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Discover tales of pirates and smugglers in Ibiza’s hidden caves

All Ibiza

An island rich in history, peeling back the layers of Ibiza’s story brings fascinating tales and fantastic places to visit and where better than Ibiza’s hidden caves.

The town we know as Eivissa today traces its history back to 7th century BC, when it was thought to be a key point on the famous Phoenician trade route. Since then Ibiza has hosted Romans, Byzantines, Vandals, Arabs and Christians; influences of these cultures can be found in the island’s art and architectural styles. The strategic importance of the island in the Mediterranean, equidistant between the peninsular coast and North Africa, made it the target not only of great civilizations and empires, but also for pirates…

The island of Ibiza has a past indelibly marked by piracy and deserving of its nickname “the island of the pirates”. The legendary Ibicencan pirate, Antoni Riquer Arabí, plundered more than one hundred ships in his lifetime of piracy during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The caves that litter Ibiza’s coast were useful tools for these underhand operations, originally used by pirates and smugglers, such as the cave of Can Marçà on the north coast of the island.

This cave is one of the most visited Ibiza tourist attractions, offering a 40-minute tour of stalactites, stalagmites, waterfalls and small underground lakes. Located on the cliffs of Port de Sant Miquel, it was discovered by smugglers who accessed it through an opening located 10 metres above sea level. From their boats, they lifted the goods and hid them inside.

Cova Santa is another understandably popular tourist destination for Ibiza. It was once a refuge for pirates, but the site has been transformed today with the construction of a restaurant too. Access to Cova Santa is through a fissure that opens up in the mountain. Following this path will lead you into a grotto, which then opens up into the large cave of over 25 metres deep. Further in, a staircase descends to an increasingly incredible and unexpected show. The cave’s landscape of stalactites and stalagmites creates a surreal world of natural wonder.

There is another Cova Santa, or ‘Holy Cave’ in San Antonio. Legend has it that on a stormy night in the year 1300, the desperate and fearful crew of a ship promised that, if they were fortunate enough to escape the storm alive, they would deliver the image of Santa Inés to of the first port they reached. Sant Antoni became the longed for sanctuary and the carving was preserved in the Holy Cave. This grotto, next to the hermitage of Santa Agnès (now restaurant Sa Capella), has been a place of prayer throughout history, considered by many experts to be one of the oldest churches in Ibiza.

Also in San Antonio is the ‘Cova de Ses Llegostes’. This natural cave was for a long time used by fishermen as a fish farm but now houses an aquarium, making an interesting distraction for sea-loving young ones if you happen to be nearby.

Other historic sites that are well worth an underground visit include the Puig des Molins Necropolis in Ibiza town, one of the largest and best-preserved underground tombs in the world. The 50,000 square metre space provides the visitor with an understanding of the Phoenician civilisation. There’s also another set of Bronze Age caves tucked into the mountains of Sa Cala de San Vicent, 150 metres above sea level. Hidden in the woods, the cave of Es Culleram is dedicated to the goddess Tanit, the main Carthaginian deity linked to fertility and fortune.

Ibiza’s caves offer a unique and amazing stroll through Ibiza’s centuries of history, from Phoenician to Carthaginian and from pirates to smugglers. The possibility to explore caves by sea exists as well, either on your private luxury charter yacht or with one of the small local ferries starting from Portinatx, San Antonio and Port des Torrent.