Pacha, the nightlife juggernaut often credited with kick-starting Ibiza’s world-famous party scene, turns 50 this year. But the hedonistic reputation of “Ibitha,” as most say, with a lisping Castilian flourish, dates back at least 2,500 years. That’s when Carthaginian explorers landed on the barren isle off the Mediterranean coast of Spain and brought their dueling deities onshore: Tanit, the love and fertility goddess, and Bes, patron saint of frat parties. Much has changed on the island since their rule, but Ibizan culture still revolves around their modern-day incarnates: boho-chic wellness gurus and nouveau-riche club rats.

Each summer, about 2 million vacationers arrive on the island, looking to trance the night away to thumping techno. Close behind is a legion of hospitality capitalists who profit from the sybaritic whims of the world’s elite. As one local told me: “Los Angeles has actors. Ibiza has concierges.”