San Antonio is almost ready to debut a bold upgrade, a fully pedestrianised Vara de Rey boulevard. This new corridor is set to redefine mobility, connection and how locals and visitors experience the town.
The final phase is underway and when it opens, locals and visitors will have a direct, walkable link from the urban centre aka the West End to the sunset strip.
The vision is simple, bring sunset footfall back into the heart of the town, boost street life and support neighbourhood shops and hospitality. The new layout adds wider sidewalks, upgraded paving and a lighting scheme designed to make the route safer, brighter and a lot more attractive for strolling, shopping, eating and drinking.
As you’d expect in a small town, the construction phase has been disruptive especially for the businesses closest to the action. Still, confidence is high that once summer foot traffic returns so will the rewards. Better pedestrian flow and a more attractive streetscape typically mean more passing trade, longer linger times and a stronger evening buzz.
Tourism stands to gain as well. San Antonio already ‘owns’ the sunset thanks to its world-famous strip of bars that turn the nightly spectacle into a ritual. The Ibiza sunset is unhurried, golden and always dramatic and this project helps keep that energy flowing through the urban core instead of funneling everyone straight to the promenade and home again.
Another pleasant surprise is that the project is bang on schedule and budget so the Vara de Rey boulevard will open in time for the summer season, adding fresh appeal, better mobility and a much-needed boost to the town’s commercial and social heartbeat.
The is the biggest council-led project in the last decade and even though it’s has happened right under our noses, it hasn’t made much noise yet but once unveiled its impact will be huge. Think back to how the promenade changed everything, this one has the power to redefine San Antonio all over again.
MAN IN SAN AN by Martin Makepeace 