On your Mediterranean cruise to Spain, Ibiza is an island of beauty and of excess, blessed with scores of stunning cove beaches and dense pine forests.

Ibiza has long attracted hedonistic characters and wealthy bohemians, while nowadays it’s the extraordinary clubbing scene that most people come here to experience. Ibiza can lay a strong claim to being the globe’s clubbing capital, with virtually all of the world’s top house DJs and many more minor players performing here during the summer season. However, visit between October and May, and you’ll find a much more peaceful island.

During your MSC excursion to Ibiza you have to visit Ciutat d’Eivissa which is easily the most attractive settlement on the island. Colossal medieval walls guard the maze of cobbled streets of the UNESCO-listed old town quarter of Dalt Vila. The walls reach a dramatic climax at the main archway entrance, the imposing Portal de ses Taules. Just beyond is the elegant Plaça de Vila, which is lined with restaurants and cafés and makes a delightful setting for some tapas or a meal. It’s well worth the walk up the steep, winding streets to the cathedral, if only to enjoy the wonderful views out over the harbor.

A cruise excursion can take you to Formentera, the smallest of the four main Balearic Islands just eleven nautical miles south of Ibiza Town. Northwest of Es Pujols are the absolutely spectacular sands of Platja de Ses Illetes, and, across a narrow channel, the uninhabited island of Espalmador, where there’s another great beach, and water turquoise enough to trump any Caribbean brochure. Also worth a visit is Platja de Migjorn, a sweeping bay with 5km of pale sands and crystalline waters taking up most of Formentera’s southern coastline.