August 25

We had a good look around south of La Savina and decided next time that would be a better place to anchor so we didn't get the wash from the many ferries zooming to and from Ibiza. Then we headed north planning to go to the other side of the island, but we called a marina in Ibiza town and luckily could get a berth. So by 1.00 pm we entered Marina Ibiza, a relatively new marina on the east side of the port, across from Dalt Vila (the old part of Ibiza, designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO). They have good facilities but the marina prices in Ibiza are amazing compared with Palma!! It's a much smaller port, with only one marina having the depth we need for our boat so they can probably charge whatever they like.

It's interesting that the island is called Ibiza and so is the main town and the Catalan spelling is Eivissa.

During the afternoon we went by taxi to one of the gates of Dalt Vila (old fortress) and walked up and around this historic town. It is built up the side of a hill, beginning at the port and crowned by a cathedral (the building of which was begun in 1229) and a Moorish castle. It is surrounded by walls originally built in medieval times and refortified in the 16th C. The wall has six large bastions at strategic points around the perimeter, where the artillery defended the city from invaders. One part of the fortress is being restored at present and it was fascinating to watch the operators of huge cranes manoeuvre everything into position using gears in a small box they held as they watched operations from way below at ground level. This is a far cry from the tools the original workers had centuries ago! Views of the port and the coastline were magnificent from the great heights of several of the bastions.

The houses are built joined together along the narrow cobbled streets. They have very thick walls and small windows to conserve insulation; they are mostly whitewashed and have a flat roof to collect rainwater.

As we wound our way back down through the maze of tiny streets we came upon the Placa de Vila where there are several boutiques, cafes/bars, galleries and restaurants spilling onto the street. As it was nearly 8.00 pm we decided to stay for dinner at La Olivia, one of the chic restaurants that took our fancy. Besides if we had wanted to eat later we would not have been able to do so as they were booked out for the normal times of dining here (we had to vacate our table by 10.00 pm).

Dinner was very good, as usual. Greg had a starter of grilled sardines on a base of pureed tomatoes and sprinkled with grated ginger and parmesan. We had a variety of main courses - lamb, pork, beef - all excellent. Cune red wine from Rioja (mainland Spain) was great; not many vineyards in Ibiza and we do not know much about them. A superb violinist busker added to the pleasure of the night and as we wandered down through the medieval stone "gate" on our way home we were very pleased we had experienced the port of Ibiza.

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