Portinatx sits at the very top of Ibiza, where the road north finally runs out. It is built around three small sandy coves within a few minutes of each other, and because they face north into a sheltered inlet rather than out at open sea, the water here is the calmest on the island.
It is a long way from everything, and in exchange you get swimming that small children can be trusted with, which is why the village fills with families rather than with anyone in a hurry.
The three coves
S'Arenal Gran is the largest and the one with most of the hotels and restaurants behind it, sandy and shallow with a gentle shelf. S'Arenal Petit is the smaller version next door, quieter and just as calm. Playa Porto is the third, rockier and the one people walk to rather than park at.
All three are sand rather than pebble, which is unusual for the north coast, and all three shelve slowly enough to wade a long way out.
The lighthouse
From the eastern side of the village a path runs out to the Punta des Moscarter lighthouse, the tallest on the Balearics, white with a black band. It is a flat twenty minutes each way over scrub and rock, best early or late, and the view back along the north coast is the reason to do it.
Good to know before you book
The distances are the trade. The airport is about 45 minutes and Ibiza Town 40. Portinatx is not somewhere to base a week of clubbing.
It is a holiday village rather than a working one. A good deal of it closes from November to April, and the village is quiet in a way that suits some weeks and not others.
Bring a car. The buses run, but not often enough to plan around.
Quick answers
Is Portinatx good for families? Yes, and it is the standard answer for small children: three sandy coves, calm shallow water and everything within walking distance.
How far is the airport? About 45 minutes.
Is there nightlife? Bars and restaurants. Nothing beyond that.
Is it open in winter? Largely not. It is a seasonal village.
What is there to do besides the beach? The lighthouse walk, the coves along the coast towards Benirras, and the market at San Juan on a Sunday.
Can you walk between the coves? Yes, all three are a few minutes apart.
Who it suits
Families with small children, and anyone who wants a quiet week where the beach is at the bottom of the road. It suits people who came for the south of the island least.