7 Best Sights in Ibiza, Ibiza and the Balearic Islands

The Baluard ("bastion") de San Bernat is one of the oldest bastions in the Balearic Islands, hearkening back to when inhabitants feared pirate attacks. From here, a promenade with stunning sea views runs west to the bastions of Sant Jordi and Sant Jaume, past the Castell—a fortress formerly used as an army barracks. In 2007, work began transforming the fortress into a luxury parador, but archaeological discoveries under the worksite delayed the reconstruction indefinitely. There are many points to pick up the promenade, but a thorough route begins from the main drawbridge in Portal de ses Taules: head toward the Baluard de Santa Llúcia, then Sant Joan, Sant Pere, and so on.

Built on a site used for temples and other religious buildings since the time of the Phoenicians, Ibiza's Catedral de Santa María has a Gothic tower, a baroque nave, and a small museum of religious art and artifacts. It was built in the 13th and 14th centuries and renovated in the 18th century.

A few steps from the cathedral, this small center has a fascinating collection of audiovisual materials and exhibits on the period when the Moors ruled the island.

This wild stretch of white sand hugged by turquoise waves is popular with nudist sunbathers and can be reached on foot from Ses Salines beach (20-minute walk). It's a 10-km (6-mile) drive from Eivissa by car through the salt flats. The back parts of the dunes serves up views of Eivissa and Formentera on a clear day. El Chiringuito bar and restaurant, one of Ibiza's favorite waterfront beach bars, is known for its relaxed vibe, good food and cocktails, and lively season-opening and season-closing parties. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers. Best for: nudists; swimming.

Just inside the old city portal arch, this museum houses a collection of paintings, sculptures, and photography from 1959 to the present. The scope of the collection is international, but the emphasis is on artists born or living in Ibiza during their careers. There is little explanatory material in English, however. There is also an underground archaeological site in the basement, some items dating back to the 6th century BC.

The roof of this 17th-century church is an irregular arrangement of tile domes. It is worth visiting for the fresco paintings on the central nave, created by the Mallorcan painter Matas in 1884, and for the chapels. The nearby ajuntament (town hall) is housed in the former monastery of the church.

Very much a place to see and be seen, the beach at Ses Salines is a 2-km-long (1-mile-long) narrow crescent of golden sand about a 10-minute drive from Eivissa in a wildlife conservation area. Trendy restaurants and bars, like the Jockey Club and Malibu, bring drinks to you on the sand and have DJs for the season, keeping the beat in the air all day. The beach has different areas: glitterati in one zone, naturists in another, gay couples in another. There are no nearby shops, but the commercial vacuum is filled by vendors of bags, sunglasses, fruit drinks, and so on, which can be irritating. The sea is shallow, with a gradual drop-off, but breakers are good enough to surf on a windy day. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: nudists; partiers; swimming; windsurfing.