Cala d’en Serra is a small cove in the north of Ibiza, reached from Portinatx, which appeals to those looking to get away from busy beaches. About 45 metres long, transparent water with turquoise glints, a beach bar and wooden fishermen’s huts: the setting is intact, a little wild, clearly different.
Getting there takes some effort, but the view from the viewpoint at the top of the road is worth it before you even reach the sand. This page gives you everything you need to plan your visit: how to get there, what you will find and what to do nearby.
In a nutshell: a small wild beach in the north of the island. Access is via a fairly steep road. The shore is a mix of sand and pebbles. The cove is framed by cliffs and dense vegetation. The water is crystal-clear and good for snorkelling. It has few facilities and keeps a raw feel. A small seasonal bar may set up there. It appeals to visitors looking for unspoilt nature.
Cala d’en Serra: an unspoilt cove between cliffs and turquoise water
Cala d’en Serra is one of the northern Ibiza beaches that does not try to please everyone. The cove is 45 metres long and 30 metres wide, facing north-east, with medium-grain natural pale sand mixed with pebbles in places. The seabed is made of sand, stones and algae-covered rocks: beach shoes are useful for getting into the water and moving around comfortably.
The water is calm, transparent and turquoise. The bay is framed by cliffs and dense Mediterranean pines, which give it an enclosed feel, sheltered from the wind. On the right of the beach, a few wooden boat shelters still used by local fishermen add a raw touch.
On site there is a small chiringuito (beach bar) for drinks and food, simple tapas, as well as sunbeds and parasols for hire. Visitor numbers stay low compared with other Ibiza beaches, even in high season, so even in July it can feel like you have the cove to yourself.
A detail that leaves nobody indifferent: just before reaching the sand, you pass an unfinished hotel, built in 1969 and left abandoned. Its walls are covered in graffiti. Many visitors stop to take photos before going down to the beach.
The beach also attracts nudists, without being officially designated; it is simply what has become the custom.
Getting to Cala d’en Serra: a practical guide by car
By car, reach Portinatx from Ibiza Town on the PM-810, about 30 km. In Portinatx, drive past S’Arenal Gros beach and take the road on the right. After about 900 metres, a track goes off to the left: that is the road down to Cala d’en Serra.
The last stretch is a fairly steep dirt track downhill. There is a car park at the top, before the descent. You can leave the car there and walk down to the beach in a few minutes.
The descent is passable in an ordinary car, but one with good ground clearance is better. At the top, a viewpoint gives you a view of the cove before you start down.
Snorkelling, walks and trips: things to do around Cala d’en Serra
From the beach or the viewpoint at the top of the track, the view takes in the cliffs of northern Ibiza, vegetation tumbling down to the water and the blue line of the Mediterranean. The panorama is especially sharp in late morning, when the light hits the bay head-on.
In the water, the rocky seabed makes Cala d’en Serra a good snorkelling spot.
Swimming to one side of the beach, you reach a small adjoining cove, even more isolated, only reachable from the sea. Do not forget your GoPro!
On foot, the Portinatx and Sant Joan de Labritja area has several paths through the scrub and along the cliffs.
For trips at sea, boat excursions from Portinatx let you explore the north coast from the water, with swim stops in other coves that are hard to reach by road.
My personal recommendation
Sonia, site author
Cala d’en Serra is not a beach for everyone, and that is precisely what makes it interesting. If you want to lay your towel down in a cove that still looks like Ibiza did before it became Ibiza, take the track down.
