MAN IN SAN AN by Martin Makepeace

Ibiza is forever evolving, UNVRS has opened to almost universal acclaim (see what I did there) raising the stakes on the island yet again and the clubbing world. 

The beauty of the White Isle is that there is something for all ages but these days it’s especially good for an ‘older crowd’ and by this I mean 35+. Some of the best restaurants in Europe, cool bars to hang out in sipping long drinks and cocktails, beach clubs and night clubs where older faces aren’t greeted by shock and horror by young whippersnappers with too much energy and not enough experience.

The jewel in this coveted crown is undoubtedly Pikes, the rock ‘n’ roll hotel made famous by Tony Pike and his dangerously high libido (if you haven’t read his book then I can heartily recommend it).

The story of the making of Wham’s Club Tropicana video is much told but never gets old for those of a certain age. Throw in Freddie Mercury in his heyday and a bit of prime Grace Jones and more recently Kylie Minogue and Ed Sheeran and Rock n Roll doesn’t even come close to describing the antics. If only the walls could talk. 

The beauty of Pikes is that it’s accessible to all but here’s the best bit – you’re welcome as long as you’re over 27 and not a c**** (see sign on door if offended). Guestlist only via their website avoids those ridiculous super club entrance prices and gives a special glow when walking in (if you don’t have flip flops and glitter and can get past the eagle eyed Ebony).

The place is sumptuous with lush gardens lit to perfection. Different areas cater for different tastes. The pool terrace with its nooks and crannies is a super cool place to hangout before midnight especially the famous poolside table and the courtyard with separate bar area where the restaurant used to be is ideal for mingling.

Freddie’s is the iconic bijou nightclub where the great and the good have all played. Its pulsating beats will penetrate your soul, throw in the ping pong ball karaoke bathtub (you did read that correctly) and the piano singalong bar area with Roberto and you’re probably starting to understand that this is no ordinary night out but Pikes is no ordinary place and Ibiza is no ordinary island.

The garden terrace which doubles up as a restaurant before midnight is where you go to chill and chat. All in all it’s the complete package for the more discerning who want to have some good old fashioned adult fun. 

Pikes has become so successful in its own right that they have now taken its ‘Pikes Presents’ concept on Tuesdays to their sister venue 528, a cool place nestled in the hills on the outskirts of San Antonio, or as they put it ‘an outdoor venue that embraces the island’s natural beauty and energy, a place perfectly in tune with the Pikes spirit.

This promises to be something different once again, in keeping with their USP which is to prioritise the older crowd in cool surroundings with a door price that won’t break the bank. Since it’s launch in 2018 Pikes Presents has seen the likes of Fatboy Slim, The Blessed Madonna & Kylie Minogue (yes, really!), Sven Väth, Robyn, Mark Ronson, Carl Craig, Goldie, Jarvis Cocker, Miles Kane and Denis Sulta – just to name a few so expecy some surprises.

Pikes and ‘Pikes Presents’ continue to be the flag bearers for an older crowd who have no intention of stopping anytime soon. The Club Tropicana drinks might not be free but I for one, am all in! 

 

Get ready for a stat attack!
A couple of things to bear in mind before reading
• Spain’s Idealista website portal is similar to RightMove in the UK, ImmobilienScout24 in Germany and Funda in the Netherlands.
• Spanish property prices are quoted as ‘per square metre’ (PSM) – so if €4000 PSM is quoted then a house that measures 100m2 (1076ft2) will cost €400,000.
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The average property price in the Balearics is now €4905 PSM, the most expensive in the whole of Spain and nearly double that of Catalunya in 5th place. This is a 13.5% year-on-year increase according to Spanish portal Idealista in their latest real estate price index. The data also shows an increase of 2.4% in the last 3 months and 1.4% compared to April.

With regards to municipalities the Balearics hold the top 8 berths in the national pricing chart with Formentera top, coming in at a cool €8794 PSM, 5.9% more than a year ago, a quarterly and monthly increase of 3.5 and 5.9% respectively.  Sant Joan de Labritja is with €7898 PSM, 7.5% more than a year ago and 1% more than the previous month.

Andratx in Mallorca is 3rd nationally with Santa Eulalia del Rio in 4th at €7532 PSM which reflects an increase of 7.2% compared to the same period of 2024 and 1.7% compared to April. The quarterly increase is 3.3%. 5th on the national list is Sant Josep de sa Talaia with an average price of €7089 PSM and an annual increase has been 5.1%. Calvia which includes Magaluf in Mallorca is 6th while San Antonio comes in at 7th showing the largest yearly increase with 21.1%, standing at €6702 PSM a quarterly increase of 5.3%

Ibiza Town is 8th with €6625 PSM, 0.6% more than a year ago, which represents a quarterly increase of 1.4%.

The top 5 Spanish autonomous communities for property prices
1. Balearic Islands €4905 PSM,
2. Madrid €4,234
3. Basque Country €3179
4. Canary Islands €3,039
5. Catalunya €2560.

At the opposite end of the table are the regions of Castilla-La Mancha with average property prices of €961 PSM, Extremadura €982 and Castilla y León €1216 are the cheapest communities for property prices according to Idealista.

Nationally, the price of housing in Spain has risen by 12.8% year-on-year, standing at an average of €2391 PSM. This data represents an increase of 5.3% in the last three months, 1.7% compared to April and the highest property prices in Spain since idealista records began. 

All the autonomous communities show higher prices compared to the previous year with the exception of Extremadura, where the expectations of sellers fell by 1.3%. The Community of Madrid with 24.3% leads the increases, followed by the Canary Islands 18.2%, Murcia 18.1%, Valencian Community 17.5%, Andalucía 14.3% and Cantabria 13.2%

Below the national average are the increases of Asturias (10.9%), Euskadi (8.6%), Catalunya (6.5%), Aragon (2.8%), Galicia and Castilla-La Mancha (2.7% in both regions). The lowest increases occurred in Navarra (2.1%), La Rioja (2.1%) and Castilla y León (2.3%).

A total of 41 provinces have higher prices than those recorded in May last year. The largest increase has been experienced in the Community of Madrid where the expectations of sellers have grown by 24.3%, followed by Santa Cruz de Tenerife (19.4%), Murcia (18.1%), Alicante (15.8%), Valencia (15.8%) and Malaga (15.3%). A total of 9 provinces have experienced price decreases in used housing led by Ourense (-7.8%), Badajoz (-3.4%), Cuenca (-2.7%), Soria (-2.6%) and Teruel (-1.9%).

Ciudad Real is the cheapest place in Spain to buy a property with a price of €741 PSM. It is followed by Cuenca (€831) and Jaén (€833).

PRICES FOR SPAIN BY AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES/CITIES
Location – Price in €/PSM (May 25)
Spain 2,391 (average)
1. Balearics 4,905
2. Madrid 4,234
3. Basque Country 3,179
4. Canarias 3,039
5.,Catalunya 2,560
6. Andalucia 2,468
7. Ceuta 2,325
8. Valencia 2,207
9. Melilla 2,073
10. Cantabria 1,841
11. Navarra 1,753
12. Asturias 1,538
13.,Aragon 1,469
14. Murcia 1,458
15. Galicia 1,434
16. La Rioja 1,362
17. Castilla y Leon 1,216
18. Extremadura 982
19. Castilla La Mancha 961

PRICES FOR BALEARICS BY MUNICIPALITY
M=Mallorca/Me=Menorca/I=Ibiza/F=Formentera
Location – Price in €/PSM (May 25)
Balearics 4,905 (average)
1. Formentera (F) 8,794
2. Sant Joan de Labritja (I) 7,898
3. Andratx (M) 7,545
4. Santa Eulalia del Río (I) 7,532
5. Sant Josep de Sa Talaia (I) 7,089
6. Calvià (M) 6,790
7. Sant Antoni de Portmany (I) 6,702
8. Eivissa (I) 6,625
9. Cala d’Or (M) 5,587
10. Puigpunyent (M) 5,414
11. Santanyi (M) 5,332
12. Puerto de Pollença (M) 5,182
13. Soller (M) 5,001
14. Sa Ràpita (M) 4,971
15. Santa Maria del Cami (M) 4,827
16. Palma de Mallorca (M) 4,772
17. Colonia de Sant Jordi (M) 4,610
18. Colonia de Sant Pere (M) 4,532
19. Alcúdia (M) 4,493
20. Pollença (M) 4,337
21. Alaró (M) 4,185
22. Bunyola (M) 4,162
23. Es Mercadal (Me) 4,135
24. Porto Colom (M) 4,091
25. Llucmajor (M) 3,966
26. Capdepera (M) 3,952
27. Cala Ratjada (M) 3,879
28. Alaior (Me) 3,814
29. Ciutadella (Me) 3,740
30. Sa Coma (M) 3,698
31. Sencelles (M) 3,631
32. Marratxi (M) 3,491
33. Cala Millor (M) 3,407
34. Santa Margalida (M) 3,395
35. Algaida (M) 3,303
36. Mahon (Me) 3,187
37. Llubi (M) 3,153
38. Campanet (M) 3,143
39. Es Castell (Me) 3,033
40. Manacor (M) 3,018
41. Son Servera (M) 2,967
42. Sineu (M) 2,930
43. Montuiri (M) 2,852
44. Selva (M) 2,622
45. Lloseta (M) 2,478
46. Porreres (M) 2,416
47. Inca (M) 2,304
48. Muro (M) 2,124
49. Felanitx (M) 2,086
50. Sa Pobla (M) 1,848
51. Sant Joan (M) 1,583
NOTE: If a Balearic municipality is not quoted then no data is available

Martin Makepeace is MD/owner at Ibiza Property Shop

1. IT’S BIG! It may sound strange saying this about the former Guinness verified ‘biggest club in the world’ but until the doors opened it was impossible to gauge the new distribution layout over different levels, food court, the bunker, the wild comet, outdoor social areas and the iconic dome. We’ve all seen it now a hundred times on insta. Not only is it impressive, it’s f**king massive!
2. IT’S REASSURINGLY EXPENSIVE. After close to a €100M investment it was never going to be cheap however the prices are ‘interesting’. Entrance tickets range from €55 to €100 depending on the artist or how about a VIP entrance ticket at €500 including 5 drinks. Talking of drinks, a 5 drink online package is €100 (not ridiculous) and who doesn’t want chicken strips with caviar at 6am for only 80 EUR? Thinking of going big – call your credit card company, there may be trouble ahead. Nevertheless UNVRS will be in the running for ‘best club in the world’ so what did you expect? You can get a pint of beer in Benidorm for a euro so there are options.
3. THE LINE UP IS STELLAR. Regardless of your views the 2025 UNVRS line up is arguably the biggest ever presented in Ibiza. It’s an Ibiza ‘all stars’ dream team and shows that The Night League aren’t taking any chances with their sizeable investment. Guetta, Cox, Prydz, Jones, Elrow & Fisher plus plenty of surprises during the summer. If this was a football team we’d be calling them ‘Los Galacticos’.
4. THERE ARE ISSUES. As is usual in Ibiza the paint was drying as the doors opened so the venue is still being fine-tuned. The vastness of the place means it’s not easy to navigate (more signs needed) and the sound is great at the front but not at the back. Cramming in several thousand sweaty people means that claustrophobics should give the busy areas a miss and transporting all those happy clappers every night to a small neighbourhood in the middle of the island won’t come without consequences. The negative online comments might have been deleted (industry standard) but judging UNVRS after a week is pure folly.
5. GET USED TO THOSE PANNING SHOTS. On Saturday morning when UNVRS released that 27 second drone shot with amazing visuals (that ceiling!), incredible sound and the sun coming up behind the DJ box with thousands packing the dance floor with hands (and phones) in the air, the internet went into meltdown. Their drone operators and social media manager will be busy this summer. Expect more of these, lots more. 
6. LAS VEGAS AND DUBAI WILL BE WATCHING. It’s incredible that a small island in the Med can consistently keep raising the bar on a world level while other destinations with deeper pockets look on however Ibiza’s hedonistic legacy and heritage trumps cold hard cash every time (ironic huh). UNVRS is the Robocop of super clubs and The Night League aren’t playing games, they are a clinical, ultra professional, profit driven company, the like that hasn’t been seen on the White Isle previously.
7. WE SHOULD BE PROUD. In 2020/21 when Ibiza’s clubs weren’t allowed to open we all saw what happened. A beautiful Island but no USP. Now UNVRS has raised the bar again and Ibiza has solidified its place as the clubbing capital of the world with a gigantic soul. You might not like or agree with the collateral issues but you have to acknowledge the acheivement and take pride that the White Isle is a world leader. Ibiza has what others can only dream of.
8. WILL SMITH IS ANNOYING. OK he’s a Hollywood star with an amazing CV and an Oscar on his sideboard but my god he’s irritating. The smug look, the accent mispronouncing words, his cringy social media posts and don’t start me on his wife. Or is it just me?
9. THERE WILL BE BLOOD. Other clubs will be following developments closer than anyone (especially any negatives) and it’s inevitable that some will be affected including possibly other venues owned by UNVRS but there will be opportunities. As UNVRS takes Ibiza clubbing stratospheric yet mainstream other venues might go more underground offering back to basics clubbing. All options are open and like every summer there will be winners and losers…but this time the stakes are higher than ever.
10. THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. Can UNVRS sustain 7 nights a week? Will the headline acts settle in? Will there be any weak nights? Will there be any legal issues? Will the local residents kick off? Will Hï fall into the background? Will the feedback stay positive after the dust has settled? Will they run out of chicken strips dippers (a 3 euro bargain)? There’s a thousand questions and anybody who follows the Ibiza clubbing scene will know that amongst other things it’s awash with egos, greed and jealousy but that’s what makes it so engrossing. There will be plenty of twists and turns in this saga. As I said THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. 

Those of a certain vintage will remember when Ibiza’s flights, fuelled almost exclusively by traditional tour operators, started religiously on 1st May and the term ‘low cost carrier’ was a phenomenon seen only in the deregulated American aviation market. During these times you could count on 4 busy months with the shoulder months of May and October making up the numbers. Not any more. 

The increasing availability of flights meant that April on the White Isle was surprisingly frenetic but May has been nothing short of incredible compared to previous years, not only with numbers but with the profile of travellers seemingly getting younger and younger. 

Ibiza’s world class day and night clubs opening earlier has no doubt played a massive part, it wasn’t that long ago that the super clubs opened in the last week of May and closed in the last week of September. Now they nearly all open at the end of April & close at the beginning of October, extending the traditional summer clubbing season by 6 weeks. 

The proliferation of group holidays on low cost carriers has also seen an abundance of arrivals at Ibiza airport (and a slew of social media posts depicting out of control flight cabins – but that’s a whole different issue).

Stags, hens, weddings, birthday celebrations all taking advantage of low season offers and usually for short durations such as long weekends and with pockets of money to spend. Stags and mainly hens seem to be everywhere in May with compulsory matching t-shirts, the ‘blushing’ bride with a long white head dress surrounded by her ‘bride squad’ in sashes – when did this become a thing?

All in all, the island has appeared busier and hotter in May 2025 than ever before. It hasn’t stopped all the usual issues, in fact it’s exasperated them. Short duration holidays mean that time management has become essential  – everything is organised down to the last second.

So all the high profile, prominent, social media driven businesses are getting the benefit whilst the secondary businesses continue to struggle. In other words the strong get stronger and the weak get weaker. The upside is that the major Ibiza businesses are opening earlier than ever before and this in itself is stimulating early season bookings. 

It will be interesting to see how June performs as historically we have seen a dip in business during the mid season as prices start to creep up before the high season madness kicks in. 

If Ibiza summer 2025 was a first term school report it would say ‘good attendance with a very encouraging start but let’s not take anything for granted’. As is the norm in life it’s not how you start it’s how you finish. 

Happy June!

Playa Pomelo, Mambo groups new venture, taking over Sa Bresca restaurant on Cala Gracio beach has created some local chatter so instead of listening to other peoples opinions I decided to try it for myself.

First impressions are good, the place has been refurbished to a high standard with solid wood tables on teak deck overlooking the beautiful beach. The new grapefruit colour is cool, it won’t be to everyone’s taste but I liked the rustic look. The place as a whole is very simple with its USP being right on the beach, unlike other places here you feel right in the middle of the action.

In keeping with the new Ibiza the service is a bit fussy with plenty of staff on hand to seat you, take your order and whisper sweet nothings in your ear. The manager is never far away overseeing everything with a friendly but stern eye.

The menu is simple and easy to navigate. For starters we went for calamari and croquets which were delicious and for a main I went for the simple smash burger and fries while my friend went for pork steak All the food was well presented, fresh & very tasty.

We washed it down with a bottle of rose wine, we weren’t going to but relaxing in such sumptuous surroundings with that view got the better of us. Total spend by the time we finished was 75€ a head for a long (ish) lunch, I had expected it to be a lot more as I’d heard plenty of scare stories so was pleasantly surprised.

The most important thing to consider is that this isn’t a local beach snack bar with food anymore. It’s a smart restaurant on the beach and the prices reflect this. It’s the new ibiza that attracts a certain crowd who are happy to pay for the position, service and food. It’s a 180 degree turn from where it was before – a family run beach restaurant – and if you do find these places then make sure to enjoy them while you can as they won’t be around for much longer.

Ibiza is now attracting a crowd that is more discerning, wealthier, worldly wise. In the 90s and noughties the competition was Mallorca, Benidorm and Costa del Sol. Now the competition is Las Vegas, Dubai, Miami and Mykonos

The new Ibiza isn’t to everyone’s tastes but restaurants in prime positions offering top service for premium prices that make you feel special are now the norm. Compared to other destinations the White Isle was massively undervalued but not any more.

Playa Pomelo will cause local debate but similar to other incredible beach venues it will become part of the fabric sooner rather than later especially if, as expected, it is a success. After all it’s not aimed at a local clientele but those pesky tourists who have the audacity to come over here with a pocket full of money and want good food and service in a prime position and are prepared to pay a premium for it.

As a nice extra there are now some really smart sunbeds on the beach at a set price of 7 euros per day operated by the town hall and open to the public. The locals might be in a state of consternation at the increased traffic but the bottom line is that businesses like this are taking San Antonio to new heights by pushing up quality and in turn increasing property prices to record levels. The yin and the yang of Ibiza right there.

Back in January 2020, the Balearic government passed a decree law against the so-called “tourism of excesses” and for the improvement of quality in tourist zones. They singled out the resorts of Arenal, Playa de Palma, and Magaluf in Mallorca, and San Antonio in Ibiza, as the areas that would be affected.

At the time, these laws didn’t really come into effect as the pandemic took over, but when everything returned in 2022, they were put into practice.

In 2024, after the elections, the laws were relaxed a little—but what has changed in these resorts since 2020

SAN ANTONIO by Martin Makepeace

Reputation is everything, and the court of public opinion can be a brutal place, passing judgment without the full facts. But times change.

San Antonio, or Sant Antoni de Portmany to use its official name, is a great example. The stigma of the 80s and 90s still lingers—but it ain’t 1987 anymore. It’s 2025, and the shackles have been released.

New luxury hotels, top-end restaurants serving delicious food, world-class entertainment venues, a sunset that many say is the best on the planet—and more importantly, a young, ambitious mayor who’s not afraid to try new things, improve infrastructure, and make big plans for the future with major investment.

San Antonio now has some of the most expensive real estate in Spain and is already the most expensive place to rent. The gentrification process continues unabated on a small island with limited space. This is the yin and yang of an island that has seen incredible growth over the last 15 years. 

Being comfortable in your own skin takes time, and Ibiza’s second-largest town is finally the mature adult it wanted to be—rather than a sulky teenager prone to bouts of self-harm. 

“It’s a process” is a well-used phrase, and the perception of San Antonio is no different. But this can only be changed by a potent mixture of self-awareness, communication, consistency, and patience. The town is now controlling its own narrative—with actions rather than words. 

New and improved pedestrianised areas, world-famous street art, a new environmentally friendly summer police station, a spanking new port area, plans for cutting-edge sports facilities… and this is just in the last 12 months!

The future is bright. San Antonio isn’t walking into the future—it’s sprinting with confidence.

MAGALUF by Richie Prior

Well, having lived and worked in Magaluf since 1990, I think I’m well placed to tell you about it. My good friend Martin Makepeace & I do a weekly podcast called Talking Balearics, where we talk about Mallorca and Ibiza. Martin, like me, has lived in Ibiza for over 30 years.

Magaluf, ever since I’ve known it, has had a reputation—some see that as bad, others see it as an opportunity for good.

When I arrived in 1990, families and young people mixed without any problems—even in the winter. Slowly but surely, that balance ebbed away, and the headlines became worse and worse. You didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that something had to change.

Meliá was the first to invest in the resort, followed by pretty much every other hotel chain, meaning that over 75% of the hotels in Magaluf are now either 4 or 5-star. Anyone in the know will tell you that Magaluf beach is still one of the best on the island. A new four-million-euro promenade is being built as we speak, with phase one due for completion at the beginning of May. Phase two will be completed in the early part of 2026.

In my opinion, the measures brought in were a bit draconian and wouldn’t have been needed if the resort had been policed properly. The map of the so-called “Red Zone” was drawn in a way that benefited some businesses and not others. It should have been a blanket ban or nothing at all.

It was the short-sightedness of authorities in the past that meant they didn’t understand that the youngsters of today will be the families of the future. Most of my friends had been to Magaluf in their teenage years. They loved it so much that, fast forward five years, they were coming back and staying in a four or five-star hotel. Fast forward another five or ten years, they were renting villas with their families—and all of a sudden, they are the clientele that the authorities want.

You need to give people a taste of what your tourism product is at a relatively early age and hope that it ignites that blue touch paper. They then become bonded and emotionally attached to that location for the rest of their lives.

My list of positives about Magaluf is endless. And when you look closely, it’s a resort that still mixes families and youngsters—and, in my opinion, for longer throughout the year. For families, there’s Pirates, Gringos Family Rave, Western Water Park, karting, Katmandu, the beach, and countless bars, beach bars, cafés, and restaurants to cater to their needs.

For youngsters, there’s Reloaded & Gringos, Oceans Beach, BCM, The Strip, the beach—and again, countless bars, beach bars, cafés, and restaurants to cater to their needs.

I like the new Mayor and his administration in Calvia and believe the changes that are being made are good for the future. Magaluf has changed for the better, and my love for it doesn’t diminish.

The tourist model of Mallorca and Ibiza is changing for the better—and will need to change even more to keep up with its competitors.

You can listen to “Talking Balearics” podcast every Wednesday on all the usual platforms and Richies blog is DAD TAXI MALLORCA

Summer is in the air, the roads are getting busier, flip flops are flapping and white milky skin is on show everywhere. Ibiza is back baby. 

The difference between ‘winter’ and ‘summer’ is palpable and it all changes within the space of a few days when wholesale direct flights start courtesy of Ryanair and their fellow low cost competitors. 

It’s an exciting time of the year where anything and everything seems possible, dreams are there to be grabbed and for those returning a few changes are noticeable. 

Top of the list this summer is a former sleepy fishing village known for its stunning sunsets, lively nightlife, and laid-back Mediterranean charm. Now work is in motion to connect all of those things like never before.

Since the tourist boom of the 1970’s San Antonio has transformed into a global hotspot for partygoers, beach lovers, and travellers seeking a mix of relaxation and revelry however it’s fair to say it suffers from an identity crisis. The haters are never far away and with some justification but now tangible plans are afoot that will change its perception for years to come.

The hot potato that is the West End is going through an image overhaul with a makeover that has at times been polarising but opinions are starting to change now that the talking has stopped and the artwork is taking shape. Okuda San Miguel’s colourful and vibrant street art is the talk of the island, it’s eye catching in the extreme and looks to be a canny decision by the local government. Mayor Marcos Serra said himself that it’s a crazy idea but well worth a punt especially as it’s being paid for by European funds. 

Yet while social media is alive with the West End’s artistic transformation the biggest game changer has gone under the radar. A new pedestrianised boulevard is underway that will link San Antonio ‘old town’ to the sunset strip. 

This new connection will bring footfall in both directions opening up the urban town centre with easy accessibility. The work has already started from both ends (in front of Mambo on the sunset strip and in front of the old Amsterdam bar the West End) and will meet up in the middle.

Construction work can be annoying but it’s a necessary evil to get things done and improve the infrastructure. The new pedestrian boulevard is 3 phase project that will take 11 months to complete so should be finished by February 2026.

In a change to the norm the contractors are hoping to carry on working through summer as the work will go past 2 junior schools which will be closed for July and August. The total cost of the project is €4.8M of which €1.4M is financed through the Ibiza Council’s Strategic Municipal Investment Plan, €1.25M through Next Generation EU funds and €1M through the Balearic Islands Tourism Tax (ITS).

Neus Mateu, San Antonio Councillor for Public Works told me “This is a project that will bring a leap in quality for San Antonio. It will beautify an area that connects the seafront with the urban centre creating a sustainable and accessible boulevard for residents and visitors”. 

New amazing street art, a new pedestrianised boulevard linking the town with the sunset strip and the promenade that stretches from Calo des Moro to Es Puet. San An is coming together like never before so whisper it quietly….a game changer.

Traffic has become a major environmental problem in Ibiza over the last decade so in a direct response the Isand Government is bringing in limits and fees for vehicles coming on to the island, targeting tourists vehicles, caravans and rental cars.

From the start of June to the end of September the limit will be 87,449 vehicles circulating the island on a daily basis. The breakdown is 67,281 by residents, 2,049 by private visitors (ie by boat) and 18,119 rental cars. So excluding residents, there will be a maximum limit of 20,168 vehicles in the first year reducing to 17,600 over the next 5 years. 

The fee for authorised non resident cars entering the island will be 1 euro per car per day and it will be the responsibility of the shipping companies to pay the relative fees directly to the Consell d’Eivissa under a self-assessment regime by the end of the following calendar month.

A basic overview of exemptions to fees are as follows

• Residents vehicles as long as the vehicles are registered on the island
• For those who live on the island but their cars are registered elsewhere there is a limit of 1 vehicle per property
• Vehicles of people with reduced mobility
• Official and public service vehicles, including those of the security forces, fire service, ambulances and vehicles of the health system, civil protection, public and school transport, taxis, waste and public cleaning
• Vehicles for the transport of goods as well as commercial distribution vehicles, tractors, excavators and similar vehicles
• Vehicles in transit to or from Formentera and those “not subject to movement restrictions by the Consell Insular d’Eivissa” are also exempt from the payment of the tax
• Motorcycles are free of charge 
• Caravans/motorhomes will only be permitted to enter the island with an active a reservation at campsite

Rental car companies will also face the consequences of this new law and will now be liable to pay a tax for each of the vehicles within their quota. 

Fleet of 1-100 vehicles: 100€ per vehicle for the entire limitation period

101-150: 200€ per vehicle

151-450: 750€ per vehicle 

451-900: 1500€ per vehicle

Any company that exceeds 900 vehicles must pay 1500€ + 61€ for each vehicle over this amount

At first glance it appears that car hire companies will bear the brunt of this new law and they will be given quotas to control the amount of vehicles circulating the island. The new fees are a big chunk of change and will be most likely passed on to the consumer.

It’s difficult to envisage how the local authorities will keep tabs on the exact amount of vehicles on the island especially in the short term and the new laws will throw up many questions and grey areas and a website should soon be active to cover all topics.

In the meantime you can contact the OAMR customer service by phone and Whatsapp on 971 19 59 06 or by email at oamr@conselldeivissa.es.

Back at the end of 2023 it was announced that the internationally renowned street artist Okuda San Miguel would be creating a distinctive makeover of the  Calle Santa Agnes – the main thoroughfare of San Antonio’s famous West End. 

There was the obligatory outcry from the usual suspects and a heated debate ensued. As is normal with the West End nobody could agree if it was a good/bad idea, money well invested/wasted or whether it was worth the hassle. 

The debate raged and in the meantime the work was put back and the deadline was missed. The West End carried on as usual doing what it does and the idea was put on ice until now. 

But San Antonio mayor Marcos Serra wouldn’t let it lie and now the idea has become a reality. When I spoke to the mayor at Christmas I asked why he wanted to do it so much and with a glint in his eye he said ‘it was a crazy idea’ but it was worth a go. 

Okuda San Miguel is famous for graffiti style geometric structures and multicolored prints. It’s edgy street art and finally the sails are up, the floor is being prepared and the West End is taking on a new funky image.

Even the most belligerent of voices are starting to soften as social media is alive with photos. The cost is a relatively small at around 300.000 euros paid for by European funds and the work will cover 160 metres of street that the artist will paint ten metres at a time. 

The local council hope that the colourful work will be the first step towards regenerating the town centre and turn the West End into a place that can be visited 365 days a year. It’s a bold move and one in reality that has little jeopardy attached to it. 

If it fails then we can say nothing ventured nothing gained but if it succeeds then the upside is invaluable for San Antonio going forward and will give it a strong identity. 

Opinions are changing every day and as the vision becomes reality, is that positivity I can feel in the air? The negative Nigel’s will always be there but in the Mayors own words. What’s the worst that could happen. 

The West End will always be a polarising place but the new energy that Okuda San Miguel has brought to the streets with his art might just be a tipping point.

The final words must go to the artist himself “Personally, it is a very powerful project that is a challenge because it is the first time I have made a floor in combination with fabrics, I also feel that for the first time people can enter the street and immerse themselves in my identity in a work I’m doing with great enthusiasm for Ibiza,”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons when he announced that non-EU residents could be charged up to 100% tax on new property purchases. Homebuyers in Spain currently pay  6-13% purchase tax depending on the region. 

Sanchez’ announcement last Monday (13/1/25) was part of a 12-point plan due to start in 2026 to promote public housing. It’s been reported as fact but it’s just a proposal at this time and in truth has little chance of successfully getting through parliament as he does not have a majority and all coalition partners would have to support it, which is unlikely. What’s more current European law doesn’t allow it and Spanish property taxes are in the hands of the regional authorities and those which are controlled by the opposition Partido Popular (including the Balearics) have said that they wouldn’t introduce the tax. 

First of all let’s put this proposal into context. Non EU property purchases last year were only 2% of all Spanish property sales so this proposal won’t help the housing situation. Here in the Balearics, for example, the type of properties bought by non EU citizens in general are not the type of property that Spains public sector workers buy or rent. 

Rather than targeting the 2% of the market it might be an idea to look at landlords in the big cities who charge crazy money for rents plus the socialist PSOE government could be proactive by introducing realistic tax incentives for those who own multiple properties to encourage them to rent. Currently the rental market is a mess with tenants allowed to stay put for up to 7 years which deters many from renting while squatters are perceived to have more legal rights than owners.

The mortgage system in Spain needs a total overhaul and locks out those who don’t have large deposits to put down. A mortgage needs to be more attainable to the younger Spanish market and while he’s at, overhaul planning laws to make them more flexible to encourage the building of social housing. 

However instead of focussing on pro-active measures to encourage residents into home ownership or assisted housing Sr Sánchez has framed the blame on rich foreigners, a cheap and easy shot to keep his political partners happy. 

The cold hard fact is that there’s been no creation of any social or assisted housing here in the Balearics for many years (I wrote about the housing shortage in 2017). We’ve had consecutive regional and central governments that have done nothing amid a growing population and it’s these same politicians who are now shouting from the rooftops about the housing crisis.

The Partido Popular, the government opposition in Madrid, have decried the new proposal as “xenophobic” reiterating that they would not introduce these tax laws in regions that they govern such as Andalucia, the Canary Islands and the Balearics. “The problem is not that people want to live in Spain, the problem is that there is a lack of housing,” said Luis de la Matta, director of communications of the Partido Popular (PP).

So we have a badly thought through proposal that won’t get the necessary support targeting the wrong demographic being reported as fact. When it comes to bad optics is doesn’t come much worse. To score a few cheap political points Sr Sánchez has opened a can of worms that will rumble on for months. He should be very proud of himself.