You may have already heard of the island of Es Vedra; a mysterious rock island and famous landmark just off the coast of Ibiza. This island is also seen as the place from which Ibiza derives its magic. Es Vedra is more than a rocky island and this is confirmed by many myths and legends. But what actually makes this place so mysterious.
Magnetic power spot
Just off the coast southwest of Ibiza, in the nature reserve of Cala d'Hort, there are a number of small rocky islands. Es Vedra, a rocky outcrop 400 meters high, and its smaller sister Es Vedranell. The two islands, together with neighboring island Els Illots de Ponent, belong to the nature reserve Cala d'Hort and are uninhabited. At first glance, Es Vedra seems no more than an ordinary rocky island. Yet nothing could be further from the truth; the rock consisting of limestone and a high concentration of metals and minerals, emits an enormous magnetic field. It is even the third most magnetic place on earth! This often causes compasses near Es Vedra to malfunction and some individuals have reported being affected by this.
A recurring question where can we find that beautiful hippie cave which is completely decorated, and overlooks Es Vedra. There are many photos of this circulating on the internet, but unfortunately you will no longer find the cave like this it was completely emptied at the end of 2017 by the municipal council of Sant Josep. This was a unique part of Ibiza. Before that, the cave (Cova del Mirador) was completely decorated with knick-knacks, beautiful and unique! Over the years, various hippies, wanderers and lost souls have lived there, some for a short period and others for a bit longer. On the small box at the entrance was a kind of piggy bank where you could leave a gift, but some visitors also left something personal such as a bracelet or a note. There were a few mattresses, a chair, blankets, books, etc. The cave itself is impressive, but the view is even more so.
Flora and fauna
Despite the small surface of about 63 hectares, Es Vedra has 166 different plant species. This makes the island one of the most important botanical areas of the Balearic Islands. The protected natural area of Cala d'Hort is home to plant and animal species that cannot be found anywhere else on earth. For example, you can find chamomile des Vedra, which grows nowhere else in the world.
The area is a breeding ground for several bird species, such as the very rare gull and griffon shearwater, which only breed in the Balearic Islands. There are also very rare lizards living on the islands, including one that lives only on Es Vedra and has a striking blue back.
The area is a breeding ground for several bird species, such as the very rare gull and griffon shearwater, which only breed in the Balearic Islands. There are also very rare lizards living on the islands, including one that lives only on Es Vedra and has a striking blue back.
Torre des Savinar
The Torre des Savinar is an old watchtower that was once built to protect the island against pirates. And indeed, Ibiza has more of them, but this tower, which was built in 1763, not only has the best view, but is also the best restored of all these towers. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of people who refrain from taking a closer look at the tower and the view that accompanies it since you have to climb quite a bit to get there. For most people, however, this is perfectly doable and certainly no reason to miss a visit to the tower. If you take on this challenge, don't forget to bring your camera and perhaps a nice picnic.
Spiritual place
Es Vedra is an important landmark for many artists and spiritual souls. It is therefore not surprising that the magnificent viewpoint has inspired artists and sculptors worldwide for centuries. Many of them have left their mark in the bay opposite Es Vedra. Perhaps the most important work of art among all the petroglyphs and sculptures is the painting of the God Shiva, the patron god of this temple cave. In some legends it is said that this cave, together with Es Vedra, formed the center of ancient Atlantis, which would have sunk into the sea at this place.
Atlantis
Atlantis, the route is not on Google Maps; there is no signpos. Does it even exist? Absolutely It is quite an undertaking to find Atlantis on Ibiza, but the reward of fabulous natural swimming pools and the tranquility is more than worth it.
In the 50s and 60s, the hippies on Ibiza renamed Sa Pedrera Atlantis. The name comes from the story of the philosopher Plato. According to that story, Poseidon, the god of the sea, falls in love with an ordinary woman and makes a hilltop for her. This hilltop was called Atlantis, and over time, it sank into the sea. That story really appealed to the hippies, and so Sa Pedrera became Atlantis from then on. It is a place where hippies like to gather. Atlantis is an untouched piece of nature mixed with several (sunken) rocks that almost look like walls. Atlantis was a quarry for a while. Stones were cut out to create the walls of Ibiza Town. Holes and cracks in the boulders have formed several natural swimming spots. If the water is not too rough, you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the ocean here. A necessity because Atlantis is not easily accessible.
Es Vedra at its best
You are not allowed to climb Es Vedra, but you can go there by private boat with a driver who has a permit. This is because Es Vedra is a protected nature reserve. There are several boats excursions to Es Vedra from San Antonio 'Port Magnus.
Do you not feel the need to take a closer look at Es Vedra, but do you want to take a look at this special place? From the beach of Cala d,Hort you have a magnificent view of this mystical island off the coast of Ibiza. The reason that many local hippies like to spend sunset overlooking this island.
How to get the vieuwpiont on Es Verda
From Sant Josep drive towards Cala d'Hort and follow the (long) road until you reach a T-junction (with some rubbish containers just in front of you). Turn left at this fork. Continue for about 500m until you see the pink sign 'Torre des Savinar' on your right. There you turn right , onto the dirt road. At one point you will see a wooden gate right in front of you that closes the road. To the left of that you will see a large parking lot, park your car there.
Turn left here (before the waste containers, the paved road)
Walk past the wooden gate and continue on the path (+- 10min). At one point you come to an open area and you see a stone and a metal pole. Follow the path to the right to walk to the view point and the hippie caves.
Walk all the way to the end of the path and walk straight ahead, until you reach the 'edge' of the cliff, with Es Vedra right in front of you. You are now on the 'roof' of the first cave! Walk a few meters to the left until you see a small path where you can go down. You've reached your destination.
You reach the second cave by walking back up from the first cave via the path. About 20 meters further into the rock face you will see the second cave, hidden between the bushes and trees.
Es Vedra vieuwpoint (mirador Es Vedra)
When you follow the route towards the hippie caves you will automatically reach the plateau where you have the most beautiful view of Es Vedra. It is a large, open plain, the view point or mirador for the best Es Vedra pics.
Pirate tower (Torre des Savinar)
From this plateau you can also go to the pirate tower or (Torre des Savinar). If you look towards Es Vedra with your face, you will see a route running uphill through the bushes on the left, and then to the right towards the tower. Count about half an hour to get there and provide appropriate footwear.
To reach Atlantis and the stone circles, turn left here and follow this road for about 200 meters (on your left you will see a kind of fence). Then you will automatically come to the stone circles. The entrance to Atlantis is to the left of the tree.
