More about: Day Trips to Formentera from Ibiza
Formentera is an island full of wonders that has a very special place in the imaginary of the hippie culture in Spain. Strolling along its beaches at sunset, it is easy to understand why so many people fell in love with this island and left everything behind for a simpler life without the burden of modern life (and without electricity, as until the late 60's there was not even electricity in Formentera).
Taking a boat trip to Formentera from Ibiza isa beautiful experience to include in your Balearic Islands vacations, and discover this little paradise in the Mediterranean.
1. Excursion to Formentera from Ibiza by boat with everything included
Once you arrive in Ibiza, the incredible atmosphere of the island, its routes and its beautiful coves put you under a spell that is impossible to resist. But visiting Formentera will undoubtedly be one of the most beautiful experiences of your trip and a perfect complement to your getaway to Ibiza.
What this experience includes
Before sailing to Formentera, you will make a tour of the highlights of Ibiza, and on the way to the neighboring island you will stop in the middle of the sea to enjoy a splendid day snorkeling, swimming in the waves, jumping down the boat's slide or relaxing in the sun on an inflatable flamingo.
Lunch is included in the price of the excursion and will be served on board the boat: a four-course menu of homemade food, where you can choose between a plate of paella or a vegan hamburger, with wine, ice-cold beer, and dessert of ensaimada and greixonera, the typical cake of the island.
Upon arrival in Formentera, you can explore on your own and return to Ibiza mid-afternoon or at sunset to watch the sunset from the boat and end the day in an unforgettable way.
2. What you will see on this excursion
The itinerary of the experience, composed of the most beautiful places of Ibiza and Formentera (which you can visit at your own pace to discover all its corners), will take you to a beautiful full day getaway. Here is the detailed itinerary of the excursion with each stop:
Ses Salines Beach
The best known beach in Ibiza for its crystal clear waters and its most exclusive beach bars, with sandstone carvings in the remains of a quarry from which the material was extracted to build the walls of the capital of Ibiza.
Es Cavallet
A beach of white sand and turquoise water, the first nudist beach in Spain and an old strategic enclave where the defense tower of Ses Portes is located. This place is one of the best known in Europe for celebrating gay culture, where thousands of members of the collective come every summer as a meeting point.
You will pass by the beach on the boat and you can admire the beauty of its wide and colorful coastline.
Atlantis
Atlantis is an old quarry from which the stone was extracted to build the walls of Dalt Vila, the fortification of the city of Ibiza.
The cuts in the rock created a peculiar hidden cove that was a popular gathering place for hippies in the 1970s: you can still find Buddha figures carved into the rock, inscriptions and paintings in a dreamlike and almost alien landscape, where the rocks cut and shaped by erosion have created a place of fantasy.
Es Vedra
The island of Es Vedrà is a place of mystery and legends. At first glance, it is a place from which to watch a wonderful sunset and breathe peace, but what the eyes do not perceive is that it is the third place with the greatest magnetic force on the face of the Earth, followed by the North Pole and the Bermuda Triangle.
It is not only a magical place according to science, but also according to legends and stories: it is said that here inhabited the sirens that attacked the ship of Ulysses on his journey home at the end of the Trojan War, and if you ask any fisherman in the area surely can claim to have seen something strange or unexplained sailing at night around the islet of Es Vedrà.
Either because of the magic that this place transmits or because you can't resist trying to unveil its secrets, Es Vedrà is a place you can't miss on a trip to Ibiza. During the excursion, you will border it on the boat to have a unique perspective of this place.
Jondal Cove
This place is the opposite of what you would expect from a cove: it is a beach in a beautiful setting, hidden behind a small cliff, which of course is one of the favorite places for the locals of the island to dock their yacht.
Despite the hustle and bustle of boats that gather in Cala Jondal, it still offers a beautiful view from the boat, which you will have the opportunity to enjoy on this excursion.
Es Cubells
This charming village located on the edge of a cliff south of Ibiza has some beautiful coves at its feet. Platja des Cubells, Ses Boques and Cala Llentrisca do not get all the visits they deserve, as they are small pieces of paradise within reach.
You will pass by this beautiful place on board the boat and you will even go to one of the coves to take a refreshing swim before having lunch and heading to Formentera.
Ses Illetes Beach
You will arrive in Formentera and visit Ses Illetes beach, the most iconic and well-known of the island, and an appetizer of the beauty you will find in this corner of the Mediterranean.
Vibrant turquoise waters, contrasting with the white of the sand, and a promise of tranquility with its calm waves: I could describe this beach in a hundred ways and none would come close to conveying the almost impossible beauty of this place. I guess you'll have to visit it to experience it.
Espalmador Island
Espalmador is a completely unspoiled island located off the north coast of Formentera. Carefully preserved and protected as part of the Natural Park of Ses Salines de Ibiza and Formentera, this island is a beautiful sight from the surrounding waters.
The island's beaches, free of human footprint, are its great treasure, the most beautiful of which is Platja de S'Alga. Espalmador is also visited for its mud with healing properties, which bathers smear on to enjoy its qualities.
At 16:45 in the afternoon, the organized excursion to Formentera will end, at which time you can head back to Ibiza or explore the island on your own until 20:00, when you will have the last opportunity to return to your hotel on the boat.
Alex's Traveller Tip
One of the most special places in Formentera is, for me, the lighthouse of La Mola. Watching the sunset from there is a beautiful experience and the walk along the cliff to get to the lighthouse is totally worth it.
3. Why I recommend this experience
Formentera is a place of peace and natural beauty, which can offer a certain contrast compared to its big sister, Ibiza, which is more developed and adapted to international tourism. The great advantage of this organized excursion to Formentera from Ibiza is that you will know the most beautiful of both places in a very complete tour in which to have fun and relax.
It is a perfect place for a day trip as you will be able to cover it in a very short time (there are no more than 20 kilometers from one end of the island to the other) and bathe your eyes in the stunning blue color that surrounds Formentera.
During the time you will have to explore Formentera, you can go to Cap de Barbaria to watch the sun start to set or take a stroll around Cala Saona.
4. Preparing your own excursion to Formentera from Ibiza
As an alternative to the organized excursion I recommend, you can visit Formentera on your own. You won't visit some of Ibiza's most iconic places from the boat and you will miss some unique views of both islands, but you can enjoy the route you decide at your own pace.
Ferry
The first thing you will need is ferry tickets to get to Formentera from Ibiza. The trip between the two islands is about 45 minutes, and the ferry leaves every hour from the port of Ibiza.
You can buy tickets for the trip at the port itself, but places per ferry are limited so my recommendation is to book them in advance online, which will also save you some money and a lot of stress.
Another option is to take the Aquabus, with a ticket price of about 20 € per person. It departs from the Port of Ibiza, Figueretas beach and from Playa d'en Bossa beach.
How to get around Formentera
For a full day trip around Formentera, I recommend renting some kind of vehicle. It doesn't have to be complicated, a bicycle will do, but here are some options available at the island's port.
- By car or motorcycle: You can rent a small car, or a Jeep if you feel like a little more adventure, but honestly exploring Formentera by motorcycle or bicycle is unparalleled. The roads lend themselves to this as they are quite easy to navigate and enjoying the sea breeze and the sun as you ride along them is a unique sensation.
- By bike: Riding a bike allows you to ride along the bike lanes and even go off the road at times. As long as you don't mind pedaling for a full day, it is the most ecological and respectful way to tour Formentera and the good thing is that you can stop at any time to take a dip in the sea to cool off.
Itinerary
Here you have a small guide of the most worthwhile places in Formentera:
- Faro del Cap de Barbaria: The most beautiful viewpoint of the island, although not so much for its surroundings, if not for its breathtaking views.
- Cala Saona: The bay of Saona hides among its pine forests one of the most beautiful coves of the island. Its crystal clear waters and its small beach bar make it an ideal place to rest before continuing the excursion.
- Es Pujols: A small fishing village turned into a refuge of the "Flower Power". Its small stores, bars, restaurants and stalls seem not to have aged a single day since the 70s, and will transport you directly to the hippie era.
- Ses Portes Tower: A small watchtower anchored in time, from where you can see the island of Espalmador.
- Ses Illetes Beach: This beach is the description of paradise, with its transparent waters and fine, pristine sand. It is located on a stretch of land on the north coast of Formentera.
Whether on an organized excursion or on your own, visiting Formentera from Ibiza is a treat for the senses. Just a word of warning: once you swim in its waters, you'll want to come back.