San Carlos (Sant Carles in Catalan) became famous as a hippy village in the 60s and 70s as many of those long-haired peace-lovers settled in the beautiful surroundings of this northern Ibiza village. They lived in old farmhouses, known as ‘fincas', often without electricity or even running water!
Today, you'll still find them there - the real hippies. For them, being a ‘hippy' is a lifestyle, not just a fashion. Here, many prefer to live without modern comforts, with as little money - and work - as possible and with a true, communal spirit.
Traditionally, the hippy community would gather in Anita's Bar - because they had the only phone in the village! Even today you can visit the original phone booth in the bar - and use it - it's still very much functional.
There is a sense of time standing still in San Carlos. For example, old mailboxes made of wood cover an entire wall in Anita's Bar, because even today, there is no postal delivery service to every house in the countryside of Ibiza. So many people still use mailboxes, which are located in post offices, along the road, in shops or in bars like Anita's, where people take the opportunity for a leisurely chat accompanied by a cool hierbas on ice.
San Carlos has grown over the last years, but the new houses adapt in style and charm to the traditional village center with its beautiful white church. The residents are an interesting mix of Ibizan, Spanish and international people, adding to the cosmopolitan, bohemian ambience of the place.
There is a good selection of restaurants and bars - they all have one thing in common; a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, it is easy to get into conversation here. The surrounding shops invite to browse through colourful fashion or householding items, here you can find nice souvenirs at reasonable prices.
Today's new hippy generation also congregate in Las Dalias, located about 1km before San Carlos (coming from Santa Eulalia). It's here you'll find one of the most original hippy markets with its hundreds of brightly coloured stalls and larger than life characters. Every Saturday all year round, the sellers build up their stalls on the ivy-covered terraces and courtyards, whilst during the summer, you can also catch the market on several nights per week.
Meanwhile, Las Dalias is not only known for the hippy market. Throughout the week, a variety of nighttime events take place, starting early evening in the beautiful open-air terraces of the venue and later continuing in the small indoor club Akasha.
The local Fiesta of San Carlos is celebrated in the weeks around the Patron's Saint Day on the 4th of November.
San Carlos is also the junction where all the roads meet, that later branch off to many other gorgeous east coast beaches such as Cala Leña, Cala Nova, Aguas Blancas and Cala San Vicente.
