Hello everybody!
It's been a while since my last post, but I promise from now one I'll do better. This summer, albeit less hectic than my usual summers, has been very busy... I never thought you could do so many things without leaving your country!
Speaking of, I just came back from my trip to FORMENTERA. I had only been once and just for a day, so this time I made sure I discovered as much as I could from the beautiful island.
Formentera is the lesser-known, quieter neighbour of Ibiza. In short, Ibiza is for the partying and Formentera for the lounging... Or yachting, or sunbathing until you get so dark you don't even recognize your skin anymore ;)
We were lucky enough to have some friends staying there on their yacht, so we spent the day chilling and enjoying quality time with them. We booked a beautiful house near Sant Francesc Xavier, the "capital" of the island, and spent our evenings and early mornings there.
The house was absolutely gorgeous: it was built by the owner 30 years ago in true Formentera style using only locally sourced materials. It didn't have any artificial airconditioning, but that wasn't even necessary: it has been built so cleverly that when you open the windows there's a natural air current flowing through the house which works way better than any cooling machine. Granted.
On the first day upon our arrival, we went to a "cala" in Es Pujols and had lunch in Chezz Gerdi. One thing you should know about Formentera is everything is veeery expensive, especially restaurants. So, be prepared to spend a considerable amount of money if you opt for eating out every day. However, I must say, the food is absolutely delicious. Formentera has been heavily influened by Italian cuisine due to the high amount of Italians living in the island and owning a restaurant there, so expect to see a fusion between the local Balearic cuisine and Italy. Let me tell you, that is HEAVEN.
Also, I was honestly surprised by how crowded the island was, especially when it came to seeing little rental boats. With the Coronavirus pandemic, you'd expect a significant decrease in tourism, especially of people oustide of Spain. However, it seemed like that didn't happen, as there were lots of Spanish tourists all around. Guess the locals have compensated the lack of international tourism?
If you asked me to highlight three things about Formentera, I would say this:
- The WATER!!! I have never seen clearer nor cleaner beaches in my entire life. And the color!! A beautiful turquoise. Bye Caribbean, hello Formentera.
- The FOOD: the Spanish-Italian fusion using only the freshest available ingredients has blown my mind. I am a fan of going to farmer markets and small grocery stores, and in Formentera I found just that. The farmer's market at Centre Antoni Tur Gabrielet, the fresh pasta place Il Pirata Del Tortello or the freshly baked "Pa de vidre" bread at Panaderia Manolo are just some of the local businesses I discovered and completely fell in love with. Their products are of such quality that are incredibly delicious just on their own, without too many spices or additions. Quality is delicious.
- The LIFESTYLE: Formentera is the representation of the Slow Living Lifestyle. Everything goes at a different pace there, it seems like time doesn't exist and you are in a parallel reality where things take their time. It's beautiful.
If you can't tell already, I have loved my trip to Formentera. I would highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for a relaxing escape or vacation. However, I must recommend you go on the less-crowded months such as May or October, where there's still that feeling of summer and the weather is nice but the crowds have left.
As for where to stay, I'd say you have two options: either renting an entire place (preferably a countryside house) for yourself or a sailboat/yacht. To truly disconnect you must avoid any direct contact with the crowds. We stayed at Can Gall, and booked the house via AirBnb. I 100% recommend the place, its surroundings, decoration and vibe are unmatched.
Finally, here are some recommendations for where to eat:
Can Carlitos (tapas, paella, known chef)
Can Carlos (expensive. terrace, beautiful setting, mediterranean)
Ca Na Pepa (affordable, traditional food)
Casbah Restaurant (expensive, mediterranean)
Es Còdol Foradat (new addition)
Can Rafalet (traditional, fish, fresh local ingredients)
Chezz Gerdi (expensive. italian, fish, sushi)
Beso Beach (chiringuit / lounge club, mediterranean, very famous)
Beach Club 10.7 (chiringuito, food & drinks, lounging)
Now that I am back home I can't help but look back at these last days and think: that was heaven on earth.