Six reasons to spend the day shopping
In the summer we’d rather not even look at a calendar – except when it comes to market day. Alluring and full of wonderful wares, our markets have become a central feature of holiday agendas. So, spend the day at one of these happenings, veritable fixtures in Ibiza and our municipality. You can go with your better half, with friends or with the whole family. And, there’s no excuse for missing out. In summer, we hold a market every day of the week!
The hippy markets that have become so renowned on the island sprang from the heart of our municipality, in Es Canar, to be exact. There, in 1973, next to the Punta Arabí resort, the first Hippy Market was inaugurated in an initiative that brought together the freedom seekers who lived in and around Sant Carles, giving them a place to sell their wares and craftwork. Today, several decades later, vendors still set up every Wednesday, from April to October. The market’s 500-some stalls feature crafts, fashion, jewelry, accessories, natural cosmetics, gastronomic products, musical instruments, leatherwork, decorative objects and more. Live music and child-friendly areas complete the amenities available at Es Canar, a not-to-be-missed classic, especially if it is your first visit to Ibiza.
Another of the island’s emblematic markets, Las Dalias, is also held in our municipality, a short distance from the village of Sant Carles. In the 1970s, a venue which had been a dance hall back in the 1950s, began to attract hippies who congregated once a week to give improvised jam sessions and sell their paintings. It was not until the mid-80s, however, that a weekly market began to coalesce around these events. Today, with some 200 stalls featuring craftwork, fashion, jewelry and accessories, among other things, Las Dalias is still held every Saturday year round, although its retail offer is somewhat reduced during the winter months. In the peak of summer, additional evenings have been added to the Las Dalias roster, namely the Namasté event on Wednesdays and night-time markets on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Other options for summer shopping are available at the daily markets held in Cala Llonga, Santa Gertrudis and Santa Eulària (on the main boulevard Passeig de S’Alamera). But, if it’s second-hand treasures you’re after, head to the Cala Llenya flea market, held every Sunday throughout the year.
