Dalt Vila, Fortified hilltop old town in Ibiza, Spain

Dalt Vila is the walled upper town of Ibiza, built on a hill above the harbour. Its 16th-century ramparts form an irregular heptagon with a defensive bastion at each of the seven corners. Inside, narrow streets climb past the Cathedral of Santa Maria and the former University building, now the archaeological museum.

The walls were built in the 16th century under Charles V to protect the town from Turkish attacks, and their construction took forty years. The fortified enclosure forms an irregular heptagon, with a defensive bastion at each of its seven vertices. The site itself is of Phoenician origin and was a key point on Mediterranean sea routes, which explains the need for fortifications; the present walled image took shape from the medieval and Renaissance periods.

The name Dalt Vila simply means "upper town" in Catalan, as the historic core is divided between the hilltop and the lower Raval. Several gates give access, and the main one, Portal de ses Taules, is flanked by two Roman statues. The Santa Tecla bastion marks the highest point of the city.

You can walk through three different routes that guide you along the narrow streets leading to museums, restaurants, and art galleries. The climb is steep and the paths are narrow, so take your time and wear sturdy shoes.

The main gateway Portal de ses Taules still features the remains of a Renaissance drawbridge and tunnels leading to an old courtyard with Roman statues. These archaeological finds show the area was inhabited long before the 16th-century fortifications were built.