Ibiza beyond the clubs: seven quiet places

The walled upper town of Ibiza Town, on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1999. Its walls were built in the 16th century under Charles V to keep out Turkish raiders. You enter through the Portal de ses Taules, with its drawbridge and two Roman statues, then climb narrow cobbled lanes and stairways between houses where people still live. At the top are the cathedral and the Santa Tecla bastion, the highest point in town, looking down over the rooftops, the harbour and the sea. Entry is free. By day the lanes are quiet. Go in the late afternoon: in summer the climb is hot work at midday, and in the evening the lights come on and the restaurants fill up.

A 52-metre hill right in the town of Santa Eulària des Riu, topped by a white 16th-century church that was built to shelter the parish when raiders came from the sea. That is why it has thick walls, a rounded bastion and hardly any windows. Stand by the deep arched porch and the town spreads out below you. The cemetery next door is worth a few minutes too. You walk the last stretch uphill from the car parks.

A farming hamlet near the village of Sant Llorenç de Balàfia, fortified by the farmers themselves: white walls, flat roofs and defensive towers where families took refuge when corsairs came inland. The houses are private, so you can only look from the road; a walk round them takes about five minutes. Carry on along the dirt road towards the village, and about ten minutes later an intact tower comes into view. The access road is narrow and unpaved, and there's no water nearby.

From the end of January until at least the end of July, flamingos wade through the salt lakes, with black-winged stilts and avocets feeding alongside. Walkways cross the flats, where salt is still harvested the traditional way, and the park also takes in dunes, pine woods and a beach. It lies right beside the airport, so planes come in low over the water. There's no shade on the flats, so bring water, a hat and, if you have them, binoculars. Come early in the morning, or late in the day for the sunset over the lakes.

Walk the trail through the scrub and suddenly Es Vedrà is in front of you: a 413-metre limestone islet rising out of the sea, while the cliff drops away at your feet. Most people stop at the viewpoint below the tower and stay for the sunset. The round watchtower itself, built in the 1750s, stands higher up the hill, but there's no clear path to it, and the direct way up isn't always open. The free car park is about 1.4 km from the tower as the crow flies, and there's no water or toilets on the way.

Flat rock shelves step down to the sea like a broad staircase, and people spread their towels out on the bare rock. The water is clear and feels cold for the first few seconds. Snorkelling along the rock edge is good, and people jump from the higher ledges; check the depth first and only jump when the sea is calm. Climb over the rocks to the right for wide platforms facing west, where the sun sets straight ahead. The nearest car park is about 800 m away as the crow flies, and you walk from there. Bring water shoes, plenty to drink and something for shade, and expect nude sunbathers on the platforms.

A long, sheltered inlet on the east coast. With no waves coming in, you can swim far along it, and the water is clear enough to see the fish with just a pair of goggles. Pines stand behind the sand, and fishermen's boat sheds sit on the rocks. There are no sunbeds, toilets or drinking water, only a small beach bar for drinks, so bring your own shade and supplies. Come on a still summer morning: the cove faces east, and the low sun shines right along the inlet. Parking is right by the cove.