Things To Do in Formentera

Espalmador is a tiny uninhabited islet anchored just off the northern tip of Formentera. On a calm day you can wade across the sand flats, but there’s a boat from La Savina to Espalmador, too. And it’s worth the effort of getting there. It’s home to an 18th-century watchtower called Torre de sa Guardiola, as well as some of the most beautiful beaches around.

Platja de Migjorn is Formentera’s superbeach – its sands spread 5 kilometres along the south coast. The middle section is classic wild Formentera, with salt flats and grassy dunes. You’ll find a livelier pulse at either end – Platja de Migjorn is bookended by bars, restaurants, and a handful of hotels. It’s easy enough to explore – just follow the wooden walkways that weave from beach to beach.

When Bob Dylan set up home here in the Sixties, he chose a 200-year-old windmill in La Mola as his base – as did some of the hippest hippies of the love generation. The diggers and dreamers came together at Bob’s windmill commune. And over the years the likes of King Crimson and Chris Rea made the pilgrimage to this inspirational spot. The place even appeared on the album cover for Pink Floyd’s More. And while the commune is long gone, the windmill still stands today, sails and all.

Guitarists make pilgrimages to this windmill every year. Set in the sleepy village of La Mola, 20 minutes from San Francisco, it’s where Bob Dylan lived in the Sixties. Back then, it was surrounded by a commune of musicians and hippies, whose main aim in life was to make the most of the love generation. If you’re well-schooled in rock and roll you’ll recognise the windmill’s silhouette from the cover of Pink Floyd’s More album.

To see Formentera from a different angle, hop aboard a boat. Trips come in every shape and size – from catamaran lessons to Ibiza daytrips. Plus, nearby Freus Marine Reserve is perfect for a spot of boat-side snorkelling. There’s plenty to see closer to home, too. It takes around 4 hours to circuit Formentera, taking in sun-bleached beaches and sheer cliffs.

This horseshoe-shaped bay in San Francisco comes with soft white sands and clear, shallow waters, and it’s framed by striking red rocks. It’s popular with families, who come here for the warm, paddle-friendly sea. If you fancy some privacy, head to the rocky inlets just around the cove.

Formentera was once the salt cellar of Europe. It was the Phoenicians who first harvested the island’s salt, which is left behind when hot weather causes the seawater to evaporate. For the next few centuries, the island’s white gold was sold internationally. Today, the salt pans are part of a national park, and home to all sorts of wading birds, like flamingos.

The land around Formentera’s 3 lighthouses offers up front-row seats to the island’s most impressive views. Es Cap, La Savina and La Mola all look out over the seemingly endless ocean. La Mola, on the island’s south coast, is one of the oldest lighthouses. Balancing on the brink of a sheer cliff face, it’s a great place to watch the sunrise.

This broad, sandy beach is backed by vast sand dunes, and you’ll find a few rocky islands just offshore. It’s one of the liveliest swathes on Formentera, thanks to watersports such as windsurfing, kayaking and cat sailing. There’s also a nearby promenade bubbling with cafés, shops and restaurants.

La Mola Craft Market has a flower power vibe. Stalls and trinket-covered blankets ring a square that’s reserved for Janis Joplin sound-a-likes. Potential souvenirs include bicycle baskets, tie-dyed t-shirts, beaded bracelets, and woven-soled sandals. Check out La Mola’s market on Wednesdays and Sundays, between May and October – it‘s over on Formentera’s west side.

This southern stretch of coastline has clear, turquoise waters, and its pale sands unroll for 6 kilometres, making it the longest on the island. Some parts are scattered with craggy rocks, and there are swathes where you won’t see another soul for miles. If you get peckish, pop into one of the chiringuito bars lined up behind the sands.

Falling around midsummer, this festival is held as an ode to the sun. To commemorate the solar strength, towns and villages around Formentera host bonfire parties. It’s tradition for everyone at the celebration to throw something old into the flames, to make room for something new in their lives. El Pilar hosts one of the biggest bonfires in Formentera.

Check out the festival of La Virgen del Carmen in La Savina where the Virgin, the patron saint of seafarers, is honoured with a parade of boats. At the end of the procession the boats are blessed right on the water.

Formentera has a handful of ancient ruins to its name and it’s worth checking out freshly restored ones like Can Blai. This Roman fortress was on a mission to protect Ibiza from marauding pirates – the sandstone foundations still trace 5 watchtowers. The ruins are anchored on the hill between La Savina and La Mola, so you get swooping views over the coastline, too.

Ca Na Costa is Formentera’s answer to Stonehenge. It’s nowhere near as big, but it’s almost as old. Dating back to 2,000 BC, this stone circle, on the outskirts of Es Pujols, is thought to have been built by the island’s first inhabitants. The ruins here were discovered in 1974, and along with the rock structures, weapons and skeletons were found among the remains.

Formentera isn’t really made for exploring by car. This is the island of the bicycle, and cycle tracks are everywhere. You’ll find bike lanes on all the main roads, plus green routes to help you explore the countryside. Add to that the fact the island is small, flat and largely an asphalt-free zone, and it’s easy to see why a bike is the favoured mode of transport. It’s cheap, too. Daily bike hire costs around £5.

When there’s a beach party on Formentera, it’s usually to be found on Es Pujols. The banana-shaped sands fill up with a mixed bag of partiers – from shape-throwing clubbers to flower-crowned bohemians. Drop by Es Pujols on a regular day and you’ll still find a place to party. Clubs and bars speckle the town’s prom and warren of backstreets.

This week of dance tutorials and shows is conducted by tango maestros. Trailing the evening ‘milonga’ parties is a great way to tour the island, too. The fiesta hops from private houses, to huge hotels, to bars right on Platja de Migjorn beach.

The Freus Marine Reserve has been crowned a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the first natural site in the Med to clinch the title. Its best bits are seen through a dive mask – seahorses and neon starfish roam the seascape of caves, seagrass meadows, and wrecks here. And fish swing by in their thousands to check out the dainty sea fans. There’s loads of room for exploring, too – the reserve stretches right out to Ibiza.

From the outside, this blue-and-white beach hut-style building, 10 minutes from San Francisco, doesn’t look like anything special. But this café-come-bar is a local institution. It was the island’s original hippy hangout, attracting stars like Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan back in the day. Things haven’t changed much since it was built. Paella and cold beers are still integral to the menu, and the atmosphere is just as laid-back.

This sleepy northern village has classic Formentera written all over it, thanks to its ramshackle fishing huts and sandy coves. Ninth-century monks founded the place, using the pretty stone pier as a launch pad for shipping wood. These days Es Calo de Sant Agusti’s waterfront remains the centre of attention – blue-shuttered houses and seafood restaurants gather around it. Plus, it’s a great viewpoint for spotting Ibiza.

Hotter than London and New York’s party scenes put together, Ibiza is the place to let your hair down. Even A-listers flock here to hit the legendary dance floors of Space and Privilege. You’ll need to re-set your body clock if you’re heading for San Antonio or Ibiza Town – sleep’s strictly reserved for daytime.

The waters of Es Calo are the age-old stomping ground of local fishermen. Tiny boats set out from the rickety fishing huts every morning in search of the daily catch. Nudists have caught on to its charm too – the huge natural rocks offshore make great sundecks.

This is the island of the bicycle, so there are bike tracks everywhere. You’ll find cycle lanes on all the main roads, plus marked Green Tours to help you explore the scenic side of things. Not to mention a maze of country lanes. It’s cheap, too – daily bike hire costs around £5.