Portray of the Destination
Always beautiful but world famous since the 1980’s, Ibiza is a magnificent destination combining the capital city with a great amount of dream beaches distributed along its vast territory. Some of the main ones are D’en Bossa, Cala Talamaca, Es Canar, Santa Eulalia, Cala Blanca, San Antonio, Es Vedra and Figueretas.
So-called the white island, due to the predominant color of the houses and buildings, Ibiza the city and capital, is located in a mountain slope in which peak an impressive old fortress is situated. The most tourists’ frequented spots are the colorful neighborhood of La Penya and La Bomba, Dalt Vila, which is the historic center, the Cathedral, with a Gothic styled tower dated from the 10th century and the Baroque styled nave dated from the 18th century, the Archeology Museum and the Puig de Molins Monographic Museum, showing the best Punic art found in Europe.
But Ibiza’s main attraction besides its cultural and historic aspects, and its dazzling beaches, is the continuous night-live that characterizes it ever from almost 30 years. The large number of beaches together with tourists coming from all parts of the world seduce every night lover and all who enjoy meeting new people. Calle Barcelona in the port’s heart and some other main streets in the surroundings are the meeting point to depart to the discos after having some cocktails in the bars’ terraces and restaurants, until the sun shines again in this dream place of magic horizons.
We would like to thank the “Oficina de Fomento de Turismo” tourism board of Ibiza for the text and photographs provided. Visit:
www.travel2ibiza.com
Geography
This Spanish island, which is part of the Balearic Archipelago, is located in the Mediterranean Sea, 75 km (46.6 miles) to the East of the Iberian Peninsula, 82 Km (51 miles) southwest of Majorca and 87 Km (54 miles) away from the Alicante coast. It is the third largest island in the Balearic Archipelago. The coordinate points are 39° North and 1.4° East. The privileged Ibiza’s land includes marvelous sand extensions, mountainous areas and great green spaces perfectly conserved. It has three smooth mountain chains, amongst them beautiful valleys of great biological value are located with over 1000 different plants and 23 different orchids.
Map
Climate
Summer season and the first days of hot weather start in May, temperatures rise and the weather is dry. Between June and September rainfalls are scarce. During August and September temperatures reach 30°C (86°F). Regarding water, its average temperature in May 19°C (66.2 ºF), in June 25°C (77 ºF), in August and September 26°C (78.80ºF) and in October 24°C (75.20 ºF). Winter temperatures range from 15 to 20°C (59 – 68ºF).
When to go
The Ibiza peak season starts at the beginning of May and lasts until the end of October. Discotheques start its “official” activity at the beginning of June and up to the end of September. This is the best season to know the white island, but in August there are too many tourists, prices rise, beaches are crowded and it is very difficult to find a taxi or rent a car. It is recommended to travel there during the last weeks of June, in July, or during the first three weeks of September.
History
Ibiza used to be a little settlement founded by the Carthaginians in the year 654 B.C. Throughout history, this small territory worked as a base for many Mediterranean cultures, like Phoenicians and Romans that left their prints in many spots of the Island.
Its strategic location, ideal for the ships purveyance, was the key, reason why it was always important for seafarers crossing the ocean. Besides, salt, a valued mineral then, abounded at those times in this place. Ebusus was one of the first names given to the island and together with Fomentera were known as the Pitiusas (Pine Islands), due to abundance of pine trees in those lands.
Ibiza became world-famous, at least in some smalls groups, during the 1960’s, decade when it begun to be frequented by European hippies which considered it a paradise. During the 70’s, traditional tourists arrived in the island attracted by stories that were heard in different European cities. Its popularity grew and slowly a period of renewal which initiated with the improvement and enlargement of the tourist infrastructure, began. During the 80’s, it definitely became the favorite destination for followers of the disco culture and for wealthy tourists.
Traditions
Every town in the island has the name of a Saint; most of them are quiet villages that celebrate their patron saint day, in a traditional way, with the ball pagés, Ibiza and Fomentera typical dance with ancestral roots and oriental evocations. If during your stay you do not coincide with any of these celebrations, there are good exhibits of them performed by hundreds of people as a way of preserving the island’s identity.
There are exhibitions of traditions and handcrafts in the Santa Eulária Ethnologic Museum, situated in the Puig de Missa complex, which deserves the visit itself. The traditional jewelry handicrafts (which are proudly exhibited by women during the dance), or pottery works are present in specialized stores. Together with these craft works whose roots can be found in ancient times, the new Ibiza handicraft is present too. Fashion, leather works, ceramics, jewelry and jewelry imitations, all type of creations are offered to the visitors by the craftsmen of Ibiza, who celebrate a fair in the town of Ibiza during the Holy Week and in Autumn. If you are interested in ceramics, the visit to San Rafel is highly recommended, where several craftsmen workshops show their creations.
Gastronomy
The large amount of cultures that inhabited this land, determined during the years, a cuisine with a great variety of ingredients and elaborations, as a result of combining elements taken from each historical cuisine. Among the fishes, the boiled fish and the “crostes” (salads prepared with dried fish) are delicious. There are exquisite long life cold meats to accompany every menu like the “sobrasada” (soft spicy sausage) and the “botifarró”(sausage). Regarding confectionery, the flaó is a must, it is a delicious cheese cake with peppermint. The “greixonera” (a flan) and the “orelletes” (with lemon and sugar) are delicious too.
Basic Dictionary
YES: si. NO: no. HELLO: hola. GOOD BYE: adios. GOOD MORNING: buenos días. GOOD AFTERNOON: buenas tardes. GOOD NIGHT: buenas noches. PLEASE: por favor. SORRY: lo siento. THANK YOU: gracias. DOCTOR: médico. PHARMACY: farmacia. NUMBERS: 1: un. 2: dos. 3: tres. 4: cuatro. 5: cinco. 6: seis. 7: siete. 8: ocho. 9: nueve. 10: diez. 11: once. 12: doce. 13: trece. 14: catorce. 15: quince. 16: dieciséis. 17: diecisiete. 18: dieciocho. 19: diecinueve. 20: veinte. 21: veintiuno. 22: veintidós. 30: treinta. 40: cuarenta. 50: cincuenta. 60: sesenta. 70: setenta. 80: ochenta. 90: noventa. 100: cien. 1000: mil. DAYS OF THE WEEK: MONDAY: lunes. TUESDAY: martes. WEDNESDAY: miércoles. THURSDAY: jueves. FRIDAY: viernes. SATURDAY: sábado. SUNDAY: domingo. COMMON WORDS: BIG/SMALL: grande/pequeño. HOT/COLD: caliente/frío. OPEN/CLOSED: abierto/cerrado. GOOD/BAD: bueno/malo. NEW/OLD: nuevo/viejo. PUSH/PULL: empujar/tirar. ENTRANCE/EXIT: entrada/salida. LADIES/GENTLEMEN: señoras/señores. FAR/NEAR: lejos/cerca. LEFT/RIGHT: izquierda/derecha. TAXI: taxi. BUS: autobús. MEALS: BREAKFAST: desayuno. LUNCH: comida. DINNER: cena. MENU: menú. WINES: vinos. DESSERT: postre. THE BILL: la cuenta. COMMON SENTENCES: DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?: ¿Habla inglés?. I DON'T UNDERSTAND: no entiendo. WHERE IS IT?: ¿donde está? HOW MUCH IS IT: ¿Cuánto es? WHAT TIME IS IT: ¿Qué hora es? COULD YOU HELP ME: ¿Puede ayudarme?
Currency
Euro is the local currency. There are 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euro banknotes. There are also 1 and 2 euro coins, together with 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent coins.
Currency Exchange
1 Euro (EUR) = 1.20 Dollar (USD); 1 Euro (EUR) = 0.68 Sterling Pounds (GBP).
Prices
Ibiza is not a cheap destination and hotel services, restaurants and leisure activities are expensive. However as in everywhere, if you look for, you can find economic alternatives, although there are few in this destination.
Useful Info
Official nameIbiza
CountrySpain
Time ZoneGMT+1
Official LanguageSpanish
Surface area575 Square Kilometers (222 sq. miles)
Population84,000 inhabitants
Political RegimeConstitutional Monarchy
Public holidays
January 1st: New Year
January 6th: Epiphany
May 1st: Balearic Islands’ day
May 1st: Labour Day
August 5th: Santa Maria de las Nieves’ Day
August 8th: San Ciriaco’s Day (Ibiza)
August 15th: Virgin’s Assumption Day
October 12th: National celebration of Spain
November 1st: All Saints Day
December 6th: Day of the Spanish Constitution
December 8th: Day of the Immaculate Conception
December 25th: Christmas
Religion
Catholicism is the main religion, as in all Spain, although there is freedom of cult.
Religion90% Catholics, 8% Muslims ans 2% Jews
Arrival / Departure
There are two ways to get Ibiza: By flight and by ship. Besides flights arriving from all over the world to the island, there are scheduled flights from Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante and Majorca that take you to the little and beautiful Airport of Ibiza. This makes the airport of Ibiza one of the most crowded ones in Spain. It is an easy, cheap and fast way of arrival. Within the airport it is possible to rent a car or use the public transportation to get in short time to everywhere in the island.
If the choice is the seaway, there are also scheduled services of short romantic cruises coming from the same cities as mentioned before. It is an unforgettable entrance to the port when arriving in the island, and if you are carrying a swimsuit, a great seasickness remedy is to swim in the pool. It takes longer to get there than the airplane, but it is a great experience itself.
Safety
Ibiza is a safe place but some precautions must be considered in order to avoid thefts. Bags and purses must not be neglected, and be sure not to leave valuables inside rented cars.
Visa
European Union tourists do not need visa to enter Spain. Neither those citizens of the United States, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and the rest of the Latin American countries, though a return ticket must be bought. Travelers from Australia, Anguilla, Bermuda, Canada, Cyprus, South Korea, Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Israel, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Saint Helena, Singapore and Turk & Caicos do not either need visa provided that they do not stay more than 90 days in Spain.
Clothing
Warm clothing is advisable for winter evenings, although afternoons are quite cool. For the rest of the year it is advisable to wear light and comfortable clothes. Thin cotton trousers are perfect.
Electricity
220 or 225 Volts AC, 50 Hz.
Radio and Television
The most popular radio stations are: Cadena Cien Ibiza, Kiss FM, Flaix FM, Onda Cero Radio, Cadena Dial and Radio Exit.
National TV channels: TVE1, TV2, Antena 3, Cuatro, Tele 5. Local channels are: Canal 33, TV 3, Punt2 and canal 9.
Telephone
The code for Spain is 34 and the one for Ibiza is 971. Dial 00, followed by the country code and the telephone number in order to make an international call. For local calls the use of a special code is not necessary. The most important operators are Amena (Web page:
www.amena.com); Movistar-Telefónica Móviles (Web page:
www.movistar.tsm.es) and Vodafone (Web page:
www.vodafone.es).
Phone booths are located all over the city, by the street; they work with local currency coins or pre-paid cards. “Locutorios” are establishments where you will find several telephone booths, and you can pay in cash after the call is made. Also you can send and receive faxes and have Internet access through a computer.
Police092
Ambulance061
Fire Brigade112
Tourist health care services971
Newspapers and Magazines
The main local newspapers are: Última Hora and Diario de Ibiza.
Postal Service
The postal service is efficient. Letters within Europe usually arrive after 3 to 5 days. In Ibiza offices are located in the main tourist spots. For further information visit he web-page:
www.correos.esHealth Care Services
As well as in the rest of Spain, Ibiza has a good health service quality for tourists, both private and public. In the island, the reciprocal agreement of health care that Spain had signed together with the rest of the countries that form the European Union is valid. In case of emergency, tourists coming from any of those countries can access the public Spanish health services just by showing the E-111 document that must be processed before traveling. No vaccines are required to be admitted in the island.
I
biza’s hospitals are:
Can Misses (Telephone: 971 397-000);
Ca Serres (Telephone: 971 393-960);
Policlínica Rosario (Telephone: 971 301-916).
Airport
The airport of Ibiza is located 4.35 miles away from the city capital. The main road to get there is the PM-801. From the airport to Ibiza city there is a 20 minutes ride by taxi. There is an Information Tourist Office (Telephone: +34 971 809-118).
There are also a Bank, foreign currency exchange offices and cash machines, besides bars, restaurants, a coffee shop, a pastry shop and several tax free shops. The facilities also include phone booths, disabled adapted toilets, as well as low sidewalks and special elevators.
If you want to contact the Airport you can do it thought several ways:
Telephone: +34 971 809-000/313
Fax:+34 971 809-287/312
Web-page:
www.aena.esE-mail:
ibzinfoaena@aena.esPublic Transport
Taxis and buses are the best choices but they have limited services. Bicycles are the best means of transport to travel in between beaches or nearby localities. For larger distances, the most convenient is to rent a car or some kind of boat, motorboat or sail, for those who are fond of it.
Railway Bus
During summer the island offers regular bus services, reaching every point of the territory. There are connections every half an hour between the main towns and villages, including the most popular beaches and coves.
Schedules: approximately from 07:00 to 22:00hrs. From that time, the Disco Bus starts to operate from mid-night to 06:00 AM, carrying people to the different discotheques and back to their accommodation. Buses are air-conditioned and cheap. Highly recommended. Ask at your hotel for further information.
Car Rentals
Mainn car rental offices are:
Avis: Av. Santa Eulalia del Río 17, Off. 12, Edf. Cabiro. Telephone: 971 313-163.
Europcar: Calle José María Cuadrado and Carlos III. Telephone: 971 192-255. Fax: 971 192-310.
Budget: Ibiza’s Airport, Telephone: 971 809-176.
Ship
There is a wide sea transportation service for traveling both from the peninsula and other islands.
Some of the companies are: (Tel: 902 119-128) and Balearia (Tel 902 160-180). Portmany also provides cruises. At the same time, famous cruises arrive at Ibiza or have it as a stopover within their itineraries.
Destination Tourism Office in Spain Spanish embassy in the destination Taking pictures See climate
www.worldweather.orgCurrency converterwww.xe.com/uccA dinner20 Euros
A coffee3 Euros
