Las Dalias

Originating way back in 1954 Las Dalias began life as a roadside bar with an inside dancehall, serving the Ibizan community for everything from weddings, parties and even Christmas celebrations. It was in the 70s with the influx of hippies to the island (who at the time were selling their wares at Es Canar) that the restaurant and bar became popular for ‘after-market’ parties, with bands and musicians taking to the stage, some famous, others local – either way, the parties legends are made of.

In 1985, Las Dalias market, as we know it, was started with a mere five stalls and just a few shoppers – it’s come a long way in 23 years! These days, there are over 200 stalls every Saturday (also daily at Christmas and again at Easter), with over 20 000 people passing through the doors – needless to say, it’s incredibly busy during August!

Situated in San Carlos, it’s a beautiful drive, whether you’re coming in from San Antonio or Ibiza town way, and takes about 20 minutes to arrive from both directions. Accessible by buses and taxis, Las Dalias is the kind of place it’s worth making a day of – come for a leisurely lunch in the restaurant, followed by some shopping and a beer in the sunny courtyard, a drink and some tapas in the original roadside bar finished off with some live music.

It’s the market itself that draws the main crowd, operating from 10am til 8pm every Saturday. Packed with wares from around the world – think jewellery, hand-crafted leather, hammocks, unique clothing, home décor and just about anything you can think of. Dubbed a ‘world market’, don’t miss the ‘Namaste’ room, filled with everything imaginable from India and the Arabian tea tent, serving (you guessed it!) tea and Moroccan pastries if you’re after a snack.

WHAT TO BUY: While you can indulge any shopping whim at Las Dalias, we can’t go past the handmade and painted brightly coloured leather bags – each one is different so it’s not just the same old stuff from the Indian or Thai tourist trail that you see in markets around the world.
WHEN TO SHOP: Saturday’s the day for a trip to Las Dalias – get in early to get a parking space as it does fill up quickly!