Nature / Park Sights in Ibiza — 2 of Our Favourites

Taking in both the small coastal islands, as well as the marine environment, cliffs, streams, beaches, forests and hill ranges around the town of San Jose (Sant Josep de Sa Talaia), the nature reserve is one of the Island's most popular tourist attractions.

Just off the coast the predominantly limestone island of Es Vedra rises to 383 metres, and makes an impressive mark on the horizon.

This small rocky island has been uninhabited with the exception of a monk who came to live here as a hermit in the mid 19th century. Since then, stories of mystical sightings and UFOs have fuelled interest in the rock.

The only non-human inhabitants today are a species of wild goat, which lives on the slopes and in the island caves, and also a type of Ibizan wall lizard. Es Vedra is also home to a colony of Eleanora's falcon's, an endangered bird of prey.

Another main feature of this reserve is the fact that it includes the highest point on the island; Sa Talaiassa. The views from here are spectacular, when the weather is fine it's even possible to spot mainland Spain and Mallorca. Sa Talaissa (translated as "watchtower") is also rich with flora and fauna with lots of rare animal inhabitants.

It is possible to walk to the peak at 476 metres high, or if you aren't feeling that active it is possible to drive.

Declared an Item of World Heritage by UNESCO, the area provides a good example of the interaction between marine and coastal ecosystems. The sea reperesents 75% of the park's total area and is special because of the dense prairies of oceanic Posidonia (seagrass), an important endemic species found only in the Mediterranean.

On land, the salt flats of Las Salinas are a popular attraction on the Island of ibiza. The salt produced has been a huge export for the island for thousands of years and the revenues generated even helped to finance the completion of the walls of Dalt Vila. The protected area within the National Park includes the salt flats, beaches, wetlands, dunes and forests incorporating 1,786 hectares of land.

For bird enthusiasts the Natural Park is home to hundreds of species of birds and there are plenty of walks you can take which will reveal the beauty of this area.