288 lines
9.0 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
288 lines
9.0 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
sponsored
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travel
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spanish_tourist_board
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ibiza
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5918588
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# Ibiza Old Town
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## From Dalt Vila to the harbourside quarter, Ibiza Old Town's narrow,
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atmospheric streets are lined with fashionable bars, restaurants and boutiques
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and are steeped in history.
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![Ibiza Old Town][1]
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Ibiza Old Town's narrow, atmospheric streets are lined with fashionable bars,
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restaurants and boutiques
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Richard Madden 1:09PM BST 29 Jul 2009
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Huddled around the hill where the Phoenician settlers first built a fortress,
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for centuries the Old Town of Ibiza has been the island's primary landmark.
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The walls of Dalt Vila (High Town), and the cathedral and castle which they
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were built to protect, are one of the island's iconic views.
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The Old Town comprises three main areas: Dalt Vila itself; Sa Penya, the old
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gypsy quarter on the northern slopes - now the home of the town's colourful
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and vibrant gay scene; and La Marina, the town's atmospheric harbourside
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quarter, the narrow streets of which are awash with bars, restaurants and
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fashionable boutiques.
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The narrow, atmospheric streets lend themselves to a relaxed stroll. Start
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with a leisurely morning visit to the central Plaça de la Constitucio in La
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Marina. The clubbers will still be asleep, birds will serenade you and the
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orange blossom scent bewitch you. Enjoy a coffee or orange juice at Mercat
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Vell, the organic fruit and vegetable market, and map out your day.
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First stop should be the nearby Portal de ses Taules - flanked by marble
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replicas of Roman statues and set at the top of an impressive stone ramp that
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leads through the imposing renaissance walls. Even though it is the historic
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centre of Ibiza Old Town, Dalt Vila is rarely overcrowded and is worth the
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effort of a climb - if only for the magnificent views. To the north lies the
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harbour and Ibiza's sister island, Formentera; to the south the ancient
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Phoenician Necropolis.
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The walls themselves (both the ruined earlier medieval version and the
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impregnable renaissance fortifications that replaced them), and the
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architectural melange of buildings within, map the island's journey through
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the centuries - from the Phoenicians to the Romans and Arabs, and finally the
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Catalans following the victory of Guillem de Montgri in 1235.
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## Related Articles
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* [Ibiza: Agroturismo hotels][2]
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29 Jul 2009
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* [Ibiza - Active holidays][3]
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29 Jul 2009
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* [Undiscovered Ibiza][4]
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29 Jul 2009
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* [Ibizan culture and heritage][5]
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29 Jul 2009
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* [Ibiza - Beyond the nightclubs][6]
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29 Jul 2009
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* [The history of Ibiza][7]
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29 Jul 2009
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If you really want to learn about Ibiza's fascinating history an English-
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speaking guide is a must. If not, Dalt Vila is small enough to wander at will
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without getting too lost. Either way, make sure you don't miss the following
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highlights.
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**CITY WALLS **
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No one built walls better than Philip II of Spain and his two designers,
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Giovanni Calvi and Jacobo Fratin. Still in near-pristine condition after more
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than 400 years, they were never breached by invaders. This was as much to do
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with their design, which incorporated seven massive bastions, leaving no blind
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spots for enemies to escape the withering cannon fire. The ruins of the
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medieval walls, originally built by the Carthaginians in the 5th century BC
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and extended later by the Moors, still survive in places.
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**CATHEDRAL**
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Like many churches on the island, the cathedral was built as much to withstand
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the attentions of marauding pirates as a house of God, and it remains the most
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imposing building on the island. Conceived in the 14th century, on the site of
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succeeding temples built by the island's earlier rulers, it is beautifully
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illuminated at night.
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**ALMUDAINA CASTLE**
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Although it has seen better days - and is in the process of being restored and
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converted into a five-star parador - the fortress is a delightful hotch-potch
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of architectural styles, combining a military enclave built by the Moors and a
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castle built by Philip II. The best view is from the Baluard de Sant Bernat
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from the south.
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**PUIG DES MOLINS **
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**NECROPOLIS**
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Although strictly speaking it's outside the walls, the view of the
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Carthaginian Necropolis from Dalt Vila is more impressive than at ground
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level. The graves here are part of a World Heritage Site, and during the Punic
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era (roughly between 600BC and the defeat of Carthage in 146BC), thousands of
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Phoenician noblemen were buried here, many of whom never lived on the island.
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They were brought here because their burial rites demanded an area free of
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poisonous creatures - and Ibiza is an island free of them.
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**MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES**
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The Museu Arqueologic, opposite the cathedral, has artefacts from the
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prehistoric era through to the beginning of Catalan rule in1235. The nearby La
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Curia building doubles as a tourist information office and interpretative
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centre. The Museu Puget has a collection of paintings by the famous Ibizan
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father and son painters, Puget Viñas and Puget Riquer.
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Ibiza Tour Guides: 0034 687 889 793;** [www.guiasibiza.com][8]**
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[X][9] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][10]
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* Share: [Share][9] [ ][11] [ ][12]
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[Tweet][13]
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/591858
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8/Ibiza-Old-Town.html
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Telegraph
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## [Ibiza][14]
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* ### [Sponsored »][15]
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* ### [Travel »][16]
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* ### [Spanish Tourist Board »][17]
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[X][9] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][10]
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Share:
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* [ ][9]
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* [ ][11]
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* [ ][12]
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* [Tweet][13]
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* ![][18]
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[Ibiza Videos »][19]
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### [Watch videos from Ibiza][19]
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[![Sant Joan Festival Ibiza][20]][19]
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Get a sneak preview of some of the amazing things you can see and do on a
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holiday in Ibiza, from agroturismo hotels and summer festivals to mountain
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biking, kayaking and outdoor yoga.
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## [Ibiza hotels »][21]
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### [Ibiza: Agroturismo hotels][2]
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[![A recent celebration of Ibizan culture has brought about a rise in
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Agroturismo hotels][22] ][2]
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The recent celebration of Ibizan culture has found powerful expression in the
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growing number of agroturismo hotels.
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### [Ibiza: Can Lluc boutique hotel][23]
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[![Can Lluc is one of several luxury boutique hotels that have sprung up on
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Ibiza in recent years. ][24] ][23]
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Hidden in a beautiful Ibizan valley, Can Lluc is boutique hotel with
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traditional roots.
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### [Festivals in Ibiza][25]
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[![Ibiza's festivals are both important cultural events and a great excuse for
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a street party. ][26] ][25]
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From the festival of Sant Joan to the Festes de la Terra, Ibiza's festivals
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are vibrant, colourful and often deeply moving.
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[1]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01688/IBIZA_HI_RES_CITY__1
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688528c.jpg
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[2]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/5918728/Ibiza-
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Agroturismo-hotels.html
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[3]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/5918824/Ibiza-Active-
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holidays.html
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[4]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/5919069/Ibiza-Off-the-
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beaten-track.html
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[5]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/5919146/Ibiza-Culture-
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and-heritage.html
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[6]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/5917888/Ibiza-Beyond-
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the-nightclubs.html
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[7]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/5918060/Ibiza-History-
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of-the-island.html
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[8]: http://www.guiasibiza.com
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[9]: #
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[10]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/4590190/Share-this-
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article-What-are-these.html
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[11]: mailto:?subject=A Telegraph reader thought you would be interested in
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this article&body=Depending on your email program, you may be able to click on
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the link in the email. Alternatively, you may have to open a web browser, such
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as Firefox or Internet Explorer, and copy the link over into the address bar.
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%0A%0Ahttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/
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5918588/Ibiza-Old-Town.html %0A%0AFor the best content online, visit
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www.telegraph.co.uk
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[12]: javascript:print()
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[13]: http://twitter.com/share?via=Telegraph
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[14]:
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/
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[15]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/
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[16]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/
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[17]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/
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[18]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01454/in-association-
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wit_1454531a.gif
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[19]:
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/ibiza-
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videos/
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[20]:
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http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01887/joansum_1887883e.jpg
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[21]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibi
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za/7960430/Ibiza-Can-Lluc-boutique-hotel.html
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[22]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01688/IBIZA-
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hotels_1688555e.jpg
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[23]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/7960430/Ibiza-Can-Lluc-
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boutique-hotel.html
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[24]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01701/can-lluc-
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ibiza_1701582g.jpg
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[25]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/ibiza/7960404/Festivals-in-
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Ibiza.html
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[26]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01701/ibiza-
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festivals_1701576e.jpg
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