The capital of the island and originally described
as a town. When you approach to the island for the first time by
sea, it is an appropriate and stunning introduction to the silhouette
of the city and the cathedral at the top are recognised globally
as icons of the island.
The Carthaginians began building here in the 7th Century. By the
time the Romans took over the baton there were city walls and what
passed for solid buildings. In later years North African piracy
during the 16th Century created the need for new bastioned walls
which still stand.
Within the walls a picturesque maze of tortuous streets exists,
built long before any thought of motor cars and therefore only accessible
on foot - and it's a long, uphill all the way. Between the walls
and the port lies the area known as 'Sa Penya'. This old fisherman's
quarter seethes with life.
The nearer to the city walls, the narrower and more tortuous the
streets become. The area literally buzzes with life during the summer
as the busiest bars, restaurants and shops all seem to be in this
pretty and accessible area, but come on foot. The main town square
and centre of town is the nearby Paseo de Vara de Rey.
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