Ibiza in winter is a different island rather than a quieter version of the same one. The clubs are shut, the coastal villages empty, and what is left is a working Mediterranean island of about 150,000 people going about its business. We have set out what closes, what does not, and what the weather does.
For walking, eating and looking at things, it is the best time of year here.
What closes
Effectively all of the club scene and most of the beach clubs, along with a good deal of San Antonio, Portinatx and the other purpose-built bays. Hotels largely shut from November to April.
What stays open
About fifty restaurants, concentrated in Ibiza Town, Santa Eulalia and Santa Gertrudis, with a scattering inland. Our guide to where to eat in winter lists them by area.
The towns themselves function normally: shops, markets, the port, the schools. Las Dalias runs its Saturday market all year.
The weather
Daytime temperatures sit in the mid-teens from December to February and climb through March. It rains more than the summer, which is not saying much, and the light is low and very clear.
The sea is about 14 degrees in February, so swimming is brief and better with a wetsuit, and the visibility underwater is at its best.
What the winter is for
Walking. The hiking routes are impossible in August and perfect in January, and the ground is green rather than burnt.
Almond blossom. Late January and early February, across the Corona plateau around Santa Agnes, where the trees turn the whole plain white for a few weeks.
Dalt Vila without a crowd. You can park, walk up and have the terrace to yourself.
Village fiestas. San Antonio on 17 January with the blessing of the animals, Santa Agnes on the 21st, Santa Eulalia in February. Our guide to the village festivals has the calendar.
Quick answers
Is anything open on Ibiza in winter? Yes, about fifty restaurants and all the towns.
How cold is it? Mid-teens by day from December to February.
Can you swim? Briefly. The sea is around 14 degrees in February.
When is the almond blossom? Late January into February.
Are the clubs open? No. The season runs roughly May to October.
Is it worth going? For walking, food and the towns, yes.