Car Hire Es Canar

Car Hire

Santa Eulalia es Cana is one of the quieter spots on party island Ibiza for those who don’t particularly care for the over-commercialism typically seen in the south. It’s got a lot going for it, with golden sand beaches and a chilled out resort area, plus it is easy to get to by road. Ibiza Town is just to the south, or you could do a loop of the entire island from here.

Who to Book With
Ibiza Airport has several car rental companies, including Avis, Hertz, Tui, Centauro and Betacar Ibiza. There’s lots of competition and though demand is high in July and August, getting value for money is best done via a comparator website as opposed to booking directly.

Best Time to Go
It’s warm most of the year and mild in the winter even, with most people heading to Ibiza during the summer, in July and August. Beware that it can get overly hot as well as busy at this time, and Ibiza road congestion is common. It’s wetter in winter but booking rates are less, with the best time overall for driving being late spring or early September.

Need to Know Essentials
Visitors will need to show the following documents when collecting car hire:

- A United Kingdom driver’s licence or International Driving Permit
- A passport
- The same credit card which was used to reserve the car
- The confirmed reservation printed out

For more info, read our FAQs.

Driving
Ibiza is small and gets congested in the towns and at the main beach resorts, where parking is difficult. It is a pleasure to drive to the centre of the island, but be mindful that locals are notoriously bad drivers and that single tracks in the rugged west and north of the island should be taken slowly. It’s also best to avoid driving at night when drunken tourists on motorbikes often cause havoc.

Our Guide to Spain contains more detailed driving information.

Transport

Buses and taxis ply Santa Eulalia es Cana, but it is small enough to easily get about on foot. Buses serve other resorts, though it’s much more fun to drive the island; it’s only an hour’s drive from north to south. Santa Eulalia is a less than 20 mile or 40 minute drive from the airport, bypassing Ibiza Town.

Ferry
Non-flyers can use Transmediterranea’s ferries from the mainland’s Barcelona and Valencia to get to Ibiza. Services from Barcelona and Valencia terminate at San Antonio (in the west), with most arrivals from Valencia disembarking at Ibiza Town’s port, from where cars can be rented. There are also services from nearby Mallorca.

Buses
Buses serve all tourist locations on Ibiza, but you won’t need to use a bus to get about Santa Eulalia es Cana as it is compact. Buses run less frequently on weekends. Consider making use of the Disco Bus to get to the main nightclubs to avoid driving on Ibiza’s roads at night. The bus station in Ibiza Town is on Isidor Macabich Avenue in the centre.

Taxis
Ibiza taxis are metered and good for getting to neighbouring beaches if you don’t fancy driving. If you plan on picking up car hire at Santa Eulalia es Cana as opposed to driving from Ibiza Airport, be sure to use the standard licensed taxis and not the fixed price ones, which are more expensive.

Exploring

While Ibiza is only a small island, there are miles of roads, with routes cutting across the island as well as looping around it. There are no major highways, but you can get to the main sights in a timely manner by car. Ibiza Town is only 30 minutes’ drive from Santa Eulalia, while every beach is no more than an hour away by car.

Recommended Drives

Ibiza Old Town - This is the part of Ibiza Town that has most sights and sits above the harbour and the beaches. It is an area of intriguing alleys and ancient buildings, and has a wholly different look and feel to modern Ibiza Town. The town is well signposted and accessed via the PM-810, with it located about 12 miles south of Santa Eulalia es Cana.

San Antonio - Ibiza’s main party hangout is across the other side of the island from Santa Eulalia via a direct inland route or a loop of the south. Although best known for its busy bay and nightlife (in the West End), it is worth heading here even if you’re not into this entertainment as the beach and the town are nice, with the latter home to great tapas bars and an impressive church. Consider stopping off at Santa Gertrudis, an authentic Ibiza village in the centre of the island which is great for handicrafts and festivals.

The north coast - Some of the best driving in Ibiza is had along the rugged, quiet north coast. This region is fairly unspoilt when compared with the south, sporting traditional villages and charming coves. A highlight is the Cova de Can Marca cave on the side of a cliff. On the way back, stop off at the Saturday market near Sant Carlos.

Ibiza beaches - The best way to get a taste for Ibiza’s beaches is to explore the island by car rental. Santa Eulalia es Cana is obviously great, but nearby alternatives are Cala Nova, Cala Pada and Figueral. Some of the most beautiful beaches are in the south however, including Playa d'en Bossa and Las Salinas, which is close to the Las Salinas salt flats.