Despite its reputation as a clubbing destination, Ibiza is actually a great choice if you are looking for somewhere for a family holiday.
For a start, as a long-established holiday island, its resorts and restaurants are already well accustomed to catering to families with youngsters. Besides that, both the Spanish Tourist Board and the Island Council have taken steps in recent years to boost this kind of tourism, thus encouraging local businesses to up their game.
Now you've got the overall idea, let's go into detail about some of the challenges travelling with a baby or toddler presents and how Ibiza is well suited to meet them.
When to come?
Owing to the midsummer heat in Ibiza, parents travelling with a baby or toddler will find the best time to come is during the low season i.e., April-May and mid-September through to the end of October. An extra bonus, naturally, is lower prices at those times.
Where to stay?
Ibiza has a wide range of accommodation and finding somewhere suitable for a family is straightforward. The island has plenty of family-friendly hotels along with self-catering apartments that are especially convenient if you have a baby or toddler.
The following resorts are best suited to families.
Invisa Hotel Ereso Es Caná
Santa Eulalia has long held a reputation as the island's foremost family resorts. It's well connected, near the main hippy markets (always a fun day out for all) and home to a big variety of restaurants and shops.
You'll find its lovely marina and long promenade just perfect for that early morning or evening stroll with the pushchair. A little further north lies Es Caná, also ideal for families, with many safe sandy beaches and within walking distance of the hippie market.
Cala Llonga, situated to the north of Ibiza Town, and Cala Vadella in the south, are both quiet family-friendly resorts with broad sandy, gently sloping beaches.
Santa Eulalia's beach and promenade
Which beaches are IDEAL FOR babies and toddlers?
Apart from the beaches at the resorts mentioned above, there are a number of other beaches that stand out as child friendly. If you’re travelling with a tiny tot, you'll be looking for a beach that offers plenty of shade and nice, shallow water for bathing.
Cala Pada and Niu Blau – just north of Santa Eulalia - tick all the boxes in this respect, thanks to their abundant pine trees close to the sea and sheltered beaches with gentle waves and shallow water.
If you don't mind driving further, Portinatx, located in the north of the island is ideal as it has several nice, sandy beaches, plenty of restaurants and shops and a small water park. Its shallow coves are also perfect for paddling.
On the west coast, on the outskirts of San Antonio, Cala Gració and – somewhat further afield - Cala Bassa are also well worth checking out.
Needless to say that the early morning and later afternoon hours are the best for enjoying the beach without risking a sunburn. Also be aware that the sand gets very hot, another good reason for avoiding the hours around midday.
What about baby supplies?
Though it's definitely a good idea to bring from home those special items you normally use, you can, nonetheless, find a wide variety of baby and toddler essentials on the island. These include nappies, wipes, formula and baby food.
When it comes to breastfeeding, the locals are very open-minded, so you don't need to worry about how people might react if you breastfeed in public.
Just keep in mind to drink lots of water to compensate for the high temperatures you may encounter here compared with back home. Should you choose to hire baby and child equipment while on Ibiza, check out the website of local experts Peekaboo.
If you hire a car make sure to pre-book a children's seat, a baby seat or push up chair, this might come at an extra cost.
You can also bring your own, some flight companies take them for free. Taxis are not obliged to have one in the car, so if you plan to travel by taxi, you have to bring your own or hire one on the island. Find the legal requirements in our getting around on Ibiza guide.
Eating out with babies, toddlers or young kids
The locals in Ibiza love to see holidaymakers here with their kids. In fact, the first thing you'll notice on arrival is entire families including infants dining in restaurants or playing in the kids' zones nearby late into the evening.
Many restaurants (and hotels) supply highchairs for toddlers so just ask.
The following restaurants qualify as family-friendly because they either have a kid's corner, are on the beach or are situated away from the roads and therefore considered more suitable for little ones.
Sun care and insect bites
If your baby is over six months old, bring suitable sunscreen, i.e., SPF 30+, or buy from local pharmacies here.
In the case of babies under that age, it is vital to make sure their skin is protected at all times. This means keeping them out of direct sunlight – especially during peak hours - and using special UV-protected clothing.
In the early morning and evening, mosquitos can be a nuisance on Ibiza. This means you should bring or purchase anti-mosquito spray suitable for babies and use any devices – plug-in or otherwise – to avoid them getting bitten.
What kinds of activities are there to do with young children?
For a small island, Ibiza has many cool kids’ playgrounds. Our dedicated article gives you information on their exact location and what each playgound offers.
Playground on the outskirts of Ibiza Town
If you're looking for more ideas, check out our section especially devoted to families.
One thing though, if planning a wander around the steep cobbled streets of Ibiza Town's old quarter, Dalt Vila, you'll find it easier to carry your baby or toddler in a baby backpack rather than using a pushchair.
And if mum and dad need some downtime?
This being Ibiza, there's such a wide range of places to chill and hear some music while enjoying a nice drink that you don't have to go far to find somewhere where you can feel comfortable taking the kids along.
Standout examples are Kumharas in San Antonio Bay, and Las Dalias in San Carlos – famous for its markets and events.
Sunset hour at Kumharas
At some point, you may even want to have an evening off. In that case, multi-lingual childcare specialists Mima Childcare Ibiza and Formentera offer professional babysitting and child-sitting services, meaning you can go out and have a good time knowing that your children will be safe, entertained and looked after with loving care.
Alternatively you can just ask at the hotel receptions whether they offer this service in-house.
So, there you have it: Ibiza is very family-friendly and a veritable paradise for youngsters of all ages.
Just remember, after they've visited it once, they'll probably be clamouring to return soon!
