Jesús

Local heritage and atmosphere just a stone’s throw from Ibiza

Despite its proximity to the island’s capital, the village of Jesús forms part of the municipality of Santa Eulària des Riu and marks the northern boundary of the town of Ibiza. Separated from it by the so-called Ses Feixes – farmland already cultivated by the ancient Muslim settlers – Jesús is characterised by its lively local atmosphere, which can be enjoyed all year round.

What to see in Jesús

As well as a wide range of dining options, this village is home to Ibiza’s most valuable artistic treasure: the main altarpiece of the Madre de Dios de la Leche, comprising 25 late-Gothic panels and painted in the Valencian workshop of the brothers Rodrigo and Francisco de Osona. This gem is housed within the church of Nuestra Señora de Jesús, built in the traditional Ibizan style and dating back to the 15th century.

As you make your way to Cap Martinet or the nearby beach at Talamanca, you’ll come across the 61 plots that make up Es Prat de ses Monges. This is one of the two sectors of the ‘feixes’ – or arable land – created by the drainage of the bay’s marshy lands, which the Muslims developed for cultivation using irrigation ditches, canals and the technique of capillary irrigation. It is a landscape well worth seeing, notable for its ethnographic, archaeological and ecological value.

A suggestion?: If you enjoy snorkelling, why not combine this visit with a trip to the nearby cove of S’Estanyol?