The Spanish island of Ibiza is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Europe. Over two million people land at the local airport each year. The island’s primary draw is the promise of fun in the sun.
Most visitors spend their time exploring the beautiful beaches, such as Cala Comte and Cala Tarida, or the famous nightclubs in Ibiza and Sant Antoni.
The island does have more to offer visitors willing to look a little deeper, such as walking around Dalt Vila, Ibiza Town’s UNESCO-protected historic center, and the remote nature of the north coast.
Ibiza is definitely a place that you should visit at least once in your life (although you might be tempted to come back over and over again once you do). Before you plan your trip, it’s a good idea to gather information about practical concerns such as safety.
This travel guide can help you figure out how to travel to this lovely country safely. Keep reading for detailed information, including crime statistics — let us be your guide!
Is Ibiza Safe to Visit in 2024?
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Any destination that receives millions of annual visitors is bound to be safe, so feel free to book your trip to Ibiza!
However, you will need to take precautions to keep yourself safe as there are some dangers present. Particularly, be on your guard against petty theft and substance-related crimes.
Ibiza’s tourist numbers should be enough to put your mind at ease, as millions of people wouldn’t travel to a place where they would be risking life and limb for a vacation. Plus, you know that you will have the company of many other people as you explore.
However, the same tourist crowds that might reassure you about Ibiza’s safety are behind the main problems on the island.
Places that attract lots of tourists tend to have high rates of petty crime. Plus, since most people visit the island to party, the nightlife culture covers up darker crimes such as trafficking.
Common crimes that happen on Ibiza and that you might encounter when you visit the island include:
- Pickpocketing
- Bag snatching
- Tourist scams
- Drug abuse
- Sexual assault
The good news is that most of these crimes are fairly easy to avoid if you take common sense precautions. As long as you are not careless with your valuables and enjoy Ibiza’s nightlife responsibly, you can get through your vacation with minimal trouble.
Ibiza is also free of many of the problems you might encounter in other parts of Spain. The United States issues a Level Two travel advisory for the country of Spain due to the risk of terrorism and civil unrest.
The island is a small, politically insignificant location, so terrorist attacks almost never happen. Civil unrest is also fairly rare, although there are strikes sometimes affecting important infrastructure such as the local airport.
Read the news ahead of time to see if there are any strikes or demonstrations announced that might affect your travel plans. For many tourists, the primary source of danger comes from their own actions.
People often forget how to enjoy their vacation responsibly, especially the nightlife. There have been cases of tourists dying in Ibiza before, from activities such as falling from hotel balconies, cliff diving, getting into bar fights, or swimming at night (often while intoxicated).
It’s important not to let the hedonistic atmosphere get to your head even if you are on holiday.
Watch your substance intake and be careful not to consume too much or to mix different substances such as alcohol and drugs. Make a pact with your travel buddies to stick together and to hold each other to your limits.
When you are intoxicated, avoid risky activities such as swimming, diving, or high heights. Your judgement is impaired, and you don’t want your vacation to turn into a horror story.
Crime in Ibiza
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Due to the absence of other dangers such as terrorism, civil unrest, and natural disasters, crime will be your primary concern when thinking about safety in Ibiza.
There is another reason why crime is one of your primary concerns when visiting: there is quite a lot of it. According to official Spanish government statistics from 2022, the Balearic Islands (to which Ibiza belongs) is the region in Spain with the highest crime rate per capita.
The crime rate in the region is 64 incidents per 1,000 people. Of the Balearic Islands, Ibiza has the highest crime rate.
That makes it one of the places in Spain that has the highest crime rate, at 79 incidents per 1,000 people. The good news is that the vast majority of crimes committed in the island are non-violent.
Most are incidents of theft, which make up about 32% of total crimes committed on the Balearic Islands. Plus, crime has fallen somewhat since 2019 and is generally trending downwards.
However, there is one crime that has increased in 2022. According to local news, sex crimes increased by 16.3% in the first half of 2022.
Of course, this is compared to the previous year, when travel and movement was still under COVID-19 restrictions, so criminals didn’t have much opportunity to commit crimes. The increase is still concerning, especially as many victims are tourists to the island.
Organized crime syndicates are behind much of the crime in Ibiza. Domestic and foreign mafia-style organizations run extensive drug trafficking operations to keep up with the extremely high demand for drugs such as cocaine by party-goers.
The Spanish authorities are often frustrated by the prevalence of foreign criminal groups, such as the notorious camorra that essentially ran Ibiza for years.
However, organized crime groups rarely affect visitors. As long as you stay off their radar, for example by not doing drugs, you shouldn’t have to worry about their presence.
Looking at what locals are concerned about can give you a better picture of what to prepare for when visiting Ibiza than reading dry crime statistics.
According to Numbeo, whose crime index is based on survey data from locals and expats, the island scores a 44.42 out of 100 on the crime index, a moderate value.
Respondents’ experience with crime in Ibiza fluctuates drastically depending on the type of crime in question. People report moderate levels of concern with property crimes such as break-ins, thefts from vehicles, petty theft, and also drug abuse.
However, they are not concerned at all about verbal insults, assault, or violent crimes.
You can’t be completely carefree on your vacation, as there is plenty of crime on the island. However, you don’t have to be constantly on your guard as many criminal incidents are caused by visitor carelessness.
Petty Theft
The most common crime in Ibiza is petty theft. This makes sense for any location where you have a lot of tourists, as tourist crowds provide perfect cover and attractive targets for thieves.
Thefts increase exponentially in the summer, which is the high season for tourism on the island. Basic precautions are usually enough to deter thieves on the island.
That’s because many other visitors don’t bother with these precautions, and pickpockets are likely to move on to targets that they perceive as easier. Make sure that you never leave your valuables unattended.
If you are going swimming, have someone in your group stay behind with your bags at all times, or leave your valuables in your hotel room until you get back from the beach. Theft from unattended items on the beach is a very common crime.
In fact, leaving most of your valuables in your hotel room safe is a good precaution to take no matter where you go in Ibiza.
Take a photocopy or scan of your passport with you and keep the actual document locked up safely. Only take the cash you need for the day so if you do get robbed you have a back-up plan, and so you don’t look like a target.
Visitors have been targeted for expensive jewelry and watches before by robbers, so it’s best not to look like a cash machine.
Most thefts occur at night and thieves target intoxicated travelers. Try to maintain some awareness around you as you walk around the town, even late at night, to prevent thefts.
Sexual Assault
As mentioned above, sexual crimes were among the crimes that increased the most when Ibiza opened back up for tourism in 2022. Although there are never many rapes in a year on Ibiza, it is still a good idea to take precautions to protect yourself.
Criminals often target the mostly young women who are on vacation. In particular, they tend to operate around popular nightclubs and bars.
Always use the same precautions you would use at home when going out at night. Never go out alone and only hit the nightclubs and bars with a trusted group of friends.
Keep an eye on your friends and make sure you all stay safe. Never, ever leave with a new acquaintance; no matter how charming they may seem in the moment, you don’t know who they actually are.
Always watch your drinks in the clubs. Unfortunately, drink spiking is a common problem.
Even if your drink is not spiked with a date rape drug, the alcohol content may be stronger than what you are used to, which the UK government warns about in its travel advisory. Know your limits and order fewer drinks than you would at home.
Avoiding Bad Areas
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Ibiza doesn’t have dangerous areas per se, although you should take some precautions, such as not walking down dark side streets at night. Crime is most prevalent around nightclub areas.
Popular nightclub areas include:
- San Antoni de Portmany
- San Rafael
- Ibiza Town
- Platja d’en Bossa
You should avoid these areas at night, especially if you are traveling with your family.
Things to Consider
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Here are a few additional safety tips for Ibiza:
- Avoid doing drugs. Despite the hedonistic atmosphere on the island, many drugs are still illegal. Plus, buying drugs gives business to organized crime syndicates that control the drug trade and puts you on their radar.
- Don’t do risky activities while drunk. Intoxicated tourists have died after attempting cliff diving, swimming, or getting into bar fights. Don’t consume so much that your judgement is completely impaired.
- Only take legal taxis. Regulated taxis will have an “SP” on their license plates. Illegal taxis have ripped off tourists before and are not in good safety condition.
- If you rent a car, don’t leave valuables in the vehicle unattended. Theft from vehicles, especially rental cars, is becoming more and more common.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Here are some other common questions that you may want answered before visiting Ibiza:
Is Ibiza safe to walk at night?
Ibiza is moderately safe to walk at night. If you walk with at least one other person, stick to well-lit areas, and avoid popular club areas with rowdy intoxicated crowds, you can explore the island safely in the evenings.
Is Ibiza tourist-friendly?
Ibiza is a very tourist-friendly destination since the island does live off of tourism. It’s not just good for young party animals but is also attractive to families and older tourists. Just make sure that you stay on other parts of the island, away from the clubs.
How many days in Ibiza is enough?
Five to seven days are enough for Ibiza. That gives you enough time to see the sights, take day trips to nearby islands, and relax on the beach.
Is Ibiza cheap or expensive?
Ibiza is one of Spain’s most expensive tourist destinations. The price of everything, from accommodation to drinks, is high, so budget accordingly.
Is 30 too old for Ibiza?
Despite the perception that Ibiza is for young people only, people of all ages vacation there. There is also no age limit for going clubbing if that is what you are interested in.
So, Is Ibiza Safe to Visit?
There are many horror stories from Ibiza, ranging from theft to more serious crimes. However, many of these news stories are sensationalized and easy to avoid, as long as you take the most basic of safety precautions.
So, with so much to see and do and a mostly safe environment, what are you waiting for — book your trip today and experience for yourself all that Ibiza has to offer. Happy travels!