Ibiza Town is the capital city of Ibiza, known as Eivissa in the local Catalan dialect. First founded by the Phoenicians in 654 BC, it has since been occupied by various civilizations including the Romans, Byzantines, Moors and finally the Spanish. A more cosmopolitan, tolerant and buzzing city you’ll be hard stretched to find anywhere in the world. It’s a veritable banquet of sights and sounds which all take place in a concentrated area making it ideal to take in on foot. Parking tends to be a lottery at the best of times, especially in high season, so it’s best to leave the car behind if at all possible.
The mazes of twisting narrow streets around the port are a visual delight, packed full of bars, restaurants, shops and of course people. It’s a real feast for the eyes and ears and has an infectious energy. A slight word of warning: keep an eye on your possessions when in crowded areas around the port as thefts, though very rare, have unfortunately been known to happen.
In a single evening you can enjoy the beautiful boats on the marina, dine in a world-class restaurant and climb to the top of the fort in the old town. It is this pinnacle on which the town is built around. Its stunning night-lights around the old walls dominate the night sky and give Ibiza town both it’s charm and intrigue.
Bars
Make your way down to the harbour and take your pick from one of the many bars vying for your custom. Here is where you can catch a glimpse of the club parades doing their processions preparing for the night ahead.
Vara de Rey is a long square before the harbour, which has restaurants and cafes down one side. Right next to Vara de Rey is Plaza del Parque, a cute little tree-lined square, which has bars and restaurants and is a great location if you fancy something a little more tranquil than the hustle and bustle of the port area.
Clubs
Pacha and El Divino are the two closest clubs to Ibiza Town. Both are based toward Talamanca and can be reached on foot from the town, by walking around the arena. Both venues are more up market and offer the full VIP experience. Expect to pay anything up to an eye watering sixty euros to enter, but with thousands in attendance each week there certainly seems like no shortage of demand.
Restaurants
There is a vast array of places to eat in Ibiza Town, to suit any taste and any budget. Local favourites can be quietly found in the midst of all the more tourist orientated haunts. While you can find traditional Tapas, you are just as likely to find Mexican, any number of fresh fish restaurants and modern French cuisine among the many restaurants crammed in the town’s streets.
Hotels
Ibiza town itself isn’t famed for its hotels. With very little excess space in the town due it’s eclectic development over the years, there is no room for big 5 star hotels here. However there are many budget offering or hostels that offer a comfortable accommodation for a reasonable price and are perfect for a short visit.
For those looking for more luxury and beachfront accommodation should look towards Talamanca, a five-minute taxi ride (depending on the traffic) from Ibiza town.
Old Town
Proudly nestling above Ibiza Town itself is the Dalt Vila, or ‘Old Town’ in English, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a reminder of Ibiza’s colourful past (some would say little has changed in that respect!). Imposing citadel walls enclose the base of the Old Town, from where you are able to see the full scale of it all clambering above you.
It has five entrances, the most impressive being the ramp and drawbridge with Roman statues either side of the gateway. Once inside it is utterly charming and well worthwhile setting aside a few hours to fully explore the ancient and winding cobblestone streets. There are fantastic views of the city and surrounding landscape to be had the further up you climb. Within the walls there are an abundance of great restaurants and bars, generally around the two squares, Plaza del Villa and Plaza del Sol.
Those of you interested in the more cultural side of things will relish a visit to the museum at the top of the Old Town, which has one of the largest collections of punic artifacts in the world and relays the vibrant history of Ibiza.
Shopping
Whatever you are looking for the chances are you’ll find it here; trendy boutiques stocking designer fashion labels nestle right next door to shops selling trinkets and cheaper goods aimed squarely at tourists, while outlets affiliated with famous clubs such as Pacha and Space sell all sorts of club related merchandise. Outside in the crowded streets market stalls selling jewelry and other local goods ply their wares to passers by outside.
Beaches
Talamanca, Playa d’en Bossa and Figuretes are all in close proximity and easily reachable from the centre of town via foot, bus or car. Ibiza town benefits from being the most connected town in Ibiza so reaching a beach is rarely a problem.
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