Things to do in Ibiza: 14 highlights, from coves to Dalt Vila

Dalt Vila, Ibiza's upper town, sits on the hill above the harbour. Its 16th-century Renaissance walls enclose a maze of cobbled lanes and whitewashed houses; the whole area has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999, as part of "Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture".

You enter through the Portal de ses Taules, the main gate, then climb to Santa Maria d'Eivissa Cathedral, a Catalan Gothic building remodelled in the Baroque period. The walkway along the bastions looks over the harbour, the lower town and, on clear days, Formentera. Below the walls, Plaça del Parc and the Marina district are full of cafés and restaurants.

Es Vedrà is a 413-metre limestone islet about 2.5 km off Ibiza's south-west coast, facing Cala d'Hort beach. Uninhabited, it belongs to the Cala d'Hort nature reserve and is the subject of many local legends.

You don't land on the rock: you admire it from the coast, at the Cala d'Hort viewpoint or near the Torre des Savinar, above all at sunset. Boat trips from Sant Antoni let you see it from the sea.

On the west coast, in the municipality of Sant Josep, Cala Comte (or Cala Conta) is a string of small sandy beaches separated by rocky points. The water is shallow and very clear, with the islets of sa Conillera and s'Espartar offshore.

It is one of the busiest sunset spots on the island: people settle on the rocks or at one of the bars above the sea. Bring a mask and snorkel for the rocks.

South of Ibiza Town, Playa d'en Bossa is a long strip of golden sand shelving gently into the sea, facing Formentera. It is the island's liveliest beach area: beach bars, hotels in every category and two of the big clubs, Ushuaïa and Hï Ibiza, set back from the seafront.

By day, people come for easy swimming, water sports and sunloungers. At night the mood changes, especially during the club season, from late April to mid-October. For a quiet beach, head to the western coves instead.

Declared a natural park in 2001, ses Salines protects the south of Ibiza, the north of Formentera and the strait between them, es Freus: about 15,400 hectares, mostly marine. On land, the old salt pans form a landscape of pink and white mirrors, edged by dunes and pine woods.

Flamingos live here all year round, along with many waterbirds, and the site is a Ramsar wetland. Underwater, the Posidonia seagrass meadows are part of the UNESCO property "Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture". Ses Salines beach, at the end of the road, lies inside the park.

The smallest inhabited island of the Pityuses is reached by boat from Ibiza harbour: ferries arrive at La Savina, the main port. Formentera is flat and easy to explore by bike, scooter or hire car.

Its white-sand beaches are the reason to go: Ses Illetes and Llevant in the north, inside the Ses Salines Natural Park, and the longer, quieter Migjorn in the south. To the east, the La Mola plateau and its lighthouse overlook the sea; Sant Francesc, the little capital, has a few shops and terraces. One day is enough for the northern beaches; stay overnight to go further.

Facing the harbour in Ibiza Town, Pacha, recognisable by its twin cherries, is one of the landmark clubs of the electronic scene that made Ibiza famous. The other big names are Amnesia in Sant Rafel, Hï Ibiza and Ushuaïa in Playa d'en Bossa, and DC10 near the airport, home of the Circoloco parties.

The club season runs from late April to mid-October, marked by opening and closing parties. Ushuaïa hosts open-air parties that start in the afternoon; the others open late and close at dawn. Out of season, most of the big clubs are shut.

North of Sant Antoni, Cala Saladeta is a small white-sand cove tucked between rocks and pines, next to Cala Salada. There is no road down to the sand and no bar: you reach it on foot along a coastal path, which keeps it wild.

The turquoise water and the rocks are good for snorkelling. The cove is tiny and fills up fast in summer; out of season it is one of the quietest swimming spots on the west coast.

A legacy of the hippy wave that reached Ibiza in the 1960s and 1970s, the craft markets are still an island ritual. The best known, Las Dalias, is held on Saturdays near Sant Carles de Peralta, in the north-east: jewellery, clothes, crafts and live music in a garden setting.

The Punta Arabí market, at Es Canar near Santa Eulària, takes place on Wednesdays. Bigger and more touristy, it lines up hundreds of stalls under the pines. Both pair well with a swim on the east coast.

The island's second town, Sant Antoni de Portmany lies at the head of a wide bay on the west coast. Its seafront, the "Sunset Strip", is famous for bars facing the sunset, including Café del Mar and Café Mambo, and the town revolves around nightlife in summer.

It is also a handy harbour: boats to nearby coves (Cala Bassa, Cala Comte), trips out to Es Vedrà and connections to Formentera. To the north, Cala Salada and Cala Gració offer quieter swimming.

On the south coast, between Sant Josep and the airport, Cala Jondal is a pebble bay framed by low cliffs and pine trees. It is best known for its upmarket beach clubs and restaurants, including Blue Marlin Ibiza, and for the yachts anchored offshore in summer.

The water is clear and swimming is pleasant, but this is not a sandy beach: people come as much for a long lunch by the water as for a swim.

Sa Talaiassa is Ibiza's highest point, at 475 metres, in the municipality of Sant Josep de sa Talaia. The climb usually starts from the village of Sant Josep, on paths through pine woods and scrub; some are direct and steep, others longer and gentler, with uneven waymarking.

Allow 2 to 4 hours there and back depending on the route. From the top, the view takes in the west of the island, Es Vedrà and, on clear days, Formentera. Walking shoes, water and a hat are essential; in summer, set off early in the morning.

On the west coast, south of Cala Comte, Cala Tarida is a white-sand bay split into several small beaches by rocky outcrops. It is lined with hotels and apartments, with restaurants and sunlounger hire, which makes it a practical base for families.

The water stays shallow near the shore and the rocks at either end are good for snorkelling. Like the rest of the west coast, the bay faces the sunset.

Above the bay of Port de Sant Miquel, on the north coast, the Cova de Can Marçà is Ibiza's show cave. The guided tour follows walkways between stalactites, stalagmites and old frozen waterfalls, with a sound and light show.

Its entrance opens in the cliff above the sea. It makes a good outing on a grey day or in the heat of the afternoon, combined with a swim at Port de Sant Miquel or nearby Cala Benirràs.