Islands · The Balearic Islands
Formentera: the back story
The back story
About Formentera: the back story
Formentera is 30 minutes by ferry from Ibiza (Baleària). Espalmador lies in the Ses Salines natural park, where anchoring on the Posidonia seagrass is forbidden and the mud of Espalmador’s lagoon is off limits (caib.es).
Ses Illetes
The long sand spit of Ses Illetes runs north towards Espalmador.
Barbaria
The lighthouse at Cap de Barbaria stands on the cliffs at the island’s southern tip.
Bathing in or using the mud of Espalmador’s lagoon is prohibited (Ses Salines natural park).
Espalmador
Espalmador is a protected islet: you may anchor only on sand at the permitted zones, land through the marked channels and walk the shore and the signed path to the lagoon. Bathing in the lagoon’s mud is prohibited (caib.es).
Cars in summer
The Consell Insular de Formentera limits the number of vehicles on the island in summer; the 2026 rules were published in the Balearic official bulletin (BOIB) on 28 February 2026. Check before you take a car across.
Our advice: hire a bicycle in La Savina and leave the car in Ibiza.
Why it's on our list
- Ses Illetes
- Barbaria
- Espalmador
- Cars in summer
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Formentera: the back story before you go.