May, along with October, is one of the best months for coming to Formentera. It is a fantastic period, away from the summer bustle and with a mild climate which still allows you to swim in the sea. Furthermore, the island offers a multitude of cultural, sports and gastronomic activities. To further convince you, thanks to the “Discover Formentera in May” campaign, significant discounts can be obtained on shipping lines, vehicle hire and accommodation (you will find all the information you need on the official website www.formentera.es).
In Formentera we have music, culture, sport and gastronomy all year. We prepare a multitude of cultural events with first class professionals and sports events for running, swimming and competing in an unparalleled location. During the two first weekends of May, Gastronomy Weekends are organised, with the best restaurants of the island reinterpreting traditional cuisine with menus at very accessible prices. In sport, we highlight the 1st Amateur Beach Volleyball Championship, three days of volleyball in Cala Saona, an unbeatable setting. Also in May is one of the most successful sports events in Formentera, the Formentera Popular Half Marathon. Running enthusiasts will also have the Formentera To Run 8km event from the 29th of May to the 5th of June. The programme combines a week of holiday with 5 stages of running through the most spectacular areas of the island.
Formentera for families
Formentera (recognised by UNICEF as a Child Friendly City) is the destination for unforgettable holidays with children. A typical island construction within the Las Salinas Natural Reserve, a rural house in the countryside, or accommodation in one of the various urban centres, no more than a 20 minute drive from the furthest point of the island, allow all kinds of activities to be enjoyed as a family, on land and in the sea.
In Formentera our landscape is also our heritage, with walls of dry stone, fig trees supported by a unique, endemic system, the lighthouses, reservoirs and trails. We can travel most of the island by bicycle, through green routes, pine and juniper forests and its rural inland areas. We have 32 new green routes which connect the island, barely using roads, allowing the most genuine Formentera to be discovered in the most environmentally friendly way.
In the new catalogue of green routes you will find details and anecdotes of each one of the routes. Through these, we can access the island’s exceptional beaches, such as Illetes and Cavall d’en Borràs, unique for their crystal clear waters which give them the aspect of natural swimming pools. Another highly recommended walk is the camino de Es Brolls, bordering a large salt water lagoon known as Estany Pudent, a unique place where flamingos, grey herons and ducks are often seen.
Fun activities for boys and girls
Formentera is small but accessible and comfortable. We can take calm bicycle rides through different green routes, on foot through countless rural trails, and visit the broad cultural heritage spread throughout the whole island. There are a wide range of water activities by the sea, such as windsurfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, scuba diving, or simply relaxing on the idyllic beaches of white sand and coves with clear water, making the stay a unique experience.
On the island there are different active tourism companies, which offer activities and courses for boys and girls. From 4 years old, children can start watersports, such as windsurfing, sailing and kayaking. Horse riding excursions are also a good plan. The mild climate throughout the year, the terrain and the wild landscape of Formentera make the island an ideal place for horse riding. From seven years old, boys and girls can learn to dive, and from ten they can start scuba diving in the island’s three schools. One last suggestion: the Centro de Interpretación de Can Marroig offers activities for discovering the Ses Salines de Ibiza and Formentera Natural Park. You will find all the detailed information in the “Formentera as a family” catalogue, which you can download from the official tourism website www.formentera.es.
Live music for everyone
In June, in the squares of the towns of Formentera, a season of live music begins. On Thursdays, world music can be heard live in Es Pujols, on Fridays, rock can be heard in Sant Ferran, and on Saturdays, jazz can be heard in the plaza de Sant Francesc. Although it is not an activity for children, it is an area frequented by families who go out for a walk at the end of the day. Another meeting place for listening to live music are the Traditional Markets. In the central square of the La Mola Traditional Market (Wednesdays and Sundays from 16:00 to 22:00), live music can be seen, also often offered by the Sant Ferran Traditional Market on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in the evening and at night. The Traditional and Artistic Markets operate from the start of May until mid-October. Displays of local crafts can be found, such as espadrilles, jewellery, textiles, glass products, ceramics, leather, paintings and works created by artists who live on the island.
Small, fragile and sustainable
Illetes, the most famous beach of Formentera, has this year re-established its position as the best beach in Europe. Its white sand, its turquoise water and its appearance of a natural swimming pool make it a main attraction for all visitors to the island. Illetes is at the heart of the Ses Salines Natural Park, a fragile space with a delicate balance which Formentera wishes to protect. To do so, the Council of Formentera has recently made innovative decisions to avoid the deterioration of this sought after area in summer.
One of the main changes is that the entry of quadbikes into the Park has been prohibited, to avoid noise and dust in one of the most environmentally sensitive areas of the island. The access for buses has also been regulated, to make going to the Natural Park pleasant, safe and sustainable. Furthermore, to encourage sustainable mobility, 12 free electrical charging points have been installed on the island, where up to 28 electric cars can be recharged. Another of the advantages for electric vehicles is that they can park for free in La Savina and access the Formentera Natural Park for free.
More information: www.formentera.es