Ibiza

Ibiza, Spain

Golden sunlight striking the stone ramparts and historic fortifications of Dalt Vila in Ibiza Town at sunrise.

A rocky Mediterranean island with famous nightlife, quiet inland villages and Phoenician roots, best enjoyed outside the midsummer crush.

The place

Ibiza is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean, lying off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The city of Valencia on the mainland is about 150 km away, and the island is reached mostly by air in the present day. Measured by land area, Ibiza ranks third among the Balearic Islands, but in population it comes second, with roughly 161,000 people living there. The landscape is largely flat, with pine woods, dry scrub and a broken coastline of coves and small bays. The highest point, Sa Talaiassa, rises to 475 m, which is modest, and the island as a whole stays low, with its few rises barely noticeable from the coast.

Most of the population lives in three main towns. Ibiza Town, known locally as Vila, has a walled old centre above the harbour. Santa Eulària des Riu sits on the east coast, and Sant Antoni de Portmany on the west, where sunset crowds gather on the bars and terraces. Away from these towns the island is quieter than its reputation suggests. Small farms, whitewashed villages and dry-stone walls cover the inland districts, and many visitors find the countryside more restful than the resorts. Ibiza forms part of the Pine Islands group with Formentera, its smaller neighbour to the south, and the two are linked by boat.

Its story

Ibiza's recorded history begins in 654 BC, when Phoenician traders set up a harbour on the island. As Phoenicia declined under Assyrian pressure, Ibiza passed under the control of Carthage, the former Phoenician colony in North Africa that had grown into a power in its own right. In this period the island's economy rested on dye, salt, fermented fish sauce and wool, goods that moved along the busy Mediterranean trade routes. A sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Tanit was established in a cave at Es Cuieram, and after about 400 BC the wider Balearic group drifted into the island's commercial network. Ibiza also ran its own trading posts on Mallorca, and Balearic men served in Carthaginian armies as slingers.

The Second Punic War brought conflict to the island. In 217 BC the two Scipio brothers attacked, yet Ibiza kept its loyalty to Carthage. Later, in 205 BC, the retreating Carthaginian general Mago used the island to gather supplies and fighters before sailing on. Rome eventually reached an agreement with Ibiza that spared it further destruction and allowed it to keep Carthaginian institutions, customs and coinage well into the imperial era, when it became a Roman municipality.

After the Western Roman Empire fell, a brief period of Vandal and then Byzantine control followed. In 902 the island was conquered by Muslim forces, and it remained under their rule until the medieval Christian conquest that followed. The island's history is therefore layered, with Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman and Islamic phases that still shape its archaeology and place names.

What to see

Culture

Ibiza is best known abroad for its summer nightlife, and the island's government and tourist office have worked to attract more families and older visitors as well. Clubs in the hills and along the coast open late, and bars in Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni rarely fill before early evening, so daytime life runs at a slower pace than the reputation suggests. The old town, Dalt Vila, contains churches and a cathedral that remain active places of worship, and the streets around them are lived in by residents as well as visitors. The Wednesday market at Es Canar and the Saturday market in San Carlos have a long history with artists, writers and traders, and both draw a mixed crowd of locals and tourists. Beach life is relaxed, but the coves and villages in the countryside depend on quiet neighbours and narrow roads, so drive slowly and park with care. Before entering a church in Dalt Vila, cover your shoulders and keep your voice low.

What to wear

Ibiza's traditional dress, often called the Ibicenca costume, was worn by farming families in the countryside and is now seen mainly at festivals and folk displays. Women generally wore dark skirts with embroidered bodices and sashes, and a red headscarf became one of the island's most recognised motifs. Men typically wore linen shirts, dark trousers and a sash at the waist. Cloth was usually cotton, linen or wool, spun and woven locally, and the garments were practical as much as decorative.

Most people on the island now dress much as they would anywhere in southern Europe. In summer that means light cotton and linen, with plenty of beachwear in the busier towns. Club dress codes are looser than the scene's reputation implies, although many venues turn away guests in flip-flops or heavy trainers.

For a visit, choose light, breathable layers. The cobbled streets of the old town reward flat, closed shoes, and churches and shrines ask for covered shoulders and knees. Bring a hat and sun protection for the daytime, and a lightweight layer for evenings, which can cool quickly by the sea. Swimwear that works for coves reached by steep steps is a sensible choice.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. May to early July and September to October. Beach weather usually lasts from May to November, the sea is warm enough for swimming, and the island is less crowded than in midsummer. July and August are hot and humid and the busiest months for clubs and flights.

How long. 3–4

Getting there. Ibiza Airport, the island's one main airport, is a short taxi or bus ride from Ibiza Town. Many European routes serve it in season. Check the official airport site for timetables.

Budget. high

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources