Given that it is not one of the biggest resorts on the island, the best known, the provider of the best clubbing experience or the proud owner of the longest stretches of soft, golden Ibiza sand (or indeed any beach at all), there’s a lot of love out there for San Jose.

Situated within the largest municipality of the island that covers the whole southern corner of Ibiza, from the airport all the way round to San Antonio, the village itself is half way up the side of Ibiza’s tallest mountain and is dominated by a huge sun bleached, whitewashed fortress church that seems to sparkle in the sunshine. From the top of the mountain you can see both the Spanish mainland and Mallorca on a good day (you can drive to the top don’t worry!) and San Jose is an incredible spot for a sunset.

Be charmed by San Jose

San Jose isn’t really a tourist resort and hasn’t been overhauled and drained of all its heritage like some spots on the island. The town still maintains its original Ibizan charm and has a deliciously slow pace of life that is irresistible to all who come to visit. You might rock up at San Jose ready to party and full of the tensions and stresses of wherever you have come from, but within a few hours you’ll be relaxing in one of the many cafes with a magazine and a coffee or fast asleep under the shade of one of the trees on the square.

Amenities in San Jose are obviously not going to be as extensive as those in the more developed resorts like San Antonio, but the village is lived in all year round so there’s no shortage of shops, bars and restaurants to cater for pretty much every taste. Plus, it’s the kind of slice of genuinely unspoiled Ibicencan life that you won’t really see anywhere else on the island and that’s probably worth sacrificing access to a banana boat ride for.

Things to do in San Jose

Although you might not expect it from such a small and relatively undeveloped destination, San Jose is excellent for shopping for everything from pottery and children’s toys through to handmade trinkets and supertrendy clothes. And according to regular Ibiza visitors, San Jose has some of the best restaurants on the island, like El Destino restaurant that serves up sophisticated tapas with a twist and a homely Ibicencan atmosphere. Or Chimichurri Restaurant that is on the road between San José and San Antonio and is the only restaurant on the island that serves up Argentinean and German meat, gigantic sausages and over 90 different beers. Within San Jose itself, there’s The ‘Green Corner’ a great place to fill up on fresh juices, tasty snacks and delicious Spanish and Mexican tapas. There’s also the Fashion Café where you can pick up a latte and the gossip on forthcoming collections and every summer there’s an open air cinema where you can watch some of the cinematic greats performing beneath the twinkling stars.

Beaches near San Jose

Although San Jose itself doesn’t have any beach action, you’re never far away from the coast in Ibiza and you can easily get to Cala Vadella, Cala d'Hort and Cala Jondal, all of which are nearby. The little town is also very well connected to the rest of the island and the clubs, bars and restaurants of Ibiza Town and San Antonio are just a 15-minute drive away.

Read more about the stunning beaches near San Jose by visiting our Ibiza Beaches section.

Accommodation in San Jose

In terms of accommodation, the areas around San Jose are awash with villas and apartments with private pools, astounding views and the kind of peace and tranquility you are only going to find in Ibiza half way up a mountain in a spot like this. There’s also a number of hotels and hostels in the surrounding area – see our San Jose hotels guide for more details.