Think a visit to Ibiza has to be all about waving glowsticks in Pacha during summer? Not so according to the local tourism board, and in this travel info post we look at the year-round sporting activities that are being promoted on The White Isle.

Ibiza has always been considered the party capital of Europe, and for this reason tourism on the island has always been concentrated during the summer months, when the superclubs open their doors and terraces. In addition this is also the time of year when the water is warmer and popular activities like surfing, kite-surfing and windsurfing are all possible. With the intention of expanding the tourism season, the Consell de Ibiza has recently unveiled the campaign “Vive el deporte” (Live the sport), in which they wish to organize and promote different sport activities during 2015 that travellers can practice throughout the year.

In a pamphlet that the Consell de Ibiza has given to the public, we can find, during the months of April and May, and the last trimester of the year, activities like La Ruta de la Sal (The Salt Route), a group of regatta routes to Ibiza, with the starting line located in Denia and Barcelona, in which a large number of different kinds of ships can compete.

We can also find the Vuelta Internacional en Ibiza en Mountain Bike (International Mountain Bike Tour in Ibiza), a 3-stage tour over the island, in which we can follow the cyclists that compete through remote zones and natural spots of Ibiza. More info here. Since some of the points through which the cyclists pass are pretty far away from the towns, we will need to rent a car in order to follow the route, and not miss part of the competition.

Another interesting competition that we can find in Ibiza during 2015 is Ultraswim, a swimming competition of 30km between Ibiza and the neighbouring island of Formentera, in which another two routes of 5km and 750m unite. Also, with the increasing popularity of triathlons in Spain, fans of this sport can enjoy the Campeonato de España de Triatlón Larga Distancia, a tough competition throughout the island, that combines 120kms of cycling, 4km of swimming and 30kms on foot, with the added value of Ibiza being on of the places that has promoted more events of this sport throughout the years.

For the natural spots and marathon lovers, we can attend the Ibiza Media Maratón, a race on foot of 21kms in distance that passes through forests and little towns of the interior of the island, with the starting line in Sant Mateu, and the finish line in Ibiza city.

It’s obvious that sport is one of the activities that promotes tourism around the world, and Ibiza is the perfect place for many of them, especially in spring and autumn. The Insular Tourism Minister, Carmen Ferrer, has noted as much, saying that the island “has an environment and a climate highly suited for the realization of sporting activities” during the quieter, off season months.