French Days & Ibiza Nights - A Virgin Cruise
I have cruised more times than I can count, taking me to far-flung places across the world (there’s really no other way to see parts of Russia… when it was safe to do so anyway…). Blackbeard, however, has never cruised, so for his first one to be on Virgin Voyages, couldn’t have been more perfect.
Below is our experience with both the cruise line, as well as our ports of call, so you get an idea of what it’s like to cruise that itinerary.
The Booking/Trip Management experience
TALK ABOUT EASY. I have cruised on multiple lines and out of them, Virgin Voyages was, by far, the easiest to book and manage. Here are some tips to make your experience even easier:
Deals/sales -Virgin is constantly having deals/sales to make cruising affordable, so make sure to sign up for their emails so you know when another deal/sale is happening - this includes onboard credits!
Prices - The prices are PER CABIN, assuming two sailors, which is a huge departure from most cruise ships who charge, on a sliding scale, by how many people are in the cabin. Also, tips for crew members are already included in the price.
Booking/payment - As with most cruise lines, you can pay a small deposit ($200) and pay the rest about 2-3 months before you cruise, or whenever you feel like paying more off.
The bidding system - With Virgin, gone are the days of having to wait until the day of to see if you can get a room upgrade, or have to pay a lot more. Virgin works on the bidding system, whereby they start the room upgrades at a certain price and of course, the more money you bid, the higher chance you have to get the upgrade. They also do bidding on low-quantity experiences, such as the romantic package and spa package (as they sell out after a certain amount).
The App - Every cruise line has an app but most of them don’t work great/are hard to navigate. This is where Virgin really shines - both on and off the ship. It’s where you go to book dinners, excursions, upload your travel docs, and so much more. It will be your most used “companion” during your journey.
Excursions - As you may have heard from other Virgin cruisers, the excursions are more carefully curated than other lines. Since it’s adults only, it makes it easier to offer experiences you can’t do with kids. Wanna go party at a club in Ibiza? Book that excursion. Want to wander through Nice and Monaco? Go for it! Also, we noticed the prices are more reasonable than other cruise lines. All of this can be booked on the app about four months from your sail date.
Meals and Entertainment - As you may have also heard, dining and entertainment are a bit different on this ship. It’s mainly restaurants and smaller entertainment venues. You have to book reservations for your dinners, which can be done through the app, about 1 1/2 months prior to sailing. We STRONGLY recommend doing this the minute you are able to as we missed a lot of the best dinner slots.
A Bracelet That Controls Everything - When embarking on your cruise, you are given a bluetooth bracelet that unlocks your room and functions as a credit card.
The cruise ship
The Valiant Lady is smaller than many other cruise ships you may have experienced in the past, which is kind of nice, as it doesn’t take long to figure out your way around the ship. Below are some of the things to note about the ship, it’s amenities, and what you can expect:
Our state room
We were assigned room 10090A - a larger balcony room mid-ship. We have nothing but great things to say about it! If you’ve cruised before, this room is a bit larger than what you’d be used to for a balcony room. But here comes the “cool” part - everything is controlled by a tablet - the lights (you even have presets for “mood” lighting), the curtains, room service, laundry service, TV controls, etc.
Food
The food portions are on the smaller side - Virgin Voyages are big on not wasting food, so if you’re looking to pile a lot on your plate, you’re on the wrong ship. Yes, you can order as much as you like, but you will have to specify quantity, as they do not just pile it on.
The restaurants are the best place to be- They do have food stations, including pizza, but they are terrible in comparison to the restaurants (everything is cooked in too much butter, or not cooked well at all). The challenge: The restaurants are only open for dinner:
Extra Virgin - We had a lovely time at this restaurant and the food was wonderful! While they cook up a lot of handmade pasta dishes, they didn’t have gluten-free pasta, so we dined on other amazing dishes that we just loved!
Gun Bae - This EXTREMELY LIVELY restaurant boasts communal tables for your Korean street food experience. While the food is absolutely amazing, if you’re not into very loud drinking games, you might want to skip this one.
Pink Agave - The menu was designed by Chef Silvana (a famous Chef in Arizona) and holy cow, is it amazing! She takes southern Mexican cuisine and brings a soul to it that elevates it to a whole other level. It was so good that we ate there twice! Check out our video review here.
Razzle Dazzle - We ended up canceling our reservations at this place as the menu just didn’t look appetizing. Apparently, many others thought so as well. as there were always reservations available.
Test Kitchen - We didn’t go to this one as you have to be an adventurous eater with absolutely no allergies to really experience it.
The Wake - Nestled in the back of the ship is a beautiful steakhouse… that we promptly canceled our reservation at when we found out they were not great at cooking steaks (apparently, many of their other dishes are wonderful, so don’t rule it out).
If you have an allergy - you must tell them - None of their spaces are routinely dedicated, therefore, if you have an allergy, let them know so they can prepare your food in a separate space.
Room service - Unlike other cruise ships, they charge you a delivery fee of $7 + tax. The plus side: It gives you a chance to stock your fridge. The bad side: If you order food, it’s usually cold and/or items are missing as they have to run around the ship to pick it all up for delivery. We recommend doing this for a night in one night to stock your fridge with beverages and to order popcorn for movie night in your room!
The bar tab and if it’s worth it - This is always a challenging math problem prior to boarding. Why? Because people don’t realize it’s not just alcohol that adds up - it’s also coffees and teas. A specialty coffee a day is around $5-$6. For 7 days, that’s around $35 - $42. Then, with the average cocktail being $13 and the average glass of wine being $12-$15, you can see how this will add up. We recommend purchasing even a $200 bar tab as usually, Virgin will kick in another $100 or so.
Things to do
If there’s one thing amazing about this ship is that there are no shortage of things to do! If you check out the video above, you’ll see they have plenty of board games, arcade games, air hockey, shuffleboard, swings, a seesaw, pools, hot tubs, bars, lounge areas, and more. It truly is a big-kid paradise!
They also have a schedule of “organized” activities, including pub crawls, trivia nights, bingo, shows, a dance club, Scarlet night, cooking classes, exercise classes (bungee yoga, HIIT, and more.
EXTRAS
“Romance Package” - is it worth it ? The answer - well worth it. We shook the app for champagne (you have to do this once if you get the package - it’s $145 if not); took advantage of the thermal spa for 3 hours (usually $150 pp); and got delicious little bites in the room.
Wifi - Wifi for browsing/email is free and works fairly well. If you need to work or browse bigger sites, you will need to purchase the premium WiFi at $150. I couldn’t even get onto my Google Docs.
Laundry - They do not have self-service laundry like most ships, so you will need to send your laundry out for cleaning. They charge $30 for a bag (which is provided in your room) and they do an amazing job!
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Here’s where improvement can be made. We went down to the station to chat with someone on canceling our excursion to Palma de Mallorca and they had no authority to do so, having to ping someone in corporate to make the call. We then had to go back down on the last day to have something removed from our bill and, same thing. While things got resolved on both occasions, it took a little bit of time for that to happen.
Our Ports of Call
TIP #1: Skip the tours if you like to explore on your own - Except if you want to go to Nice and Monaco. In Europe, it’s very easy to take a shuttle and/or taxi to/from the port and take yourself on your own wandering tour. However, if there are certain places you would like to visit further out, then consider a tour to be able to get there and back - it will certainly be cheaper!
TIP #2: Bring plenty of water and a few snacks. These tours end up being very long and very tiring if you don’t have sustenance. And, oftentimes, you don’t have enough time to grab something to eat AND explore the area. In old Monaco, we spent most of our time eating in a cafe, instead of really exploring th area.
Marseilles
A Little Bit of History
It is the second most populated city in France (Paris being #1).
Founded around 600 BC by Greek settlers from Phocaea, Marseille is the oldest city in France, as well as one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited settlements.
The city lost its independence following the Roman Siege of Massilia in 49 BC, during Caesar's Civil War, in which Massalia sided with the exiled faction at war with Julius Caesar.
The city maintained its position as a premier maritime trading hub even after its capture by the Visigoths in the 5th century AD, although the city went into decline following the sack of 739 AD.
It became part of the County of Provence during the 10th century, although its renewed prosperity was curtailed by the Black Death of the 14th century and a sack of the city by the Crown of Aragon in 1423.
Marseille lost a significant portion of its population during the Great Plague of Marseille in 1720, but the population had recovered by mid-century. In 1792, the city became a focal point of the French Revolution.
Marseille has been a trading port since ancient times. In particular, it experienced a considerable commercial boom during the colonial period and especially during the 19th century, becoming a prosperous industrial and trading city.
It was occupied by the German Wehrmacht in November 1942 and subsequently, heavily damaged during World War II.
The Old Port still lies at the heart of the city, where the manufacture of Marseille soap began some 600 years ago.
Marseille remains the first French port, the second Mediterranean port, and the fifth European port.
In Europe, the city has the third largest Jewish community after London and Paris.
Marseille now has the most museums in France after Paris.
The city was named European Capital of Culture in 2013 and European Capital of Sport in 2017.
The city has since become a major center for immigrant communities from former French colonies in Africa, such as French Algeria.
Our Excursion
Excursion chosen: Calanques Coast by Boat and Foot
Description: They describe the excursion as, “Drive to the charming fishing village of Sanary-sur-Mer with free time to explore the Roman ruins, grab a bite to eat, or shop in the fashionable boutiques. Continue to Cassis where you will board a sightseeing boat and get up close to the Calanque - a dramatic coastline of beautiful inlets and bays, ringed with white cliffs. You’ll venture across Port-Miou, which ends at a small, sandy beach, framed by pine trees. Back in Cassis, head back to Marseilles, enjoying a sightseeing tour along the way.”
Total duration: 8 hours, including 1.5 hours of a boat trip, a 1-hour drive to/from the pier, 40 minute drive from Sanary to Cassis, and a 20-minute shuttle on a little train from Cassis parking area to the boat launch.
Our Thoughts: We were not thrilled with this tour at all.
We were bused to a “train” that took us down to Cassis (1st stop). The train operates on regular roads at regular speeds, with no seatbelts. If you’re big into safety, this will seem uncomfortable.
We took the boat ride first and it was on an old tour vessel that was both highly uncomfortable and also kind of boring (as well as hot). We all expected to be in a sleeker speed boat or more comfortable catamaran to explore these inlets (which, those were beautiful). From there, we had about 30 minutes to walk around Cassis.
Though no fault of the tour guide, two people were missing from the group and we had to wait an additional 30 minutes for her to find them and bring them back to the bus, reducing our time elsewhere.
When we got to Sanary-sur-Mer, we realized everything was shut down because it’s a Monday, which meant 45 minutes of trying to find a place to sit and relax until it was time to head back to the ship.
Nice & Monaco (Via Cannes)
A Little Bit of History - Old Town Nice
Nice’s first tourists started coming almost 400,000 years ago, and were transient cave-dwellers that came to Nice once a year to hunt woolly mammoths.
During the Greek Empire in 500 BC, the hill above the Old Town was named “Nike”, which is Greek for ‘victory’, making Nice the original Nike-Town. During its multi-century Italian period, it was called “Nizza”, and since becoming French, just 150 years ago, it is called “Nice”.
The bay of Nice was named after a 3rd century miracle, involving a young Christian who was arrested for her faith, in Palestine. She was beheaded and as was the custom after such executions, her body was put out to sea on a raft to be desecrated by sea birds. The story goes that the angels took over and guided the raft across the Mediterranean to the bay of Nice, where her body arrived pristine and untouched, and was declared a miracle. The bay is named after the angels, and the young martyr became Saint Reparate, the patron saint of the Cathedral in Old Nice.
In Jardins de Cimiez, you’ll find the ancient Roman coliseum, the ruins of an immense Roman bath complex, a 500-year-old olive grove, and a still-operating monastery.
The Carnival in Nice originated in the Middle Ages as a festival of church-authorized excess where the masked revelers could safely ridicule those in power, and anyone without a mask got flogged with stockings filled with flour. Today, the Carnival still exists but the rituals do not.
In 1506, this town of only 3,000 inhabitants was attacked by a flotilla of 20,000 Franco-Turks. After weeks under siege with very few soldiers left to mount a defense, a washer-woman, Catherine Segurane, climbed up on the walls herself and tried to beat back the attackers with her laundry bat (she killed one). The attacking soldiers were humiliated and the next day, they gave up. There are monuments to her all over Nice.
Nice lost its castle in 1706 as a cannonball lobbed over the fortress walls, flew into a tiny window, and landed in the munitions storage, which caused a massive explosion that blew out the side out of the stone fortress, allowing the enemies to invade. The castle was dismantled shortly after that and the stones were then used to pave the Promenade des Anglais.
Nice was considered a winter-only resort until the golden age when the Murphy’s, and their entourage of fabulous friends (Cole Porter, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, just to name a few…), made the Cote d’Azur the fashionable summer resort it is today!
In 1860, Sir Thomas Coventry and his easily-distracted wife were living in Nice. Having become increasingly frustrated by his wife’s lack of punctuality in serving him lunch, he approached the Mayor’s office to propose a daily noon cannon blast, like back in his home village in Scotland, and offered to foot the bill. Some years later, Sir Coventry returned to Scotland and took his little cannon with him, but by that time, the locals were so used to their midday alarm that they petitioned the city to continue the tradition, and it continues today.
During WWII, secret tunnels were dug under Old Nice and the Chateau Hill to create a mini-submarine base to store munitions, as well as to provide clandestine escape routes for the German officers.
After the war, the Old Town was so run-down and poverty-stricken that it was referred to as the ‘babazouk’ or “Monster’s Lair”. Even in the 1960’s, most families in the Old Town didn’t have refrigeration and still bought ice chipped off the ice man’s cart. Laundry was still washed by hand in communal tubs, and garbage was dropped from the windows into the rat-infested streets below.
Jacques Medecin rejuvenated the city and put Nice back on the map… but then pilfered the city’s entire treasury and absconded to Uruguay with his American wife, where he died of cancer in the late 90’s.
It’s a continuous celebrity haunt over the last 100 years, with the likes of Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Nietzsche, and even Elton John, the late Tina Turner, Bono, and Keith Richards spending part of their years there.
A Little Bit of History - Monaco
The first Grimaldi man discovered it 30,000 years ago.
The area's first permanent settlers were the mountain-dwelling Ligures, who emigrated from their native city of Genoa, Italy.
The Port and Rock of Monaco were consecrated by the Phoenicians in the name of their deity, Melqart. After the Phoenicians, the Greeks, wrote about the progress and conquests of the journeys and labors of Hercules. The native Ligurian people asserted that Hercules passed through the area.
During the 6th century BC, Phocaeans from Massalia (modern day Marseille) founded the colony of Monoikos (“single house”).
The Roman emperor, Julian, wrote of Hercules's construction of Monaco's port and a coastal road. The road was dotted with altars to Heracles, and a temple dedicated to him was established on the Rock of Monaco.
After the Gallic Wars, Monoecus, which served as a stopping-point for Julius Caesar on his way to campaign in Greece, fell under Roman control as part of the Maritime Alps province.
Monaco remained under Roman control until the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD.
The city was then under the domain of Odoacer until his fall at the hands of the Ostrogoths in the late 5th century.
Monaco was recaptured by the Romans during the reign of Justinian in the mid-6th century and was held until its capture by the Lombards in the 7th century. Monaco then passed hands between the Lombards and Franks. Though these raids left the area almost entirely depopulated, the Saracens were expelled in 975, and by the 11th century, the area was again populated by Ligurians.
On June 10, 1215, a detachment of Genoese Ghibellines began the construction of a fortress atop the Rock of Monaco. This date is often cited as the beginning of Monaco's modern history.
The Grimaldis, descended from Otto Canella and taking their name from his son Grimaldo, were an ancient and prominent Guelphic Genoese family. Members of this family, in the course of the civil strife in Genoa between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, took refuge in Monaco, accompanied by various other Guelphic families, most notably, the Fieschis.
Francesco Grimaldi seized the Rock of Monaco in 1297, starting the Grimaldi dynasty, under the sovereignty of the Republic of Genoa.
The Grimaldis acquired Menton in 1346 and Roquebrune in 1355, enlarging their possessions.
In 1338, Monegasque ships under the command of Carlo Grimaldi participated, along with those of France and Genoa, in the English Channel naval campaign. Plunder from the sack of Southampton was brought back to Monaco, contributing to the principality's prosperity.
Honoré II, Prince of Monaco secured recognition of his independent sovereignty from Spain in 1633, and then from Louis XIII of France by the Treaty of Péronne (1641). Since then the area has remained under the control of the Grimaldi family to the present day (except when under French control during the French revolution, from 1793 to May 17, 1814).
The principality was re-established in 1814, only to be designated a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and the Treaty of Stupinigi in 1817. Monaco remained in this position until 1860, when by the Treaty of Turin, Sardinia, ceded to France the surrounding county of Nice (as well as Savoy). With this, Italian was the official language of Monaco for nearly 50 years.
During this time there was unrest in the towns of Menton and Roquebrune, which declared independence, hoping for annexation by Sardinia and participation in the Italian Risorgimento. The unrest continued until the ruling prince gave up his claim to the two towns (some 95% of the country), and they were ceded to France in return for four million francs. This transfer and Monaco's sovereignty was recognised by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861.
The famous Casino of Monte Carlo opened in 1863, organized by the Société des bains de mer de Monaco, which also ran the Hotel de Paris. Taxes paid by the S.B.M. have been plowed into Monaco's infrastructure. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railway link to France.
The Prince of Monaco was an absolute ruler until the Monegasque Revolution of 1910 forced him to proclaim a constitution in 1911.
In July 1918, a treaty was signed providing for limited French protection over Monaco. The treaty, written into the Treaty of Versailles, established that Monegasque policy would be aligned with French political, military, and economic interests. One of the motivations for the treaty was the upcoming Monaco Succession Crisis of 1918.
On November 11, 1942, the Italian Army invaded and occupied Monaco. Soon after, in September 1943, following Mussolini's fall in Italy, the German Army occupied Monaco and began the deportation of the Jewish population. The country was liberated September 3, 1944.
Prince Rainier III ascended to the throne following the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II, in 1949.
The revised Constitution of Monaco, proclaimed in 1962, abolished capital punishment, provided for female suffrage, established a Supreme Court to guarantee fundamental liberties, and made it difficult for a French national to transfer his or her residence there.
In 1993, Monaco became a member of the United Nations with full voting rights.
In 2002, a new treaty between France and Monaco clarified that if there are no heirs to carry on the dynasty, the Principality will remain an independent nation, rather than be annexed by France. Monaco's military defense, however, is still the responsibility of France.
Prince Albert II succeeded his father Prince Rainier III in 2005.
Also around that time, there is one tunnel that has diamonds mixed into the asphalt to cut down on road noise decibels - check it out at the end of our video below!
Our Excursion
Excursion chosen: Create Your Own Fashionably French Itinerary
Description: They describe the excursion as, “Get lost in Nice’s lively Old Town, browsing the famous flower market and nearby marchés for unique finds while strolling the narrow winding lanes of fashionable homes with pastel-colored façades. In Monaco, there are plenty of seaside shops, cafes and other must-see sites like the grand casino that you can visit in your free time (you must dress up to go inside)”. They include Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly’s, final resting place, the Oceanographic Museum, and the Prince’s Palace.
Total duration: 8.5 hours, which includes 1.5 hour drive to/from Monaco, and 30 minutes by tender from the cruise ship each way.
TIP: Dress chic! Women are in heels and skirts/tops or dresses; men must wear slacks, a nice shirt, and dress shoes. It’s also $20 to enter the casino. If you choose to just see the entryway, that is free and the dress policy is a little bit more relaxed (we saw people in shorts, sneakers, etc.)
Our thoughts on Old Town Nice: It was a nice intro to such a beautiful beach town, though we really didn’t have much time to explore or even find food - we had about 45 minutes.
Our Thoughts on Old Town Monaco: We were given about 1.75 hours there, which allowed us time to eat and explore a little bit. Check out the video of our amazing French meal, below:
Our Thoughts on Monte Carlo: We both were so excited to go there and explore, though we had about an hour to do that. It was insanely overrun with tourists, especially in the entryway of the casino, that it really wasn’t enjoyable. It wasn’t until we went to the lounge section and had a glass of champagne that we could relax.
The reality is, there’s no other way to see these two places without “hitching” (a rather inexpensive) ride to them. Otherwise, we would have explored on our own.
Our suggestion: Take the tour to see both places as it’s still worth it!
Palma de Mallorca
A Little Bit of History
Palma was founded as a Roman camp upon the remains of a Talaiotic settlement. The city was subjected to several Vandal raids during the fall of the Western Roman Empire, then reconquered by the Byzantine Empire, then colonized by the Moors and, in the 13th century, by James I of Aragon.
The city was loosely incorporated into the province of Tarraconensis by 123 BC; the Romans founded two new cities: Palma on the south of the island, and Pollentia in the northeast – on the site of a Phoenician settlement.
Between 902 and 1229, the city was under Islamic control. It remained the capital of the island and it was known as Medina Mayurqa, which in Arabic means "City of Majorca".
The arrival of the Moors in the Balearic Islands occurred at the beginning of the 8th century. During this period, the population developed an economy based on self-sufficiency and piracy and even showed evidence of a relative hierarchy.
In 707, a Muslim fleet stopped off at the island. It appears that Abd Allah convinced the powers of the city to accept a peace treaty. This treaty was granted in exchange for a tax, respect for the social, economic, and political structures of the communities that subscribed to it, as well as the continuity of their religious beliefs.
After 707, the city was inhabited by Christians who were nominally in allegiance to the sovereignty of the Umayyad Caliphate, yet who, de facto, enjoyed absolute autonomy. The city, being in Mallorca, constituted an enclave between western Christian and Islamic territories, and this attracted and encouraged increased levels of piracy in the surrounding waters. Eventually, continued piracy in the region led to a retaliation by Al-Andalus, which launched a naval fleet against the city and the whole of the Islands. The Islands were defended by the emperor Charlemagne in 799 from a Muslim pirate incursion.
In 848, four years after the first Viking incursions had sacked the whole island, an attack from Córdoba forced the authorities to ratify the treaty to which the city had submitted in 707.
Palma became the main port from where attacks on Christian vessels and coasts could be launched. It was also the base from where a campaign against Sardinia was launched between 1016 and 1017, which caused the Pisans and Genoese forces to intervene. Later, this intervention set the basis for Italian mercantile penetration of the city.
In late 11th century, Christian commercial powers took the initiative at sea against the Muslims. After centuries of fighting defensively in the face of Islamic pressure, Italians, Catalans and Occitans took offensive action. Consequently, the benefits of piracy diminished causing severe economic stress to the city.
On December 31, 1229, after three months of siege, the city was reconquered by James I of Aragon and was renamed “Ciutat de Mallorca” (Mallorca City). In addition to being kept as the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca, it was given a municipality that comprised the whole island.
In 1391, anti-Jewish riots broke out. Despite the governor's prohibition on leaving the island, many Jews fled to North Africa. The remaining Jews were forced to convert under the threat of death.
The fall of Barcelona in 1714 meant the end of the War of the Spanish Succession and the defeat and destruction of the Crown of Aragon. By the late 18th century, Charles III of Spain removed interdiction of commerce with Spanish colonies in America and the port and commercial activity of the city grew once again.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Palma became a refuge for many who had exiled themselves from the Napoleonic occupation of Catalonia and Valencia. With the establishment of the contemporary Spanish state administrative organization, Palma became the capital of the new Balearic Islands province in the 1833 territorial division of Spain. The French occupation of Algeria in the 19th century ended the fear of Maghrebi attacks in Majorca, which favored the expansion of new maritime routes, and consequently, the economic growth of the city.
Since the advent of mass tourism in the 1950s, the city has been transformed into a tourist destination and has attracted many workers from mainland Spain.
Our Excursion
We ended up taking a taxi to the Cathedral (we recommend starting from there) and walking around old town after. It was completely worth it to do it this way, as it allowed you to spend time where you wanted. The taxi is about 15 euro each way (they take credit cards and are all fully licensed by the country).
TIP: If you’re looking for a great place for fresh juices, amazing coffee drinks, and some delicious bites, check out the Cappuccino Hotel (click on the link for a short video of our experience there).
TIP: If you’re looking for a great place for wine and charcuterie/sandwiches, check out our video review of Mallorca Delicatessen, below:
Ibiza
A Little Bit of History
2000-1600 BC - The first inhabitants of Ibiza date back to the Chalcolithic period. They came from the Mediterranean coastal arc.
8th century BC - First Phoenician-Punic settlement in Sa Caleta, Sant Josep. The urbanization process starts to develop in Ibiza at the beginning of the 6th century.
550-146 8th Century BC - Punic Ibiza, foundation of the Carthaginian Empire. Golden age for agriculture; Ibiza as a spiritual center: Tanit Goddess represents love, fertility, and death.
146 BC-79 AD - Ibiza becomes a Roman city.
5th– 9th Centuries AD - Goths and Visigoths in Europe. Ibiza is conquered by Vandals and Byzantines. They introduce the irrigation and rotation systems for crops.
902- 1235 AD - The Arabs settle in Ibiza and transform the island. The economic growth is based on salt, agriculture, and fishing. There is Arab influence in many Ibizan customs.
1235 AD - Ibiza is conquered by the Kingdom of Aragon on August 8, 1235. It is said that a woman made the sheikh reveal the secret entrance to the Catalan troops. Catalan settlement, and with them, Christianity, their language, and customs.
16th Century - Instability in Western Mediterranean. Constant Turkish fleet and Algerian pirate attacks. The defensive system of Ibiza is rethought.
17th and 18th Centuries - The city grows within a protected area, as well as the neighborhoods of La Marina and Sa Penya. With the arrival of the first bishop, many churches are built all over the island. The towns take Christian names. Coast defense plan by building sentry towers.
19th Century - Ibiza grows thanks to the construction of new neighborhoods and emblematic buildings.
20th Century - Tourism arrives at Ibiza. The city becomes hippy territory thanks to its natural beauty and its fame of freedom. Nest for artists, writers, philosophers, stars, and visionaries.
Our Excursion
We had gotten into port the night before but the Ushaïa experience we booked was canceled, so we opted to stay on the ship that night and explore the old town during the following day, which we highly recommend (we even found a little gluten-free pizza place in town).
We took a 20 euro taxi (there’s a taxi stand at the port) up to the castle, wandered the grounds, then explored the streets and alleyways of old town, making our way down to the base. While we opted to walk back to the ship, we highly recommend taking a taxi back to it (as it’s a heck of a lot further than we thought).
TIP: Taxis take credit cards and are all fully licensed by the country.