Ibiza is a small island just 45kms wide and 25kms long, one of the Spanish Balearic Islands just 2hrs away from the UK on a cheap Thomas Cook flight.
It is an Island of contrast in its appeal as it makes an ideal relaxing destination for those wanting a quiet holiday on one of its 30 or more beaches yet it is also well known for being one of the hottest places in Europe for the club scene.
Ibiza has a rich history and like the other Balearic Islands, Majorca and Minorca, it has been invaded by a number of different settlers over the decades. The Carthaginians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs and the Catalans, have all left their mark on the Island. Napoleon was born on a small island just off the San Antonio coast. Since the Catalan conquest in the thirteenth century Ibiza has remained under Spanish control and largely unaffected by world political events. Most of the architectural influences of the Romans and Arabs are long gone, but you can still find some of the Pirate towers that were built along the coastline to protect the islanders from the frequent raids. Towers would send signals between one another to warn islanders of impending danger allowing them to seek shelter.
As you would imagine with all the different cultures the Island is rich in folklore and in fact the Phoenicians believed the island to be blessed by gods and have magical powers. The small island of Es Vedra, rising from the waters off the Ibiza coast supports no living thing. The Carmelite priest Don Francisco Palau recorded mystical revelations and meetings with ‘unearthly beings surrounded by light’ while meditating there and gigantic circles of light rise from the sea which have discouraged fishermen from this area. A strong magnetic force is said to emanate from Es Vedra, attracting unexplained phenomena.
‘Ibiza will be Earth’s final refuge’ - predicted Nostradamus the 15th century French astrologer
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dan williams has taken
