The recorded history of our island starts about 2,650 years ago (630 BCE) when the greatest sea-going nation of its time – the Phoenicians – decided to create a permanent settlement here. Ibiza was a key location for navigating the winds of their trading routes, and the settlement began to prosper. They built a great walled city overlooking the harbour, and called it Ibosim (today’s Dalt Vila). Ibiza was fortunate to become part of Phoenicia with its advanced culture, and this progress continued when Phoenicia was superseded by Carthage - the great power in the Western Mediterranean. Ibiza became a hub for exotic goods, and its salt flats were an important source of that commodity, which was treasured in the ancient world. This was a Golden Age for Ibiza which lasted for over 400 years, but it eventually came to an end when Rome defeated Carthage and took over Ibiza.

The Romans were masters of organization, engineering and innovation. Throughout their vast empire they created roads, bridges, aqueducts, and countless technical advances in all areas of life. Being part of the Roman Empire vastly improved every aspect of Ibiza’s infrastructure. The walking bridge that goes over the river into Santa Eulalia still has the classic design of the original arched Roman bridge that was built 2,000 years ago. For centuries Ibiza remained a small part of the vast Roman Empire, but as the Empire faded so did the fortunes of our island. For a few decades Ibiza was left to fend for itself, but in 455 it was occupied by the Vandals - a Germanic tribe that had sacked Rome. Their reign came to an end when Emperor Justinian of Byzantium defeated the Vandals and took over Ibiza in 535. Our island became part of his new version of the Western Roman Empire that was based in Constantinople (Istanbul today). 

At the beginning of the 7th century (1,400 years ago) Berber tribes from North Africa, who came to be known as the Moors, moved into the Iberian peninsula. They expanded rapidly, and their Hispanic territory, known as Al-Andalus, eventually covered most of what is now Spain. In 902 the Moors began their occupation of Ibiza which lasted for over 300 years. Ibiza benefited from that culture’s great advances in science, medicine, architecture, technology and agriculture. The waterworks at Es Broll near Santa Agnes are an excellent example of their marvelous engineering skills. This system of irrigation channels, reservoirs and watermills is still functioning today.

But the era of the Moors was destined to end, as a new Catalan King, James I (known as ‘The Conqueror’) came to power. He was determined to take back all of the Moorish lands, and on 8 August, 1235, his forces invaded Ibiza and were quickly victorious. This was the beginning of a new chapter in the island’s history, as the Catalan Conquest implanted a culture in Ibiza that has endured to the present day. In 1516, the various Spanish kingdoms were united into one country with borders similar to modern-day Spain. Ibiza was a small unheralded part of this new nation. 

During this time pirates from North Africa were continually attacking the island, and there was also danger from other countries who were at war with Spain. As a result, the Spanish government commissioned a renowned military designer to build new fortifications that would protect Dalt Vila. The culmination of this work is the imposing citadel that we see today, which was the state of the art when it was completed in 1585. This fortress was never conquered, but the pirates were still able to raid the smaller villages and farm houses. To defend against these raids, some of the churches were fortified on high ground so that the people could take refuge from the pirate attacks. You can still see this type of design in the churches of Santa Eulalia and San Miguel. 

From the 16th century (500 years ago) until the middle of the 20th century, Ibiza remained an insular agrarian society. However, the Ibicencan developed a distinctive culture based on their closeness to the land and nature. As the 20th century dawned, Spain was divided between liberal and conservative ideologies. In 1931 a liberal democratic republic was proclaimed, but five years later the country descended into the Spanish Civil War. Rebel conservatives led by General Francisco Franco fought to take over the government, and in 1939 they finally prevailed. Franco declared himself dictator for life, and the country fell into fascism. Ibiza was part of this tragic era as there was hatred and bloodshed between the two sides on the island.

By the 1950’s things had settled down a bit, but Ibiza was still very isolated and poor. It was virtually unknown to most people in the outside world, but an ever-growing contingent of adventurous writers, sculptors, painters, poets and other free spirits, started to find their way to this obscure haven. They were attracted by the stunning natural beauty and the friendly local people - plus it was incredibly cheap to live here. But perhaps the most important factor that brought them to this strange and wonderful island was the freedom to live and create in a beautiful place without the rules, boundaries and expectations of their home countries. That feeling of freedom is also what attracted the next wave of foreigners to the island. From the mid-’60s through the ‘70’s, young hippies and hip celebrities were drawn to what was happening on Ibiza. These fresh energies blended well with the existing community of artists to create an expat community that was wild, crazy and wonderful.

Franco died in 1975, and King Juan Carlos led Spain in its transition to democracy. The elected governments instituted many liberal reforms, and were more open to the outside world. Spain joined NATO in 1982, and became part of the European Union in 1986. These changes greatly modernized most of the country, and set the stage for Ibiza to become a major tourist destination. Many people came here in the summers to be part of the club scene, which has made Ibiza the dance music capital of Europe for over 40 years. But that was only one aspect of the island’s growth. On a deeper level, Ibiza continued to be an ideal place for those who were seeking the freedom to choose whom they wanted to be, and how they wanted to live. The combination of freedom, timeless beauty and the opportunity to commune with kindred spirits was irresistible. And so they came... and continue to come... adding their gifts, talents and presence to the special energy that is Ibiza.