Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera

Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera sits exactly in the middle of Ibiza and is the island’s only village with no coastline of its own. It is essentially one traffic-free square in front of a white church, ringed by terraces, galleries and small shops. From here you can reach almost any point on the island quickly.

History

The suffix “de Fruitera” refers to the fertile ground: this is Ibiza’s farming heart, where almond, fig and olive trees grow and where the fields are flat enough to work. The village grew, as everywhere on the island, around a whitewashed parish church, with scattered fincas around it. Because there is no coast, Santa Gertrudis never became a resort; instead, from the 1960s and 70s it drew artists, craftspeople and foreign residents who settled inland. That mix — farming village plus international community — still sets the tone on the square.

What to do here

• Sit down on the traffic-free church square; that is the whole programme, and it is meant to be.
• Look at the whitewashed parish church, the oldest building in the village.
• Work your way round the galleries and studios by the square — the interior has the island’s densest concentration of art.
• Use the village as a base: both the west and the east coast are quick to reach from here.
• Drive the country lanes between the almond and olive fields in the surrounding countryside.
• Come in spring, when the farmland around it is at its greenest.

Facts

• Santa Gertrudis is the only village on Ibiza with no coastline of its own.
• The suffix “de Fruitera” refers to the fertile farmland around it.
• The village is in the municipality of Santa Eulària des Riu, in the middle of the island.
• The square in front of the church is traffic-free, which is unusual on Ibiza.

Good for

Anyone renting a finca inland, and for a long lunch or an evening away from the coast.