History
Although the Balearic island of Ibiza is known for its wild party atmosphere and club culture, its history dates back to 4500BC. Neolithic settlers came from the mainland to farm on the fertile lands of the island. The first major settlements however, came with the Phoenician settlers from 650BC. They named the island Ibosim after their god of dance. Little would they know that 2600 years later the island would be internationally famous for dancing!
After a brief reign by the Carthaginians, the Roman Empire swept through Iberia and renamed the island Ebesus in 146BC. The 900s saw the arrival of the Moors who again, renamed the island Yebisah. The Catholic King, Juame I of Catalunya conquered the island and renamed it Eivissa which is still the Catalunian name for Ibiza. After the war of Spanish Succession in the early 18th century, Castilian traditions were brought to the island and it was eventually renamed for the last time as Ibiza. The island was of huge significance as it became an important military station and a stop off for travellers and traders to and from Africa and the rest of the Mediterranean.
The tourism boom began in the mid-1950s when the island was considered a very romantic honeymoon location. In the 1960s, Ibiza had acquired a reputation of a hippy refuge where people would gather, camp and listen to music. The island became a world famous hippy destination and the venue, Pacha became famous for its wild parties. Ibiza is now a huge dance and club island that has a world reputation for its party atmosphere.
Population
There was a sudden upsurge in immigrants between 2000 and 2010 and the current population of the Pine Islands (Ibiza and Formentera) stands at 140,000 permanent inhabitants. Ibiza town is still the most densely populated area in all of the Balearic Islands. Nearly 47,000 permanent residents live in the town, meaning over 4,000 people live in every square kilometre!
Places to Visit
Ibiza needs little introduction. It is a vibrant and energetic island, full of bars, night-clubs, restaurants and attractions. The beautiful beaches are always full in the summer months and Ibiza town is hugely popular with clubbers. However, there are a number of older and very interesting locations to explore while visiting the island.
Dalt Vila – Built by Felipe II in the 16th century, this is the oldest part of Ibiza Town. It was built to defend the island from both pirates and the Otomans. It is a world heritage site as declared by UNESCO.
Almudaina Castle – This was originally a much smaller military fortification, dating back to the 12th century and was governed by the Moors originally. Felipe II ordered the castle to be added in the 16th century.
The Virgen de las Nieves Cathedral – With a gothic design, this church was erected in the 13th century on the site of a former Mosque. It contains several works of art and is located in the Dalt Villa.
Puig de Molins Monographic Museum – This is considered to be the best museum of Punic art in Europe.
The Archaeological Museum – Also located in the Dalt Villa, the museum is home to various artefacts from the islands, dating back to prehistoric times.
The Town Hall – Built in the 15th century, the building features baroque architecture and is an ancient Dominican convent.
Santo Domingo Church was begun in 1592 and is the only remaining building of the Santo Domingo convent.
La Penya and La Bomba – This is a lively neighbourhood with bars and restaurants and can be found just below the Dalt Villa
The Contemporary Art Museum – This is the home of various works of art from artists such as Tapies, Millares and many more.
Cuisine
Ibiza is an island of many cultural influences when it comes to cuisine. While there is an abundance of British, Italian, Chinese and Indian restaurants in San Antonio, the local cuisine of Ibiza must be tried. The old Spanish favourites of gazpacho and paella can be found all over the island. There are also many Tapas bars where social eating takes place at night – usually quite late. Groups of families and friends gather to nibble on small appetiser portions of food and chat.
Fantastic seafood can be eaten all over the island and the calamares, or fried squid, is a local speciality. Another popular dish in Ibiza is gambas al ajillo which is translated as garlic prawns. The typical Ibizan fish dish is served very simply with the minimum of fuss and is usually only accompanied by a fresh salad and potatoes. Ibiza is also known for its fresh fish stew, known locally as zarzuela. The Balearics are famous for their sausages and a favourite is sobresada or blood sausage.
A traditional Balearic stew is sofrit pages which is a rustic stew made from spiced lamb, chicken, sausages, pork and potato. There are also many fantastic desserts that originate in the Balearic Islands including Ensaimada de Mallorca. This is a light pastry which is filled with chocolate or cream and with a light dusting of sugar sprinkled on the top – similar to profiteroles.
Accommodation
Accommodation is not hard to find in Ibiza with thousands of hotel rooms available as well as apartments and villas. It is important to remember that the island, particularly Ibiza Town and San Antonio, is full of party-goers in the summer season. Many hotels in the town are dominated by young groups of clubbers who can become very boisterous at times. Most tourist firms and travel agents will warn holiday-makers of the general clientele that use the accommodation at the time of booking. However, some hotels cater for both families and young groups so it is worth researching customer reviews of accommodation before booking.
The island isn’t only for party revellers however! There some fantastic five-star hotels on Ibiza as well as conference hotels, spa hotels and boutique hotels. There is now a full range of accommodation options in Ibiza from self-catering to all-inclusive which included all meals and locally produced beverages. The average hotel is a three-star with swimming pool, restaurant, 24 hour lobby and late-night bar.
Weather
The best of Ibiza weather tends to happen in August. The average temperature is 29C and rain is extremely rare. Warm sunshine and plenty of blue skies are almost guaranteed from May to October, with the average temperature being around 20C and rainfall being rare. Temperatures in October very rarely drop below 20C giving the island a long peak season. During January and February, temperatures are typically around 15C, however, it can drop to a chilly 4C-9C during the evenings so it is advised to take a coat and some warm clothing!
The island is popular amongst both party-goers and families during Easter due to its relatively hot temperatures – it has been known to reach the high 20Cs in April. There is an incredible 300 days of sunshine every year on Ibiza. On the rare occasions there is significant rainfall, it only lasts for one or two days and is very unlikely to spoil a whole holiday. Most rainfall occurs between December and March, although most rain comes in the form of showers, with clear blue skies not too far behind!
Transport
The island boasts a surprisingly reliable and regular bus service that runs services to all the major resorts. In the summer months, they tend to operate between 7am and 10pm. The disco buses then begin to operate and run throughout the night, ferrying clubbers to and from the large clubs of San Antonio. All the public buses are air-conditioned and are extremely affordable.
If there are three or more in the party, taking a taxi is probably the cheapest option of getting around. Taxis with a green light can be flagged down on any street and a tariff should be clearly displayed on the car window. It is important that taxis travelling in the direction of the destination are flagged as most drivers will be reluctant to do u-turns or take long detours.
