Walk to dinner
Town hotel
Sant Francesc or Sant Ferran. Shops, cafés and buses at the door; the beaches are a short ride.
Before the beach
First the boat. Then the bike.
Formentera is about 19 km long and has no airport. Everyone arrives by ferry at La Savina, and most people get around by bike. The north is a sand spit in a natural park, the east rises to a plateau, and the south ends at a lighthouse.
Five-star first
Where to
Where to
wake up.
Sorted by guest rating. Every booking through IMPT funds one tonne of verified CO₂ offset.
The island, pinned where it is.
Pins mark each place at its real position on Formentera. Tap one for its side of the island, its distance from La Savina, where the ferry docks, and a photo.
Three ways to sleep on the island.
Sand at the step
Beach hotel
On the sand at Es Pujols, Migjorn or Cala Saona. Pick the coast first.
Inland, among the fig trees
Finca
Old farmhouses and small rural stays among stone walls. Quiet nights; plan on a bike or a scooter.
By compass
Four corners, one small island.
Read them top to bottom. The picture follows whichever coast is in front of you.
The spit
La Savina, the lagoons and the long sand finger of Ses Illetes and Llevant, inside the natural park.
La Savina · Ses Illetes · Es PujolsThe sunset cove
Cala Saona, red cliffs and the open sea to the west. The best sunsets on the island.
Cala SaonaThe cape and the long beach
Platja de Migjorn runs for kilometres, and the road south ends at the Barbaria lighthouse.
Migjorn · Cap de BarbariaLa Mola
The island rises to a plateau of farms and pine, with a lighthouse on the cliffs and boat houses below at Es Caló.
La Mola · Es CalóThings to do, coast by coast.
South·Sunset
Cap de Barbaria at sunset
A lighthouse on a bare cape at the end of the road.
North·Early morning
Ses Illetes
A thin sand spit inside the natural park, with famously clear water. Best before the day boats arrive.
Coastwide·Summer
Snorkel over posidonia
The meadows that keep the water clear. Look, don't anchor.
Island-wide·All year
Cycle the green routes
Signposted tracks across farmland, pine and salt flats.
East·Morning
La Mola lighthouse
Cliffs, pine and a lighthouse on the plateau.
East·Wednesdays and Sundays in season
El Pilar de la Mola market
Crafts and local produce on the plateau, in season.
East·All year
The boat houses at Es Caló
Wooden slipways and fishing boats in a tiny harbour.
West·Evenings
Sunset at Cala Saona
Red cliffs, a sandy cove and an open view west.
North·All year
Birds at the lagoons
Estany Pudent and the salt pans, inside the natural park.
Area matcher
Tell us what you came for. We'll rank the areas.
Pick one or more. Areas score one point per match; ties go to the one closer to the airport.
Protected land and sea
The island you came for is a protected one.
The north is part of the Ses Salines Natural Park, and the posidonia meadows around the island are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here is how to visit them and leave them as you found them.
Land · Blog
The Pitiusan lizard
A species found only here and on Ibiza.
Natural park · Area
Ses Illetes and the spit
A sand spit inside the natural park.
Nature · Thing to do
Cap de Barbaria at sunset
A lighthouse at the end of the road.
Green travel · Guide
Travelling lightly on Formentera
Bikes, green routes, posidonia and water.
When to go
Pick a month. See the island in it.
Sea temperature and sunset are typical mid-month figures, not forecasts. The dot marks the month you are in.
January
15°Csea, around mid-month
17:45sunset, local time
Low season. Quiet and mild. Many places close; the villages stay open.
On the island this monthSant Antoni, 17 January: blessing of animals in the villages
February
14°Csea, around mid-month
18:20sunset, local time
Low season. Cool, bright days and empty beaches. Good cycling weather.
On the island this monthAlmond and fig trees in the interior
March
14°Csea, around mid-month
18:50sunset, local time
Low season. Hotels begin to reopen. Wildflowers along the green routes.
On the island this monthThe green routes at their best
April
16°Csea, around mid-month
20:25sunset, local time
Shoulder. Warm in the sun, cool in the sea. Ferries get busier.
On the island this monthEaster in Sant Francesc
May
18°Csea, around mid-month
20:55sunset, local time
Shoulder. The season opens and the water starts to warm.
On the island this monthMooring buoys go in over the meadows
June
22°Csea, around mid-month
21:20sunset, local time
High season. The longest days of the year. The sea warms fast.
On the island this monthNit de Sant Joan, 23 June: bonfires and music
July
25°Csea, around mid-month
21:15sunset, local time
Peak season. Busy everywhere. Book ferries and bikes early.
On the island this monthFestes in Sant Ferran and on La Mola
August
26°Csea, around mid-month
20:45sunset, local time
Peak season. The warmest sea and the busiest month.
On the island this monthSant Jaume, 25 July to early August: the island festival
September
25°Csea, around mid-month
20:00sunset, local time
High season. The sea is still warm and the day boats thin out.
On the island this monthThe best month for snorkelling over posidonia
October
22°Csea, around mid-month
19:15sunset, local time
Shoulder. Quieter, still swimmable. Clear light for photographs.
On the island this monthCycling weather returns
November
19°Csea, around mid-month
17:45sunset, local time
Low season. A locals' island. Check which places are open.
On the island this monthPosidonia leaves wash up and protect the beaches
December
16°Csea, around mid-month
17:35sunset, local time
Low season. Mild and quiet. Sant Francesc stays open year-round.
On the island this monthChristmas lights in Sant Francesc
Before you book.
Rules and timetables change. Each answer says where to check the current version.
Can I drive to Ses Illetes?
Vehicle access to the spit is controlled in summer, with a fee and limited parking. Cycling is easier.
Is there a tourist tax (Formentera)?
Yes. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night by your accommodation; check the Balearic government site for current rates.
Is a day trip enough (Formentera)?
It shows you a beach. A night or two shows you the island after the day boats leave.
When is the sea warm enough (Formentera)?
Most people find it comfortable from June to October, with the warmest water in August.
What is there to see in Sant Francesc Xavier?
Sant Francesc Xavier is the capital and stays open year-round. Its centre is built around the fortified 18th-century church, which was raised as a refuge and still anchors the village. The surrounding streets hold the island council, small shops and cafés that serve residents outside the season. It is a practical base for buses and a calm place to start a walk. Check the Consell de Formentera for current opening times.
Can you walk or cycle around Formentera?
Formentera is small and mostly flat, about 19 km long, and signposted green routes (circuits verds) link beaches, villages and the lighthouses. Walking and cycling are practical ways to cross the island, though summer heat and exposed stretches demand water and early starts. Bicycles can be hired in the main villages, and many businesses close roughly November to April. Check the Consell de Formentera for route maps and current conditions.
What is posidonia and why does it matter around Formentera?
Posidonia oceanica is a flowering seagrass found only in the Mediterranean. The meadows between Ibiza and Formentera are part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing, and they clear the water and help hold the sand in place. Anchoring over the meadows is regulated under a Balearic decree, with mooring buoys installed in some bays in summer. Check the Balearic government and the Consell de Formentera before dropping anchor.
What can you see at La Mola and Cap de Barbaria?
La Mola is a plateau in the east, about 190 m high, with the Far de la Mola lighthouse at its edge. Cap de Barbaria is the southern cape, also marked by a lighthouse, with open, wind-shaped ground and little shade. Both are exposed places to walk, so carry water and check the weather. Access roads are narrow in places; check the Consell de Formentera for current conditions.
