SIGHTSEEING

Nowhere in Ibiza is more than an hour’s drive from CanFin. There are no motorways and most roads are small and ideal for tootling along country lanes. Outside the months of July and August are the best times for touring, when crowds have died down and the heat has subsided. Here are a few ideas.

A local tour: About a half day trip: Drive to Cala d’Hort for the view of Es Vedra, Ibiza’s most famous rock, described by Homer, rising dramatically over a thousand feet out of the sea and adorning many an Ibizan chill out compilation CD cover. Now it is inhabited only by mountain goats.

Continue on past Sa Talaia, Ibiza’s highest point, to the little town of Sant Josep. Visit the fortress-like old church, have an aperitif in the shade of a 1000 year-old olive tree and try the excellent tapas at El Destino.

A tour of the north: Once past the town of San Antonio, there are no other large centres of population and this is the most rural part of the island. Drive through little villages separated by fields of orange and lemon trees, almond groves and fig trees.

A day in Ibiza Town: The capital of the island: Spend the morning shopping in the newer part of town, then when things start to close for the 3 hour lunch break, move up into the D’ALT VILA, the old town with it’s stunning solid walls and winding alleyways. There are places to eat, museums and churches to visit, and panoramic views looking across the harbour.

A day in Formentera: Ibiza’s closest neighbour, and visible from CanFin, is reached by a regular ferry from Ibiza Town in about 30 minutes. Apart from the month of August, when Formentera becomes home to Armani-clad hordes from Milan, this island is incredibly peaceful and unspoilt by major development. Quiet winding roads, perfect for cycling, a tiny capital San Francisco, and some of the best beaches in Europe with crystal-clear water.

A day or two in Palma: From Ibiza Town it is a 2.5 hour ferry ride to Mallorca’s capital. Palma has a beautiful gothic cathedral and large old city.

Ibiza Town at night

Es Vedra at sunset

Entrance to the old town in Ibiza Town

Inside the walls of the old town