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Formentera |
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Formentera is the fourth island of the Balearic archipelago, as regards surface length and number of inhabitants. It is located at latitude 38 degrees north and at length 5 degrees east. Its surface covers 84 km2 and has a permanent population of about 5000 inhabitants, although this figure increases outstandingly at the tourist season. Formentera is a flat island with two great seawater ponds (s"Estany des Peix and s"Estany Pudent), a great dune area and two elevations: the Cap de Barbaria, in the southern part, and La Mola plateau, in the eastern part, surrounded by cliffs (where you can admire some caves that were once inhabited). At this part of the island there is the highest geographical point: sa Talaiassa, 192 m high.
In Formentera the predominant climate is mild weather in winter and hot weather in summer, with an average temperature of 19º centigrade throughout the whole year.
This island"s nature is visibly exuberant and also very good kept by all the inhabitants.Nowadays, most of the islanders live on tourism, but they do not forget their old customs and traditions. The love feeling that the people from Formentera have towards their island is the only thing responsible for the fact that, despite all the vertiginous changes suffered during the last years, the personal identity of an islands that is worth visiting has not disappeared. It hardly seems possible that at this tiny land"s portion, caressed but at the same time mistreated by wind and sea, some obvious contrasts exist. Whereas everything has been adjusted for tourism along the coastline, the interior areas still houses rural life.
This island is shared by a country woman dressed up in thick and long dresses and the visiting girl in "top less" (or even the "nothing less"). With this example I am trying to explain how the inhabitant in Formentera respects foreign customs, although, obviously, asks for the same respect regarding his or her own customs. If you decide to get to know Formentera directly, don"t get frightened if you hear that, first of all, you have to arrive at Ibiza.
There is a wide range of services that cover t he trip between these two islands. It hardly takes half an hour to reach your destination point. Of course there is no problem about eating matters in Formentera, due to the cosmopolitan character of the island. There are restaurants for every kind of diet -no matter the nationality thereof- spread all over the island. Formentera"s local cuisine is very similar to Ibiza"s one. "Sofrit pages" (fried mutton and chicken meat with potatoes and different types of local sausages), "arròs de matançes" (rice with slaughter meat and local mushrooms), "ensalada de peix sec" (dried fish salad), are typical dishes, as well as those delicious desserts like "graixonera" (fruit sponge) and "flaó" (fromage frais and mint cake). Although it cannot be considered typical ingredient, fish, since it can be consumed directly from the sea, has turned into speciality of some good restaurants. Sat at a table under a savine tree, or perhaps a pine tree, everyone gets captivated by the everyday miracle which nature offers us: the sunset. Semidarkness starts taking gradually possession of everything, while, in the horizon, it occurs an indescribable colour explosion: red, orange, pink tonalities which intermingle with greens, blues and some grey brushstrokes. Peace, silence, reunion with oneself. This is still possible in Formentera, the last spot in the Mediterranean where time does not go by. Due to its perfect climatological conditions, Formentera is a perfect place where you can enjoy all kind of nautical sports. An important activity we want to emphasize, to which many islanders also join, is going for a walk on foot or going for a ride on a bicycle until Estany des Peix or Ses Salines. Because of the tiny distances of the island, the mean of transport which most of islanders of this wonderful place use is the bicycle. |
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