After breakfast we made our way to the first beach of our trip. Rather than going too far from our stay, we decided to go to the main beach located right below us, Cala Xarraca. You could easily spend about 4 hours at Cala Xarraca in Ibiza between the medicinal mud, beach, activities, beach bar, swing, inlets, and caves and coves. It was about a 20-30 minute walk from our country house stay in San Juan area, so a 5 minute drive. Since the sun was scorching, we decided to drive. Getting down to the cove means driving through tight and narrow dirt roads, so keep that in mind when renting a car. Parking is free however, so that’s a plus. Cala Xarraca is located on the Northern coast of Ibiza and is known for its secluded and peaceful atmosphere, medicinal mud, and crystal clear waters for snorkeling.
Location: Neighborhood of Saint Juan, Northeast Ibiza
First impression: Local spot with nice coves for more privacy on the side
Facilities: Loungers, umbrellas, beach bar, activities, sea swings, and coves
Best for: Snorkeling and lounging
Best time of day to visit: Morning and early afternoon
Sveva’s Pick: The coves on the left hand side that also have mud baths
– About Cala Xarraca Beach –
Once on the beach, we sunbathed and took a dip in the water for about 30-40 minutes. The beach is definitely on the rocky side, as most beaches on the northern coast of Ibiza are. If you’re looking for sandy beaches, you’ll need to go South or East. Cala Xarraca has a little beach bar that serves food and drinks during the day. They play music at the beach bar, so if you want a respite and a more private place to sunbathe, try and find a private cove on the side, more on that below. If you’re looking for activities, Cala Xarraca also rents a lot of equipment for snorkeling, SUP, kayak etc. Before leaving, don’t forget to cover your self with the beaches renowned medicinal mud, known for its therapeutic properties.
– Cala Xarraca Swing –
If you’re looking for an adventure, there is a secret instagrammable spot hidden somewhere in the coves where there’s a swing that hangs over the Mediterranean sea…but that wasn’t mine and Pat’s vibe. If you want to find the Cala Xarraca swing, you need to walk to the right hand side of Cala Xarraca beach towards the old fishing dockyard. You will see these coves with ropes hanging beneath them (if they’re still there). Aside from it being too posed, I’m afraid of sharks so didn’t want to swim too far out just to get a picture. It’s stupid since there has only been 1 fatal shark attack in over 100 years on the Balearic islands, but still. Irrational fears set in! There are still over 47 species of sharks in the Balearic sea. They’re there, you just don’t hear about many encounters.
– Private Inlets & Coves –
Yes, Cala Xarraca beach is nice, but don’t leave without hiking the side of Cala Xarraca in search of smaller more private coves to enjoy. This is usually where the nudists go so they’re undisturbed. But if you can look past that, no pun intended, they truly are the more relaxed, quiet, private, and secluded areas to sunbathe. Sunbathing on rocks though is extremely uncomfortable, I’m not going to lie. So do come prepared. You don’t need sneakers and can manage the “hikes” in flip flops, but you may want water shoes if you plan on spending a lot of time in the water.
– Hike Cova de Llevant –
If you’re in the mood for something cool and different than a beach, than hike to the next door cave of Cova de llevant, also known as the Cave of the East. The cave is 20-30 minute hike down to the sea. You can either hike there or be dropped off by boat. We saw many yachts pull over and have mini boats drive passengers to the cave. The cave features impressive rock formations, stalactites, and stalagmites and a opening that opens out to the sea.
If you continue walking a bit further down there are a ton more natural pools and caves for people to swim in. Again, many people here were dropped off by boat so you won’t be alone. Crawl into one, go for a swim. Take a picture from the inside out and bask in the echoes of the water crashing up against the cave. This hike does require a bit of a sturdier shoe. A sneaker would’ve been better, but I did it in flip flops because I wasn’t prepared. Regardless, I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s very rocky and there is plenty of grass.
Local Recommendations: Nearby Places to Visit
The host at our country house in San Juan was a local and recommended we visit a few more areas that are less known. We unfortunately didn’t have time, but if you do, also hit up these local recommendations:
1. S’Illot des Renclí: For dinner or lunch for some of the best fresh fish on the island
2. Cala Portinatx: A smaller more secluded beach and cove right next door
3. Cala d’en Serra: A beach and cove even more secluded than Portinatx
4. Los Enamorados: Grab a cocktail and watch the sunset from this hotel restaurant on Portinatx beach overlooking the water. Grab dinner here if you’d like too
5. Giri Cafe: An amazing sit down breakfast in San Juan area if you are truly hungry and looking for an institutional island experience
6. Vista Alegre Restaurant: A traditional Bistró Ibicenco restaurant. In the morning, order the famous ‘chachi’, a Toast with tomato, avocado, cheese and a fried egg. For dinner, try any of the local specialties all made with fresh local ingredients.
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