Solo Travel / Solo Travel In Spain / Things To Do In Ibiza / …
How To Spend 24 Hours In Ibiza
TLDR: Having lived on the White Isle, on and off over the last 10 years, this guide is how I’d recommend anyone to spend an absurdly limited 24 hours in Ibiza.
Highlight
- Hike your way down to Atlantis for great coastal views and imagining how 1970-80s Ibiza parties must have felt.
- Get a rental car and grab that standard Es Vedra shot.
- Watch the sun go down on the sunset strip in Sant Antoni for a classic Ibiza move.
- DC10 is legendary or head to Underground on a Saturday night
| Monthly | 1 Night | 48 Hours | 3 Days |
About Ibiza
Made popular by the hippy trail of the 60s and 70s, Ibiza is very much a theme park for adults who love music, sun and utter hedonism. While it is a lot more commercialised these days, there is still plenty to discover off the beaten track and doesn’t always need to break the bank. Located about an hour’s flight from Barcelona El Prat Airport, millions of visitors arrive every year, not all in search of nightclubs and many travelling solo too.
Where to Sleep In Ibiza
Depending on the time of year, accommodation prices swing wildly. Peak season is the July to August and don’t expect much in the way of budget bedding during this time. But head over in late September, October, May and even early June and you can really get some great prices. Even better, the clubs are open during these months, and the sun is still shining too.
For the best deals, you’re going to want to head to San Antonio/Sant Antoni De Portmany and while it’s a bit away from the mega clubs, there is a good range of hostels to help you save money and make friends. One top pick is the Hostel Amistat, which has regular pool parties, BBQs and looks great too.
Getting to and From Ibiza
Barcelona-El Prat Airport is well-connected to the city centre via the Aerobus, train, and metro. The city’s comprehensive public transport system, including its extensive metro and bus networks, makes getting around both easy and affordable. A lot of visitors reject using the buses, perhaps because it feels too complicated or they arrive half cut from the in-flight drinks and fall into a taxi, but the buses on the island are clean, quick, air conditioned, spacious and cheap. It’s the secret win. Why spend 45 Euros on a taxi from the airport, when you can spend 3 Euros and get to your destination in only a few minutes more.
Travel Tip
Use the buses. Sure, sometimes you have a little stroll to make from a bus station, but where ever you end up on the island, things are pretty walkable. Taxis easily rack up the costs but as of November 2023 the island now has Uber, so that may deal with that a little.
As for getting to clubs, the Discobus is great fun, costs less than a coffee and you’ll end up meeting people in the same boat as you on the way you’re heading. Great way to get to parties and make friends.
Budgeting for 24 hours in Ibiza
You don’t have to spend a fortune to visit Ibiza but it can rack up. Here’s some advice and tips to know.
- Accommodation: Hostels will be your best bet, and in particular those around Sant Antoni. Perhaps a little less fancy than Talamanca, Ibiza Town or Playa D’en Bossa, but more affordable. Expect to pay around 40-60 Euros a night in a hostel in this part of town, double it during peak season for the higher end resorts on the island.
- Transportation: Buses cost a few Euros, run till late and are some of the safest I’ve seen anywhere in the world.
- Food and Drink: Expect to spend around 10 Euros for a breakfast and 15 Euros for a ‘Menu del Dia’, which will usually include a starter, main and a drink. Dinner costs can run depending on where you are and what you can see. Dinner at Pacha means 100 Euros plus, but it does also include entry to the club. Bit of a hack for you 😉
- Attractions / Entertainment: Everyone is different, but one of the features I love about the island most is the hiking. It’s a great place to walk, with lots of hidden coastal trails, incredible viewpoints and it seems to be shared by the running mad locals. This is free and gets you a tan, exercise and a way to view the island at ground level. Beyond this, there of course clubs to cater to all music types and some fantastic hidden gems that island workers mix with off duty DJs.I’ll be recommending one below.
- Miscellaneous: Set aside around €100 for emergency money.
Total Estimated Budget
A day in Ibiza can set you back anything from 50 Euros to 1500. It’s an island of two extremes all rubbing shoulders on the dancefloor. Realistically, if you plan on hitting a party too and don’t want to miss out, budget around 200-250 Euros.
1 Day In Ibiza Itinerary
1 day is a challenge and a tease, but let’s see what we can do with suggesting how to spend 24 hours in Ibiza and get home in one piece. Disclaimer, by the end you may be flagging.
Morning
So you got the early flight and landed down in Ibiza just as the day begins. You’re real close to Ibiza Town and it isn’t a large leap to see the old town and what is in essence a classic European Piazza. Down a coffee, and see the boats in the harbour. Up next, grab a hire car or take a bus and head to the South of the island to check out that funky looking rock you saw out the window as you came in to land. That rock is called Es Vedra, it’s bathed in legendary mystique, but it also makes for a great photo.
Get this photo and that’s classic Ibiza viewpoint ticked off.
Quick tip, don’t make the mistake others do and leave your car unlocked. Thieves are known to hunt around here and unlocked hire cars left here by trusting tourists keep them in business. Don’t add to it.
Lunch
From Es Vedra and your morning stroll, head to Cala d’Hort and Atlantis. This part of the island is home to an abandoned nightclub and incredible coastal views. Immerse yourself in 6 decades of graffiti, visualise your nan and grandad at one of the original hippy trail raves and soak up the sun bathing on the nearby beach. You’re only a short drive from here to Sant Antoni where it’s time to grab some lunch.
How to have lunch on a budget? Most travellers don’t know this, but if you go into nearly any supermarket in Ibiza, you can grab a bocada (bread roll) and take it to the deli counter. There, they will butter it with some insane tomato and olive oil style spread, add in any cheeses and meats you fancy, and wrap it up for you for less than 5 Euros.
Head to the port and dangle your legs in the water while watching the fish dart around your feet.
Afternoon
Afternoons are for sleeping – El Siesta – or for getting some vitamin D. Cala Gracio is a nice family beach close to the outskirts of San Antoni, if you haven’t checked in already, it makes for a perfect alternative place to relax before the evening.
Evening
This is where Ibiza comes into its own. It’s sunset and you should take yourself down to the ‘Sunset Strip’, home of Cafe del Mar and Cafe Mambo. You don’t have to eat and drink there to get a view of the world famous sunset, most just take a drink and sit on the rocks. The atmosphere is chill as the sun heads below the horizon and the RPM picks up after.
Most of your fellow sun watchers head back to the bottom of San Antonio after this, with the taxi queue starting to swell. Get changed and get ready for your night out, I’ve got a couple of great suggestions.
Night
As the years come and go, the headline acts change but the island is still a premier music resort. What has faded a little, is the esoteric nature of some of the clubs. A lot have become quite homogenised as big money takes over – but there are a few gems that have retained a unique charm.
DC10 on a Monday is every bit as Ibiza as it ever was. The jets flying over with their engines overpowering the incredible sound system is another classic Ibiza moment. While Space lost its outdoor terrace…and its home; DC10 fights the good fight for traditionalists. Party in the late afternoon sun through to the early hours here; or check out Underground on a Saturday night.
Underground is a converted villa, formerly owned by Jade Jagger and it’s the hidden secret that celebrities go to to feel like us normies and let loose. Located about 15 minutes outside of Sant Antoni, you can get there on the Discobus for less than 5 Euros. The entry price is equally as low and drinks don’t cost anywhere near what they do in the Super Clubs. You may even find a Super Club DJ behind the decks too.
I’ll leave the rest of the evening to your imagination.
Departure Morning
Big night? Get yourself breakfast from one of these recommendations:
- If you’re in San Antonio, head to Rita’s Cantina facing the marina for a hearty, affordable breakfast with great views. In Platja d’en Bossa, Passion is the go-to spot for a health-focused meal to rejuvenate after a night out.
Now, take a bus to the airport and get some sleep on the flight home. If you’ve kept up with this 24 hours in Ibiza guide, you deserve it.
Where Next?
If you’ve done Ibiza in 24 hours, you’re fooling no one, this place can eat up lifetimes, but if you’ve followed our 1 day itinerary you’re possibly feeling like you need to sleep. When you recover, see where everyone is heading to next, with our linkups feature on the Hostelworld app. Find out more about it and other Spanish destinations below.
Get the App.