Formentera

Formentera is known as the last Mediterranean paradise because it has been able to combine tourism with environmental protection.

The struggle of various generations of Formenterans has made possible the conservation of an island whose beaches, transparent waters and climate make it a little jewel in Mare Nostrum.

Formentera can only be reached by boat from Ibiza, but this inaccessibility makes it a peaceful place where you can flee from stress and overcrowding; enjoying the island on a cycle ride or swimming from its more than 20km of beaches of white sand and infinitely transparent water, where it is possible to do all kinds of water sports. The secret of the existence of a crystalline sea and Formentera's long beaches, which mark it out from the rest of the Mediterranean, is the posidonea prairie that surrounds the island, a natural treatment plant that cleans the water and makes it possible for sand to be deposited on the coast. It is a real underwater jungle, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

The tourist success of the island, loved as much by residents as by visitors, is rooted in the fact that people still find something a bit different in Formentera. The difference is marked by respect for nature, the survival of its own culture and the vision of achieving exclusivity through protecting the environment.

Other facts differentiating Formentera are the freedom and its light, which, since the '70s, has made it attractive for artists and artisans, who are nowadays part of the island's differential heritage. Their designs in clothes, accessories, jewellery and their works of art are powerful attractions for Formentera.

Geography

A strange, captivating geography, a gentle climate and Mediterranean vegetation combining dune areas with woods of pine and thuriferous juniper – conifers that give character to the island.

But what undoubtedly most attracts the attention of the interested visitor is the way the islanders have been able to adapt to the toughness of the island; the stone walls, the magnificent traditional architecture or the fig trees turned into genuine sculptures in the middle of the island's fields are repeatedly photographed examples of this.

The small size of the island of Formentera, as well as its low relief, means its climatic characteristics vary very little from one place to another. Despite this, there are small variations, largely the temperature and humidity, between the lower parts of the island and the Miocene promontories of La Mola and Cap de Barbaria.

However, in general, the characteristic climate of the island is typically Mediterranean, and it can be included in the climate type with temperate/warm domination. Within this variety, the island would be climatically included in the Levantine/Balearic sub-variety.

During the summer, Formentera, in the same way as the rest of the Western Mediterranean, remains to the east of the Azores anticyclone. This means the highest pressure values are due to this anticyclone extending towards the east. This situation is most common in summer, producing maximum temperatures and less rainy periods.

On the other hand, in winter, because the Atlantic high pressure areas are much further south, cyclonic activity usually fully affects Formentera's climate, bringing rain and fronts towards it.

However, Formentera is the Balearic Island with the warmest and least rainy climate.

History

Man's presence on Formentera goes back at least 4,000 years. The best remaining example of the period of Roman rule is the Can Blai camp, near Es Caló.

After the period of Arab rule, Ibiza and Formentera were conquered by Catalan troops in 1235. Emigration to far-off lands was a constant feature until the middle of the 20th century. Tourism radically changed the island's economy and society. The hippies made a decisive contribution towards publicising it and linked its name to a different way of understanding life and being tourists. The Balearic Islands Statute of Autonomy (1983) establishes the two official languages of Catalan – the native language of the islands – and Spanish – the official state language – and devolves the islands institutions of self-government: the Island Council, the Parliament and the Government of the Balearic Islands.

With the centuries that have gone by, no-one knows for certain the origin of Formentera's folklore traditions, although it seems clear that there are reminders of the Arabs (largely in the singing), there are many subtle elements that make this doubtful. The symbolism of the dances draws the attention strongly, together with the unusual nature of the musical instruments used. These are made using craft techniques, based on using exclusively native raw materials.

The costumes are very spectacular, above all the women's ones for festivals, complemented with a golden "emprendada" (of incalculable value), contrasting strongly with the completely black and very simple working clothes.

Gastronomy

Fish is the luxury item of Formentera cuisine. Whether in "guisat" or "bullit" (two varieties of Mediterranean stew) or as an essential part of a rice dish (with or without liquid), Formenteran fish can transform any dish into a compendium of Mediterranean essences.

Figs (fresh or dried), goats' cheese and the excellent "peix sec" (fish dried in the sun which is crumbled and incorporated into salads) are some of the little secrets of the local cuisine.

Beaches

Formentera offers more than 20km of white sand and clear water with surprising combinations of blue. On the island you can find everything from the typical lonely cove to dream beaches, but on all of them you can enjoy the peace and quiet of a natural environment preserved from overcrowding.

If there is something that makes Formentera different from other Mediterranean destinations, it is its beauty and the absence of buildings from most of its coast. The commitment of several decades to sustainable development has made it possible to enjoy heavenly beaches today, but with all the services and safety of a western destination.

Nature

Fauna

Formentera is characterised by the presence of different species of birds, reptiles and beetles, and by the presence of varied water life in wetlands and torrents.

These groups are highlighted because of their general importance and because of some very valuable species, as well as because they show interesting endemic varieties, as with lizards and various groups of invertebrates.

Vegetation

Nowadays, Formentera's wild vegetation is characterised by the dominance of pine and thuriferous juniper woods of P. halepensis and J. Phoenicea in forest habitats, in different states of succession and conservation, accompanied by a bush stratum showing different variants depending on the local microclimate and soil conditions.

At the same time, the abandonment of traditional agricultural activities has meant the reforestation of broad areas showing more or less developed woodland, with the presence of agricultural tree species.

Steep coasts and cliffs are dominated by endemic communities of “fonoll marí” and “saladins”, giving way to the Crithmo-Limonietum association. Endemic communities with a very high ecological value develop on some north-facing coastal strips of a certain height, such as, for example, that to the south-east of La Mola.

The abundant presence of typical mobile and semi-mobile dune communities, such as Medicagini marinae – Ammophiletum arundinaceae and Lotus cretici – Crucianelletum maritimae, should also be highlighted.