This easygoing, well organised journey by mini train allows you to get to know the countryside as well as have a quick dip in the sea, enjoy a refreshment or an ice cream and shop for souvenirs. The journey is delightful, taking you along little-travelled secondary roads in the island's pastoral Northeast. Along with the sight of typical, whitewashed Ibizan farmhouses, you can see orchards full of fruit, vineyards and local flora such as pine, almond, carob and fig trees.
En route, there is a commentary explaining the sights, landscape and curiosities. A musical playlist of hits dating back to the 60s provides the perfect soundtrack as you go along. The entire journey from start to end lasts approx. four hours.
The team chose to go on the Tuesday excursion, which covers three beaches and the village of San Carlos. We brought some youngsters along to get their impressions. The company Santa Eulalia Express also runs other excursions departing from Cala Llonga and Santa Eulalia that take you to the Northeast´s main hippie markets: Punta Arabí, in Es Caná, on Wednesday, and Las Dalias, in San Carlos, on Saturday. Another charming excursion departs from the resort of Es Figueral.
Our team hopped on in the bustling town of Santa Eulalia.
From there, it heads to Cala Boix beach - there are steep steps to access the beach, so you may just choose to admire the view from above.
It's just a couple of minutes to the next stop at the beach of Pou d'es Lleo, a charming bay that was used by the Punic settlers who arrived here in the mid-7th Century BCE to export their goods.
After that, it's on to the resort of Es Figueral - where there is a souvenir shop, a supermarket and two beach bars.
The next stop is in the picturesque village of San Carlos.
Here you can get off and take a stroll. In the pedestrian zone in the centre, you can enjoy a coffee, a refreshment, a takeaway pizza or an ice cream from an Italian gelateria has been voted one of Spain's top ice cream shops! What´s more, there are several boutiques selling Ibizan-style clothes, beachwear and hippy apparel. For our enthusiastic younger travellers, the gelateria was the high point of the journey!
On the return leg to Santa Eulalia, the train passes the famous Hippy Market Punta Arabí in the resort of Es Caná and the little beach of Cala Martina.
At just 20 euros per adult and 10 euros for children from 4 - 11 years' old, this is a very affordable half-day excursion and an enchanting way to get to know Ibiza´s marvellous natural landscapes inland. Tickets can be purchased with cash on board.
