Exactly 25 years ago, on December 4, 1999, UNESCO awarded Eivissa the coveted title of World Heritage City. It was a coincidence that this epiphany was also based on four pillars: the walled enclosure of Dalt Vila, the Posidonia meadows, the Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta, and the Punic necropolis of Puig des Molins. All this and much more – gastronomy, history, legends – is offered by the so-called White Island, beyond the well-known club culture, the presence of the world's most renowned DJs, and dreamy beaches.
Today, Ibiza dresses up for a celebration to mark the 25th anniversary of its distinction, with the opening of a photography exhibition dedicated to these four areas, a concert by the Eivissa City Symphony Orchestra at the Church of Santo Domingo, and a drone show over the bastion of Santa Llúcia: a cultural heritage that resonates so deeply with the souls of the people of Ibiza that all living mayors of Ibiza gathered yesterday to congratulate themselves on the milestone acknowledged by UNESCO.
Night view of Dalt Vila, the old part of the city of Ibiza, the only island that is part of the 13 World Heritage Cities in Spain
This whole year, which is now coming to an end, has revolved around the 25th anniversary, resulting in an exponential increase in the cultural programming of the city of Ibiza: up to a total of 150 activities including exhibitions, book presentations, lectures, concerts, opera galas, magic shows, and more have been enjoyed leading up to the key date. Guillermo Rodríguez, Communication Director of the Eivissa City Council, highlights the effort of the council to live up to this anniversary: “We have implemented free guided tours for residents of the island, whom we believe should be the first to truly know an irreplaceable heritage. Of course, tourists are not left out of this circuit: we have increased the number of tours, updated new city maps, and infused the walled enclosure of Dalt Vila with a lot of activity, from concerts, lyrical recitals, and exhibitions to historical works such as the restoration of the old gunpowder depot, which was serving as a warehouse and is now a cultural space.”
View of Dalt Vila in Eivissa, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The effort is perfectly verifiable: all municipal museums are free this year. Most of them were already free, and those that used to charge a symbolic amount (3 or 4 euros) have now removed the barrier. They are confident that Puig des Molins, the site that houses the Phoenician-Punic necropolis and is managed by the Ministry of Culture, will join the initiative. Sa Caleta, which belongs to the municipality of San Josep, can be visited through the route organized by the Ibiza Town Hall. On the website visitibizacity.com and at the tourist information booths, visitors can inquire about free visits or book theatrical tours. Imagine the traveler walking through Dalt Vila and being surprised by a corsair from the era, who instead of attacking, tells them about the role piracy played in Ibiza society during the 17th and 18th centuries, like the legendary story of Antoni Miquel, one of the most famous corsairs.
The Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta
Artificial intelligence has also joined the 25th anniversary celebration: the Cicerone program is available as both an app and on the city council's website, understands 95 languages, and provides real-time responses with freshly acquired information. But the most interesting feature is its ability to plan routes: the user accesses the “Plan your stay in Eivissa” tab, the system asks a series of questions (dates, alone, with family, partner, preferences, etc.) and based on the given answers, it creates a daily activity plan tailored to the user's profile. Once the proposal is received, it can be modified: 'I'm not interested in this, remove it' or 'I want to do this but at a slower pace, give me more breaks'. And always with the heritage of Eivissa as the leitmotif.
The Posidonia meadows, a symbol of biodiversity
The Phoenician-Punic necropolis of Puig des Molins
The qualification of Eivissa as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO includes an unavoidable subtitle: biodiversity. Its posidonia meadows have been pampered for years by the consistory, so much so that they have managed to rescue a beach that seemed lost: Es Vivé joins Talamanca, Figueretes and Playa d'En Bossa, a hitherto degraded and neglected corner that, after a thorough cleaning, looks like the others. The measure has been applauded by neighbors, hoteliers and tourists. “We take good care of the posidonia. For example, when you looked out to sea from Talamanca, you could only see boats, whether yachts or sailboats. Well, we have moved them as far away as the law allows us and the environment has been totally transformed. The beaches are infinitely cleaner and the posidonia looks like never before: its main threat is the anchoring of the boats that, when they drop anchor, erode the meadow. That no longer happens.”
Lastly, gastronomy. Even though it is not a very large island, its culinary offer is amazing. Local products, tradition, and love are its main focus. “We have created a stronger social media presence, where we give it more prominence and have organized several gastronomic events throughout the year: the seafood rice day, the traditional slaughter rice day, popular events where neighbors participate and learn these recipes, or the recent contest for the best tapa in Eivissa,” summarizes Guillermo Rodríguez.
