Portinatx is one of the most popular tourist destinations in northern Ibiza. There are many reasons for this, ranging from its outstanding beauty, tranquillity, charm and familiar atmosphere to its wide range of recreational and gastronomic activities, its amazing fiestas and the chance to try your hand at various exciting water sports. Portinatx is a ‘sun and beach’ tourist destination, that much is true; however, there is also an incredible range of other things to see and do.
Those who visit Portinatx will be able to enjoy boat trips and try their hand at fun activities such as snorkelling, hiking, cycling and mini-golf. Portinatx also boasts a more-than-decent nightlife: while it is far from a Mecca of superclubs like other parts of the island, there are options (a fair few!) for things to do once the sun goes down.
Remember that Ibiza Town and its range of superclubs are just a 40-minute drive away. The lively town of Santa Eulalia is even closer than that, just half-an-hour away by road.
- The best beaches of Portinatx
- Portinatx Coves
- Leisure in Portinatx
- Plans with children
- Plans in the surroundings of Portinatx
- Curiosities of Portinatx
The best beaches of Portinatx
Portinatx is blessed with no fewer than three beautiful coves: Arenal Petit, Arenal Gros and El Port. All three of these golden sandy beaches are caressed by the shimmering turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, with rocky structures at both ends lending them each of them extra natural beauty.
In addition to water sports and the many leisure possibilities linked to sun and beach tourism, the beaches of Portinatx in Ibiza are a real scenery to enjoy while strolling through its surroundings. There are fantastic hiking trails and if you like photography, it’s time to take out your camera (or your smartphone) and immortalize the beautiful images you will find along the way.
Portinatx’s beaches
The stunning setting of the Playa de Portinatx is worthy of any postcard. The beach is notable for its quaint llaüts (typical small boats which are often moored just off the reefs and the islet of Sa Guardiola), its dry docks and its small huts, where fishermen still keep their nets and tackle to this day.
If you look out to sea from Portinatx, the Punta de Moscarter lighthouse can be made out in the distance. This lighthouse was installed in 1977 to make sailing safer in the seas of northern Ibiza. Before its installation, there was no light signal between the Tagomago lighthouse in the east part of the island and the lighthouse on the Sa Conillera islet in the west.
Arenal Petit
Arenal Petit is the first cove in Portinatx. It is barely 60 metres long and its defining features – as we’ve already touched on – are its safe and transparent waters, its golden sands, its familiar atmosphere and its beautiful beachfront promenade which connects it to the main beach. Arenal Petit boasts an impressive range of services for beachgoers, such as parasols, sun beds, paddle boats and beachfront chiringuito bars. Visitors can also try their hands at certain water sports such as stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) and diving.
Arenal Gros
Arenal Gros is 170 metres long and is the most frequented beach in Portinatx. Holidaymakers and day trippers can often be seen riding paddle boats, banana boats, SUP boards and kayaks. The cove is also a popular destination for many scuba divers and snorkellers owing to the quality of its water. Arenal Gros is also home to a diving school and a mini golf course with magnificent views. In addition to organised boat trips, visitors are also able to rent their own small boat without a licence. A tourist train also passes through the area, stopping off at several inland destinations as well as other coastal towns and villages.
Playa Porto
Playa Porto, which measures no more than 40 metres long, is the beach which is the furthest away from the town centre. It is flanked by small, pine tree-covered cliffs, which can be climbed for wonderful views out across the Mediterranean. It is a secluded and charming beach.
Calas de Portinatx
Besides the iconic Cala Portinatx, there are other beautiful and romantic coves in the surrounding areas that are sure to tempt you to take a special dip in an idyllic setting that is off the beaten track. A few of them are mentioned below:
Cala Xarraca
Cala Xarraca is one of Portinatx’s most iconic beaches, renowned for its iconic rope swing that features on many postcards of the island. Your little ones will have a great time trying to balance on the swing that dangles just above the calm Mediterranean water. We recommend wearing water shoes, as you’ll need to wade through a hard, rocky area to reach it. Cala Xarraca’s seabed also offers the perfect conditions for snorkelling. The surrounding area is also stunningly beautiful. Cala Xarraca is split into two sections. The first stretch, which is around 100 metres long, is flanked by a small cliff and is visible immediately after accessing the beach. The second one is smaller and more difficult to access, which is why it’s more popular amongst nudists. In Cala Xarraca, those who wade just a few metres into the sea will notice a very steep drop-off. Standing directly opposite the beach, meanwhile, is a small islet which can be easily reached by swimmers. A set of traditional fishermen huts are found on the right-hand side of the cove, which is a great spot for observing the seabed and catching sight of fish, octopus and cuttlefish in their natural habitat.
Cala d’en Serra
This secluded and idyllic beach, with stretches of fine sand and pebbles, is located just 9 kilometres from San Joan. Barely 50 metres long, it is notable for its fishermen huts and its charming chiringuito beach bar. It is rarely visited by tourists, making it the ideal place for a relaxed afternoon on the beach where there is no competition for the sunbeds and parasols that are made available to beachgoers. The cove’s surroundings are punctuated with pine trees, cliffs and rock faces. You can travel there by car, but you’ll need to park around 50 metres from the beach itself and descend to the beach along a trail. Cala d’en Serra is an ideal snorkelling destination. However, due to the type of beach, we recommend wearing water shoes or flip-flops.
Cala Xuclar
This small sandy and gravelly beach is more than 35 metres long and is found a mere 6 kilometres from Sant Joan. Cala Xuclar is often relatively deserted, with its natural surroundings of pine trees and rocks lending it a unique beauty. At the entrance to the cove, you will find some traditional fishermen huts, a dry dock and a small wooden chiringuito beach bar, where you can enjoy some simple-yet-delicious local dishes. This is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the peace and tranquillity exuded by the areas surrounding Portinatx.
Leisure activities in Portinatx: healthy lifestyle and wellness proposals
Portinatx offers a wide range of services that seek to facilitate the stay of tourists who come to experience our peaceful surroundings, pleasant weather and gorgeous beaches. It also offers services for visitors who come to enjoy our various healthy lifestyle and wellness proposals. For this kind of tourist, there is no better hotel than the uniquely welcoming Hotel Barceló Portinatx – Adults Only: the perfect spot for relaxing and enjoying the delights that Ibiza has to offer. The hotel has a large sun deck, two swimming pools, an outdoor ‘wellness’ area, a terrace with panoramic sea views and a Beach Club right on the beach itself. These services and facilities ensure that guests will never forget their stay in Portinatx.
Standing directly opposite the Hotel Barceló is the El Puerto restaurant, which is one of Portinatx’s most iconic dining establishments. This is the perfect place to sample typical Ibizan delicacies (internal link). These dishes are renowned for their use of seasonal and high quality produce, while the restaurant’s food and wine menus are notable for their variety, meaning there really is something for everyone. As you gaze out to sea, you’ll be able to savour typical Ibizan delicacies, classic tapas and a range of delicious pizzas. We recommend trying El Puerto’s ‘mejillones a la marinera’ [muscles in seafood broth] and ‘sardinas con ensalada’ [sardines with side salad]. The value for money is also excellent.
Plans for activities with children in Portinatx
Portinatx is a great destination for a short family holiday. If you’re planning on visiting Ibiza with your children, you’ll need to plan some activities in advance in order to keep them entertained and provide them with experiences that will live long in the memory. Let us help you plan some activities with children in Portinatx:
Spending a day at the beach in Cala Xarraca
It is one of the emblematic beaches of the surroundings of Portinatx and is usually unmistakable because here is the famous rope swing that appears in many postcards of Ibiza. Surely the children will be fascinated to reach it and enjoy swinging on the water. Of course, it is advisable to wear booties, because you have to go through rocky areas. It also has a perfect seabed for snorkeling. The environment is also particularly beautiful.
Hire a sailing boat
If you want to feel like a family of intrepid adventurers and discover the surroundings of Portinatx from a different perspective, there’s no better way than by hiring a sailing boat. Your little ones will be able to tell their friends that they’ve sailed the Mediterranean and swayed to the rhythm of its waves, even though the water in this part of Ibiza tends to be relatively flat. It is also possible to watch an incredible sunset from the comfort of a boat. One of the most established boat rental companies in Ibiza is Portinatx Charter.
Let them emulate their Formula 1 heroes
If your children are budding adrenaline junkies we recommend taking them to the Santa Eulalia Go Karts circuit, which lies around 20 kilometres from Portinatx. They’ll be able to emulate their F1 heroes as they drive their Go Karts around the track. There are various circuits to cater for all ages and abilities. There is also an electric motorbike circuit for children aged between 3 and 8.
Spend a fun-filled day in an adventure park
Your children are sure to spend a wonderful day at the Acrobosc Ibiza theme park. They will love its circuit of Tibetan bridges and zip lines and will be able to refuel throughout the day at its various picnic tables. Once they’re worn out after hours of fun, we recommend taking them to the nearby Cala Pada: a family-friendly beach that is the perfect place to round off the day. This cove lies just 20 kilometres from Portinatx, between Santa Eulalia and Es Canar. Please note that the park is closed during winter.
What to see around Portinatx
There are many beautiful places to explore around Portinatx. There are small beaches, impressive monuments, charming villages and mysterious caves waiting to be explored. Below is a list of some of the things to see around Portinatx:
Visit Sant Joan de Labritja
This charming village with whitewashed terraced houses and a beautiful 18th century church lies just 8 kilometres from Portinatx. Its beautiful old town is a wonderful place to discover at your own pace. The Pou de Labritja spring is also found nearby, where a mass popular dance is held every August. There is a famous flea market in Sant Joan de Labritja every Sunday, where hippies, tourists and residents alike mingle to the soundtrack of live music in a cosmopolitan and open-minded atmosphere. The market features various arts and crafts and organic food stalls and is visited by people of all nationalities and cultures.
Climb the Punta d’es Moscarter
This privileged setting is a great place to watch a beautiful sunset. Standing at 52 metres tall, the Punta d’es Moscarter lighthouse is the tallest in the Balearic Islands. You can walk from the Cala de Portinatx to the Punta d’es Moscarter in around 20 minutes, following a trail which hugs the coastline and is presided over by cliffs.
Discover the Cueva de Es Cuieram
Dedicated to the Carthaginian goddess Tanit, associated with fertility and fortune, this cave houses numerous impressive stalactites in its interior. Archaeological studies have also shown that, during prehistoric times, the cave was used as a domestic dwelling. This mysterious cave was found in 1907, shortly after the discovery of some curious ceramic remains in the area. The first excavations resulted in the discovery of 600 complete terracotta figures and more than 1,000 heads, many of them representations of the deity Tanit. The Island Council of Ibiza acquired the cave in 1990, before refurbishing it and opening it up to the public
Enter the Portinatx watchtower
This defensive structure, standing 45 metres above sea level on the Ibizan coastline, is located on the Punta de Portinatx. It is very similar to the nearby Balansat Tower, with both being designed by the engineer Juan Ballester y Zafra in the 18th century. The entrance is located on the first floor, which is accessed by a rope ladder. The ground floor once housed the warehouse and the ammunition dump, but its original structure was modified by the owners of the land.
Do you want to hear two interesting facts about Portinatx to finish off?
- In 1929, King Alfonso XIII disembarked in this beautiful Ibizan town during a military exercise. Since then, ‘des Rei’ [Royal] was added to the town’s name.
- Some scenes of the film ‘Al sur del Pacífico’ were shot here, where Portinatx was used to represent a paradisical destination.
