The church offering stunning views of Ibiza
At the crossroads linking the east and west of Ibiza lies the village of Sant Rafel, which grew up around this church built in the late 18th century on a hill halfway between Ibiza and Sant Antoni, from which there is a beautiful panoramic view of the harbour and the island’s capital. It is undoubtedly a stop well worth a visit.
The Church of Saint Raphael the Archangel was built in a hurry towards the end of the 18th century due to a dispute amongst local residents over where the church should be erected. This resulted in the building having architectural flaws that necessitated consolidation work half a century later, as parishioners had stopped attending for fear that the roof might collapse.
It is a very simple church, with a single nave, seven small side chapels and an external portico. The features that set it apart from the island’s other churches are the bell tower – completed in 1900 and topped with a dome – and the six buttresses on the west wall. If you want to see it at its best, visit on 29 September, the feast day of Saint Raphael.
A suggestion? Combine this visit with a stop for lunch or dinner at one of the village’s restaurants.
