Formentera

Introducing Formentera

(Almost) get away from it all on Formentera, a tiny Balearic island that’s big on beauty. Icing sugar sand dunes and whitewashed villages are punctuated with green pine forests and the brightest of turquoise seas you’ll see this side of the Indian Ocean. The boutique hotels that have popped up in the old fishing towns mean Formentera has its own understated, unflashy brand of glamour. It’s little wonder A-listers hide away here.

Things to do

BEACHES
#nofilterneeded could have been conjured up on a Formentera beach. Picture cerulean seas and bleached blonde sands – miles of them. Platja de Migjorn on the southern coast is true escapism territory, with little more than a handful of chiringuitos for company. As the sun goes down, the tempo increases as locals and holidaymakers come here for lowkey drinks and (occasionally) dancing.

LANDMARKS
Much of the attraction of Formentera is that there’s very little to see – leaving you free to appreciate its natural beauty. But if you go to the most southerly tip of the island, you’ll find the 18th-century watchtower Torre des Garroveret and Far de Barbària. The latter is a more modern lighthouse and one of the best places to catch the sunset, sitting on the boulder-strewn clifftops.

NATURE
Formentera wears its eco-credentials proudly. So you won’t find high-rise buildings or clusters of hotels, and your rental car is likely to be electric. It means the island has a true unspoilt feel – and the best way to see it is by water. Charter a boat to skirt Formentera’s coastline and check out the yachts mooring at La Savina, or scuba dive to discover its underwater canyons and caves.

Top Tip from SLH

No airport means you’ll arrive on Formentera by sea – and in style. Catch the right water taxi from Ibiza and you’ll be whisked across the waves, champagne in hand.