Sant Carles de Peralta: The heart of Ibiza’s hippie movement

The sea and the land have – in equal measure – carved out the character of Sant Carles, a fertile territory with Mediterranean landscapes, where you will find heritage treasures as well as both of Ibiza’s most famous hippie markets, topped off by a wide array of traditional restaurants where you can taste the products of our farms and coasts.

Located just over five kilometres from Santa Eulària des Riu, the small village of Sant Carles de Peralta came into existence in the late 18th century following the construction of its parish church. Today, with hardly more than a handful of buildings huddled around that sturdy church, the village retains the old essence of Ibiza’s rural parishes. Never really town centres, these parishes served as meeting points for the farmers who lived scattered across the surrounding valleys in demographic divisions known as véndes.

The agrarian footprint of Sant Carles de Peralta is still preserved in the picturesque valleys that dot the parish and can be glimpsed from the roads leading to some of the nearby coves and beaches.  Sant Carles’ farming and fishing tradition also lives on in the form of its restaurants, whose tables are replete with local products obtained from the land and sea, such as lamb from Ibiza (anyell d’Eivissa).

What to see in Sant Carles de Peralta

You should certainly include Sant Carles de Peralta on any sightseeing route you undertake in the eastern part of Ibiza. Starting with the village itself, the church of Sant Carles will delight you with its colonnaded porxo, an outstanding example of the island’s rural architecture. From here, you can go on to discover other ethnographic treasures, such as the Font de Peralta, a stone fountain dating back to the early 17th century; the Museum Trull de Ca n’Andreu, an exceptional example of the Ibicenco rural farmhouse, which preserves, among other elements, an 18th-century oil press.

As with other coastal areas across the island, Sant Carles de Peralta boasts a defence tower, the tower d’en Valls, built in the 18th century very near the cove of Pou des Lleó. Looking out from the tower, you will be afforded an excellent panoramic view over the islet of Tagomago, an icon of the municipal coast whose territory has been declared a Special Protection Area (SPA) for migratory birds.

What to do in Sant Carles de Peralta

In the environs of Sant Carles you will find several beaches and coves where you can relax, either before or after visiting the village. These include Cala Mastella, Cala Llenya, Cala Nova and Es Canar, an important tourist hub with numerous restaurants and cafés clustered around its pleasant beach. Sant Carles also contains within its borders Cala Boix, Es Figueral and Aigües Blanques, three of the municipality’s top beauty spots.

Additionally, if you would like to go walking or cycling, Sant Carles de Peralta and its surrounding territory are home to cycling routes No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5, and by hiking routes No. 1, No. 7 and No. 11. These outdoor circuits are undoubtedly the healthiest and most sustainable way to enjoy beautiful scenery while you see the sights, a year-round option that is especially agreeable in spring and autumn.