Dalt Vila has taken the top spot in a new Quartz travel feature ranking the 10 best things to do in Ibiza.

Updated on September 16, 2026, the international publication's list looks beyond the island's famous nightlife, bringing together historical sites, natural landscapes, beaches, hiking routes, traditional food, villages and contemporary culture.

The ranking places Dalt Vila at No. 1, followed by a day trip to Formentera and the Ses Salines Natural Park. Es Vedrà, hiking, Ibiza's superclubs, traditional cuisine, the northern coastline, inland villages and MACE complete the list.

1. Dalt Vila

Quartz places Dalt Vila at the top of its Ibiza list, highlighting the fortified historic quarter of Ibiza Town and its layers of history.

The area developed from the Phoenician settlement on the hill and is surrounded by the Renaissance fortifications that still define the skyline today.

Dalt Vila forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage property “Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture”, inscribed in 1999. UNESCO describes the fortified Upper Town as an outstanding example of Renaissance military architecture, while the wider World Heritage property also includes Ibiza's other major archaeological and natural sites.

Quartz highlights the experience of walking through its steep streets, historic gateways, viewpoints and squares, with the Cathedral and Castle at the summit.

For visitors interested in Ibiza's history, it is an experience very different from the island's beach and club culture.

2. Formentera

Formentera takes the second position.

Quartz highlights the neighbouring island's beaches, turquoise waters, salt flats and slower pace, making it a natural addition to an Ibiza holiday.

Formentera is accessible by ferry from Ibiza, with the crossing between Ibiza Town and La Savina taking around 30 minutes. The island has no airport and is reached by sea.

Quartz also points to cycling as a way to explore the island, alongside its beaches, rural landscapes and walking routes.

3. Ses Salines Natural Park

The Ses Salines Natural Park is third on the list.

Located in the south of Ibiza and extending into the surrounding marine environment towards Formentera, the protected area combines salt pans, beaches, dunes, pine forests and important Posidonia seagrass meadows.

Official Ibiza tourism information describes Ses Salines as one of the island's principal natural areas for walking, birdwatching and understanding the historical relationship between Ibiza and salt production.

Quartz particularly highlights the combination of the salt flats, coastal landscape and beaches including Ses Salines and Es Cavallet.

The area is also part of the wider natural and cultural environment recognised within Ibiza's UNESCO World Heritage designation.

4. Es Vedrà

Es Vedrà comes fourth.

The uninhabited rock rising off Ibiza's southwest coast is one of the island's most recognisable natural landmarks.

Quartz focuses on the dramatic silhouette, the myths surrounding the rock and the views from the Cala d'Hort area.

Es Vedrà and the surrounding islets are protected and cannot be visited like an ordinary beach or tourist attraction. Visitors instead view them from the Ibiza coastline.

The southwest can also be combined with a visit to Sa Caleta, the Phoenician archaeological site that forms part of Ibiza's UNESCO World Heritage property. UNESCO dates the settlement at Sa Caleta to the Phoenician occupation of the eighth century BC.

5. Ibiza's Hiking Trails

At number five, Quartz recommends exploring Ibiza on foot.

The feature highlights the island's interior countryside, northern coastline and protected natural areas, offering an alternative to the main resort areas.

Sa Talaia, at 475 metres, is Ibiza's highest point, while northern routes lead through pine-covered landscapes and towards more secluded coastal areas. Quartz notes that September to November can be a particularly comfortable period for hiking because temperatures are generally more manageable than during the height of summer.

Ibiza's official tourism platform also promotes a wide range of hiking routes across municipalities including Sant Joan, Sant Josep and Santa Eulària.

6. Ibiza's Superclubs

Nightlife does make the list, but only at number six.

Quartz recognises the importance of Ibiza's superclubs to global electronic music culture, highlighting venues including Pacha and Ushuaïa and the island's influence on the development of large-scale dance music events.

The inclusion is significant because the list does not ignore Ibiza's clubbing identity. Instead, it places nightlife alongside the island's history, nature, food and rural culture.

That creates a broader picture of Ibiza rather than presenting it solely as a party destination.

7. Traditional Ibicencan Cuisine

Food takes seventh place.

Quartz highlights Ibiza's traditional fish and rice dishes, with bullit de peix among the best-known examples.

This traditional preparation involves fish cooked in a flavourful broth followed by a rice course prepared using that broth.

The feature also points towards longstanding restaurants associated with traditional island cooking and the importance of slow, relaxed lunches as part of the Ibiza experience.

The emphasis reflects a broader recognition of Ibiza's gastronomy as part of the island's cultural identity rather than simply another part of its tourism industry.

8. Ibiza's Northern Coast

The northern coastline comes eighth.

Quartz highlights quieter coves, pine-covered hills, rocky shorelines and walking routes, including locations such as Port de Ses Caletes, Es Portitxol, Cala d'Aubarca and Cala d'en Serra.

The north is generally less developed than some of Ibiza's main tourist areas, helping it retain a distinctly different coastal character.

Benirràs is also included in Quartz's discussion of the northern coastline, particularly for its sunsets and views across the bay.

The official Ibiza tourism platform similarly promotes the north as an area for hiking, pine forests, small coves and protected natural landscapes.

9. Ibiza's Inland Villages

At number nine, Quartz recommends exploring Ibiza's villages.

Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera, Sant Joan de Labritja, Sant Carles de Peralta and Santa Agnès de Corona are highlighted as places where visitors can experience another side of the island.

These communities offer a very different atmosphere from the major coastal resorts, with traditional churches, village squares, local restaurants, markets and surrounding countryside.

Quartz also points to the island's long-running market culture, which forms another part of Ibiza's alternative and creative identity.

10. MACE

The Museu d'Art Contemporani d'Eivissa, better known as MACE, completes the list at number ten.

Located in Dalt Vila, the museum connects Ibiza's contemporary art history with the much older heritage surrounding it.

MACE opened in 1969 and is one of Spain's oldest contemporary art museums. Its collection includes works associated with the island's avant-garde scene and the Grupo Ibiza 59, among other artists and movements.

The museum building itself adds another layer to the experience, with archaeological remains discovered during its expansion integrated into the site.

A List That Goes Beyond the Party Image

What stands out about Quartz's list is its range.

Only one of the 10 entries is specifically focused on Ibiza's superclubs. The rest explore history, nature, food, rural life, hiking, neighbouring islands and contemporary culture.

That reflects a much broader picture of Ibiza, where a single trip can combine Dalt Vila's Renaissance walls, a morning in the countryside, an afternoon by the sea, a traditional meal and a night of electronic music.

Ibiza's official tourism platform is also increasingly presenting the island through categories including culture and heritage, gastronomy, active tourism, nature, family travel and leisure alongside nightlife.

Dalt Vila Leads the Way

For Quartz, the place to begin is Dalt Vila.

Its position at the top of the list puts Ibiza's historic heart ahead of beaches, nightlife and even some of the island's most famous natural landmarks.

The fortified quarter is part of a UNESCO World Heritage property that brings together archaeology, architecture and biodiversity, making it one of the clearest examples of how many layers of Ibiza can exist in one place.

Quartz's 10 Best Things to Do in Ibiza

The complete Quartz ranking is:

1. Dalt Vila

2. Formentera

3. Ses Salines Natural Park

4. Es Vedrà

5. Ibiza's hiking trails

6. Ibiza's superclubs

7. Traditional Ibicencan cuisine

8. Ibiza's northern coastline

9. Ibiza's inland villages

10. MACE

The list is Quartz's editorial ranking rather than an official tourism classification, but it provides a useful snapshot of the experiences the publication believes best represent the island in 2026.

A Broader View of Ibiza

Quartz's latest feature arrives at a time when Ibiza is increasingly being presented as a destination for all seasons and interests.

The island's beaches and nightlife remain fundamental to its international identity, but its archaeological heritage, protected landscapes, villages, food and art offer an equally important part of the story.

With Dalt Vila taking the top position, Quartz's ranking puts Ibiza's history at the centre of its recommendation while still giving space to the experiences that have made the island famous around the world.