This week, we head right to the south coast of Ibiza, to the visually spectacular and historically important, Las Salinas and its 2000 year-old salt flats where salt is still harvested to this day.
Following the signs to Experimental Beach, my friends and I soon came to the magnificent "salt mountain" which is, quite literally, a mountain of salt and truly something to behold. In the Ibiza winter sunlight, it brought to mind a sparkling, white marquis-tent towering majestically above the salt pans.
Feeling like we were on some kind of magical mystery tour, we continued along the narrow, unmade road (which is more than suitable for all vehicles, and with plenty of passing points along the way) and even though we knew that this was an area that attracted migrating birds and water fowl, it was still a real thrill to catch sight of flocks of pink flamingos gracing the salt flats, along with cranes and herons flying overhead.
The drive through the salt pans took about 10 minutes, and then we were at the rugged and rocky Experimental Beach. With Es Vedra rearing out of the sea to the right, and Cap des Falco (where you can take a spectacular cliff walk) to the left of us, there was a real sense of peace and tranquillity and it was difficult to imagine, as we stood in this protected natural park, that we were, in fact, so close to the airport and Playa d'en Bossa. Once again, the contrasts of this beautiful island had us all in awe.
In the early thirteenth century, Las Salinas was established as a "collective good" which meant that the proceeds from the manufacture and sale of the salt - Ibiza's only source of public revenue at the time - was given back to the people of Ibiza. Men would come from all over the island to harvest the salt, which was an unimaginably gruelling task. Not only did the harvesting take place in the hottest months of the year, but the poor workers would be in agony as a searing mixture of seawater and salt ran out of the tightly wound baskets that they carried on their heads, down onto their faces and into their eyes.
The tiny church of San Francisco, which we called into on our way back, was built in the 1780s for the salt-workers, and there is an amazing and very unique statue (top image) in the churchyard, in honour of all of these men which is definitely worth seeing and quite a humbling experience.
So, for an extremely atmospheric, interesting and picturesque winter's day out on Ibiza, Las Salinas certainly ticks all of the boxes.
Quick Facts
What Las Salinas Salt Flats.
Where Las Salinas.
When Any time.
Why Natural beauty....with flamingos!!!
Average spend per head Absolutely free of charge.
Disabled Access Yes
Room for Improvement No
Top Tips Don't miss the sun setting over the sparkling salt pans.
