Situated on the northern shores of Ibiza, the compact and pretty resort of Portinatx is surrounded by glittering turquoise blue waters and hills clad with deep verdant pine trees. Its location on the very beautiful north east tip of the island has made it popular with families and also couples. All are drawn by the peace of the place and the fact that there is still a relatively vibrant Ibiza-style atmosphere.
Whilst this resort is away from the buzz of the bigger resorts, there is a surprisingly active nightlife to be found in its music bars and small clubs. Portinatx and its pretty landscape was used to film scenes of the musical South Pacific and when you see the paradisiacal setting, this will come as no surprise.
Ibiza Town, its sights, shopping and evening entertainment are only a 40-minute drive away, with the super-clubs as accessible too. Plus, the gastronomic heartlands of Santa Eulalia and its many restaurants can be reached in around 30 minutes.
Beaches
Blessed with three pale gold sandy beaches, Portinatx makes for a true great escape. All have shallow waters, ideal for bathing safely, especially for children, as well as sunbeds and parasols for rent.
S'Arenal Gros in the bay is the resort's largest beach with excellent facilities, and is ideal for families. Next to it, connected by a nice promenade, is the quieter and smaller S'Arenal Petit that's popular with couples and surrounded by greenery. Playa Porto, the resort's third beach is sheltered by flat rocks that people like to climb to grab a lovely view of the sea below. There really is a beach for everyone in Portinatx.
Activities
A wealth of fun things to do can be found in the resort from water sports that range from pedalos for the kids and banana boats to tours on stand up paddle boards and kayaks. There is even a diving school here and an elevated mini-golf course with sparkling views of the sea. Crystal-clear waters with coastal crops of rock make the area ideal for snorkelling.
Several boat trips are on offer here including those provided by island favourite Aquabus. There are also boats available for hire, including low horsepower ones that don't require a license. A charming alternative to sea travel comes in the shape of the Tourist Train that takes you to see beautiful inland and coastal sites along winding country roads.
When you want to go and explore for yourself, discover the spectacular local landscape with several walks that can be enjoyed, including a breathtaking walk up to the highest lighthouse in the Balearics, with a stunning cliff drop that drops straight down into the glittering Mediterranean sea below. Being encompassed by stunning nature makes the area perfect for hiking trips and cycling tours too.
At its centre Portinatx has a water park with three large water slides, which belongs to the Sandos El Greco Beach Hotel, but it is currently closed.
Restaurants and bars
In Portinatx, visitors can count on a good number of places to eat from restaurants, bars and beach bars giving some excellent choice with traditional Mediterranean, locally caught fresh fish dishes to high-end fusion cuisine in the shape of Los Enamorados and even British pub-style cuisine. Many of these are located directly next to the beach promenade and have gorgeous views out over the water. For those renting a car, take the trip to the San Juan road towards Ibiza Town. Known colloquially as “restaurant road”, you'll find a delicious array of eateries all the way along.
A number of bars, with many by the beach, are quite busy into the evening so you'll have plenty to keep you entertained here. Some of them will have DJs playing dance music or have entertainment like quizzes, karaoke and themed bingo nights - and they open till late. Many of the bars are also relaxed about children being there at a late hour: pretty much all of the bars and restaurants are family-friendly. Some of the larger hotels offer regular entertainment on-site, with fun items like mini-discos for the kids.
Accomodation
You can expect a great selection of hotel and apartments in Portinatx with many of the accommodation options aimed at families. A number of quality adults-only four-star hotels from the likes of Spanish hotel brands Barceló and Grupotel can be found too, with some of them having had major upgrades in recent years. Since the resort is built into the hillside, amazing sea views often come as standard so everyone can access their own piece of paradise.
Some of the hotels offer sports' facilities like tennis and volleyball and have kids' clubs too. Onsite activities, in-house entertainment theme parties and on-site clubs come in many of the hotels' packages, so check these before you book. For the budget traveller, self-catering apartment complexes are ideal for when you want to save money, don't require the facilities of a hotel or are coming with children.
In the beautiful north of the island there are also many private holiday villas to rent - enjoy your own pool and absolute privacy.
Getting around
If you plan to do a lot of touring, hiring a car would be your best option in this most northbound of Ibiza resorts. Parking is easy with a large car park close to the beach of S'Arenal Gran and two other car parks close to the resort's two other beaches, S'Arenal Petit and Playa Porto. For those that love boat travel, small ferries connect you to small beaches nearby and to San Antonio.
For those that plan to stay mainly in Portinatx and want to travel just a little, there are two regular bus services. The first goes to Ibiza Town, several times a day during summer with a reduced service on Sundays and in the winter season. The other line goes to Santa Eulalia with a stop to get off and see the famous hippy market of Las Dalias, with departures in both summer and winter.
