Castle of Ibiza

From the top, the whole of Ibiza Town spreads out below: the roofs of the old town, the boats in the port, the airport out beyond the edge of town and the sea past it. Old Ibiza and new sit in one view, with the line of the walls drawn between them.

The walls are the other half of the visit. Cannons still stand on the ramparts, and the circuit of the battlements runs to nearly 2 km, with information panels in four languages along the way. It works as a history walk and a workout at once. The route rises and falls the whole way round.

• The climb looks worse from below than it is, but the whole visit is uphill walking. Bring water.
• The ground is uneven in places and the old town is all slopes. Wear proper shoes; a walking stick helps.
• Free public toilets are about 50 m away, and a free drinking-water tap about 200 m away.
• Information panels along the battlements come in four languages, so the walk explains itself.

The castle sits at the very top of Dalt Vila, so the last stretch is always on foot and always uphill. There is more than one way up through the old town; the narrow lanes climbing between the houses are one of them, and they make a pleasant walk in their own right. From the bottom the climb looks like a long haul, and it turns out shorter work than it looks.

By car, there is a car park about 50 m away in a straight line, marked free, and a second about 110 m away. By bus, the nearest stop is about 120 m away; the nearest named one, Vara de Rey, is about 480 m away in a straight line, down in the newer town, with the climb still ahead of you.

Best: early morning or late afternoon, and spring or autumn for the full circuit of the walls.

Avoid: the middle of the day in July and August.

The whole visit is uphill walking on uneven ground, which summer heat turns into hard work, and the old town fills with visitors at the height of the season.