Carlos Martorell
In 1968, Carlos Martorell turned his back on his legal career in Barcelona and moved to Ibiza in the heyday of the hippy era. A multi-faceted professional, he works in international public relations, as a journalist and as a novelist, with two novels already under his belt, Réquiem por Peter Pan (Requiem for Peter Pan) on Ibiza, and La memoria enjaulada (Caged Memory) on Alzheimer’s disease.
He is a fashion, advertising and society magazine stylist and interior decorator of homes and restaurants, and he collaborates on society articles for the press, plus he has his own very successful blog "elobservadorsolitario.blogspot.com". All through his career he has been a tireless promoter of Ibiza, at events, in articles, in radio interviews and on national and international TV.
How I found Ibiza...
In 1959, when I was still an adolescent, I came to Sant Antoni with my family for the Easter holidays. Back then, the bay was completely pristine, it was idyllic. Two years later, I bought a plot of land there for next to nothing.
In 1968 I moved to Ibiza. I bought a house in Dalt Vila and I also rented a country farmhouse for 32 years. The house was 600 years old, a wonderful place that was featured in several magazines and books. I used to spend the autumn in New York and the rest of the year in Ibiza. As part of my Public Relations work, I organised the opening parties for Pacha, Amnesia, KU (now Privilege), El Divino (now Lio) and for Charlie Max and Naïf, both of which have now closed down. I promote hotels and restaurants on the island and I’ve been promoting the Flower Power VIP party for 13 years.
Some of its myriad facets...
I like the island’s cosmopolitan atmosphere. I speak 5 languages and I get to use them every day in Ibiza. I also like Ibiza’s two sides: you can party all day or you can just live a quiet life away from it all.
A luxury on the island...
I’m from Barcelona and I love the fact that the island is so easy to get to. Ibiza’s location and its weather are such a luxury.
My favourite moment...
The hippy era in the late 60s and right through the 70s were fantastic, unrepeatable years for me. I’ll never forget those summers in my beautiful country house in Sant Carles, with no electricity. A whole series of international celebrities stayed at that house.
A memory when I'm far away...
What I like best about Ibiza and Formentera, and what I most remember when I’m away, is the sea, the turquoise, crystal clear water, my friends, the high level international contacts I make and the lovely, special, friendly people who come from far and wide.
The magic of Ibiza...
Ibiza and Formentera have a magnetism that’s addictive. I couldn’t go for a whole year without setting foot on these islands. I haven’t missed a single year since 1959. I\'m a committed addict. I’ve had the best times of my life in Ibiza.
What I tell my friends...
It’s easy to recommend Ibiza and there’s only one way of getting to know the island, and that’s to visit at any time of year.