Many families from the Gulf spend their summers on the Mediterranean, in Marbella or the south of France. Ibiza offers more of the same than its party reputation suggests: quiet countryside villages, family beaches and large private villas where three generations can spend weeks without being disturbed. Here is how to get here, what the rules are, and what to ask before you book.
Status in October 2026: there is no nonstop flight between the Gulf and Ibiza, and the EU and the Gulf states are discussing a Schengen visa waiver. We will update this guide when either changes. Always check the official sources before you travel.
The short answer
| What to know | |
|---|---|
| Getting here | One stop in Madrid or Barcelona, or a private jet to Ibiza airport |
| Visa | Not needed for UAE citizens; a Schengen visa for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman |
| Villas for large families | About two dozen of our villas sleep 12 guests or more, the largest up to 18 |
| Privacy | Countryside villas, many gated, with alarm and private parking; we check what can be seen from outside |
| Halal | Few restaurants; a private chef with certified halal meat at the villa |
| Best value | May, including the Eid al-Adha holiday in 2027, costs about a quarter less than July |
Getting here from the Gulf
Scheduled flights. No airline flies nonstop from the Gulf to Ibiza. The usual route is a nonstop with a Gulf airline to Madrid or Barcelona, then a domestic flight of about an hour to the island. Book both on one ticket if you can: if the long flight is late, the airline rebooks the connection for you. You pass immigration at your first Schengen airport, so on arrival in Ibiza you only collect your bags.
Private jet. Ibiza airport has a separate business aviation terminal with its own customs and lounges, run by private handling companies, so you go from the aircraft to the car without passing through the main terminal. In July and August the airport needs slots for every arrival and departure, and night restrictions apply, so let your operator plan the times early. We can have the cars waiting at the terminal.
Ibiza is only about forty kilometres long, so no villa is far from the airport.
Visas and entry
These are the rules as of October 2026.
- UAE citizens do not need a visa for a holiday. You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area, which includes Spain.
- Citizens of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman need a Schengen visa before travelling. For a holiday in Ibiza you apply through Spain, as the country of your main destination. Since 2024, frequent travellers from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman can receive multiple-entry visas valid for several years.
- Visa waiver talks. The Gulf Cooperation Council and the EU are working on a visa waiver for the citizens of the other five states. Nothing changes until the EU formally adopts it, so apply for your visa as usual and allow time for the appointment in summer.
- The Entry/Exit System (EES) registers visitors with fingerprints and a photo on their first entry into the Schengen area. Allow a little extra time at the border.
If you travel with staff of another nationality, check their visa separately: the rules depend on their passport, not yours.
Choosing a villa for a large family
Gulf families often travel together across generations, and with their own staff. That narrows the choice quickly.
Size. About two dozen of the villas we offer sleep 12 guests or more, most with six bedrooms; the largest has nine suites for 18 guests. In July and August these are the first to be booked.
Bedrooms for everyone. Ask for en-suite bedrooms, so that every family or couple has its own bathroom, and check how the bedrooms are spread across the house: a suite on a separate floor or in a guest annex gives grandparents or older children their own space.
Staff. Separate staff quarters are rare in Ibiza villas. The usual solutions are a bedroom on its own floor or in an annex, or rooms booked nearby for your staff. Tell us how many people travel with you and we only propose villas where the arrangement works.
San Lorenzo
Finca Utopia
9 bedrooms · 18 guests
From €49,600 / week
Cap Martinet
Can Nemo
6 bedrooms · 12 guests
From €33,000 / week
San Jose
Can Danza
6 bedrooms · 12 guests
From €19,200 / week
San Jose
Villa Meghan
6 bedrooms · 12 guests
From €18,600 / week
Privacy
Most of our villas are in the countryside, on large plots, away from the beach crowds. Many have a gated entrance, an alarm and private parking, and some have CCTV.
What a listing does not tell you is what can be seen from outside. If it matters to you that the pool and terraces are not overlooked by neighbouring houses or the road, tell us: we check it for each villa before we send it, and we tell you plainly when we are not sure.
Discretion goes beyond the house. We do not publish our guests' names, and if you prefer, we sign a confidentiality agreement before you share yours.
Halal dining and an alcohol-free villa
Ibiza has very few halal restaurants, so the most reliable way to eat halal is at the villa. A private chef cooks for you every day or for chosen meals, with certified halal meat ordered in advance. Tell us when you book, so there is time to arrange the supplier and confirm it with you before you arrive.
Before you arrive we can also stock the kitchen with your shopping list, and prepare the villa without alcohol: no wine in the welcome pack and nothing left in the bar.
For prayer: Mecca lies to the east-south-east of Ibiza, at a bearing of about 107°.
When to come
Most families from the Gulf travel in July and August, during the school holidays. Those are also the most expensive weeks in Ibiza, and the busiest at the airport and on the beaches.
The quiet alternative is May. In 2027, Eid al-Adha falls around 16 May (the exact day depends on the sighting of the moon). The sea is still cool for some, but the days are warm and long, the island is calm, and large villas cost noticeably less. In our 2027 rates:
| Villa size | May | June | July | August |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 bedrooms | €11,700 | €14,800 | €16,700 | €16,200 |
| 6 bedrooms or more | €16,500 | €18,700 | €21,400 | €20,100 |
These are median weekly prices for the whole villa in our collection. Our guide to Ibiza villa prices has every month, size and area.
If you plan to stay several weeks, tell us at the start: some owners prefer long stays and we ask each of them for a rate.
Where to stay
The choice of area depends on the family. The east around Santa Eulalia is the classic choice for families, with calm beaches and restaurants close by. The north, around San Lorenzo and Portinatx, is the quietest countryside. The south-west, around San José and Es Cubells, has many of the large villas with sea views. Our guide on where to stay in Ibiza compares every area.
Benirràs · Cala Bassa (2 villas) · Cala Conta (1 villa) · Cala d'Hort · Cala Jondal (3 villas) · Cala Llonga · Cala San Vicente · Cala Tarida (3 villas) · Cala Vadella (2 villas) · Dalt Vila · Es Canar · Es Cubells (4 villas) · Ibiza Town (3 villas) · Jesús (15 villas) · Marina Botafoch · Portinatx (1 villa) · Roca Llisa (1 villa) · San Antonio (6 villas) · San Carlos (1 villa) · San José (8 villas) · San Juan · San Lorenzo (6 villas) · San Miguel · San Rafael (1 villa) · Santa Eulalia (7 villas) · Santa Gertrudis (4 villas) · Ses Salines (2 villas) · Talamanca (2 villas)
How we help
We are a local agency on the island, and every villa we offer has a tourist licence. Send us your dates, the size of your family and staff, and what matters to you (privacy, staff rooms, halal meals), and we reply with a shortlist of villas we have checked against it, with exact prices in writing.
Before and during your stay we arrange, at prices quoted in advance:
- Arrival: cars and drivers at the airport or the business aviation terminal.
- At the villa: a private chef, a villa host or butler, extra housekeeping, English-speaking babysitters, a chauffeur at your disposal and a night security guard.
- Days out: a private boat with skipper to Formentera or the coves of the island, and restaurant tables.
We work in English.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct flight from Dubai, Doha or Riyadh to Ibiza?
No. As of October 2026 no airline flies nonstop between the Gulf and Ibiza. Most families fly to Madrid or Barcelona and take a domestic flight of about an hour to the island, or come by private jet, which lands at Ibiza airport's business aviation terminal.
Do Gulf citizens need a visa for Ibiza?
Ibiza is in Spain and the Schengen area. UAE citizens do not need a visa for a holiday of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Citizens of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman still need a Schengen visa, which they request from the Spanish consulate before travelling. The EU and the Gulf states are discussing a visa waiver; until it is formally adopted, these rules apply.
Can we eat halal in Ibiza?
There are very few halal restaurants on the island. The most reliable way is to eat at the villa: a private chef cooks with certified halal meat ordered in advance. Tell us when you book so there is time to arrange it.
Can our staff stay in the villa with us?
Separate staff quarters are rare in Ibiza villas. Depending on the size of your team, we look for a villa with a bedroom on its own floor or in a guest annex, or we book rooms nearby for your staff. Tell us how many people travel with you when you ask for a shortlist.
How private are the villas?
Most of our villas are in the countryside, many behind a gated entrance with an alarm and private parking. If it matters to you that the pool and terraces cannot be seen from neighbouring houses or the road, we check it for each villa before we send it.
When should we book a villa for July and August?
Between January and March. The villas for 12 guests or more are the first to go for the summer, and we have about two dozen of them.
Tell us your dates, group and the kind of house you have in mind: we reply with a shortlist of licensed villas and a written quote. Send a request or message us on WhatsApp.
