Santa Eulalia Ibiza

A rural church, the priest’s quarters, a grocery store that often doubled as post office and wine merchant – and little else. Until a few decades ago, such were the parishes of our municipality – Sant Carles, Santa Gertrudis and Jesús. These settlements did not arise in response to the needs of the Ibicenco farmer – who was always self-sufficient and quite independent – but rather as the means through which the Church could reach the people to deliver Sunday mass and other religious services. One look at the Ibicenco heartland reveals that its rural houses are set in dispersed distance from one another, insulated by fields with few neighbours around. The parish centres served mainly as meeting points for rural social life, and farming families used Sundays and religious holidays to catch up with each other, announce betrothals and learn all the latest news. The town of Santa Eulària des Riu, however, did develop into an urban centre of some importance, since it had long been the administrative seat of one of the quartons (or quarters) into which the island was divided following the Catalan Conquest of the 13th century. Today, it forms part of the municipality of its own name, together with the parishes of Sant Carles de Peralta, Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera, Jesús and  Es Puig d’en Valls. Don’t miss out on exploring our villages. Each one has its own charm and its own distinctive personality.