The stunningly beautiful Mediterranean island of Ibiza (pronounced e-beeth-a; Catalan street signs spell it Eivissa), located about 100 miles off the coast of Spain, is one of the world’s hottest summer destinations. A-listers in entertainment, fashion and sports come to play on its beaches, dance in its music clubs and relax aboard chartered 80-foot yachts.

Ibiza shines as the mecca of clubbing, with international DJs shuttling in and out of its all-night dance clubs and party-centric resorts, giving this once bucolic island a reputation as a party-’til-dawn destination.

During my first visit to Ibiza in 1973, the verb “clubbing” did not exist and the island remained unknown to most Americans. European celebrities like German singer Nina Hagen, Swiss actress Ursula Andress and Austrian Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda moored yachts in the marina near Ibiza Town and its walled, 16th-century hilltop Old City (Dalt Vila in Catalan and now a UNESCO World Heritage site). The Euro VIPs sometimes came ashore at night for a few hours at Pacha, the island’s only discotheque at the time.

Nighttime activities during Ibiza’s early tourism days consisted of quiet, late dinners at one of the restaurants along the harbor, and people-watching meant sitting at the outdoor café Montesol for an inexpensive breakfast while perusing the scruffy group of backpacking hippies straggling off the overnight ferry from Barcelona. Today, hundreds of club and resort DJs pump out a continuous pulse of electro and techno music every night until dawn, and most international visitors arrive by jet into a greatly expanded Ibiza Airport.

Hilton recently restored the Montesol Hotel and Café, built in 1933, as part of its upscale Curio Collection, and French DJ David Guetta, called the King of Ibiza, headlined this summer at Pacha (still in business), where he performed 19 shows.

Aerial view of a party scene at Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel © USHUAIA IBIZA BEACH HOTEL

If you want to go clubbing, you have numerous choices; but two of the largest party venues, the Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel and the Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza, sit side by side on Platja d’en Bossa, a beachside strip of hotels, restaurants and shops midway between Ibiza Town and the airport. Adults-only Ushuaïa boasts a giant outdoor stage and poolside parties that attract large crowds of hotel guests as well as island visitors who buy tickets to the DJ shows. Hotel guests book balcony club rooms and suites facing the stage and pool to be as close as possible to the action. Tower rooms offer more privacy, but nothing stops the incessant music from entering, although no one expects quiet time here.

Both Ushuaïa and Hard Rock offer dining and bar venues, beachfront parties and upscale resort amenities. If you’re after the thumping DJ music and dance scene with plenty of late-night communal drinking and partying, the island’s mega resorts, as well as the smaller, less pricey and extravagant venues, give you your money’s worth. As an older, non-clubbing visitor, I attended one of Ushuaïa’s late-night shows and enjoyed myself for a few hours. The crowds are friendly, the spirit is contagious, the events are well-organized with tight security, and being outdoors during an Ibiza sunset is always magical.

For the quieter, ethereal Ibiza, however, head to the hilly north where narrow roads wind down to small coves with sandy beaches, fishing huts and a handful of local sunbathers. Short hiking trails bring you to cliff tops with spectacular Mediterranean views. Tucked among the lush, green hills, small, upscale hotels offer the antithesis of the party resorts, some featuring yoga classes, life-coaching sessions or Bompu Zen meditation.

On a forested hillside near Santa Inés I discovered Can Pujolet, which, thankfully, offered no organized activities but provided a beautiful swimming pool with an open-air restaurant serving three healthy, mostly organic meals daily, and a black sky filled with stars, without electronic dance music. Stone or white adobe-style units provide accommodations, some with hammocks, many with tiled terraces and lounges overlooking the countryside. Bedrooms feature wood-beamed ceilings, deluxe bathrooms and complimentary WiFi, also offered in the pool area.

“I like to provide my guests with a very peaceful and healthy environment,” said Nina Zontini, who arrived in Ibiza in the 1970s from northern Italy and purchased the original finca-style house and property several years after living on the island. The rustic, contemporary design of the guestrooms; the groves of plum, fig and olive trees; and the property’s understated elegance all reflect the subtle use of color, nature and design to create a comforting environment. “We use our organic vegetable gardens and fruit trees to help supplement the fresh fish and lamb we get locally,” Zontini said.

Zontini was a young, free-spirited hippie when she first arrived in Ibiza, and after working for several years, she found the island so beautiful and serene she decided not to return to the busy cities and cold, gray climate of northern Europe. She raised a family here and eventually turned her home into a charming Mediterranean/Alpine paradise.

Cala Salada beach near Sant Antoni, Ibiza © RON BERNTHAL

No place is far away on the island, just a sixth of the size of Mallorca, the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands. Ibiza’s northern countryside is more rural and bohemian than the south, attracting a more sophisticated, wealthy visitor. Even in the center of the island, you can stand on a hilltop at night and see the lights of Ibiza Town on the coast below, a 20-minute drive. From Can Pujolet, a 10- to 15-minute car or scooter drive takes you to the bustling port and beach town of Sant Antoni with its plethora of hotels, music clubs, restaurants and food markets.

The young clubbers who fly to Ibiza from Manchester or Frankfurt seem content to return home with scarlet sunburns, hundreds of selfies and perhaps a hangover. Others fall in love with the island’s countryside and usually check out the local real estate. Properties in the north range from traditional farmhouses for $3 million to modern villas with sea views for $10 million. Small villages like Sant Miguel, Sant Joan, Sant Mateau and Santa Inés, once inexpensive and remote, now draw wealthy European couples and families who can afford the attractive summer vacation houses. Hidden away in the northern villages are some of the best small restaurants on the island, including The Giri Café in San Juan village and the casual on-the-beach Calo des Multons, reached by footpath, in scenic Port de San Miguel.

It is worthwhile to visit 1,560-foot Sa Talaiassa, the highest point in Ibiza, accessed from the town of Sant Josep in the southwest. From here you can see both the east and west coasts of the island; at sunset the eastern sky exhibits a deep cobalt blue while the sinking sun sets the sky aflame in brilliant orange.

Save a day to experience the nearby island of Formentera, the smallest of the Balearic Islands — take the 40-minute ferry ride or charter a boat and crew. Known for its excellent beaches; clear waters; and laid-back, hip lifestyle, its shores are less crowded, and you’ll find plenty of outdoor cafés and trendy clothing boutiques.

Ibiza Info to Go

Ibiza’s modern airport (IBZ), four miles from Ibiza Town, handles the crush of visitors from 57 European airports during the summer high season with an efficient passport/customs area for arrivals and 70 check-in counters for departures. Taxis, public buses and rental cars are available. For visitors bringing their own vehicles to Ibiza or wishing to experience the traditional and stirring arrival by boat into Ibiza Port, ferry service connects to Barcelona (8.5 hours), Valencia (5 hours) and Mallorca (4 hours). Ferry service also links Ibiza to Denia/Alicante on Spain’s Costa Blanca (3.5 hours).

Where to Stay in Ibiza

CAN PUJOLET This quiet countryside paradise features 10 rooms in stone or adobestyle units and a lovely swimming pool and restaurant, all set among fruit trees and vegetable gardens. Santa Inés $$$–$$$$

IBIZA GRAN HOTEL At this ultra-deluxe, 157-suite, 5-star property adjacent to Casino de Ibiza, enjoy two swimming pools, a spa, original art pieces and La Gaia restaurant serving Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine. Paseo Juan Carlos I, 17, Eivissa/Ibiza Town $$$$$

USHUAÏA IBIZA BEACH HOTEL Ibiza’s ultimate beachfront, upscale clubbing property features 181 Tower rooms; 234 Club rooms facing the outdoor pool and DJ stage; and many dining venues including a steak restaurant, Japanese cuisine, oyster and caviar bar. Open May– October. Playa d’en Bossa 10, 07817 Sant Jordi de Ses Salines $$$$$

Restaurants in Ibiza

BAR FLOTANTE The restaurant on the sand of Talamanca Beach serves excellent grilled swordfish, prawns, sardines, calamari and salads. Try the greixonera for dessert. No reservations; go early for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Talamanca Beach $$

CAN BERRI VELL This restaurant in one of the prettiest, best-preserved villages in Ibiza only serves dinner, including locally sourced lamb, duck and pork; and fresh Mediterranean fish and seafood. Open April–late October. Reservations required. Plaça Major, Sant Agustí des Vedrà $$$$

CAN CIRES Enjoy indoor/outdoor dining in a small northern village. Popular with residents and visitors, the eatery’s Spanish-only menu includes excellent steak tartare, pork shoulder, roast lamb, fresh fish and salads. Sant Mateu d’Albarca $$$