Tabarca Island is just a short ride from the small town of Santa Pola in the province of Alicante, Spain. At 1,800 m long, with a maximum breadth of 400 m, Tabarca is the smallest inhabited island in Spain.

In the high season, there are apparently 3000 visitors per day, taking trips from both Alicante and Santa Pola. Our ride took about 25 minutes and cost €8 return (usually €10), as we arrived at the port minutes before departure and there was a frenzy of offers from the ticket sellers in huts along the quayside.

There are faster options, smaller boats, including water taxis, but this catamaran suited us fine.

The catamaran stopped close to Tabarca and passengers were invited to view fish, via the below decks windows.

We docked and went for a walk around. It’s a pretty little island, with a nice beach, which is said to have especially clean water good for snorkeling. As you’d guess, prices for food and drink are maybe double that of the mainland.

We enjoyed our trip to Tabarca, especially as it was quiet when we went off-season in April. I wouldn’t want to visit in the peak season as it would be hot and crowded. If you plan to spend longer than an hour or so and want to save money, take a picnic.