Sant Antoni de Portmany
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The municipality of Sant Antoni de Portmany on Ibiza

Sant Antoni de Portmany is a town on the western coast of Ibiza. It was called San Antonio Abad in Spanish until 1986, when its Catalan official name was restored, however, most English-speakers still refer to it as San Antonio. It is the second-largest town and municipality in Ibiza; an island long considered by clubbers to be the clubbing capital of the world. It is situated on Sant Antoni Bay on the west coast of the island, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands.

For two thousand years, Sant Antoni was a small fishing village but it began to grow in the late 1950s when many hotels and tourist resorts were built as part of a mass tourism initiative which took place across Spain.

By the 1980s, Sant Antoni had acquired the stigma of being the holiday location of choice for British football hooligans, which lead to a decline in tourism in the area. However, it regained its popularity in the mid 1990s when Ibiza regained its reputation - particularly in Britain - as having the best night clubs and DJs in the world.

Young British clubbers make up the vast majority of visitors to the area, mostly attracted by programmes such as the Ibiza Uncovered series on Sky TV as well as the laid-back Ibiza lifestyle. Ibiza is home to some of the biggest nightclubs in the world including Pacha, Privilege, Space, Amnesia and Eden and Es Paradis - The latter two situated in Sant Antoni.

The Egg

The Egg in the port of Sant Antoni

The Egg is the best known landmark in Sant Antoni, located in the centre of the main roundabout at the entrance to the town.

The Egg is a statue erected in the early 1990s to commemorate the local claim of having been the birth place of Christopher Columbus (there is a similar claim that Hannibal was born in the region). The statue is in the shape of an egg, containing at its centre a model of his ship; the Santa Maria.

The choice of an egg comes from a story about Columbus, who when seeking funding for his Western route to the Indies, was told it was impossible. He then allegedly asked if standing an egg upright was impossible, and when told that it was, he cracked the base of an egg, thus making it possible for it to stand upright. He was then granted funding. See Egg of Columbus.

Passeig de ses Fonts

Part of Sant Antoni's harbourside promenade, Passeig de ses Fonts is an area which was developed in the early 1990s to improve the appearance of the town. There are many plants, including palm trees and rubber plants, as well as massive fountains, which are illuminated by night. Across the square are a host of restaurants and cafes offering a view over Sant Antoni Bay. It is also the best place from which to watch the massive Fireworks Display which celebrates the fiesta of Saint Bartholomew on the 24 August.

West End

West End of Sant Antoni in July, 2006
Photo:Eduard Pitt

The 'West End' is where all the night life in Sant Antoni is centred. It is a couple of streets wide; the main street being the Carrer de Santa Agnès, which hosts a variety of bars and small clubs ranging from the Dance and House music Ibiza is famed for to Rock and indie music. Popular bars include Viva, Hush, Koppas, Tropicana, Soul City, Funky Flares & Ground Zero.

Sunset Strip

Cala Salada, north of Sant Antoni

Along the coast in the west is the famous Sunset Strip where various bars including Café del Mar, Savannah and Café Mambo are situated. The West facing strip of coastline means that visitors can enjoy beautiful sunsets.

Nightclubs

Sant Antoni is home to two of the main Ibiza nightclubs: Eden and Es Paradis. Eden is home to some of the world's biggest DJs and promoters and is open from the first weekend in June through to mid to late September. Regular DJs include: Judge Jules, Eddie Halliwell, Stanton Warriors, Lisa Lashes, Dave Pearce and more. Some of these DJs have a residency at some of the clubs on the island. Promoters include: Gatecrasher, Judgement Sundays, Garlands & Dusted. Es Paradis is famous for its water party held every Wednesday and Saturday nights.

External links

• The Town Hall website(Catalan)
• Local government website
• Detailed street maps of Sant Antoni
• Eden Ibiza - Sant Antoni's most popular nightclub
• Polarserv - Door Staff contractor for many of the bars and clubs in San Antonio, inc. Mambo And Es Paradis

Coordinates: 38°58′51″N 1°18′2″E / 38.98083, 1.30056

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