10 Things to Do in Ibiza in October

From May to September Ibiza is one of the most important tourist destinations for foreign visitors throughout Spain. Many come to the island in search of partying and fun, but others are also excited by the natural beauty that defines it. That's why the best things to see and do in Ibiza are a balance of these two tourist focuses.

In this list of activities I've put together the most important events and traditions in October so that you can make the most of your budget and your time at the start of the island's low season. So I invite you to continue reading this informative compilation, as it will give you a much clearer and more honest idea of what it's like to experience the charm of Ibiza in mid-October.

The 12th of October is a representative date for the entire Spanish-speaking world and specifically in Spain it coincides with a national fair that is celebrated every year with the intention of highlighting the patriotic feeling that the country's inhabitants have for their culture and history. If you're in Ibiza on this date, you can't fail to celebrate it like the locals, who usually take part in some cultural activities in the centre of the island's capital.

There may be a popular market in the square near the town hall or some local artists may gather in the Mirador de Sra Pedrera to have an improvised concert of popular Spanish music. The island's restaurants usually offer dishes representative of the national gastronomy and sometimes there is a fireworks display in the port area of Ibiza Town.

Every year in Ibiza there are music festivals for all kinds of tourists. Right in October there is one of the most important of the whole Balearic cultural scene and that is the Jazz Point Festival. Basically, it is a massive 4-day event that usually takes place during the second or third week of the month, from Thursday to Sunday, with the best of the contemporary European and world jazz music scene.

Year after year the line-up of artists that perform changes, but the most common is that they are some of the most important orchestras of this musical genre. As well as some soloists representing classical jazz and the more modern jazz that has undergone major changes in recent decades.

Different cultural establishments are selected all over the island for each of the festival's dates, and it is most common for the Teatro Ibiza and the Catalina Bufi Conservatory to be some of the chosen venues. So attending one of the concerts or events of the festival is a very good idea if you are having a 5-day trip to Ibiza. As well as if you are spending a whole season on the island and want to enjoy the cultural activities that most entertain the local population.

Ibiza is a world capital of the nightlife scene and is truly a destination known for being the soul of the party in the Spanish Mediterranean. At the same time, the most profitable time of the year for nightlife establishments in Ibiza usually starts in May and ends by the end of September and mid-October.

In fact, most of the island's most famous beach bars and nightclubs hold a big celebration in October to mark the end of the party season. This is actually a bit of a holiday, as in mid-December some places will be reactivated for the Christmas and New Year festivities.

So it's a great idea to attend some of these events if your visit coincides with the closing week of many of these commercial venues. Keep in mind that Ibiza Town and Platja d'en Bossa are where the most legendary Balearic nightlife establishments are located.

Ushuaia, Pachá, Amnesia and Privilege are some of the quality benchmarks of the island's party scene, and the truth is that attending the closing parties of the tourist season is just as recommendable as going to some of these places in the middle of the summer. Actually, partying is also one of the best things to see and do in Ibiza during August. Only in October you would be enjoying the farewell until next year or until the short opening for New Year's Eve celebrations.

In addition to discotheques and music festivals, there are also large and small cultural celebrations in Ibiza that have to do with the rural identity of this island. This is what the patron saint festivities of Sant Rafel, a tiny village in the centre of the island, are all about. Year after year in October, it organises a calendar of events. These range from academic seminars on the history of the Balearic Islands to photographic exhibitions as well as musical and artistic performances throughout this picturesque community.

There is no specific date because throughout the month different activities take place to attract as many visitors as possible. However, the most important tradition is usually the theatrical presentation that takes place on the 24th of October, which is the day of San Rafael. As well as the typical night walk through the rural fields near the village which offers participants a different perspective of what night in Ibiza is like for the locals.

Every year, a hiking marathon is organised among the mountainous landscapes of the municipality of Sant Antoni, covering terrain ranging from fincas to dense forests and small villages. The route also passes along cliffs that give participants in the competition beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea.

There are three races that have sometimes been run simultaneously, while in other years they have been divided over three days, usually in the second or third week of October. The main hiking race is about 42 kilometres long, while the second is 21 kilometres long. The shortest of all, and a favourite with recreational participants, is about 10 kilometres.

There is also usually a short race over favourable terrain for children or minors who do not qualify in terms of height or body mass to compete in the other races.

If unfortunately your October visit to the island doesn't coincide with the exact dates of this competition, then you can also take part in some of the best bike tours in Ibiza. Many of them also choose mountain routes that are very favourable for those who are looking for fun that combines physical exercise with tourist exploitation of the natural beauty of this island.

Halloween is celebrated on the 31st of October, but the truth is that this date represents several weekends of parties and fun for young people from the penultimate week of October. In fact, it is very common for all the events associated with this celebration imported from the United States to fall on a weekend, while the official date of Halloween is left for a weekday when people will clearly be busy.

At the same time, although the island's biggest nightclubs will have closed their doors for the dates around 31 October, it is still true that the beach bars will remain open uninterrupted for the rest of the year. That means you'll have the opportunity to celebrate Halloween in the island's capital city as well as in other communities further afield. San Antonio is one of them, as it has O Beach or there is also the Nassau Beach Club in Playa d'en Bossa.

Keep in mind that by attending a Halloween beach party you will be experiencing one of the best things to do in Ibiza. For the island' s luxurious and fun-filled beach bars are institutions as famous as the nightclubs themselves that focus on mass entertainment.

The Ibiza Lights Festival is an annual two-day event that attempts to combine the technical use of artificial light to highlight the beauty of the architectural gems of the island's capital. All this is combined with live music performances and also some presentations by academics and local personalities on the importance of preserving the Balearic identity on an island as touristy and interconnected with the rest of the world as Ibiza.

There are also street art exhibitions and some performing arts presentations that try to attract the attention of locals and visitors who still remain on the island to these cultural spaces.

This festival is one of the best things to see or do in Ibiza with kids in October because it's a free, open-air activity that can entertain the whole family for a whole evening of the trip.

San Antonio Bay is one of the most important tourist destinations in the south of Ibiza, as it has the best of a plentiful hotel offer along with everything you would expect from a community that focuses on what maritime and beach tourism has to offer its inhabitants.

In turn, staying in the area or visiting to take part in water activities or a simple day at the beach is an excellent idea during October. It will be the first time in several months that this area of the island will be sufficiently empty of tourists for you to enjoy it as you deserve.

Bear in mind that it is a coastline with practically no waves, which makes it a good place for activities such as kayaking or paddle surfing. Also, bear in mind that many of the boat trips to the southeast coast of Ibiza leave from this port, so it is a good idea to visit it during the dates you are interested in and organise a trip to Es Vedrà or to Illa Sa Conillera.

Dalt Vila is the historic quarter of Ibiza Town and is characterised by such significant historical and architectural importance that, together with other parts of the island, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That is why it is a good idea to dedicate a day of your trip to stroll through its streets at your leisure, as the low tourist influx in October makes this one of the best times of the year for an activity like this.

I can highlight the Castle of Ibiza, the Cathedral of Santa María, the remains of the city walls and the Plaça del Parc as some of the sites that cannot be missed on this urban tour of the city of Ibiza. The city is characterised by the preservation of a significant number of medieval constructions in the best Mediterranean style.

The Old Market is another place that should not be missed on this itinerary. In fact, touring this centre of artisan trade is one of those things to see or do in Ibiza during the winter or the rest of the months of the tourist low season. That's because you 'll be able to get good discounts due to the lack of demand for many of the businesses that year after year make most of their profits in the summer.

The gastronomy of the Balearic Islands is one of the most interesting in the whole of Spain due to the fact that its geographical isolation has allowed the local culinary world to develop its own peculiar identity.

At the same time, October is a good time to experience the island of Ibiza through its gastronomy, as many of the summer dishes are still being prepared regularly, but most of the flavours that define winter in the Balearics are also beginning to appear.

Sobrasada, greixonera, coca de patatas and apricot sponge cakes are just some of the most basic and elementary elements that you should try in order to start to familiarise yourself with the culinary scene of the most traditional and authentic Ibiza. That's why it's a good idea on a three-day trip to Ibiza in October to make sure that at least two of your daily meals are familiar recipes from the local gastronomy.

October temperatures on this Balearic island are more favourable than the hot summer months, with highs usually reaching 23 degrees Celsius, while lows are around 15 degrees Celsius at night. This means that autumn in Ibiza is a good time for those who want to enjoy the island without having to endure too much heat and without having to adjust to the cold winter winds.

In October there is a drastic drop from the number of visitors throughout the summer and even with the number of people who still remain on the island for the last week of September. This means that you will be able to choose freely among the island's hotel offer as well as any other tourist, commercial and gastronomic services.

October is a significantly cheap month compared to what you would pay for a holiday during some of the summer dates or what you would spend if you visit the island during the Christmas holidays. In fact, you'll start to see the savings from the moment you buy your airline tickets and will be even more noticeable when you book your accommodation.

I recommend that you take sunscreen with you and that you prioritise comfortable clothing. Footwear that is conducive to long walking sessions is important and it's preferable that you also pack some clothes that are smart enough for a special occasion. That's because you never know when a plan comes up that requires a certain degree of aesthetic presence and it's best to be wary of such situations.