If you are wondering what to see in Formentera in 1 day to plan your trip, this guide will help you a lot, especially because you can choose the activities and places according to your tastes.
But we are sure that spending the day in Formentera, an island of tropical charm and beauty, will be a renewing and very exciting experience for every member of the family.
Tips to see Formentera in 1 day
- If you want to make the most of your day in Formentera, the most efficient way is to visit the island during a visit to the neighboring island of Ibiza. Seeing Formentera in 1 day is very easy if you are on the island of Ibiza, as you are only half an hour by boat from Formentera.
- We recommend you to get up early in the morning and be at the maritime station of Ibiza around 8.00h (or earlier, if you want to get to Formentera early).
- Upon arrival at the port of La Savina (Formentera) is interesting to arrange transportation: you will find several car rental companies, motorcycles and bicycles, choose the one that interests you. We recommend that you arrange this as soon as you arrive. From there you can start moving around the island.
- The most logical is to spend the day at the beach and in the afternoon take the opportunity to visit some mythical locations of Formentera, such as:
- The Lighthouse of La Mola and the famous flea market of La Mola
- The area of Barbaria and the famous Lighthouse of Barbaria
- Some of the villages of Formentera
- In the afternoon, you can’t miss a classic: the sunset in Formentera or visit one of the locations you will find in this guide.
- Depending on the day you visit Formentera, you will have several activities available.
- Wednesdays and Sundays: you have the flea market in La Mola.
- Tuesday night: Sant Ferran flea market organizes live music
- Saturday nights at 22.00h: live music at Sant Francesc Church square.
- You can return to Ibiza after dinner in Formentera, on one of the last boats available. We recommend you take a look at the return schedules in advance.
How to get to Formentera
If you are interested in seeing Formentera in 1 day, it is probably because you are on the island of Ibiza. To get to Formentera you must board one of the ferries that depart to Formentera from the Ibiza ferry station. The trip takes between half an hour and an hour, depending on the company you choose.
However, you can not only get to Formentera from Ibiza, in summer there is another port of departure, the port of Denia, which offers a boat with a journey time of about 2 hours and a half, but you will not want to
Among the ferry companies that are part of this route are:
- Balearia: is the most popular and has fast boats and car ferries.
- Aquabus: it is the cheapest if you go on foot and offers departures from other areas of Ibiza, and not only from the port of Ibiza, such as from Playa D’en Bossa or Figueretas.
- Trasmapi: has a fast ferry, whose price is somewhat higher, but the arrival is faster.
Once you embark and see the port of La Savina in the distance, you will know that you are very close to reaching this beautiful Balearic island.
Morning: Illetas
The first option to see in Formentera in 1 day are its beautiful beaches and coves, which is why the island is so popular. However, there are many beaches and coves. Which one to choose? We recommend that if you only have one day, spend it in the beach area of Illetas. Below, we show you the best beaches in the area of Illetas in Formentera..
You have probably heard a lot about Illetas beach. It is the star beach of the island of Formentera, located in the heart of the Natural Park of Ses Salines de Formentera. If you like walking, you can reach this beach on foot from the port of La Savina, it will not take more than 40 minutes, so we recommend it for day visits to Formentera. Illetes beach has calm, transparent and turquoise blue waters that are the envy of many other beaches in the Mediterranean. The main reason is the
Posidonia oceanica
the marine plant that is the key to the marine ecosystem of Formentera and responsible for the quality of the water throughout the island. In fact, it is its waters that attract the camera lenses in summer when tourists arrive, and you too will surely take a postcard of these unique waters. Illetas beach is 500 meters long, which guarantees that you can get a spot, although we advise you to arrive early because it can fill up very quickly (hence in our recommendations on what to see in Formentera in 1 day we must insist that you arrive early in the morning, especially in high season).
In the same area of Illetas, but on the east side, is the Levante beach. Levante beach is very exposed to the open sea, which means that its depth increases rapidly with just a few steps. This makes its waves choppy, so it is perfect if you are a good swimmer. In addition, if you stand on one of the higher areas around the beach, you will be able to see the beautiful turquoise blue color fading to a dark blue in a few meters. The Levante Beach has SOS service, with sun loungers and umbrellas for rent. It also has restaurants and beach bars and is a beach where nudism is frequently practiced.
If you continue walking north along the isthmus of Illetas you will reach the area of Es Trucadors, a totally virgin sandy tongue with many corners to plant the towel. In this area you will also feel at home if you like to practice nudism.
If you do not want to spend your day in Formentera in the area of Illetas, you can also go directly to some area of Migjorn. In this case, the best known cove in all of Formentera is probably
Caló des Mort
and it can also be a good idea to spend the day there.
Afternoon: Sant Francesc and Cap de Barbaria
After spending the whole morning at the beach, perhaps it is a good idea to stroll around the capital of Formentera, Sant Francesc. In this village you will find cafes, restaurants and a flea market that operates in the morning and afternoon. From here, you are halfway to the Cap de Barbaria area, where you can visit its lighthouse and enjoy the sunset.
In Jaume I street and Isidor Macabich street you can find this market that is open in the mornings and afternoons every day. There, you can buy jewelry or accessories that are ideal to bring a detail to friends and family waiting for you at home.
In Sant Francesc you also have the largest church in Formentera and also the oldest: its construction was completed in 1738. As a curiosity, you should know that this church also functioned as a place of defense against pirates and bandits who used to assault unprotected islands. At that time, the Church of Sant Francesc had loopholes in the roof and the upper part of its doors, where cannons and artillery guns were placed for protection.
The lighthouse of Barbaria is the most famous of the lighthouses of Formentera. It is located in the southern area, known as Cap de Barbaria, about 78 meters above sea level, and is in perfect physical condition and in working order.
The area where it is located is famous for the beauty of its landscape and natural environment, but access by vehicle is not allowed, so you must walk or access by bicycle. It is also a well-known meeting point for those who want to enjoy a sunset. In the area you also have two very interesting and picturesque places: the defense tower des Garroveret, with almost 300 years of history, and the Cova Foradada, a cave that opens onto a balcony overlooking the sea.
At night: Sant Ferran and Es Pujols
The towns of San Ferran and Es Pujols are the most active at night on the island of Formentera. That is why, after sunset, a very good idea may be to go to one of these two villages to have dinner and enjoy their flea markets.
The area of Es Pujols is a tourist area with a high concentration of Italian tourism. However, it offers a great gastronomic offer, with a wide variety of restaurants of all kinds, and also a street market that is open every day at night. The area of Es Pujols is also known for its great nightlife.
On the other hand, the village of Sant Ferran also has its own flea market, in this case specialized in art, which is in operation every day except Wednesdays. The San Ferrán square is a place where tourists and visitors, as well as locals living in Formentera, gather at night.
Either of these two villages are the place to go after sunset on Formentera, making them the perfect place to end your day trip to the island.
Don’t forget to check the schedules of the last boat back to Ibiza: there are usually boats late into the night, but if you want to be sure, ask at the ticket office when you buy your ticket or take a printed schedule with you.
