza
Cala Tarida, part of the municipality of Sant Josep de Sa Talaia, enjoys an exceptional location, halfway between the bay of San Antonio and Ibiza Town. No visitor can resist its clear, turquoise waters. The cove is idea for anyone looking for a convenient destination, with everything required for a pleasant holiday of beach and sunshine. If you’re travelling with children, the beach has a sandy area in the centre where they can run around and play to their hearts’ content. This is also a perfect destination if you’re a water-sports enthusiast.
But the area has so much more to offer besides. More restless holidaymakers only need to get up and put on suitable footwear, and they can set off to explore more rugged terrain, away from the built-up areas. Less accessible, secluded coves can be found not far from the main beach. To the right, you will find Es Pujolets, considered one of Ibiza’s most romantic coves. And barely 200 metres to the left lies Es Calonet,, set in the midst of fishermen’s huts.
Features of Cala Tarida
Horseshoe-shaped Cala Tarida is the largest cove on Ibiza’s western coast, and the most popular with tourists. It is around 900 metres long by 25 metres wide, and has very fine, white sands across its entire width. Its outstanding features are its turquoise-coloured waters and its gently sloping sea bed — you can safely venture out about thirty metres from the shore.
Except for the area to the left, there are no rocks on the sea bed. The cove has two islets connected to the shore by a strip of sand. They provide a landing stage for the swallows that inhabit this stretch of the coastline — a source of delight to bathers. Nearby are other coves, including: Molí, Bassa, Codolar, Conta and Vadella.
Facilities and activities in Cala Tarida
Cala Tarida offers all kinds of facilities, and there are plenty of bars, restaurants and shops. The beach has a lifeguard service, toilets, showers, and a hire service for loungers and sunshades. There is also disabled access and car parks.
A gentle breeze prevails, making this an ideal place for all kinds of water-based activities. Only during the winter months is the swell appreciably stronger. In Cala Tarida, boats and jet ski are available for hire, and the local area has a long tradition of sailing. Snorkelling and volleyball are among the activities visitors can enjoy here, and the area also has a well-known diving school.
Cas Milà, a renowned restaurant
Cas Milà is one of Cala Tarida’s outstanding places to eat. This family restaurant opened in 1987. It specialises in typical Ibiza cuisine, and particularly rice and fish dishes — the quintessence of Mediterranean cuisine. Located on the beach front, it has seating for around 200 people, and has a spacious terrace from which diners can admire the wonderful views and the spectacular sunsets to be seen from this corner of the island.
Another possibility to bear in mind is Ses Eufabies, a beach bar offering meals at very reasonable prices. The origins of Ses Eufabies date back to the 1950s, when there were no apartments or restaurants here. The food is simple, and includes freshly-caught fish. Meals are served at rustic-style tables set on tiered terraces near the sea.
Cala Tarida’s sunsets
Ibiza enjoys breathtakingly beautiful sunsets, and it’s a good idea to visit some of the best locations to see them during your holiday. One of the best-known is Cala Tarida. After a day on the beach, and with the taste of the salt still on your lips, nothing can beat sitting on the shore watching as the sun dips below the horizon, or sipping a cocktail and listening to soothing music from some nearby terrace. The experience will leave you ready to hit one of Ibiza’s nightspots.
What to see near Cala Tarida
Cala Tarida’s exceptional location makes it easy to go on excursions, whether to nearby towns or to the countryside. A good place to start is the town of Sant Josep de Sa Talaia. With over 20,000 inhabitants, it is Ibiza’s third most populous town, and its centre, around 7 kilometres from Cala Tarida, is a pleasant place to stroll. The pretty church of San Josep is well worth a look, and there are shops as well as bars serving food. It is an excellent place to gain a true insight into life in Ibiza, away from the tourist beaches. In and around the town, you could also visit some of the following monuments, beaches and other attractions.
Ses Salines Natural Park
This municipality includes part of the Ses Salines Natural Park, to which the island of Formentera also belongs. An excursion to this protected area is highly recommended, as it affords an opportunity to see historic salt flats as well as lovely beaches such as Ses Salines, Es Codolar and Es Cavallet. And, of course, it reveals the ecological value of the undersea world — and specifically the area’s Posidonia oceánica meadows which have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In addition, an enormous number of migratory birds stop off or nest here.
Prehistoric settlements
Two excursions with a historical theme that can be undertaken from Cala Tarida include visits to the rural Punic-Roman settlement of Ses Païsses de Cala d’Hort (Fifth century B.C.) and to the archaeological site of Sa Caleta (eighth century B.C.). At Ses Païsses de Cala d’Hort, the archaeological site is open to visitors, along with a traditional farmhouse, which is a branch of the Ethnographic Museum of Ibiza. The site also commands wonderful views of the Es Vedrá islet and the Es Savinar tower. The Sa Caleta archaeological site is located between Es Codolar beach and the Monte des Jondal. This was an urban Phoenician settlement that functioned as a port and a trading post with the southern areas of the Iberian Peninsula.
Defensive towers
Ibiza’s defensive watchtowers were constructed mainly during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Their primary function was to act as an important defence against pirate attacks, but they also provided protection against other invaders (the English, the Dutch and the French). Now that they no longer serve that purpose, they are invaluable points of reference for travellers planning a route, or simply as attractions to visit. We suggest you visit, at the very least, the Ses Portes tower (which offers views across to Formentera), and the eighteenth-century Torre d’en Rovira, which stands between the beaches of Comte and Cala Bassa. These are straightforward excursions that the whole family can enjoy.
Beaches near Cala Tarida
Lastly, as we are on an island, we’re going to select five beaches near to Cala Tarida that are definitely worth seeing. Firstly, you can make your way to the northern coast, to Cala Codolar, a tiny, peaceful beach with a beach bar which attracts lots of families. From here, you can go on to Cala Conta (Platges de Comte), one of Ibiza’s most popular and attractive sandy beaches, and then to Cala Bassa, where you cannot fail to fall in love with the atmosphere and the turquoise waters.
If you prefer to drive back towards the south, Cala Vadella awaits you in a superb, picture-postcard setting and enclosed by cliffs and lush growth. You can also visit Cala d’Hort, a small, but extremely beautiful cove which offers views of the captivating islet of Es Vedrá.
