Ibiza Car Hire

Guide to Ibiza

The island of Ibiza is in the Mediterranean Sea 108 Kilometres from Dénia, Spain which is just south of Alicante and north of Benidorm. The capital is Ibiza Town with 49,388 inhabitants and the total Ibiza population is 143,856 as at the 1st January 2017.

Ibiza is the 3rd largest of the Balearic Islands after Majorca and Menorca, and the most southerly of the islands. Official languages are Spanish and Catalan.

A brief history of the island of Ibiza

The historic island was founded in the year 654 BC by Phoenician settlers who traded in wool, salt, dye and fish making Ibiza a popular stop on route through the Med trade route. Many buildings and artefacts have stood the test of time thanks to a treaty between the island and the Romans. The island stood through the dark ages and middle ages, it was attacked and conquered many times by the Vandals (circa 5th century), the Byzantine empire, the Moors and then Berber settlers who converted the island to Islam, the Norwegian King Sigurd (circa 1110 AD), then conquered by Aragonese King James I (circa 1235 AD).

The island was hit by the black plague in 1348 and then again in 1652 wiping out 6000 of the islands 7000 inhabitants. King Philip of Spain imposed language and religious rule on the island throughout the 1700’s and the Catholic Church took rule during much f the 18th and 19th centuries. Tourism started taking form on the island from 1930 changing the labour and political landscape and bringing a new and welcomed form of industry for the inhabitants.

During the second world war, Ibiza played a key part of Europe’s defences as a watch out and the airport was established as a military base both in the Spanish civil wat and world war 2.

During the second half of the 20th century and especially in the 70s, 80s and 90s Ibiza began to boom as a tourism centre with its popular beaches, hotels, ports, bars and night clubs in particular as the dance scene erupted during the late 80s and early 90s. Ibiza is now home to some of the most popular discos and dance clubs which are open all summer attracting clubbers from all over Europe especially the UK and Germany.

What to do in Ibiza?

Ibiza is now a popular tourist island attracting visitors from across Europe and the world thanks to its cast nightlife, night clubbing scene, picturesque villages, history, beaches, yago retreats, hotels, bars, shops and ports in particular Ibiza Town its capital.

Ibiza Town (locally known as Evissa Town), is a bustling port town built around Ibiza Castle. Running along the edge of the harbour you’ll find a plethora of café’s and restaurants from Mediterranean food, tapas, pizzerias, Italian restaurants to kebab shops, grills and bars. There is no shortage of food outlets here to suit all appetites. Also known as the Old Town this part of the city is over 2500 years old with a mass of history, architecture and culture.

Popular boat trips around the island

Boat trips are hugely popular, you can book a boat trip for the day, morning, evening or just a few hours on a wide selection of different types of boats. You can go on a snorkelling trip, a boat party or a popular tour to the nearby island of Formentera which is around 30 minutes away and also bustling with quality cafes and restaurants.

Shopping around the port is also popular, with a range of market stalls around the port and surrounding the castle. Why not take the walk up to the castle? Be sure to take water with you on a hot day as you climb the steps. Once you reach the top you’ll find beautiful views across the city, the Mediterranean and beaches across the island.

Ibiza has two National Parks

The Ses Salinas National Park and the nature reserve of es Vedrà, known by a small rocky island.

Ibiza Horse Valley in the northern part of the island is another wonderful place to go. It's where horses can live wild and free. They have a good program set for visitors, trekking on horseback, scuba ping, cross country cycling.

Of course, Ibiza is well known as a clubber paradise it is the place to enjoy the Balearic vibe.

But there is much more to this island than just dance music and clubs.

It has over 80 beaches and offers great water-based activities. But to see them you will need Ibiza car rental, especially since Ibiza has very little in the way of public transportation.

Great beaches

Necropolis is another UNESCO heritage site. It dates back to 7th century BC and it experienced enormous growth through the expansion of the city.

Talking about structures, Ibiza Cathedral is another interesting site. It started as a parish in the 13th century as a promise made by conquerors of the island. Some believe it was set up in an existing building, a mosque, but this has never been proven.

What is known is that different sections were added through centuries and today the cathedral keeps many works of art.

Eating out in Ibiza

Eating out in Ibiza

La Bodega, Ibiza Town. Located just on the edge of the Old Town on route to the castle, La Bodega is a popular and high quality Tapas restaurant with a traditional Spanish menu and feel with a friendly atmosphere serving a range of quality wines. Address: Carrer Bisbe Torres Mayans, 2, 07800 Eivissa, Illes. Phone +34 971 19 27 40

Los Pasajero, Ibiza Town. This friendly restaurant serves a range of local food and is located right on the port close by the harbour. You can sit outside by the harbour and enjoy the atmosphere whilst drinking some quality local wines, beer or enjoying a cocktail. A good selection of local fish, local meat dishes, pastas and tapas are on offer. Address: Carrer de Vicent Soler, 6, 07800 Eivissa, Illes Balears. Phone +34 653 35 09 61

Restaurant Gastro Bar, Ibiza Port. In the heart of the old town this is a child friendly restaurant offering a range of food for all the family. From pizza, pasta, paella to the usual’s for kids such as chicken nuggets, fish fingers and chips. You can sit outside and enjoy the cooling water spray in the mid-day heat. Address: Carrer Enmig, 15, 07800 Eivissa, Illes Balears, Spain. Phnoe +(34) 971 124 432

Ibiza Airport

Ibiza Airport (IBZ) also known as Sant Jordi Airport welcomed over 8 million passengers in 2018 making it Spain’s 8th busiest airport. There are a range of on-airport and off-airport car hire providers in and around Ibiza Airport. The on-airport providers provide convenience and are popular but beware the queues can be extremely long during the peak times and prices are high in comparison to some of the trusted off-airport car hire providers.

The airport is surrounded by numerous off-airport car hire providers which can range from walking distance to a 2 to 10 minute bus transfer. Prices can be extremely cheap for the car hire itself, starting at as little as €1.20 per day however take care to read the providers terms and conditions carefully and its worth using a broker who will carefully select the more reputable providers so you can relax knowing they are legit.

When choosing your car hire provider the price is obviously going to be very important but other key factors to consider include their reviews, both the average score and number of validated reviews, the distance from the airport and frequency of the bus transfer (or walking distance), how long they have been operating and their experience, whether the brokers and comparison sites choose to display them (and its worth noting you’ll often get a better price by booking through a broker or comparison website than direct), and also whether they are independent, national of international brands.

Enjoy Travel chooses its Ibiza Airport car hire partners carefully and gives recommendation to;

Centauro – an established national brand with low prices and good customer ratings and just 3-5 minutes transfer from IBZ airport

Europcar – an international brand with excellent customer ratings and this car hire provider is located in the airport terminal meaning no transfer and great convenience

Top Tips when hiring a car in Ibiza

● A big number of users encountered rental cars in Ibiza for less than £29 per day.

● Booking your rental car in Ibiza in advance even if it's by at least 1 day before your trip ensures you'll get cheap car hire deals.

● Ibiza car hire prices in the Airport are much cheaper than other locations such as the city centre of the island.

● The car hire services offered by the car hire companies in the Airport include the best car hire deals on the island, making them the most popular car hire option.

● Santa Eulalia is a picturesque town located on the east coast of the island of Ibiza that should be visited if you have rented a car.

● The old town of Ibiza, also known as Dalt Vila, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historical significance and cultural value.

● Compact hire car models in Ibiza are cheaper and more popular than other vehicle types.