The Santa Eulària des Riu river trail is a simple walk of around three kilometres that is suitable for everyone. It covers various interesting points in this municipality and features not only its natural environment, flora and fauna, but also sculptures, museums and some of the most important historical sites in the town.
It is worth noting that the Santa Eulària is the only river in the Balearic Islands and that it has recently been revitalised to raise awareness of its importance and how its presence has served to benefit many generations.
This walk along its banks begins in the town centre in Plaza España, where the town hall, built in the 19th century using typical Ibizan architecture, is located. Next to the town hall is the monument commemorating the ‘Vapor Mallorca’, a ship that left Palma de Mallorca for Alicante in 1913 and sank off the coast of this Ibizan town. Remarkably, thanks to the prompt reaction of the people of Santa Eulària, no lives were lost.
The route continues down the square past the air-raid shelter built in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. In the same corner of the square is the Sala Barrau, which houses the works of the painter Laureà Barrau i Buñol who arrived in the town in 1912 and was captivated by its light, colour and customs.
The walk continues along the town’s promenade as far as the river, which played a key role in the history of Santa Eulària, as the constant flow of water enabled the local flour mills to operate at a time when bread was one of the island’s staple foods. One kilometre from the river, and a little further up from the well Font des Lern, is the source of the Torrent dels Lerns, which is one of the main tributaries of the river. Its waters were used for many decades to irrigate a large number of orchards in the surrounding area.
The ‘Pont Vell’, the end of the route
The trail ends at the Pont Vell (Old Bridge), whose first records date back to 1720. This bridge was the main entrance to the town until 1918, when the Pont Nou (New Bridge) was built. The Santa Eulària river runs under the old bridge where you can also find the Font d’en Lluna, a pool where the locals used to bathe.
You are recommended to keep your eyes peeled, as on this route you can see that most expert of fish catchers, the kingfisher, flying and gliding over the waters.
The legend of the “fameliars”
During the visit, you will also discover the “fameliars”, small goblins from Ibiza’s mythology who, according to legend, are born from the stem of a grass that only grows on the eve of Saint John’s Day under the old bridge of Santa Eulària des Riu, and who must be entertained and well fed to prevent them from getting into any kind of mischief. To learn more about them, you can see the various sculptures of these characters, created by the artist Andreu Moreno, and located at different points along the route.
This tour enables you to learn more about the culture, history and environment of this town and can be enjoyed with friends, family or as a couple.