A Day in The Dalt Vila

When I entered the old town through one of the narrow passageways on the east side it was early in the morning and the streets seemed quiet and tranquil. The walls of the buildings in front of me were white washed with shutters and doors painted in pretty colours, flowers spilling over windowsills and the occasional cat scampering past. This was exactly how I had imagined it.

Before I continue however, one word of advice for those wanting spend a day in the Old Town of Ibiza - wear sensible shoes! Although small, the town allows for a lot of walking around, steep streets and stairs. Also, make sure you have good grips...I nearly slipped and fell over on more than one occasion where the cobbles have become worn and shiny. I can't even imagine them in the rain.

The town a maze of alleys, stairways, doors and winding paths that lead between the streets - this is not a place that you can easily re-trace your steps and as I quickly discovered, it's probably best not to try. Just take the next turn and see where it leads you. Much of the Dalt Vila is residential and the streets remain rather quiet and calm - except perhaps during peak tourist season. This makes it an absolute pleasure to wander round and is heaven for the amateur photographers, with photo opp after photo opp.

As you steadily make your way up and up you'll find that you reach the Cathedral right at the heart of the town. This impressive building stretches up into the sky with its bell and clock tower reaching high above the surrounding buildings. We were there mid-morning as the sun was just sitting behind the tower and casting great shadows down upon us. The views from here are not only spectacular but the Cathedral itself is steeped in history and worth looking around. There is a small museum inside worth it for more of an in depth visit, especially for the history buffs.

Situated in the same square as the Cathedral you will find the Archaeological Museum, which offers you the chance to see nearly 3,000 years of Ibizan history in just one place. Depending on your area of interest there are several museums and galleries that you could visit in the Dalt Vila, including the Museo Puget and the Museum of Contemporary Art. I was keen to visit the latter but ran out of time as I was too busy meandering through the streets, window shopping and sipping coffee.

On the descent from the Cathedral I found myself passing the beautiful Mirador de Dalt Vila Hotel where I stopped for a drink and to watch the world go by. Right beside the hotel is the Placa d'Espanya which looks out over the sea and leads you round past the Church of Sant Domingo and to the top of the battlement walls where you will see the cannons lined up ready to protect the city. The views from here are spectacular and look out over, not only the harbour and marina areas, but also over the main town of Ibiza and inland towards San Rafael.

On many of the lower lanes and streets I found beautiful boutiques and some souvenir shops, many of them selling the traditional Ibizan wares of jewellery, leather good, brightly coloured hippy-style bags and white floaty garments. I spent several hours pouring over these and was too easily distracted by the bright colours. There are also several well-known restaurants in the lower streets that are close to the city wall and the drawbridge that leads down into the shopping streets and marina of Ibiza town. La Oliva is a great lunch stop where you can take a table on the street and enjoy some people watching as you eat.

By the afternoon I was all walked out but couldn't resist a look around the lower part of Ibiza Town that stretches between the walls of the Old Town and the marina. There are more shops here and many small cafés and restaurants that are perfect for a cool beer or glass of wine in the afternoon heat. The perfect end to a day out in Dalt Vila...