Spain: Ibiza (Eivissa)

Overview

Ibiza is located 83km (52mi) from the mainland and 40km (25mi) south-west of Majorca, covering an area of 572km2 (220mi2) with a coastline of 179km (105mi). The resident population is around 106,000, most of which live in the capital, Ibiza Town, which enjoys a stunning location and has a well preserved and attractive old walled town (Dalt Vila). Ibiza is a beautiful island, with fine beaches and a rugged coastline, steep cliffs and barely accessible coves. Inland, there’s unspoilt countryside with fields of olive, almond and carob trees, melons and vines.

Ibiza is noted for its excellent restaurants and vibrant nightlife and has Europe’s biggest and boldest dance clubs. The island’s visitors and foreign residents are renowned for their excess. The island has a large gay population and nude bathing is commonplace. Ibiza is the most fashionable Balearic island, having been discovered by the international jet set and artists in the early ’60s. Mass tourism followed in the mid-’60s, although the over-development which ran riot in Majorca and on the mainland’s costas was avoided thanks to strict planning controls. However, although Ibiza hasn’t been ruined by high-rise buildings, like Majorca, it’s plagued by drunken tourists in summer and certain areas (e.g. San Antonio) are best avoided during the peak summer months.

Property is generally more expensive than in the other Balearic islands and luxurious millionaire’s homes abound. The coast between Ibiza Town (population around 23,000) and Santa Eulalia is particularly attractive and property is consequently expensive. The largest towns include Santa Antonio Abad and Santa Eulalia del Rio, both of which are ugly and over-developed. The northern rural half of the island around the villages of San Carlos and San Mateo is the least developed. Popular residential resorts include Cala Longa and Roca Lisa, while Portinatx is an attractive resort. Like Majorca, Ibiza has become increasingly popular with the Germans, who along with the British, are the main property buyers. Two-bedroom apartments cost from €200,000 and villas start at €500,000. The island authorities have imposed strict controls and quotas on building, which is now limited on the island.

The island has good roads, which were rebuilt in the mid-’80s, and the infrastructure and services have been upgraded in the last few decades. It has an international airport handling over 4 million passengers a year, although flight frequency is much reduced in winter and options are often limited to (expensive) flights via the mainland airports of Barcelona and Valencia. Ibiza is served by ferries from Barcelona, Denia and Valencia on the mainland, and also from Majorca.

© Survival Books Limited 2005

“Buying a Home in Spain 2006” 5th Edition, David Hampshire.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on this topic can be found in “Buying a Home in Spain 2006” 5th edition, by David Hampshire.

For extensive, annually updated information about buying a property in Spain, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net