Tag Archives: vacation

Mediterranean Cruise 2022 — Ibiza; Entering Eivissa’s walled Dalt Vila (Old Town)


Dalt Vila (High Town; Ibiza Old Town)

Now that the Christmas holiday is over, and I’ve completed an eight-day run of past Christmas articles, it’s time to return for one more week’s worth of touring Ibiza. And today we start with touring the walled Dalt Vila, otherwise known as Old Town Eivissa (Ibiza City). As you head south toward the main Portal de ses Taules gate leading into Dalt Vila you’ll notice that the skyline is dominated by the belltower of Catedral de Santa Maria de la Neu de Vila d’Eivissa (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Snow) or, simply, Ibiza Cathedral:

Ibiza Cathedral belltower

As you approach Dalt Vila from the north you’ll walk up a long, slopped stone ramp. At the top of the ramp lies Dalt Vila’s main gate, Portal de ses Taules (Gate of the Tables) built in 1585. The gateway is flanked by Roman statuary:

Portal de ses Taules left-side statue

While above you are greeted by the coat of arms for King Phillip II:

King Philip 11 of Spain coat of arms

Once inside the main city gate we began a long, uphill trek through narrow streets:

Dalt Vila streets

Here you can see a tower jutting from the church of Sant Domènec de Vila:

Sant Domènec de Vila

Atop the fortification, just north of Sant Domènec de Vila, one is gifted with a spectacular view of Eivissa’s Marina Botafoc:

Marina Botafoc

In Wednesday’s article we’ll look around the streets of Dalt Vila, then head back toward Marina Botafoc. Until then:

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

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Fun Photo Friday — Mediterranean 2022; Ibiza Favorites 2


Time for this week’s second of three Fun Photo Friday of Ibiza Island favorites. Starting tomorrow I’ll be rerunning articles and stories from Christmas Past. The week after that I’ll return you to this Mediterranean cruise and our visit to the island of Ibiza, Spain.

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

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Mediterranean Cruise 2022 — Ibiza; Portiatx Beach, then onto Sant Antoni de Portmany


Following our stop at the Punta Arabí Hippi Market we headed north, near Ibiza’s northernmost point, to Portiatx Beach. And for such a distant destination, this place appeared to be quite popular with both locals and visitors alike. The waters were clear and a beautiful blue with green undertones, as you can see in the photo above. Now let’s zoom in for a closer view before heading to the second largest city on Ibiza:

Portiatx Beach, Ibiza, Spain

The beach is not without its amenities. On the left side of the photo above is a restaurant, and the large structure in the middle appears to be either a resort or an apartment complex. But behind where I stood taking the photo above is the town of Portiatx, where we found restaurants, cafés, a souvenir shop, and even a supermarket. We spent perhaps half an hour at this location, enjoying the views, getting refreshments, and visiting the loo. Then, it was back on the tour bus for a relatively short drive to our next destination and Ibiza’s second largest city, Sant Antoni de Portmany (Spanish: San Antonio Abad). Behold The Egg (Monument al Descobriment d’Amèrica — Monument to the Discovery of America):

The Egg — model of Christopher Columbus’s Santa María contained within

If you’re wondering from the caption above what connects Christopher Columbus to Ibiza, it’s the local claim that he originated from this island. But that’s only a claim, as most historians peg him as coming from Genoa, Italy. South of The Egg is a harbor and marina, where you’ll find tour guides, boat cruisers, and dive vendors hawking their services:

Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza, Spain

Time for refreshment? If so, you’ll find that at the east end of this walkway, along with other venues:

Ibiza Rocks Bar, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza, Spain

Of course, no visit to a marina is complete without the obligatory boat shots:

Sant Antoni de Portmany Marina, Island of Ibiza

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

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Filed under Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation