Nothing could be better to understand the essence of Formentera than travelling to the island once the influx of tourists is over and the only ones left are those who find themselves unable to part from the beauty of this paradise. It is now, in autumn, when you will find the real Formentera, that of its locals’ routines, that in which loves goes on in the midst of agricultural activities, games and sport, conversations in the squares, market days and Sunday mass.

This Formentera of tranquillity and unadulterated Mediterranean life should provide quite an energy boost for those who visit it in this time of year. It is best not to waste a single minute. The first day of the visit to this Mediterranean retreat is an invitation to switching off from everything and committing oneself to travelling through La Mola and its Pla (the plains). This area is known among locals as “the island within the island” as it has its own rhythm, routines and customs. 

It is on the plains that you will find the Formentera of past centuries, less spoiled by tourism and closer to its historical roots. It is the area of vineyards, forests and the best panoramic views to be enjoyed from the southeast of the island. It is most advisable to go by bicycle in order to take it easy. You will thus have the chance of travelling old paths, some of which do not even have room for a car. 

Such is the case of the emblematic Camí de Sa Pujada, the only path the locals used to have to reach La Mola. It is of medieval origin and it was very often used to connect the rest of the island’s towns with the area of Es Caló and Es Verro. If you want to explore the zone at some length, then you should go down to the fishing area of Es Caló, which was formerly the port of Formentera and still retains its image as a fishermen’s corner.  

Either on foot or by bicycle, you should head for the centre of Es Pilar de La Mola, one of the island’s population centres with the most natural attractiveness: located in the east, on the highest point of the isle, it only contains 30 houses, a little church named after the Virgin it honours and a small square. 

Although small, this village was visited by such noted characters as bob Dylan and many other internationally famous figures in the sixties, when the island’s hippie scene was at its zenith. Some of this remains nowadays, as from May to October it serves as the location for a famous hippie flea market, where you can find practically anything. It is also, of course, the location of the spectacular La Mola lighthouse, featured in the most famous postcards of Formentera. 

In Es Pilar and its spectacular territory you will find historic monuments with which you will gain a better understanding of the island’s character. One of the oldest of these is Can Blai Castle, also known as the Roman Castellum of Can Pins. Its name may be misleading: the castle is actually a site where one can only see the remains of what this construction was in the past. Historians date its origin back to the third century B.C., when the Romans ruled Formentera, and it is believed that it was never fully finished, even if one can clearly make out its plan and 5 towers.

Formentera must be experienced on land but also in the sea. The Mediterranean Sea, which bathes its shores, is a quite, crystalline sea of a turquoise blue colour that looks unreal. Although the sea is slightly rougher in autumn in certain stretches of the island’s coastline, the season is nevertheless a good one for getting to know Formentera from another point of view: by kayak or boat. Either of these can be rented without any problem and at a good price in practically any port or beach on the island, and one should also mention the catamarans, which include organized group excursions.  

If you want a simple and ideal excursion, with a partner or with your family, for your second day in Formentera, then go on a kayak excursion, leaving Es Pujols and passing by Punta Prima until you reach the concealed En Baster Cove, discovering its beautiful cliffs, secret caves, sea beds and monuments that can be clearly seen from the water: towers, watchtowers, lighthouses… 

This excursion will provide you with in-depth knowledge of the secret coves, the traditional fishing jetties and the sand Stone quarries that used to incessantly produce dry Stone for homes and all kinds of buildings on the island. If you do not want to complicate matters, plan the journey with a long stopover in the En Baster Cove and a return to Es Pujols early in the evening. In this small cove, with its small boulders, you may enjoy a quiet swim in the Mediterranean, which is still mild in temperature, and even practice nudism. 

But if you have come to Formentera to make the most if it and experience myriad adventures, we suggest you sail by kayak from Es Pujols – or from the nautical schools you will find in La Savina Port – to the islet of S’Espalmador. 

This small island, which stands right in front of Ibiza, measures a mere 3 km in length and is privately owned (reportedly costing 42,500 pesetas in 1932!). It is so close to Formentera that you can get there walking through Es Pas des Trucadors when the tide is low and the sea is calm, but on days when the sea is rough – which is common enough in autumn – one should not take the risk. To sail by kayak, one should simply make sure that there are no strong winds or currents leading to rough waters. If such are the conditions, then do not hesitate to discover this Mediterranean treasure.  

In S’Espalmador you can treat yourself to the best retreat for your visit: the island has two almost uninhabited beaches where one can freely practice nudism. The closest to Formentera is the Racó de S’Alga beach while the other one is that of Sa Torreta, which is smaller and more concealed as one can only access it by travelling through the whole islet or by sea. 

One of the main assets of S’Espalmador, in addition to its crystalline waters, lies in its mud lagoon. You will have heard many stories about this corner of the islet as many tourists believe that the mud of its depths is good for the skin and should therefore cover themselves in it from head to toe. The reality is quite different: the S’Espalmador lagoon is a strictly protected zone due to its richness for the maintenance of the system and access to it is forbidden because its mud contains a high number of bacteria that are not suitable for contact with the skin.  This means that you will have to do without the typical photographed mud bath scene in Formentera, but you can still admire its amazing countryside and discover the various colours that tinge its waters with the passing hours of the day.  

The last day should be saved to discover the capital of Formentera and its surroundings. In this plan you will be able to combine nature, trekking, a bit of history and, of course, the typical gastronomy of the island’s interior part. The route goes along the old road the joins Sant Francesc Xavier to Porto salé and will take you through sites full of orchards, cereal farms, olive trees and the emblematic fig trees of Formentera.

Take advantage of the morning to wander around Sant Francesc. Since this is the capital and the island’s main administrative nucleus, it gathers the main buildings, monuments and art centres of Formentera, as well as the most complete services, whether it be regarding food, sport, health or leisure. 

Go to the la Plaça de la Constitució square, the centre of the town and treat yourself to a traditional breakfast of the sort the locals call berenar, which is practically comparable to a snack in any part of Europe. You can choose (or combine) toasted bread with oil and tomato, typical cold cuts  (botifarró, sobrasada, camaiot, ham, cheese…) and toast with assorted marmalades. The best are the homemade marmalades made from figs or Formentera honey.  

In this central point, you should not miss the chance to visit one of the capital’s essential monuments: the church of Sant Francesc, an iconic eighteenth century building; the Tanca Vella chapel and the Ethnological Museum of Formentera. Following this cultural and historical apex, plunge yourself into the paths that will take you to the rural zones of the capital’s surroundings. Take the Camí Vell of Porto salé, starting from the Jardí de Ses Eres garden, the small square behind the church of Sant Francesc which is also the place where the town’s main outdoor cultural events are organized. 

A few steps away, you will find one of the most characteristic elements of the interior part of Formentera: its flower mills. The island, apart from large cereal fields, also has its own mills for transforming grain. Those you will see before you are the Mills of Sa Miranda. Since the first is not open to the public, you should go to the second one, the Molí d’En Jeroni, which is one of the best-preserved of the 7 flour mills there are in the whole of Formentera. On the outside, one can see the millstones and the tower just as they were when it was built in the eighteenth century. 

The old Porto salé path is not only famous for its windmills but also for its views. It is actually one of the highest paths on the island and this slight elevation – a slope of some 20 metres – makes it a useful overlook for the whole area of La Savina, el Estany des Peix, all the surroundings of Ses Escoles and Ses Bardetes and the main beaches. Further away, in the background, one can make out the silhouette of the islet of Es Vedrà and Ibiza.