Catamaran Ibiza Formentera

Things To Do In Formentera

 

Formentera is not just another Mediterranean island. Formentera is The Island.

 

With the whitest sandy beaches and most crystalline waters, Formentera is known as the Caribbean island in the Mediterranean Sea.

 

Only twelve miles south of Ibiza, the small Formentera island is, without any doubt, the pearl of the Balearic Islands.

 

As soon as you set foot on the island you will realize that the energy and vibrations are very different from those of Ibiza. Everything is more relaxed, with no big discos, with no big roads, with no traffic lights, with not even an airport. A twenty kilometers long island full of nature and small charming villages. And all of this surrounded by crystalline waters that will leave you breathless.

 

Let’s explore the best things to do in Formentera: 

Thigs to do in Formentera – Rent a Motorbike

 

Is the first thing you should do once in Formentera!

 

As there is not much of a public transport network, a motorcycle will make your life in Formentera much easier. Not only will you reach all the places we recommend you to visit, but you will also enjoy every minute of your riding admiring the amazing Formentera’s landscape.

 

Motorcycles are the best and most economical way to get around Formentera. It is only a 20 km long island, so do not worry about getting tired when traveling long distances.

 

There are plenty of motorcycle rentals in the port of La Savina. It is around 30 euros per day for a 125 hp motorcycle. This small motorcycle is perfect for a full island tour.

 

If you are sporty and have the time to take it easy, you can also rent a bicycle. Be careful! Temperatures in summer can get up to 38 °C.

 

Few recommendations  

 

Do not forget your sunglasses for the day and a jacket or long-sleeved shirt for the evening. It can get a little chilly when riding your motorcycle once the sun goes down.

 

I also recommend that you always wear long pants and sneakers when riding a motorcycle. It will keep you protected in the unfortunate event of a small accident.

 

I sound like a mother, I know, but I wish someone had told me to wear slippers before my motorcycle accident in Ibiza. It would have saved me some scratches and pain.

 

Take  old man’s advice.

 

 

Walking around Sant Francesc Xavier

 

Located in the center of Formentera, this small town is the island capital.

 

As in any town in Spain, the plaza is where you want to walk around, browsing the cozy little shops and stop for a drink.

 

The big church located in the village square (Plaza)  has an odd shape, with only one small hole in the highest part of its facade to allow light to enter. Indeed it is all painted in white.

 

The church is not only a church but also a fortification. Locals used to hide behind the thick and high walls of this church while pirates were ransacking town.

 

 

 

There is a hippie market every summer morning, except Sundays, from 10:00 to 14:00.

On July 20th, all locals and tourists gather in the San Francesc Plaza to dance the classics of the 60s, 70s, and 80s..

As it is an entrance free outdoor Flower Power party, it can get very crowded. It is an outdoor party that is very popular, as there is no entrance fee. Good luck if you want to go to the bathroom 😀 or have a beer in one of the two bars in the square.

 

Lighthouses

 

Formentera has two lighthouses, one on each island side, that really worth the visit.

You will be amazed by its stunning sea views. You won’t stop taking pictures. Guaranteed!

 

Cap de Barbaria

To get to Cap de Barbaria, you need to park your bike one mile and a half away from the lighthouse. The rest of the way, it is a very unique walk that you will enjoy every step of it.

 

Getting to the lighthouse of Cap de Barbaria at sunset its perfect timing since the beautiful light of the sunset brings out the unique energy that surrounds this place

Cap de Barbaria in Formentera

On the way to Cap de Barbaria

 

cap de barbaria in formentera from the sea

The impressive Cap de Barbaria from the sea.

 

If you come for a weekly rental charter, you will be amazed to navigate along the stunning cliffs in the southern part of Formentera.

 

Pilar de la Mola

It is not only a lighthouse but a cozy little town where all the bohemians and hippies are still living.

 

If you have the opportunity to go on Wednesday or on Sunday, you will find a small market with a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere. Open from 4:30 pm to 10:30 pm.

As it is in the highest area, the road is steep and full of sharp curves. So if you are not used to riding a motorcycle, I recommend you to skip this spot.

 

Near the lighthouse of El Pilar de la Mola, there is a monument in honor of the world-famous writer Jules Verne. He mentions this place in his novel Hector Servadac.

 

Things to do in Formentera – Illetes beach

 

Well, what can I say about one of the most famous beaches in the world?

You have to come and see for yourself. It is the Caribbean in the Mediterranean Sea.

A good recommendation is to get Illetes as early as possible because first, it is a national park, and there is limited capacity. And Second, discovering this beach without many people is an experience that will surely leave you speechless.

 

IIlletes is located on a espectacular tongue of land. From one side to the other, there are only a few tens of meters. One side is Illetes (west), and the other side is Levante beach (east).

 

If you want to continue enjoying a spectacular beach but without so many people, I recommend that you cross to the other side, to the Levante beach, where you will find the same sand and water but without so many tourists since there are almost no restaurants.

 

The ocean on Levante beach is usually not as flat as in Illetes beach, but it is still a spectacular beach, with much fewer people.

Great restaurants

 

If you want to enjoy a tasty Mediterranean meal in a restaurant overlooking the beach, you have a great choice.

Illetes Beach offers a range of restaurants with a sea view that will blow your mind away.

 

In Illetes Beach

 

In Levante Beach

 

The Es Ministre restaurant is the most affordable, or better said, the less expensive.

Juan Y Andrea is well known for its exclusivity.

Juan Y Andrea is well known for his exclusivity. Top models, famous singers, and well-known soccer players come to this restaurant to eat fresh fish and Paella.

What started fifty years ago as a wooden hut for fishermen to have lunch has become one of the most exclusive restaurants in the Balearic Islands.

 

Girls at Formentera

When getting Formentera is always time for a picture

Sunset

 

You can’t miss watching the sunset from Illetes beach. I recommend getting a spot as closer to La Savina as possible to get the best possible perspective.

 

on the way back to Ibiza

In September is possible to enjoy the sunset on the way back to Ibiza on our spectacular day charter Ibiza Formentera

 

Things to do in Formentera – Es Palmador

 

It is a small island located in the northern part of Formentera, just where the beach of Illetes ends.

 

There are no constructions other than a house in the northern part. It belongs to the same people who own the island. Yes, it is a private island, but fortunately, the legislation does not allow private beaches. We can all enjoy an almost totally virgin beach that is undoubtedly one of the best you will find in the Mediterranean.

 

There are two ways to get to Espalmador Island.

 

The first one is walking Illetes Beach up to the end and then walk around one hundred meters with the water up to the waist to get Es Palamador. You can only cross from one island to the other if the sea is in good condition. Please, do not try to cross to Es Palmador if you observe waves or strong wind. Trust me, current can get very strong in this passage. Don’t forget to take water with you as there is no shops on Es Palmador Island and

 

The second way of getting Es Palmador is by contacting us.

 

You will get there lying down on the net of a beautiful Leopard 40 catamaran. The captain will take you on board the dinghy to the shore of this spectacular and virgin paradise. You can also jump off the catamaran and swim to the island or try our Stand Up Paddle Surf.

 

Anchored in Es Palmador

Anchored in Es Palmador. What a spot!

 

Things to do in Formentera – Get lost in nature

 

Follow my advice and do not follow a map. 🙂

 

Small dusty roads will lead you to beautiful stunning spots. Just go with the flow.

 

Getting lost in nature is a perfect way to discover this tiny beautiful island.

 

When I spend some time on the island, this is without a doubt, my favorite of all the things to do in Formentera.

 

It’s amazing that, no matter how many times I go, I always discover a new spot that I love.

 

Things to do in Formentera – Get yourself a present

 

Make your holidays memorable by hiring a catamaran for a day, a weekend, or more.

Discover the beauty of Ibiza and Formentera away from the masses.

 

Our private skippered day charter Ibiza to Formentera is Charters Eleven most demanded charter.

 

Meeting in south Ibiza to sail on a beautiful 40 feet Leopard catamaran strait to the Caribbean, and back to Ibiza after discovering the exclusive little island of Formentera, is an experience you can’t miss. You will enjoy it from start to end. That is guaranteed!

 

Swim, snorkel, laugh, sunbathe, sail, drink, dance, eat, lounge around, jump, paddle surf, and much more… all of this in just one day charter to Formentera without the assle to move around!

Es calo beach

This customer is really enjoying one of  Formentera’s spots that can only get reached by boat.

 

If you want to fully discover the island of Formentera, you will need more than one day charter.Our week charter Ibiza Formentera will take you to every spot of those Mediterranean pearls.

 

Everything is included in our price. Forget to pay extra for fuel, taxes, skipper, etc.

Just bring your food, drinks, and a big smile!

You won’t get enough of it and will want to repeat the experience each summer.

 

Curiosities about Formentera

Small Italy

 

As soon as you step on the island of Formentera, you will realize that there are plenty of Italian people. Actually, it looks more like an Italian island than a Spanish island. It is more usual to hear Ciao! than Hola!

 

Why is that?

 

In the 70s, while hippies from all over the world were lazing on Illetes beach, Italian people were smart enough to start buying as much land as they could for very little money. It started to get quite famous in Italy and nowadays is number one destination in Italy.

 

Meanwhile in Spain, Formentera was still a remote island quite too far to pay attention to.

 

Musicians Inspiration

 

It is said that artists like Bob Dylan and bands as Pink Floyd and King Crimsom got inspired by the island vibes. King Crimson even named a theme “Formentera Lady.

 

Others like Bob Marley himself got here following the green dense smell that he loved.

 

They all used to gather in places like The Blue Bar (Migjorn beach), or La Fonda Pepa (San Ferran). There are still photos of that wonderful musical era and its musicians hanging on its walls .

 

Last time I was at the Fonda Pepa, there were still some pictures of these musical myths from the 70s. Young people won’t pay attention to it, but if you are one of mine, you will be happy to know that in the same bar where you are having a beer, Mr. Roger Waters, together with his great enemy David Gilmour, had one too.

 

There is a place in San Ferran that I love. With Formentera Guitars you can learn how to create your own electric guitar or Bass guitar. You come with nothing and you leave with your own Electric guitar.

How cool is that?

 

A hippie Island

 

Well, the hippies were actually the first tourists of the island in the early 60s.

 

Soon their lifestyle began to be not much appreciated among the locals. It was a remote island at that time, and people were very closed-mindedness. Remember that dictator Franco was still hard at work on the Spanish peninsula.

 

In the late 60s, a chase against the long-haired men began. Formentera people and the local police looked for hippies at night among pine trees and beaches where they used to sleep. Gathering them all to take them off the Island.

 

Today nobody denies the contribution of those young people, most of them wealthy university students, who helped spread all over the world the charms of Formentera as a natural and authentic tourist destination.

 

The bicycle island

 

That is how the island was called before it started to be world-wide famous.

 

In the 60s, there were no cars on the island. The Bicycle was the number one way of moving around the island.

 

Nowadays, the island still with no traffic lights and roundabouts are in charge of regulating traffic, mostly motorcycles.

White sand and Crystal turquoise waters

 

Those are the reason why Formentera is so famous and one of the most touristic places in Spain.

But why Formentera has these spectacular crystal-clear waters? 

 

Well, Formentera island is surrounded by Posidonia meadows.

 

This magical plant works as a filter and cleans and purifies the water to give it the incredible transparency that you can see in all the pictures taken in Formentera.

 

When our guests ask me what that seaweed is? I answer it is  Posidonea Oceanica and …

It is the reason why you have choosen Formentera for your vacations!

 

Tourism and Formentera

 

Anyone who has sets foot on Formentera in the middle of August has probably wonder how this tiny island with so many people on it does not sink.

 

Like any other world-famous tourist site, Formentera is hijacked by tourism. Tourism is the activity that makes its inhabitants prisoners but is also needed to survive. 

 

Without tourism, there is no way to survive in Formentera. The island lives exclusively on the crowded ferries that arrive every summer day at the Savina pier. Perhaps too many for what the island can ecologically support.

 

Nowadays, some measures have been taken. Although there are insufficient, is a step towards getting a better balance between tourism and ecological sustainability. 

 

The Balearic government has to understand that money is not everything. If they allow to destroy the island building houses and more houses, if more and more cars are allowed to come to the island, if anchoring in Posidonia is not seriously controlled… then Formentera will lose all its charm and will become just another tourist spot destroyed by a hunger for money. If you don’t believe me…let’s talk in 20 years and see. I am, unfortunately, convinced of it.

 

 

Hoteliers and business people are also doing their part by raising prices every year to make it an exclusive island. At this rate, soon only Football players and Rock stars would afford a weekend in Formentera.

 

If you do not belong to one of these two privileged groups, you better hurry up and Contact us! 😉

 

Thank you for reading this Best things to do in Formentera. I hope it will help you to discover tiny and beautiful island.

 

Do not hesitate, come to Formentera and enjoy it!!

 

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