Cala d'en Serra is a small horseshoe of sand at the northern tip of Ibiza, about eight kilometres beyond San Juan and signposted off the road into Portinatx. It is one of the least developed coves on the island, and the reason is the track down to it.
That track is unsurfaced and badly potholed. A car with low clearance will not enjoy it, and most people park at the top and walk the last stretch, which takes about ten minutes downhill.
The ruin at the top
The concrete shell above the cove is the part people remember. It was designed in the 1970s by Josep Lluis Sert, the Catalan architect who spent years as dean of the design school at Harvard, and it was never finished.
What stands there now is a frame, open to the weather and covered in layers of spray paint. It is worth the few minutes before you go down, both for the view over the bay and because very little else on Ibiza looks like it.
The cove
The sand is golden and there is not much of it. Sources disagree on the exact dimensions and we would rather not invent a figure, but the honest description is a few dozen metres across, enough for a modest number of towels and no more.
The water is clear and calm, sheltered by the arms of the headland. Smaller coves sit either side of the main one and the rock between them holds fish, so a mask earns its place in the bag.
There is usually a small beach bar in season doing food and drinks, along with a few loungers. Beyond that there is nothing: no showers, no toilets and no lifeguard. Bring water.
When to come
Early. The cove is small enough that twenty people make it feel full, and in August the parking at the top fills by mid-morning.
June and September are the months to aim for. In winter the track is worse and the bar is shut, so unless you want the walk for its own sake there are better choices.
If you are exploring this corner of the island, Portinatx is ten minutes away and has the facilities this cove does not.
Quick answers
Can you drive all the way down? You can, but the track is rough. Most people park at the top and walk.
How long is the walk? About ten minutes down, and longer coming back up.
Are there facilities? A seasonal beach bar and some loungers. No showers, toilets or lifeguard.
Is it good for children? The water is calm and shallow, but the walk and the lack of facilities make it hard work with very young ones.
What is the abandoned building? An unfinished hotel designed by Josep Lluis Sert in the 1970s.
Is it busy? Rarely crowded, but it is small, so it fills quickly in August.