Did you know that there’s a little village in the north of the island with two towers and only seven houses?
The old village, located in Sant Llorenç de Balàfia, was declared as a Cultural interest by the Consell Insular D’Eivissa and Formentera on 17 December 1996. It is formed by a group of seven rural houses and two towers, located within walking distance of the town of Sant Llorenç, and the entire construction is approximately 110 m long.
All the houses are of the purest traditional Ibizan architecture style, with small windows, flat clay ceilings at different heights and volumes, and big ovens to cook the bread. Two of them are even more special because of its towers, built to serve as shelter for the inhabitants of the houses under pirate attacks. The entire village maintains its original purity and is one of the most beautiful and significant of the Balearics.
The historical origin of Balàfia is difficult to determine for lack of historical information, like many other places on the island. But it is very probable that it was made during the Muslim period. Some believe that in times of Al-Andalús, this group of houses formed a farmhouse, with houses, lands, and ranches. Next to them, there are ovens, wells, corrals, mills, wineries and other typical facilities of the time.
All the houses are private, they are inhabited and cannot be accessed inside, although you can walk next to them and admire its architectural design. The village is located in the municipality of Sant Joan de Labritja, on the west side of the main road that connects Ibiza town with Sant Joan. To get there, once you reach the church of the village in Sant Llorenç, take the dirt road located at the back of the church. A few hundred metres later, you will find a sign indicating: “Conjunto Rural de Balàfia” and that’s it.
Enjoy the adventure!
Featured images: sanjuanibizatravel.com