Formentera for the first time: a basic guide to truly enjoy it

If it’s your first time in Formentera, this guide will help you understand the island, avoid common mistakes, and start enjoying it from day one. Formentera isn’t just visited: it’s lived, and doing it right makes all the difference.

🌊 What kind of island is Formentera?

Formentera is small, natural, and peaceful. There are no large hotels or massive parties. Here, everything revolves around the slow life, crystal-clear beaches, country lanes, and silence.

👉 Ideal for:

• Couples
• Quiet families
• Travelers looking to disconnect
• Nature and sea lovers

🚤 How to get to Formentera

It doesn’t have an airport.
You can get there by ferry from Ibiza (approx. 30-minute trip).

Tip:
Book the ferry in advance during peak season (June–September).

🛵 How to get around the island

Formentera is flat and easy to get around.

Options:

• Motorcycle or scooter → the most popular
• Car → ideal for families with children or for added comfort
• Electric bike → perfect for short trips

👉 In summer there are vehicle restrictions, so it’s best to book in advance.

🏖️ The beaches you can’t miss

• Ses Illetes – the most famous, with Caribbean waters
• Migjorn – long, quiet, and less crowded
• Cala Saona – ideal for sunset
• Es Caló – small, local, and full of charm.

💡 Tip: get up early or go late to avoid crowds.

🏡 Where to stay for the first time

If it’s your first visit, these areas work really well:

• Migjorn → calm, space, and long beaches
• Near Sant Francesc → more services and restaurants
• Rural area → maximum disconnection (by car)

👉 A private house or villa lets you experience the island at your own pace, without any schedules.

🍽️ Eating in Formentera

You eat well here, but it’s not all luxury:

• Simple beach bars with fresh fish
• High-quality Mediterranean restaurants
• Local produce and unpretentious cooking
• Recommendation: book in advance in summer.

🧘 Practical tips for your first trip

✔️ Don’t try to see everything
✔️ Plan only the essentials
✔️ Leave time to do nothing
✔️ Bring cash (some small places prefer it)
✔️ Respect nature and the beaches

✨ The real secret of Formentera

Formentera is not an island for rushing, making lists, or checking off plans.
It’s a place to slow down, feel the sea, and reconnect.

And when you live like that… you almost always want to go back to the island.