Playa Xarraca Beach Review

You could spend all day beach-hopping along the coastline and not see them all, but one that should definitely be on your list is Playa Xarraca (also known as Cala Xarraca), a beautiful beach in its own right and with a tiny bonus beach next door that is simply breathtaking.

You can access Xarraca off the main road running through the north east of the island, the C-733, and you’ll find the beach signposted off the main road along with Restaurant Xarraca. The road down to the beach is well surfaced, not too steep and there is ample parking at the bottom. The beach itself is small and crescent shaped but is backed by craggy cliffs which make a few little private nooks for sunbathers after a little privacy; not too much privacy though as this beach’s hilarious ‘no nudists’ sign makes clear.

The sand is not perfect, there is an abundance of the Poseidon Grass that is common to Ibiza’s coastline, but this tends to gather around the water line leaving softer, weed-free sand further back from the sea. Sun loungers can also be hired from the restaurant if you don’t fancy lying amongst the sea grass. One of the main draws of this beach is the water, the clear perfect water is a turquoise colour that’ll make you want to get straight in and never get out. Entrance to the water is rocky in places and there’s plenty of rocky outcrops that make this a perfect spot for snorkelling.

There are showers and toilets at this beach but no lifeguard or first aid station.

Restaurant Xarraca is situated right on the beach with two sun trap terraces and uninterrupted views over the beach and the sea, the menu is simple, leaning towards seafood but you can also have steak, pork chops, omelette or even egg and chips for the Brits! Paella will cost you €23.00 per person, they also serve cold drinks, ice creams and a good range of desserts.

Once you’ve spent some time on the main beach its time to check out its tiny but exceptional neighbour. A little trickier to get to; you need to head back up to the main road and walk along until you find the gap in the road side barriers opposite the ‘no campfire signs’. From there you’ll walk down a short but fairly steep dirt track before emerging out at the top of a set of rough steps to the most amazing view. This little beach – and it really is tiny, is set in a natural cove just off to the right of the main beach and is home to a couple of boat huts with slip ways down to the water which is the same beautiful blue.

The cove is flanked by an arm of cliff that shelters the beach perfectly and overhangs the clear deep water in a way that simply screams out for some cliff jumping. Obviously others have had the same idea because there are thick knotted ropes hanging down from the rocks to help jumpers scale back up to do it again – trickier than it looks up the sharp rocks, but well worth the effort. One of the ropes is arranged in a big loop which acts as a semi submerged swing allowing you to stand or sit on it swinging gently and acting out any mermaid fantasy you’ve ever had, and let’s be honest we’ve all had them.

The beach has a tiny patch of white sand but most of your sunbathing must be done on the flat rocks or the stone roofs of the boat huts. Entrance to the water here is clearer than on the main beach but the rocky snorkelling opportunities are just as good and there’s a clear patch of rock free sand directly under the jumping spot. Perfect.

Make your way to Playa Xarraca for a glimpse of the rugged northern coastline, head to the main beach for an easily accessible beach with amenities and restaurant, or take the climb down to its hidden neighbour for stunning views, rock climbing fun and a sense of being off the beaten track, but do note; although nudists are banned at the main beach the ban doesn’t stretch round to the neighbouring cove so avert your eyes!