Colors of Ibiza Island - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Ibiza is world-famous for its clubs. The parties here are from dusk till dawn not only during the weekends but on weekdays too. The reason, why the island became the first in club fashion is the mentality of the locals. “Tranquilo”, which means “calmness”, is probably the most important word on the island. People here do not strive for high income and are not ready to give every minute of their life to reach some goal. They just live and enjoy every single day.

The working day in Ibiza starts early, sometimes at 7 a.m. However, you will find hardly any organization that works from 1 p.m. till 4 p.m. – this is siesta time. Another great local tradition is to go to the beach on Sundays to throw a picnic or to spend time at a roadside café. It should be mentioned that people on Ibiza do not consider themselves Spanish, but there are no separatist movements here. There are officially two state languages here – Spanish and Catalonian, and many places have double names, which can lead to difficulties with maps and signs. In touristic regions most of the locals speak English or German, but in small villages, which are far from loud parties, sometimes only Spanish language can help.

Mostly, the locals are friendly towards the tourists if they respect the social norms. Despite there is a hippie settlement on the island and nude beaches are popular not only among the tourists, frivolous behavior outside clubs is not welcomed. Now the tourist flow starts to harm the ecology of Ibiza and other Balearic Islands and defiant behavior of travelers easily irritates the locals. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The inhabitants of Ibiza like to celebrate something and they know how to do it. The holidays itself are called “fiesta” in Spanish manner. Most of important dates are connected with the Christian calendar. Not only common holidays like Easter and Christmas, but also the Days of the patrons of each precise settlement are widely celebrated here. In February and March in Ibiza you can join the parade to celebrate Lent, on March-April – in honor of Easter Week, and on the first Sunday of May in Santa Eularia you can see a colorful procession with horses, wagons, bright costumes, and fireworks. Midsummer Eve, which is similar to the Eve of Ivan Kupala, is also quite big in Ibiza. The center of the feasts is Sant Joan settlement.

In July they salute the patron of the fishermen and the seamen. The most colorful ceremonies are held in the capital of the island. In August you should definitely attend Festa de Sant Ciriac, designated to the conquest of the island by the Spanish. The most important thing is to choose the right clothes, as the celebration ends with the cantaloupe fight. On August 24th in San Antonio you can join Dia de Sant Bartolomeu. The program includes swimming and slingshots competitions, music, and dancing. On October 12th they celebrate the discovery of America by Columbus, and on the night from 31st October to the 1st of November there is Halloween, when there are not only festivals but also amazing parties, despite it is not the party season. During the first week of December, you can visit the wine festival, and at the New Year, which is celebrated as hugely, as Christmas, when the ball drops, you should eat exactly twelve grapes, while making a wish, which is believed to come true.