Santa Eulària des Riu offers a quieter and more traditionally Ibicencan side of the island, built around a historic river valley, agricultural land, and the hilltop church of Puig de Missa. The town developed in relation to the river, which is the only river in Ibiza and the Balearic Islands, and its presence played an important role in the development of the surrounding farming landscape.

At the centre of the old town, the whitewashed Puig de Missa rises above Santa Eulària, with its fortified 16th-century church overlooking the valley and coastline. From the hill, the landscape opens across the town and towards the Mediterranean, while the streets below retain a quieter character shaped by local life rather than the seasonal rhythm found in many other parts of the island.

The river itself remains closely connected to the area's history. Its waters once supported irrigation across the Horta de Santa Eulària, while flour mills, channels, orchards, and traditional agricultural systems developed along the valley. The Can Planetes area preserves this connection between water, farming, and rural life, helping explain why the settlement grew where it did.

Experiencing Santa Eulària brings together several layers of Ibiza in one place: traditional architecture, religious heritage, agriculture, water, and the sea. During winter, the slower atmosphere makes it easier to appreciate these details and see Santa Eulària not simply as a coastal town, but as a community whose identity has been shaped by the landscape surrounding it.