02 August 2023
6 facts about Ibiza that will never stop surprising you
So, you think you know everything about the island of Ibiza? Surely, you don’t! Beyond its magnificent beaches and endless party nights, Ibiza hides multiple curiosities that you will not only like to know, but that will also leave you open-mouthed.
With secret stories, legends and some anecdotes, we want to dive in a little further and show you Ibiza’s most unknown side. Join us!
Ibiza’s names
The island of Ibiza has not always been called that. The island holds a multicultural past, and diverse civilisations, from the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians to the Arabs or the Romans, called it many different names.
Aivis, Ibosim, Ebusus, Yebisah or Insula Augusta are some of the names by which the island was known, until it evolved into the current Ibiza or Eivissa. Funny, right?
Ibiza has 50 kilometres more coastline than the city of Barcelona
It’s certainly true that Ibiza is a small island, but we can’t ignore the fact that it has 210 kilometres of coastline and, although it may not seem like it, this means that it has almost 50 kilometres more coastline than the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona.
We want to take this opportunity to remind you that you can walk the entire coastline of Ibiza... On foot! This is a good alternative for those who love hiking and are looking to discover beautiful places.
Ibiza, an island with magnetic properties
Magnetism in Ibiza? Yes, and the main reason for this is the islet of Es Vedrà, which, in addition to being the most enigmatic place in Ibiza, is the third place with the highest concentration of energy in the world.
This means that, after the North Pole and the Bermuda Triangle, Es Vedrà is the most magnetic place on the planet. It’s perhaps for this reason that there are many ancient stories and legends linked to this islet.
Do you know why we say that Ibiza and Formentera are Pitiusa islands?
The name “pitiusa” comes from the Greek word pitys, which means nothing more than an abundant reserve of pine trees.
The fact is that both Ibiza and Formentera have a large number of pine forests scattered throughout their geography. It was the Romans and the Greeks who were responsible for naming these islands as Pitiusas, and the islands of Mallorca and Menorca as Gimnesias.
In Ibiza you can toast with home-produced wines
Who said that Ibiza doesn’t produce wine? Contrary to what many people think, wine is also produced on the island of Ibiza.
In some villages located in the inland area of Ibiza, such as Buscatell, Sant Mateu or Sant Josep, you’ll find several wineries to visit that are characterised by their high-quality, artisanal wine production.
The largest olive tree in the country can be found in Ibiza
Ibiza stands out for being an island of thousand-year-old olive trees and can boast the largest olive tree in Spain, with no less than 15 metres in trunk size and 12 metres in height.
You’ll find this olive tree of great ecological value, known as s'Olivera de n’Espanya, in Sant Carles de Peralta, a town belonging to the municipality of Santa Eulària which, during the 1960s and 1970s, was a meeting point for hippies and intellectuals.
