Page 129 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Mallorca, Menorca & Ibiza

IBIZA  127

district, including the rocky
islet of Es Vedrà. In order to
take a closer look at Es Vedrà
you need to drive along the
coast up to the sandy bay of
Cala d’Hort, with its pleasant
sandy beach and several
terraced restaurants.
According to legend, Es
Vedrà was once the home of
the sirens who lured Odysseus.
Sailors and divers experience
a strange magnetic anomaly
here, and some believe the
island to have been a landing
site for aliens. This lofty rock,
now inhabited only by birds Fountain in Passeig de ses Fonts, Sant Antoni de Portmany
and flocks of wild goats and
sheep, makes an extra ordinary in Plaça de Església, was built Of the nearby beaches, Cala
impression. Occasionally, in on a hill, away from the harbour, Bassa and blue-flag Cala Conta
calm weather, it even blows and served as a shelter for the are probably the best. Port d’es
off a plume of steam. local population during pirate Torrent is also popular, especially
Some 5 km (3 miles) from raids. Originally, there were with families (see p131).
Sant Josép, situated to the defensive guns positioned
right of the road that leads to on the church roof. 7 Santa Agnès
Eivissa, is Cova Santa. The The bustling fishing
main attractions of this harbour is popular de Corona
cave, which is the with visitors. A palm- 8 km (5 miles) northeast of Sant
largest in Ibiza, are its fringed promenade Antoni de Portmany. @
huge stalactites, some runs along the bay.
of which are a dozen At one end is a large Santa Agnès de Corona has
or so metres long. flowerbed with maintained its old-world
sculptures made atmosphere. There is not
5 West Coast in Sant Rafael, much here apart from a
of Ibiza Columbus‘ Egg in including the small quaint church, a shop
and a bar where you can
ingenious Columbus’
See pp130–31. Sant Antoni Egg. The famous quench your thirst and
entertainment district enjoy a plate of tapas. You
between Carrer de Mar and can take a walk from here
6 Sant Antoni Carrer Ample comes to life to the nearby summit of Es
de Portmany only after dark. The local Camp Vell and on to the
clubs, including Es Paradis, neighbour ing village of
* 23,000. @ g n Passeig de Ses are among the island’s best Sant Mateu d’Aubarca.
Font s/n, 971 343 363. _ Sant Antoni (see pp124–5).
(17 Jan), Sant Bartolome (24 Aug). Environs
Southwest of Santa
The second-largest town in Ibiza Agnès de Corona is
was known as Portus Magnus an original early
by the Romans. The large bay Christian chapel
that provided a natural harbour of Santa Agnès,
for ships now boasts yacht discovered in 1907 in
marinas and a ferry terminal. a grotto. Local legend
Once upon a time this was a says that a sailor was
small fishing village, until it was saved from drowning
transformed in the 1960s into a by St Agnes during a
busy, commercialized summer fierce storm, and
resort with scores of hotels. built a chapel to her
Regular bus services run from on the spot where
here to Eivissa and Santa Eulària he was washed up
des Riu. Amid the sea of high- by the waves. On
rise hotel buildings stands the St Agnes’s Day, local
14th-century church of Sant people make a
Antoni Abat. This fortified pilgrimage to
parish church, now standing Village church in Santa Agnès de Corona this site.
Sunset at Eivissa, the charming capital of Ibiza

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