Formentera in a day and about three lighthouses. It's a gift you must give yourself if you're in Ibiza. This Formentera Route can be done in a day, and even from Ibiza due to its proximity. A ferry departs every 45 minutes from Ibiza to Formentera or vice versa. The journey takes 30 minutes as the distance between the islands is 20 kilometers. You can take your own vehicle or rent one upon arrival. We'll arrive at the port of Formentera, and some rented motorcycles are waiting to be picked up. Even a scooter is a good idea because high speeds are not allowed throughout the route, and many sections of the route are narrow and some are unpaved, so you should be cautious, but these roads are not difficult to navigate. The Sabina Lighthouse: In the port of Formentera, begin your route by visiting the port's lighthouse. This lighthouse, although modest, has a special charm and offers views of the port and the Estany des Peix. The Sabina Lighthouse is the least known of the lighthouses you can find on the island of Formentera. However, it is the first lighthouse we see upon arriving on Formentera and the last to bid us farewell as we leave for the ferry. Perhaps a little less majestic than the other lighthouses, it seems to have received special treatment. Surrounded by a well-maintained environment, with a direct access walkway that takes you right to the door. Located near the island's heliport, it functions as a beacon for aircraft traffic and as a signaling system for boats sailing in Estany des Peix. This natural lake, with an entrance to the sea, houses a small harbor with capacity for many recreational and fishing boats. The port of La Sabina is the smallest of those managed by the Port Authority of both the Pitiusas and Balearic Islands. However, it is an essential and vital part of the island's daily life, as it is the only entry point for passengers and goods. More than a million passengers pass through its docks each year. The Church of San Francisco Javier: Also the capital of Formentera and one of the island's most important festivals, it is located in the town's main square, adorned with olive trees hundreds of years old. The History of the Church: It is a single-nave church with side chapels and a barrel vault. It is humble and robust, with a defensive character due to the time in which it was built, in the middle of the 18th century. All the people of Formentera collaborated in the construction of the Church of San Francisco Javier, on the foundations of the small church of Sa Tanca Vella, which had become too small. That parish, dedicated to San Valero, was the oldest on the entire island, built in 1336. Its regular layout, its unwavering, flat, whitewashed walls, are integrated into that timeless spirit of Formentera, where modern times cannot penetrate and where we commune with our history. Its main chapel once housed a main altarpiece dedicated to Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola, but it was destroyed during the Civil War. The altarpiece you can admire now comes from the Monastery of the Enclosed Nuns of Ibiza. Cala Saona: Cala Saona is a jewel of Formentera that combines nature, tranquility, and beauty. Ideal for escaping from the routine, whether to relax, go on an adventure, or simply enjoy a unique setting. More than just a beach, it is an oasis where the turquoise waters and white sands create the perfect place to forget the world. Between cliffs and vegetation, you will feel like you are in a private enclave, far from the hustle and bustle.

Cape Bavaria Lighthouse:

The Cape Barbaria Lighthouse, just over 17 meters high and 3 meters in diameter, was designed by Rafael Soler. Before the 1967 General Plan was issued, local navigation had already called for the construction of a lighthouse in this part of the Pitiusas. It represents a typical lighthouse built during the 1970s, automated from the outset using a solar valve, with a rotating catadioptric optic and Dalen acetylene gas mixers. It was inaugurated on June 15, 1972. In 1995, new lighting equipment powered by photovoltaic energy was installed, while preserving the original optics.
The rotation system then became electromagnetic, and the lighting began to be provided by discharge lamps. It was managed by the technicians residing at the La Mola lighthouse until it became uninhabited. Both lighthouses are now remotely controlled, and their maintenance is the responsibility of technicians in Ibiza. The Barbaria lighthouse is the southernmost light in the Balearic archipelago. Due to its prominence in various media events, such as director Julio Medem's film "Lucía y el sexo" (Sex and Lucía) and some commercials, it has become one of Formentera's most prominent tourist attractions. It is located in the least populated area of the island, with a rocky environment that gives it a highly unique character.
The origin of the Barbaria number is controversial: some associate it with the number of populations that inhabited the African coasts, specifically the Berbers, and others attribute it to the violent depredations by pirates, a true "barbarism" to which the island was subjected for many years.
The natural landscape surrounding the lighthouse is a very inhospitable territory: all you see is rough, hard rock, while the vegetation has long since abandoned any attempt at life.

Cala En Baster:

The unusual Cala En Baster is a small beach located in the northeast of the island of Formentera. It is a small, rocky bay protected from the wind by Punta Prima and Punta de Sa Creu. Its wild character gives this beach a unique feel. It is often frequented by nudists.
This is a beach completely different from the rest of the island's coves. In addition to its rocky composition, we find a surprising landscape. Vegetation is sparse and the beach is completely surrounded by cliffs, although access is relatively easy from the eastern side. However, the main feature of Cala en Baster lies above the caves, where local fishermen's boats were once kept.

The La Mola Lighthouse:

The La Mola Lighthouse is the oldest and most important lighthouse on the island. It is built on the easternmost tip of the island on a cliff over 120 meters high.
It's a famous lighthouse that inspired the great writer Jules Verne in one of his novels, Hector Servadac. We can see a commemorative plaque on the building, and it has also appeared in several films. It's an almost magical place from which you can see beautiful autumnal colors and landscapes. We recommend seeing it illuminated at night; the views are well worth it.
The La Mola Lighthouse is one of the most visited places by tourists on the island, so it's no surprise that we find many people visiting the area.
The project was drafted by Emili Pou. It was inaugurated on November 30, 1861. The first lighting device consisted of a fixed second-order catadioptric optic from the French manufacturer Henry Lepaute and a Degrand-type oil moderator lamp. In 1928, a rotating optic with twelve catadioptric panels from the Formentor lighthouse was installed, adapted to the then-modern French technology, using a mercury float to accelerate the rotating motion and reduce the time between flashes. This optic is still in operation today, with a luminous appearance of isolated flashes every five seconds. That same year, the old concentric wick burners were removed to install an 85 m/m Chance-type petroleum vapor incandescent lighting system, which used silk strands as a light source. In 1970, the lighthouse was electrified, replacing the old kerosene lamps with a 3,000-watt three-phase electric lamp and using two generators as an emergency system. Its twelve-sided polygonal lantern is the only one of its kind still operational in the archipelago, as cylindrical lanterns, curved glass, and inclined uprights were installed in the rest of the lighthouses. The Pou lighthouse is also polygonal, but with eight sides. In 1944, the technician in charge rescued the pilot of a German plane that had crashed about two miles from the lighthouse, providing him with food, clothing, and shelter. The following day, he was taken to the seaplane base that then existed at Estanque Pudent, from where he was repatriated. For these deeds, the German government, in the midst of World War II, awarded the lighthouse keeper a diploma and 1,000 pesetas as a reward for his rescue work.

Es Copinyar Beach:

Es Copinar beach is actually three clearly differentiated beaches, separated by rocky reefs, a natural division that creates three distinct bathing areas.
The total length of the beach is about 400 meters, but we must bear in mind that some of these sections are rocky, so the sandy area is slightly smaller. It is one of the most well-known and popular beaches in Migjorn and all of Formentera, with crystal-clear, turquoise waters of great beauty.

Cala Es Calo:

Cala Es Caló is a beach area that after having enjoyed a perfect and unique meal at the Can Rafalet Restaurant, which is one of the best places on the island to eat and enjoy the views of Cala Es Calo, a bathing area located in the south of Formentera that opens between Migjorn beach and Es Ram, near the Maryland urbanization.
A stunning natural setting with a sandy and rocky beach, approximately 100 meters long, flanked by low cliffs and overlooking much of the island's southern coast. Nudism is possible, and on the rocky flanks you'll find secluded spots where you can spread out your towel.

Ses Illetes:

This beach is located within the Ses Salines Natural Park of Ibiza and Formentera, occupying a large part of the Es Llamadores peninsula, the northernmost tip of Formentera, and facing west. It is over 450 meters of beach that is divided in two by a small area in the middle. The numbers are: Isla de Tramuntana, Isla des Forn, Arrecife des Pou, Isla Redonda and Arrecife de Paja.
The most notable feature of this beach is its calm, shallow, turquoise waters, which, along with the white sand on the shore, make it a heavenly landscape. Therefore, it is also an ideal beach for children due to their safety and the various services available to visitors.
The large expanse of this beach allows visitors to settle down on the sand without the difficulty of finding large crowds, especially in the northern area where the Es Llamadores peninsula becomes a sandy stretch that connects with the neighboring Levante beach. Caballo d'en Borràs is separated by a rocky area known as Pujol d'en Palo and the smaller Carregador beach.
Ses Illetes is, without a doubt, one of the most striking beaches on the entire coast of Formentera and is an ideal place for both swimming in the summer months and long walks during the colder months of the year.

The Estany Pudent:

It is the large lake located in the north of the island, between the towns of La Savina and Es Pujols, and swimming is prohibited there.
It's a highly recommended place for walking or cycling, both for its scenic value and its importance for birdwatching.

Estany Pudent and Ses Salines:

This is the area with the greatest biodiversity and offers the most opportunities for birdwatching. Just driving along the road that leads from La Sabina to the town of Es Pujols, we can make our first sightings of the area's typical species, such as flamingos, black-winged stilts, and white-headed shelducks. The natural wealth of this area is easy to appreciate at a glance.
Walking around Estany Pudent allows us to observe the different species of waders, ducks, and guinea fowl that are seen annually. The Es Brolls trail borders a large part of the lagoon and, as its number indicates, contains underground freshwater "ledges," providing ideal vegetation for nesting birds. Estany Pudent hosts one of the largest concentrations of black-necked grebes in Europe. Some years they number in the thousands. Watching them on a calm day, like the mirror-like waters of the lake, is a surprising spectacle.
Nearby is Ses Salines, characterized by their pink and violet hues, especially in summer. For Formentera residents, it's an iconic site, deeply embedded in the island's recent history, linked to salt mining. It's unknown when Formentera's salt pans began to be exploited. They may have been operating in ancient times, but the first written references are found in 13th-century documentation.

The little tips I can give you about this route are to book your boat ticket and motorbike rental in advance, especially in the summer. Take the route calmly and safely, as there are narrow roads, some unpaved and with loose sand, that are passable, but you must respect the speed limit. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy it.