If you are one of those people who enjoy discovering natural spaces and spectacular landscapes, you cannot miss the Ses Salines Nature Reserve, located halfway between the islands of Ibiza and Formentera. It stands out for being home to a large part of the Posidonia oceanica meadows that surround the islands and which have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
If you want to discover this unique setting, read on!
A unique environment
Ses Salines, with 3,000 hectares of land and 13,000 hectares of sea, was declared a Natural Park in 2001.
Thanks to the purity of its waters and its great marine biodiversity, Ses Salines has become one of the most surprising areas of Ibiza and Formentera.
On the island of Ibiza, salt mining began around 600 BC, when salt was the island’s main source of wealth. During the 12th and 13th centuries, in the Muslim period, the salt ponds began to be intensively exploited, something which uninterruptedly continued in later times.
Nowadays, the situation has changed and salt is marketed for domestic consumption, with part of it being exported to northern European countries.
Biodiversity
The ponds of Ses Salines are the largest wetlands on Ibiza. In addition, countless animal species use this space as a stopover during their migratory movements and take the opportunity to nest in them.
One of the species you will find in the park and that remains there practically all year round is the flamingo, easily recognisable by its beautiful pink colour.
Apart from the salt ponds, in the park you will find other ecosystems worth visiting, such as sandbanks, rocky beaches, cliffs and dune ridges. Of course, we recommend a visit to the park if you are a nature lover.
Visit Ses Salines: how to get there
If you wish to visit the Ses Salines Natural Park, you should know that the entrance is located on the outskirts of the municipality of Sant Jordi, on the road to the airport.
Here you will not only find the old salt ponds, but also some beautiful beaches, such as Ses Salines, Es Codolar, Es Cavallet and the cove of Sa Sal Rosa.
The tower of Es Carregador, the tower of Ses Portes, the church of San Francesc and the chapel of Sa Revista are also worth a visit. If you want to know everything about the flora and fauna of the Ses Salines Nature Reserve, you cannot miss the Ses Salines Nature Reserve Interpretation Centre: it is located next to the church, in the parish house of Sant Francesc.
We recommend a stroll among the ponds and also a visit to the defence towers. The path that leads to the tower of Ses Portes, located between the beaches of Ses Salines and Es Cavallet, is particularly outstanding for its beauty. In short, the Ses Salines Nature Reserve is a unique space where you can spend a pleasant day on spectacular beaches, stroll among dunes and old junipers or dive among its posidonia meadows.
