History
The island of Formentera has a long and illustrious history with Megalithic graves providing concrete evidence of early colonisation. A famous grave can be found at Ca Ca Costa in the popular tourist town of Es Pujols which dates back to 2000 years before the birth of Christ. In 654 BC the Carthaginians settled in Ibiza and the colony became one of the most important on the Mediterranean. However, it is believed that they never settled on the neighbouring island of Formentera. The Greeks arrived on the islands after the Carthaginians and gave Ibiza and Formentera their collective name – the Pitiuses or Pine Tree Islands.
The Romans claimed the island of Formentera as early as 200BC and constructed a fortress close to Es Calo. The walls of this ancient Roman fortress can still be seen today. A large population eventually inhabited the Roman colony, mainly growing wheat. The island became known as Frumentaria or the wheat island in Latin and is the basis for its current name.
After the Roman Empire fell in the early 5th century, a period of instability ensued as the island became the subject of many battles and authority over Formentera would change on more than one occasion. The Moors arrived in the year 711 but there were no major changes on the island until the beginning of the 10th century. The Moorish introduced new agricultural techniques to the island and it was these techniques that helped to create much of the landscape that exists today.
King Jaume I conquered Formentera in 1235 and it soon became part of the Kingdom of Aragon. It wasn’t long before Jaume II declared the new Kingdom of Mallorca and the island fell under the control of the newly formed nation. However, this was only to last for one hundred years, after which time it reverted back to the Kingdom of Aragon.
The island struggled for many years with piracy and neglect from the Spanish rulers until the 17th century when people began to settle on the island and cultivate the land. Formentera was the location of some bloody fighting during the Spanish Civil War after pledging its allegiance to the Republicans.
Population
The permanent population of the island is around 7,000 although this number increases to 30,000 in the summer months. The capital of Formentera is Sant Francesc Xavier and the largest resort is Es Pujols. Ibiza can be seen from Playa de Llevant which is also home to numerous coves.
Places to Visit
Isotel Club Maryland – Located on the south coast of the island is the large development of Maryland. The development gets its name from the Spanish word ‘mar’ meaning sea and the English word ‘land.’
San Francisco Javier – This is the major hub of the island and is also home to the island’s administration offices. There is a marvellous square which includes a parish church contructed in 1738. There is also an ancient fig tree that is said to be the oldest in the Balearics.
San Fernando – This is a beautifully sleepy Spanish village that is home to a cave full of stalactites. The cave is open to visitors.
Stinking Pool – This is known locally as the Estany pudent. Located near La Sabina, this is a saline pool that is separated from the sea by sand dunes and is almost 5km long.
La Savina – Known as the gateway to the island, this harbour is also a working port and receives ferries from neighbouring Ibiza. There are a number of bars and restaurants to enjoy as well as the stunning views of the marina. There are also a number of car rental firms here – exploring the island by car is discouraged by the island’s government however it is the best way to explore all of the island within a tight schedule.
Cuisine
The island does not have the extensive range of foreign restaurants that Majorca and Ibiza enjoys and this may put some people off. However, the island is full of authentically Mediterranean, Spanish and Balearic cuisines that offer tourists a real and authentic taste of the region. A famous local dish is called guisat which is a stew with potatoes. Many different meats and fish are included in the stew and restaurants will have their own unique twists to the traditional guisat dish. Flao is a round cake, made with soft cheese and is very popular across Formentera. Greixonera is a herb flavoured pudding and is on the menu in many of the Balearic restaurants. There is a local liqueur called frigola that is very popular with the locals and is available in most of the bars and restaurants. As in Menorca, the Formentera cheese is extremely popular and has a flavour all of its own.
There are fantastic restaurants located all around the island that specialise in seafood and fresh vegetables. Many of the locally run restaurants will offer a daily seafood special, quite often caught the same day! La Savina offers the widest range of restaurants in Formentera although there are many traditional Spanish restaurants in the capital, Sant Francesc and in Cala Sahona.
Accommodation
The incredible white sandy beaches of the island are the main attraction and the vast majority of the island’s hotels and apartments are located in the coastal towns, villages and resorts. The dunes along much of the island’s coast are protected by the local authorities, who have erected wooden walkways to protect them. The conservation measures of the Formentera government mean the island hasn’t suffered the same mass construction that has occurred on Majorca and Ibiza. Planning restrictions also prohibit tower block hotels which preserves the stunning natural and untouched look of the beaches on the island.
Weather
The island of Formentera enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. The island is smaller than the others of the Balearics so the coastal breeze is felt almost everywhere, cooling things down considerably. The island enjoys 300 days of sunshine every year and around 11 hours per day during the summer months. Humidity can be rather high in the summer with an average of 70%. Rain is extremely rare in the summer and is usually confined to the mountain areas. The average temperatures in summer are around 27-28C although it can reach the mid 30Cs at times.
Winters on Formentera are mild with average temperatures in January and February of 14C. However, for those visiting the island at this time of year it is important that warm clothes and perhaps a blanket are packed as temperatures can get close to 0C during the winter nights. Most of the island’s rain falls between October and December although rainy periods never normally last more than three days, making it unlikely that rain will affect a whole holiday. Spring is an excellent time of year to visit Formentera for people who are uncomfortable in extreme heat. Temperatures in April and May are usually around the pleasant 20C mark, with next to no rain and endless clear blue skies.
Transport
There are no trains operating on the island due to its size. Cars are discouraged by the island’s administration as much as possible. There are taxis available at the airport and at the largest resorts but for those staying in one resort, they will never be needed due to the size of the main locations. A bus service runs on the island but can be a little irregular and rarely operates after 7pm. Bus services throughout the off-season are extremely sporadic although taxis can be ordered through hotel receptions and restaurants. The most popular mode of transport on the island is the bicycle. There are numerous rental companies on Formentera that offer bicycles for extremely competitive prices. The roads aren’t particularly busy on the island so cycling is a good way to explore the coastline.
