Winter paying a surprise visit to the island can’t deter the heralds of spring from working their annual magic. While temperatures drop to historically low levels and red soil and orange trees take on a mysterious white hue for a morning or so, many of the gnarled, lifeless-seeming branches dress themselves in their own luscious snow. The blossoming of the almond trees is one of the secret joys of Ibiza, a bonus usually reserved for winter residents. These first trees to sport their flowers are a glorious solace during what most people agree is the least agreeable time of the year. February is the month the island hibernates: it’s when even the restaurants that stay open all year close, shops make their inventory, hotels finally have the time to fix those leaking faucets and replace any broken mirrors or furniture. But the end of February also signifies an awakening, and Ibiza’s only true winter month has one brilliant prize that everyone looks forward to. Suddenly it seems like all trees on the island are almond trees, there are so many of them. But although their whitest pink tufts can be seen everywhere, to get the full-blown fairytale picture, you go to Santa Agnes de Corona.
The curvy road leading to Santa Agnes will bring you up to a vantage point from which you have a magnificent view of the almond valley. What you see is the announcement of spring, looking like a touch of winter. Thousands of trees that have erupted in unbridled exuberance, life pouring out of the 
branches like juice from an overripe fig. The island doesn’t exactly turn into a colorless desert during wintertime, so the early blooms don’t function the way they would in harsher climates, like little dots of hope in a depressing world. It’s rather like they are trying to outshine and discourage the measly snowflakes that have dared to materialize. It’s as if they want to say, ‘we don’t need you, we are the white island’s snow, and we’ll do a better job than you ever will.’ Many of the island’s immigrants want to immerse themselves in this floral snow, feel the petals land on their face like they would with actual snowflakes, and for them, walks are organized. The most intriguing must be the full moon walk, when, if done at the right time, the moonlight illuminates the flowers and turns them into the ghosts of spring.
Sweet Gem, looking like a blossom herself…
Word gets around though, and in February Santa Agnes, normally a sleepy hamlet consisting of one road, one church and two restaurants, turns into a bustling meeting point for hiking tourists. Among the companies organizing the walks is Walking Ibiza, run by Toby and his daughter Gem, who takes care of many of the kids walks. Gem sparkles likes her name suggests and the kids love her instantly. She lets us in on some interesting nature facts, such as which plants and flowers are edible (a future post will be devoted to all the savory little plants you can find on Ibiza). She explains the difference between the trees with the white and the ones with the pink blossom. 
It turns out the almonds of the latter are just the tiniest bit toxic. Yep, infamous almond-scented cyanide, though you’d have to eat buckets full of the nuts to get it to bother you. Gem also tells us that this year the flowering of the trees seems a bit stunted, or at least stalled by what turned out to be the coldest winter in fifty years. But even now, in their demure state, the almond trees are a sight for sore eyes, with their grey, moss-covered bark, and the bluest Ibiza skies as their backdrop. As a final prize, we get to see the island’s largest olive tree with a circumference of twelve meters, so Gem tells us. The kids only care about the excellent climbing the tree offers…
Hiking in Ibiza is not to be missed, even when the almond trees have shed all their petals. Only when you traverse the routes that locals have discovered for you, you get a full taste of the breathtaking beauty of the island. Remote calas that are inaccessible by car can often be reached by speedboat or yacht. But by doing that, you miss out on the stunning paths that lead you to it, and that’s a real shame. Everyone that visits Ibiza with the intention to do more than just go to the clubs, beaches or restaurants (which are all really nice too, don’t get me wrong!) should try to take in at least one walk.
Letters to Niels 