San Antonio municipality covers the north western corner of the island, from almost Na Xamena in the north to the town of San Antonio itself in the west. San Antonio municipality and the town after which it is named lie at the head of one of the largest natural bays in the Mediterranean Sea. For this reason it has always been an important strategic haven of shelter for those making crossing the sea from either north to south or east to west. It was originally known as Port Magnus by the Romans.
The municipality covers an area of 125 square kilometers and its capital town, San Antonio de Portmany, lies some 13 kilometres to the north west of Ibiza town. Other villages within the municipality include San Rafael (Sant Rafel), Santa Ines (Sant Agnes), San Mateo (Sant Mateu) and the tiny hamlet of Buscatell.
The coastline is rugged and offers only a few beaches the most notable of which are Calas Salada & Saladita in the north, Calas Gracio and Gracionetta closer to San Antonio and the beach of the town itself. However, in between these beaches you will find the ancient caves of Ses Fontanelles and the extraordinary coastline of Punta Galera which, despite having no sand, attracts its fair share of sun worshippers.
The interior is predominantly mountainous, much like its neighbour San Juan, but there are flatter cultivated areas like the almond orchards of Santa Ines and the adjacent fertile valley of San Mateo.
The town of San Antonio, the second largest on the island, was the haunt of the first wave of tourists to hit Ibiza in the 70's. Those wealthy visitors parked their luxury yachts in the bay and ate at the many posh restaurants that filled the West End in those early days. Over subsequent decades the image of San Antonio has changed, as did the West End, but nowadays there are signs that San Antonio is aiming to head back up market to keep up with the rest of the island...
