Ibiza is an island that has a lot to offer to its visitors and locals. This small Balearic island, located 79 km east of the Iberian Peninsula, is full of magical places, exquisite gastronomy, paradisiacal islands, and of course, it also has its curiosities.
Surely, the first curiosity you already know, Ibiza is one of the most visited places in Spain and all over the world in summer. In 2018, more than three million tourists spent the summer on the white island. And it is not surprising, this Island, which by the way, is not really an island – billions of years ago the Mediterranean basin was flooded by the Atlantic Ocean, creating the Mediterranean Sea – makes everyone who sets foot on it fall in love with its charms, and whoever hears about it, knows that at least once in life has to experience it.
The second curiosity is that Ibiza has a long past. It has been invaded, fought over and desired by Arabs, Phoenicians, Romans and even pirates. This makes Ibiza a multicultural, cosmopolitan place with an open and tolerant mentality. This can be seen in its architecture, people, and folklore.
It is clear that Ibiza is known for its hidden coves, small and with crystalline waters. But its imposing rock, Es Vedrá, which rises 2 km off the east coast of Ibiza, leaves anyone who looks at it speechless, especially at sunset. This is what happened to Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, directors of the musical South Pacific, as this mysterious rock was used to represent the famous volcanic island Bali Hai.
Ibiza has always been home, temporarily or permanently, to celebrities. Some of them from the world of show business, fell in love with the beauty of Ibiza and could not resist not living on the white island. A famous film director also wanted to show the world a little bit of Ibiza, and he did so in his film F for Fake. The list of celebrities who have visited Ibiza every summer is endless. From the eldest son of Caroline of Monaco, Andrea Casiraghi, to American singers Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera, footballers Thibaut Courtois and Mauricio Pochettino, model Irina Shayk and Leonardo di Caprio, not to mention football stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Leonel Messi and Alvaro Morata.
Ibiza is also known for its salt, the famous turquoise blue bottles of salt are for sale everywhere. This famous sea salt has been extracted from Las Salinas de Ibiza for over 2700 years. Ibiza Fluxà sea salt delicately enhances the flavour of food, but it also has a powerful load of elements which are vital or our organism.
As well as being known for its coves, gastronomy and exquisite sea salt, Ibiza is known for being home to four elements declared World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These are the Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta, the necropolis of Puig des Molins, the Dalt Vila site in the capital of Ibiza, and the posidonia oceanica.
The Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta is located on a peninsula between the beaches of Sa Caleta and Es Bol Nou, in the municipality of Sant Josep. It is the archaeological remains of the oldest urban centre on the island, built in the 8th century BC, whose inhabitants were metal prospectors from the mainland. The necropolis, like the city, was founded in the 7th century BC by the Phoenicians. It is the cemetery of ancient Ibiza, with 3,000 tombs dug out of the rock. Curiously, not only human remains have been found in the tombs excavated underground, but also objects such as weapons, coins, pottery and religious images. Dalt Vila is the old part of the island. The city has always been the centre of government, culture and commerce of the island. It is located on Puig de Vila and within its walls it is possible to see the traces left by the different civilizations that have passed through the island. Finally, the Posidonia oceanica, a marine plant that is only found in the Mediterranean, is known, therefore, as the natural treasure of the Pitiusas.
Ibiza goes far beyond its nightlife, clubs and beach parties. It is loved by locals, tourists, celebrities and non-famous alike. Its curiosities reflect how much Ibiza has to be explored and discovered in gastronomy, culture, history and even in the depths of its crystal clear waters.
