Formentera, Spain's Secret Island
Mediterranean Beaches and Dramatic Landscapes Away From The Crowds
If Ibiza is too busy and Mallorca too well known for you, discover the discreet charms of Formentera - the smallest of the Balearic islands.
Formentera the smallest and least known of the Balearic islands – but it has its own special charm; a variety of fine landscapes, unspoiled beaches, and a wealth of bird life.
Tourists flock to the clubs and nightlife of Ibiza. But just a short ferry ride away from the bigger island is Formentera – a quite different island with a more relaxed feel.
Es Pujols, it's true, is the archetypal Mediterranean tourist town. And you can quite happily spend your entire holiday on the beach here. Look a bit further, though, and you can still find the rural atmosphere that attracted Bob Dylan and the flower power generation in the 1960s. (You can still bathe naked on the beaches, too, though they're more crowded than they were in the 60s.)
Rent a Bike to See the Island at its Best
To get about, rent a scooter or a bicycle – and be prepared to ride on some rough stony roads; tarmac is the exception rather than the rule on the island, though the main roads are good enough.
Though Formentera's only 19 kilometres long, its landscape is varied. To the west, in Porto-salé, are stone walled fields and open heath; south, in Cap Barbaria, pinewoods and rocky cliffs. The middle of the island, including the southern beach, Playa Mitjorn, is low lying, while the east end rises precipitously to Formentera's highest point and the dramatic lighthouse at Cap de la Mola.
Between the main port, Sas Salinas, and Es Pujols, there are extensive sand dunes together with salt water lagoons. These were used as saltings until recently, and you can still see the walls built up into the middle of the lagoon.
Head to the village of Es Calo, at the furthest end of the northern beaches, and you'll find a Roman road – the Cami Romà – that runs up to the plateau of La Mola with its lighthouse. From near the top, you have a view of the whole island of Formentera spread out below.
The island was under Saracen rule till quite late in the Middle Ages, and was always exposed to raids by Saracens and pirates. So the typical building style is squat and solid; little whitewashed houses, and magnificent fortress churches like the one in the island's main town, San Francesc.
Formentera's Natural Riches
Apart from the landscape Formentera has many delights for the nature lover. The island has its own species of lizard, which rejoices in the name podarcis pityusensis. Bright green or electric blue, they're tiny and friendly; sit down in one of the pine woods near Cap Barbaria and they'll swarm all over you, if you let them. (There are no snakes in Formentera, so if you see a glimpse of a reptilian tail disappearing, or hear a rustle in the pine needles, you know it's nothing dangerous.)
There are 41 different species of birds on Formentera. Waders and other sea birds can be seen at Estany Pudent ('stinky lagoon') and Estany des Peix.
The local food is also enjoyable, particularly flao, a sweet cheesecake with mint. (The combination of mint and sugar is a reminiscence of Arab days on the island.) The baker's in San Francesc usually has this together with the doughy ensaimada, a soft spiral pastry dusted with icing sugar and often eaten for breakfast.
Formentera is becoming better known. But it will never march to the same disco beat as its neighbour Ibiza. Even if the relaxed hippies of the beatnik hangout Fonda Pepe – still going strong – are no longer typical of the island, it's still a place you'll want to hang loose and feel the vibe.
