Sant Antoni de Portmany, known to generations of British visitors as San Antonio, is the island’s second town. It sits at the back of a wide, sheltered bay on the west coast, and has been one of the Mediterranean’s best-known resorts since the 1960s.
What it’s like
The town has two faces. On one side, the busy streets of the West End and the bars along the bay; on the other, a working town with a harbour, a promenade and an old fortified church at its heart. In recent years the council has worked to improve its seafront and attract a more varied kind of visitor.
What to see and do
The sunset is the main event: every evening crowds gather along the rocks and bars of the bay’s northern shore, around Caló des Moro, to watch the sun go down. From the harbour, boats run along the coast to nearby coves and beaches.
Within 15 minutes’ drive are some of the island’s prettiest coves, including Cala Salada and Cala Gració, and inland lie the almond orchards of Santa Agnès.
The town celebrates its patron saint, Saint Bartholomew, on 24 August, with festivities and a firework display over the bay.
Getting there
San Antonio is about 20 minutes’ drive from Ibiza Town. The T1 bus links it with Ibiza Town via Sant Rafel, and the AERO1 runs to and from the airport.
Good to know
Outside July and August, San Antonio is a calmer, friendlier town, and the sunsets are just as good.
