In Port de Sant Miquel, in the north of Ibiza, a staircase cut into the rock leads down to a cavern more than 100,000 years old: the Can Marçà cave. Along a 350-metre walkway, you pass through chambers named “the Temple”, “Buddha” or “the Waterfall”, among stalactites, stalagmites and limestone columns sculpted by water over thousands of years.
The cave also has a less mineral history: until the 1960s, it was a hiding place for smugglers who stored tobacco and goods landed at night on the north coast. The tour recalls this clandestine use before reaching a small artificial waterfall, staged to end the visit.
The fluoride pool, lit up green under UV lightThe walkway through the galleriesThe view over the Port de Sant Miquel cove, before going down into the cave
A site accessible to all, including families
The path is fitted out (handrails, lighting, stable ground) and the visit lasts about 35 minutes, making it suitable for children and for people who struggle with long walks. Expect a cool temperature and slight humidity all year round, a real contrast with the Ibiza summer heat. More ideas for outings with children in our Ibiza with kids guide.
I went there on my first trip to Ibiza, and it is one of the most unusual places on the island. The north has a completely different feel from the south, wilder and greener, and the cave sums it up well: you literally see the work of minerals and weather over tens of thousands of years, stalactite after stalactite. The lighting along the route shows off the formations well without spoiling the place.
A detail that sticks with you: a pocket of still water in the cave contains fluoride and glows green under UV light, a set-up designed to keep insects and mosquitoes away. A surprising staging choice for such an ancient site, but it works well visually.
Who it is for: families with children, local history buffs, travellers looking for an activity out of the sun in the middle of the day. Less suited if you are claustrophobic or want a thrill: there is no adrenaline here, the cave is visited on foot at your own pace.
The site is often combined with a swim at Port de Sant Miquel just below, or with a visit to Atlantis, another of the island’s curiosities, on the south-west coast. Allow a full day if you do both, as they are on opposite sides of the island.
Visit duration: about 35 minutes
Prices: from €15 (adult), €9 (child) depending on the period
Opening hours: 10.30am-7.30pm in high season (May to October), 10.30am-5.30pm the rest of the year, tours every 30 to 45 minutes
Bring: closed or non-slip shoes, a light jumper if you feel the damp
