Ecotourism The rural charms of Ibiza

Driving, hiking, or even cycling to this peak in the southwest, near the village of Sant Josep, offers one of Ibiza’s finest viewpoints. From here, the panoramic view stretches to Formentera and, on the clearest days, as far as the Valencian coast. A tip: go early in the morning, less to avoid the heat than to escape the haze that can mask the landscape.

While pines, junipers, wild olives, rockrose, mastic trees, and prickly pear cacti grow naturally across the island’s interior, human hands have also shaped the land through traditional farming. In small, secluded valleys, dryland crops still appear intermittently, with wheat fields, vineyards, carob trees, and the distinctive fig trees that grow horizontally, their branches supported by wooden props, creating one of Ibiza’s most recognizable images.

Exploring this deep-rooted landscape, whether wild or cultivated, means discovering places as unique as Es Broll de Buscastell, a spring that flows between mountains in an extraordinary setting and has supplied nearby villages since Muslim times through a system of terraces, channels, reservoirs, and irrigation ditches. It also means visiting the island’s primary wine region, Pla d’Aubarca, where local wines can be tasted at wineries such as Sa Cova and Can Maymó. After a day spent exploring, hotels with pools in Ibiza like Iberostar Selection Santa Eulalia become a welcome refuge, where a seafront pool, sun loungers, and a chilled drink offer the perfect close to the day.

Then there is perhaps the island’s least-known image: its many almond trees, scattered across the landscape, especially in the north at the foot of Els Amunts and in the area known as Pla de Corona. Thousands of almond trees that, much like the famous blooms of mainland Spain, transform the plains into soft shades of white and pink when they flower in early spring, creating a striking visual display and a delicate fragrance.

These villages, peaceful havens on an island known for constant celebration, are also the best place to appreciate traditional architecture. Cubic forms, simple lines, and whitewashed walls define a style studied by designers worldwide, famously admired by Le Corbusier for its harmony with nature. Unlike towns organized around a central square, Ibiza’s rural layout is based on scattered homes across the countryside, sometimes anchored only by a parish church.

Wherever the journey begins or ends, any route through Ibiza’s rural villages should include Santa Agnès, in the northwest. There are many reasons: it is a wonderfully small village, with little more than a shop, a bar, and a church; it has inspired poets, painters, and photographers; its surroundings, crisscrossed by trails for hikers and cyclists, host the island’s almond blossom season; and it is home to the Museu Etnogràfic de Santa Agnès Es Pujol, which captures the essence of this enduring Ibiza. The museum displays everyday objects used in rural life as if they were ancient relics: farming tools, wine presses, and traditional espadrilles.

Sant Rafel de Sa Creu, located between Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni de Portmany, is also worth a visit. This picturesque village is defined by its 18th-century white church, a postcard-perfect landmark with sweeping Mediterranean views, and by a handful of bars and restaurants where you can try flaó, a traditional cake made with eggs, fresh sheep or goat cheese, and mint. It is also the only village on the island designated as an “Area of Artisan Interest,” thanks to its many workshops and its renowned ceramic tradition, producing distinctive pieces inspired by Punic designs.