Ibiza, Sports Tourism
Hiking and mountain bike trails, and sailing trips show visitors some of Ibiza’s
most unknown areas
Spor ts for all preferences and ages all year round
With warm, crystal-clear water and over 200 km of spectacular coastline, Ibiza is one of the most popular
destinations in Europe for water sports. Sailing, snorkelling, canoeing, jet-skiing, kite-surfing and windsurfing are
only a few of the available sports. The opportunities continue on land, with mountain biking and hiking trails that
afford visitors many different ways to discover the beauty of an island whose extensive nature parks remain
unspoiled.
Sports are the perfect option for discovering the most hidden and quietest parts of the island at any time of the
year.
Nordic Walking
Walking is a way to combine leisure with discovering new places and hidden coves, monuments and spectacular
sunsets with the family. The island of Ibiza and the town of Sant Antoni de Portmany, in particular, have five
footpaths available to visitors and the local residents so they can enjoy nature while walking through the prettiest
areas.
Information on the paths are available in a recently published brochure that shows a map with distances by
sections and the total distance so everyone can easily follow a route. The map also shows the attractions along
the way, such as drinking fountains, beaches, wine cellars and lookout points.
In addition, in 2011 the town of Sant Antoni de Portmany puts in place a free initiative for those who like to
practice Nordic walking while discovering some of the town’s most attractive areas. The town council also
organises guided trips once a month, from January to June. www.santantoni.net
Biking Tourism
Santa Eulària des Riu, a town superbly endowed by nature and boasting lovely scenery has prepared cultural
biking tours for families. These fun, instructive, safe and easy to follow routes along little-known paths are sure to
surprise biking fans whether they are new to the island or live here permanently.
The 12 routes start inland and pass through the five towns that comprise the municipal district of Santa Eulària
until they reach the coast. Each route comes with a technical sheet that gives the route, the number of kilometres,
the approximate time, the difficulties involved and the attractions to be seen along the way: lookout points and
scenic views, the cultural and scenic surroundings and the beaches, always ensuring that the information takes
into account family needs.
The well sign-posted routes go through such emblematic places as Sant Carles, Santa Eulària and Santa
Gertrudis, and to the beaches of Cala Mastella, Cala Boix, Pou des Lleó, Aigües Blanques and Cala Llonga. They
also go to other attractions such as the Puig de Missa in Santa Eulària, the Ethnographic Museum, and the
popular Las Dalias and Punta Arabi outdoor markets. The brochure with the routes is available at the tourist
information office, the hotels in town and the website at: www.santaeulalia.net
Sailing
The crystal clear sea around Ibiza attracts thousands of sailing fans every year who come to sail while enjoying
spectacular views of the rugged coastline or to take part in one of many sailing events. One of the most wellknown regattas is the Ruta de la Sal (www.larutadelasal.com), held during Easter Week, when 300 boats gather in
Denia and Barcelona before setting sail for the finishing line in San Antoni’s port.
Ibiza has over 2,500 mooring sites, most of them only accessible by boat, which allow sailors to discover the
island in a more leisurely and independent manner.
Diving
Ibiza’s seabed is surprising for its wealth of colour and biodiversity. The underwater value is so important that the
Unesco named it a World Heritage Site in 1999 for the posidonia prairies that are a key element in the
conservation of this unique nature environment. Sa Pedrera, ses Margalides, the es Vedranell islands and the
Bledes islands are some of the island’s best diving areas.
To dive in Ibiza is to experience the pure delight of gazing on the beautiful seascape, a deep feeling of peace and
the emotion of going from one hidden cave to another, and of finding bits of the ships that sank along this coast in
the course of history.
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a highly popular sport on the island owing to the number of hills, trails and forest tracks. It is
the perfect sport for those who like to explore Ibiza’s countryside in freedom, away from the tourist routes. Ibiza
boasts 20 biking routes with varying levels of difficulty that go all around the island. Download the routes from
Ibiza’s tourist website. Please go to http://www.ibiza.travel/en/mapa_rutas.php to download the routes and
directions in a PDF file or the routes in GPX for GPS devices.
Many companies also provide assistance with bike hire, maps and routes adapted to different levels of ability and
difficulty. The popularity of biking in Ibiza is evidenced by that competitions held throughout the year in which
many amateur bikers and leading names in the biking world from Spain and abroad take part. The two star
events are the Vuelta a Ibiza MTB tour and the Vuelta Cicloturista biking tour that are held at Easter and the long
weekend in October on occasion of the Virgen del Pilar, Spain’s patron saint’s day, respectively.
Hiking
Sant Joan de Labritja, once of Ibiza’s less-known municipalities in the northern part of the island, has published a
new brochure titled “Choose Your Adventure” (available at www.sanjuanibizatravel.es). The brochure describes a
series of hiking and biking trails in the area and points out the attractions along the way, such as wells, drinking
fountains and churches, as well as maps that invite tourists and residents alike to discover Ibiza’s nature areas
inch by inch. The brochure also provides information on the Balàfia settlement, the wells at Labrija and Baladre,
and the fountains and churches in Sant Llorenç, Sant Miquel, Sa Cala and Sant Joan.
In winter, the temperature is mild and perfect for discovering the island on foot. Each town provides information
on a great many walks and routes. One of the best trails is in sa Talaia and goes to the top of the island’s highest
mountain (457 m) in the town of Sant Josep. Other less strenuous options are the trail from the beach of Cala de
Sant Vicent to the Cova des Culleram and the trail that goes past Pla de Sant Mateu to Pla de Corona and ends in
Cala d’Albarca. Along the route, visitors discover lovely chapels, fields of almond trees and flowers, and old
windmills with white and blue sails.
In addition to providing the opportunity to practice many different sports, Ibiza is the perfect place to take a
break. Several top names in the sports world have their second homes on the island because the climate is ideal
for training and for lying back and getting their energy back in the Mediterranean sun.
For further information: www.ibiza.travel
Ibiza Tourist Information Website
media@ibiza.travel
Promotourist
Cristina Rodríguez/Laura Sali
932 419 313
ibiza@promotourist.com
www.ibiza.travel