Formentera? A Pleasant Surprise

Formentera? A pleasant surprise Olga's trip I'd already been to Formentera with two friends in 1996, for just a single day, given over to sun, sea and naturism. Back then we'd hired bikes and alternated a pleasant ride in touch with nature with a refreshing swim on the splendid beaches. In the evening, though, we'd gone back to Ibiza, because the island offered very few accommodation options, carrying in our hearts the image of a wild island with a nature still untouched by the barbarian hordes of hit-and-run tourists. When we returned to Ibiza last year, in July, on the wave of the various showgirls and footballers, we decided to make a two-day trip to Formentera. As soon as we arrived at La Savina we hired two scooters and found accommodation on the spot in a convenient residence; that's how our rediscovery of Formentera began.

We were immediately struck by a difference from our previous experience of Formentera: the three little shops that hired out bikes had become about thirty, and now they hire out only scooters,..., the invasion of mass tourism had begun... We then head to the places of memory, the beaches of Es Spalmador, Illetas, Migjorn and Ses Salines. With immense pleasure we find well-kept beaches, with a well-protected wild nature. Of course, the parade of Milanese and Brescian posh girls, who take advantage of the water's edge to show off their new designer swimsuit, spoils the poetry of the place a bit, but the charm of the crystal-clear waters remains intact. After the day at the sea we went, a little wary, to the aperitif at the chiringuito Blanco, splendid. Apart from the few posh girls mentioned above, you breathe a unique atmosphere.

The setting sun, the turquoise sea, the splendid background music, and a few Mojitos in the stomach, made the evening at Blanco unforgettable. We spent the evening around Es Pujols, (Bananas, Neropaco and Xueno). The next morning we immediately extended our stay in Formentera by two more nights. And so we spent five fantastic days in Formentera, going all around the island, discovering enchanting coves and tropical beaches. We pretty much visited all the chiringuitos (is that how you spell it?) on the island, and the most characteristic restaurants (Fonda Pepe, which not by chance is the best). On the way back, we're left with the images of a unique holiday, but above all the memory of a relaxing, unique and unmistakable atmosphere. p.s. I found lots of useful information on