Ibiza's summer season is just kicking off hotels, restaurants and bars closed for the winter are reopening; the sea has begun to shrug off its chill and the island's nightclubs throw open their doors to DJs once again with opening parties this week. High season doesn't kick in until July, so this is a brilliant time to explore the White Isle's beautiful beaches and idyllic countryside before the real heat and the revellers descend.
Touch down
British Airways (0844 493 0787; ba.com) has launched a new twice-weekly link to Ibiza from Heathrow. BA also flies from London City and Gatwick, while easyJet (0843 104 5000; easyJet.com) flies from Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Belfast, Glasgow and Liverpool. Monarch (0871 940 5040; flymonarch.com) goes from Birmingham, Gatwick, Manchester and East Midlands. Ryanair (0871 246 0000; ryanair.com) and Jet2 (0871 226 1737; jet2.com) both fly from eight UK airports, while Thomas Cook (0871 230 2406; flythomascook.com) flies from 14 airports and Thomson (0871 231 4787; thomson.com) from 15.
The airport (1) is 7.5km south of Ibiza Town (Eivissa in Catalan). Buses (00 34 971 340 382; ibizabus.com) run from outside the terminal to Ibiza Town every 20 minutes from 6.30am to 12.30am, and to San Antonio on the west coast every hour from 8am to 1am. Tickets cost 3.20 to either town and are available on board. Taxis are metered; the fare to Ibiza Town is about 12 and nearer 40 to the furthest point of the island.
Get your bearings
Ibiza is an island of two halves: the quiet, rural north is a foil to the more developed, fashionable south. The two biggest towns are charming Ibiza Town on the east coast and party hub San Antonio on the west, the throbbing hub of package deals, and stag and hen weekends. Beaches vary between small, pebblycoves and long sandy stretches.
There is a good tourist office at the airport (1) (00 34 971 809 118; ibiza.travel/en; 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, 9am to 3.15pm Sunday) and another tourist office (2) opposite the cathedral (3) in Ibiza's old town (00 34 971 399 232; 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm Monday to Saturday, 10am to 2pm Sunday).
Check in
The Giri Residence (4) at Carrer Principal 3-5 in San Joan (00 34 971 333 345; thegiri.com) is stylish but relaxed. This is luxury Ibiza-style: there's no bowing and scraping; you can have breakfast at 6pm if you like. Of the five rooms, Bougainvillea is the biggest and most private; the spa is small but striking. Doubles start at 395, including breakfast.
Reached via winding country lanes lined with wild flowers, Es Cucons (5) at Carrer Cami des Pla de Corona 110 (00 34 971 80 55 01; escucons.com) is a rural idyll. Sixteen bedrooms are scattered between the original finca (farmhouse) and stables; the outdoor spa is set amid almond groves. The simple Mediterranean food is first class. Doubles from 275, including breakfast.
Read more:
48 Hours In: Ibiza