Ibiza-Narváez: sweet and clothes shopping and a stroll in El Retiro

Calle de Narváez, starting at the corner of Goya and Alcalá, runs parallel to the east side of El Retiro Park, the lung of the city. A nice place to take a stroll and have an appetiser before lunch, this street has lately attracted lots of interesting shops.

Along its way, Narváez intersects such streets as O’Donnell, Menorca, Ibiza and Alcalde Sainz de Baranda, the last two with tree-lined boulevards that flow into the park. This small area, within the limits of the Retiro neighbourhood, has traditional and more modern shops, in terms of both décor and goods on offer.

Goya and Narváez streets are flanked by young fashion stores – owned by the Inditex retail group –, shoe boutiques and home décor shops like Beirut Interiores, which sells designer items, or Tiger, Zara Home and Nido, great sources for fulfilling the interior décor needs of the short-of-cash. El Corte Inglés is present here too, on Calle Goya.

This area is well known for its shops specialising in children’s wear, one of them being Coolkids, which offers exclusive designs on Calle Antonio Acuña. Looking for sports gear and bikes? Continue walking along the same street until you reach In Bicycle We Trust, where you’ll find all kinds of two-wheel machines.

Artisanal food: a treat for your palate

Delis are becoming an increasingly common sight in the area. Craft brewed beers can be found in Birra y Paz, on Calle Menorca, while restaurants serving innovative dishes and patisseries that prepare the finest gourmet cakes are a few steps away. A pastry shop that’s somewhere in between the traditional and the innovative is Nunos, on Calle Narváez 63, whose specialties are buñuelos (fritters) and torrijas (French toast), plus an incredible selection of seasonal cakes. Finally, Alboraya, on Calle Felipe II, prepares the genuinely traditional horchata de chufa, a cold drink made from tiger nuts that is typical of the Spanish Levante coastal region. In the summer months, you may enjoy a delicious, creamy Italian gelato at the Sienna ice-cream parlour.

For premium quality fresh produce, head for the Ibiza Market, and if you appreciate the advantages of organic food, drop by at Zona Sin, where you’ll probably find most ingredients to prepare a healthy meal.

After a long day out, the best you can do is get a seat outside one of the bars along the Ibiza boulevard, the best place for people-watching.