Ibiza Towns & Villages

Towns & Villages

Es Cana

There are still a few island residents who can recall the time when Es Canar consisted of a small shed on the beach dispensing drinks (a chiringuito). Nowadays it is a busy resort throughout the summer, alongside one of the longest beaches on the island.

The bay itself is shallow and well protected, making it perfect for the predominantly English audience of young families.

The main claim to fame of the village is its huge hippy market that takes place each Wednesday throughout the summer. This is so popular that locals go to great lengths to avoid going to Es Canar on a Wednesday for fear of being caught up in the congestion that the event causes, even 5 kilometers away in Santa Eulalia.

Es Cubells

Es Cubells is a little village with an extraordinary story.

It was built out of religious demand as a result of the exiling of a Carmelite friar by the name of Pere (Father) Palau. If not a founder of the dissident movement, he was certainly a member and was banished to Ibiza for his sins against the ruling ideologies of his day.

He chose Es Cubells as a place offering solitude to reflect upon his predicament - there were two houses and a few sheds for storage, because the local town, San Jose, was six kilometers away over the mountains.

As an ordained priest, however, he was obliged to give Mass every Sunday to the few local peasants. Word of his preaching spread, in much the same way that the work of a good pop group publicises itself.

People flocked to his services despite the arduous journey over the mountain, then got sick of such a pilgrimage every Sunday ? it was a day off after all? They all moved in. And thus a village was born?

Es Figueral

Es Figueral is a small development alongside a fine beach on the east coast, next door to Agua Blancas. One of the oldest establishments is the single star hotel/restaurant right on the beach.

The beauty of the location has unfortunately inspired a couple of other developers to throw up huge hotels nearby, but who wants to be on the beach all by themselves?

Es Vedra

There are probably very few people by now who have never heard of the magical island of Es Vedr

Figueretas

Figueretas used to be a village between Ibiza Town and Playa d'en Bossa a long time ago, but has been consumed by the ever expanding city.

It retains its name largely due to the only beach which more or less falls within the city limits. Nowadays it has established a reputation as the 'pink' beating heart of Ibiza.

Gay bars and accommodation predominate, but then there's nothing wrong with the pink euro and this village has an important part to play in the global village microcosm that is Ibiza.

Ibiza Town

Ibiza Town is the only city on the island and until recent years the only place large enough to be described as anything more than a village.

Confusingly, it is signposted all over the island as "Eivissa", which is the Catalan name. However, fortunately the island is so small that all roads lead to Ibiza eventually, so it's almost impossible to get lost!

The old walled town is so spectacular that it has been chosen as a World Heritage site and, as you approach the island by sea for the first time, it serves as an appropriately stunning introduction to the Pandora's Box that is Ibiza.

Built on a high promontory jutting out into the sea, the old town with its massive walls crowned by the cathedral serves as a global icon the world over.

Jesus

Separated from nearby Ibiza town by the, now threatened, marshland of "Ses Feixes", Jesus is actually part of the municipality of Santa Eulalia.

This small but busy little village is home to one of the island's greatest art treasures a 16th Century altar screen of "The Virgin and Child".

This is remarkable in that it has survived the invasions of the past 500 years intact! The village itself seems to attract more traffic than almost anywhere else on the island, for no obvious reason except that the surrounding hills groan under the weight of villas built to enjoy the iconic view of the nearby old town of Ibiza.

In the summer, Bon Lloc tends to be the favourite morning haunt of the club crowd going home north...

Playa den Bossa

Playa d'en Bossa, almost a suburb of Ibiza town, is one of the most well known resort names on Ibiza. This is partly because it is the home of the 'Space' nightclub, the best nightclub in the world according to the press in recent years, and the nearby Bora Bora beach bar with incoming aircraft skimming the roof to interrupt their attempt to serve up Ibiza nightlife all day long.

However, the resort also boasts the longest beach on the island at 2.5 kilometres in length and therefore more beachfront bars and restaurants than anywhere else here. It is lively?

For beach lovers this is paradise, with acres of tanned flesh belonging to the opposite sex, and endless water sports facilities to occupy those in search of a more sporty or wetter way to pass the time.

It is, however, a popular family resort as the huge beach is safe and well supervised and there are a wide range of family entertainment options on offer at the many and varied beachside venues.

Being a beach side development, Playa d'en Bossa offers plenty of accommodation options with apartments and hotels predominating. All are within a short walk of the beach and the community provides all of the amenities that you might expect to find in a Mediterranean seaside resort. Ibiza town and the airport are only ten minutes away from this popular spot by the sea?

Port de San Miguel

This little holiday resort on the northern coast is only accessible down a steep hill from the village of San Miguel, or along a tortuous road from the next isolated beach of Benirras.

It is a modern development dominated by large hotels, which many feel have spoilt this otherwise beautiful bay.
However, the many happy tourists who fill the beach during the summer months would no doubt beg to differ.

If you, on the other hand, tire of the crowd scene - a short walk along a coastal footpath to the left of the beach will bring you to another little beach by the name of Cala d'es Moultons.

This is about as unspoilt as life can get with only a couple of boat houses and a small "chiringuito" (bar) to prove that anyone has been there before?

Portinatx

Portinatx sits alone at the top of the island, separated from the rest by a range of mountains.

It is one of the most beautiful coves on the island and a natural harbour, being horse-shoe shaped with beaches of fine white sand encircled by pine woods - quite pretty then?

Until the road over the mountains was completed it was almost impossible to reach in bad weather, except by sea. Similarly, when the weather was bad it was also the only safe haven for boats on the entire rugged northern coast.

Nowadays this isolated little refuge from the occasional Mediterranean storm is a flourishing summer family tourist resort.

Roca Llisa

There's not much here other than a gated urbanisation and of course, the only golf course on the island.

However, as the photo shows, there are a lot of cranes to be found, which would suggest that very soon Roca Llisa will be somewhat larger...

There are, however, a couple of little known beaches that can be accessed through the urbanisation.

These are worth knowing about in the mid-summer when the better known beaches all fill up.