Point of interest
Sa Penya y el puerto de Ibiza
in Ibiza, Spain
The old fishermen's quarter by the harbour, now a zone of shops, terraces and nightlife; home to Calle de la Virgen.
Where it is
At the foot of the Santa Llúcia bastion, between the city walls and the harbour of Ibiza Town, adjoining the La Marina quarter.
Address: Ibiza
What it is
Steep, winding lanes overlooking the harbour define the quarter, which is full of bars, boutiques, tattoo studios and cafés. Restaurants, promenades and, in summer, market stalls line the port, and the nightlife around lower Sa Penya is a focal point of Ibiza's queer scene. It is one of the liveliest and most characterful parts of the city.
History
Sa Penya grew out of the busy port activity of the Middle Ages, when dock workers and sailors settled here; the earliest records of the fishermen's quarter date from the beginning of the 17th century. The district long suffered from pirate raids before evolving from a fishing village into one of the city's liveliest areas. Its lower part is today the gay quarter of Ibiza Town.