Ibiza's original and oldest industry is celebrated this weekend in the second edition of the new annual Salt Festival , or Feria de Sal in and around the Salt Flats of the Las Salinas Natural Park.
Whilst proceedings kick off on Friday 27 October, the main days of this three-day event for tourists and residents will be on the following two days Saturday and Sunday 28-29 October.
The weekend will see several events, including salt harvesting demonstrations, special menus and food tastings that highlight the importance of salt production to the island – an activity that continues to this day.
The event kicks off on Saturday with a fogueró, a bonfire which was used to send smoke signals to call workers into commence the harvest at the Era Antic Munt de Sal des Pantà. This site will also be the venue for a display of the old manual salt harvest on Sunday, an extraction method which was employed up until 1955 when mechanisation was introduced.
Harvesting salt the traditional way on Ibiza
Foodie fans might want to head to one of the event's participating restaurants which will be offering special three-course set menus, called Menus Saliners or tapas dishes with a glass of wine – with all food spiced using Ibizan salt.
Restaurant venues which span San Francisco to Es Cavallet beach to Sant Jordi come in at €7 for tapas and drink or set menus from €12-30.
The downloadable Salt Festival programme is in English, Catalan and Spanish and has a map to locate the various activities.
Also on Saturday and Sunday at the Torre de Sal Rossa, the salt flats' historic protective tower, there will be historic re-enactments of salt production in Spanish and Catalan during the era of pirate rampages with guards, salt workers and of course pirates. You could go to revel in the authentic atmosphere.
Free tastings of local dishes on Saturday and Sunday are taking place in Sant Jordi. Look out for the osso amb col, or salted meat, and wrinkled potatoes with spicy sauce.
A market on the Sunday is a great chance to pick up some fantastic island produce, such as olive oil, wine and liqueurs and various organic goodies.
Salt has been produced on Ibiza since the arrival of the Phoenicians in 800 BCE. Over time this was perfected by the Moors and later by the Catalan settlers under the rule of Spain.
Salt was one of the very few known ways of preserving food and levied huge value bringing much revenue to Ibiza.
So, go and immerse yourself in an Ibiza from times past and taste its full glory in a fun historic set of events.
