Formentera Guide

Formentera Bird Photos

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 05:24:06 +0000

These are just some of the birds you may spot during a visit to Formentera. For more information visit: http://www.formenteraguide.com/bird-watching-formentera/

Audoin's Gull

Black Necked Grebe

Formentera Blackcap

Formentera Black Headed Gull

Balearic Shearwater

Beautiful Shots of Formentera

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 05:06:53 +0000

The Property Hunt

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:27:10 +0000

Many visitors to Formentera decide that they would like to purchase their own corner of paradise, but it is not easy. There is a very low stock of available housing, and the local population of around 7,000 are reluctant to sell. With strict restrictions on development and limited supply those that want to buy must set their criteria and play a waiting game for the right property to come onto the market. These conditions make the island expensive relative to the other Balearics, and the entry level price for a studio is around €250,000. For an extra €50,000 you might get a rural shack, but it is not until you have €800,000 or more to spend that you can expect a decent bit of land with some sea views. €4 million is the highest recorded sale on the island. There are houses worth more than that, however, they are not on the market. People build them to live in, not to sell. The Formentera real estate market can be a challenge.

Traditional farm houses usually have one main rectangular room and a double sloping roof, known as es portxo, or sometimes a flat roof. Smaller rooms were added as needed so they can be ramshackle affairs.

A lot of the houses on the island are quite old so when you do get a place it might need a lot of work before it is your dream house. One thing that’s quite common is for people to give the keys to an architect in September and then get them back in May along with a fully refurbished house. If you are going for a refurbishment then you may be interested to know that as of January 2010 there are only two heated swimming pools on the island. A heated pool that costs around €40,000 to install could put €100,000 of value onto the property and be a selling point.

When it comes to landscaping you need permission to cut trees, and the slow growing Sabina plant is protected. You can trim, and redirect their growth though. The best things for planting are succulent plants, geraniums, and tropical plants.

If you decide to build from scratch on the island then the local builders are best equipped to deal with simple designs. There are no strict design restrictions once you have the permission to build as long as you can demonstrate that the property will be environmentally friendly. From time to time you will see very modern designs in the midst of farmland.

One of the more distinctive architectural influences on the island was Henri Quilles who designed under the influence of Moroccan designs.

When evaluating properties it is important to consider access and utilities supply. You will notice that most of the roads are bumpy and the island wants to preserve them in this natural state so you are not permitted to tarmac roads. You can repair them with sand but this just washes away anyway. A lot of residents like the fact that it is hard to get to their place because it stops tourists driving past to take a look, but you should bear in mind the type of car you will own/hire, and your willingness to navigate a narrow bumpy road.

Some areas of the island do not have electricity and the properties run on generators and solar power. This can be fine in the summer, but if you are planning to stay year-round then this is not advisable. Also, if you are installing a swimming pool you will need to secure a certain capacity of electricity to have it heated. With regards to water, many houses run on cisterns which provide plenty of water, but not for drinking. If the water runs out you can easily get a delivery of water within hours to top you up.

The best thing to do if you are interested in buying a property is contact one of the local brokers such as Astbury. They will be able to provide advice on all aspects of a purchase, from financing through to refurbishments. They are also letting agents so can help you get a yield on your property when you are not there.

Formentera Festivals

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:15:46 +0000

All Formentera festivals have ancestral dances which are known as ball pages, where the women wear emprendada (jewellery made from brooches and pendants). The tabor, flute and castanets are the standard instruments. Festa de Formentera is the main festival and takes place on the day of San Jaime, on the 25th July.

Festivals
30 May
Sant Ferran celebrates the feast day of its patron saint

24 June
Midsummer solstice. This St. John’s Day celebration is marked by a bonfire and fireworks in El Pilar

16 July
The feast of the Virgin del Carmen. If you head to La Savina you will see a maritime procession

25 July
Sant Jaume, the patron saint of Formentera, has his feast day marked by days of celebrations across the island

5 August
The patron saint of the Pine Islands, Virgin de les Neus, is commemorated

12 October
La Mola celebrates the Virgin del Pilar, on day that coincides with the first day of slaughtering the pigs

3 December
The feast day of Sant Francesc is the most traditional of the feast days, with many emprendada on show

National Holidays

1 January
6 January
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Easter Monday
1 May: the Day of Workers
15 August: the Assumption
12 October: the Virgin of Pilar
15 August: the Annunciation to Our Lady
1 November: All Saints Day
6 December: Spanish Constitution Day
8 December: Immaculate Conception of Our Lady
24 December: Christmas Eve
25 December: Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
26 December: Saint Stephen’s Day

Watersports

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:07:08 +0000

Diving
The clear waters of Formentera make them an excellent choice for diving, with very good visibility up to 50 meters in depth. In fact the Freus Marine Reserve of Ibiza and Formentera is the only natural area the Mediterranean Sea included on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. You can dive year round with temperatures ranging from 15 degrees in the winter to 30 degrees in the summer.

Once you are under water there are a variety of landscapes to explore, from caves to shipwrecks, and acres of posidonia. You may even see a shark, as there have been basking sharks spotted off the coastline, and in 2008 an 18 footer was caught.

There are a number of protected species off the coast of Formentera, and you should refrain from disturbing them if you are lucky enough to spot one. Species to look out for are:

Angel shark (squatina)
Nursehound (scyliorhinus stellaris)
Sting ray (dasyatis)
Electric ray (torpedo)
Great hammerhead shark (sphyrna)
Blue shark (prionace glauca)
Smooth hound (mustelus)
Seahorse (hippocampus)
Straightnose pipefish (nerophis ophidian)
Sea crow (umbrina cirrosa umbrina cirrosa)

Diving Schools
Vellmari: Port La Savina
tel. 971 32 21 05

Orca Sub: Hotel Formentera
Playa y Club Maryland
playa de Mitjorn
tel. 639 60 18 39

Blue Adventure: Port La Savina
C/. Almadraba,67
tel. 971 32 11 68

La Mola Diving: Hotel Riu la
Mola – playa Mitjorn
tel. 971 32 72 75

Other Watersports
In addition to sailing and diving you can enjoy windsurfing, canoeing, jet-skis, water skiing, and parasailing on Formentera. On the beaches of Es Pujols and Illetes pretty much everything you need is available right there, and there are also rental stores across the island.

Rental Stores
Formentera Diving and Water Sports
Marina de la Savina, Formentera
Tel. 971 32 32 32

Escuela Municipal de vela: La Savina
tel. 667 56 13 50

Centro O’Neil: playa illetes
tel. 609 71 17 74

Barlovento: playa illetes
tel. 609 60 21 34

Wet 4 Fun: playa Es Pujols
tel. 670 36 63 14

Sailing on Formentera

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:58:32 +0000

Formentera sailing has some favourable conditions for beginners, and enough challenging areas to satisfy Olympians such as Teresa Zabell who uses the island as a training base. Summer winds average between 5 and 15 knots. The winter can see storms of up to 30 knots. The prevailing winds come from the east in the summer, and the west in the winter.

Most boats approach via the North-West through the straits of Ses Portes, then thread between Illa des Penjats and an islet names Des Porcs, which has a lighthouse. Finally they pass Espalmador, and Formentera’s northern peninsula of Es Trucadors before reaching Port de la Savina.

A sailboat can travel from the north to the south of the island in two hours, or head over to Ibiza in about the same time (the ferries take 30 minutes). As you sail around the island’s 82km of coastline the cliffs, beaches and blue waters provide some variety in the landscape.

A popular spot for sailing is the northern peninsula, Es Trucadors, as it has something for everyone. It is a 3km beach running north to south with water on both sides. In the summer the eastern side has waves, whereas the western side has a calm sea. The conditions for sailing get rougher when you sail north or south of the peninsula by two miles.

Anchoring
If you sail to Formentera then you must observe its rules for anchoring. These are quite strict as the island protects its posidonia beds. The different types of anchoring zone that have been established are: free anchoring areas, regulated mooring areas with buoys, and restricted anchoring areas. The free anchoring areas have no limits to anchoring other than a maximum number of boats permitted in some areas. The regulated mooring areas with buoys have a number of regulations around their use, including a booking requirement. In the restricted anchoring areas the posidonia beds are being protected and it is only permitted to anchor to sandbars.

Buoys
The designated buoys where you can anchor are in place between 1 June and 30 September, and if you are planning to use one then you need to book in advance by contacting the Department for the Environment (Conselleria de Medi Ambient) reservation centre on 902 422 425. Reservations can be made 2 to 20 days in advance, by phone or online. There is a restriction of two consecutive nights in a calendar week, one buoy per vessel and anchoring between buoys is not permitted.

There are different types of buoys with the colours indicating the permitted vessel length. The maximum safe wind speed is also recorded, and the Department of the Environment states that it will not accept any liability in the event that these conditions are exceeded.

The most important rules to observe are to keep the length of the boat within the limits indicated by the colour of the buoy. Also, it is important not to moor two boats on the same buoy. At no time must you anchor on the posidonia, and you may only use sand banks when the buoys are occupied. If you do not take your buoy between 12.30 and 6.30pm of the arriving day then you may lose your reservation.

If would like to rent a boat or charter a cruise then one of the following companies will be able to help.

Sailing Schools & Charter Boats
Náutica Pins: La Savina
tel. 971 32 26 51

Barco Salao: La Savina
tel. 609 84 71 16

Fast Ferrari: La Savina
tel. 617 98 50 57

Formentera Rent a Boat: La Savina
tel. 971 32 10 89

Isla Azul: La Savina
tel. 971 32 34 24

Bird Watching on Formentera

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:46:10 +0000

There are some excellent opportunities for bird watching on Formentera as species migrating from North Africa take a break. These include the woodchat, shrike, nightingale, and spotted flycatcher. The wetlands around Estany Pudent and Estany des Peix are also a rich breeding ground for local birds. All together there are over 200 species to look out for:

Audouin’s Gull, Balearic Shearwater, Balearic Warbler, Barred Warbler, Blackcap, Black-headed Gull, Black-necked Grebe, Black-winged Stilt, Blue Rock-thrush, Bluethroat, Cattle Egret, Chaffinch, Common Moorhen, Common Shellduck, Common Starling, Common swift, Common Whitethroat, Corn Bunting, Cory’s Shearwater, Crag Martin, Dartford Warbler, Eleonora’s Falcon, Garden Warbler, Goldfinch, Grater Flamingo, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Grey Wagtail, Hoopoe, House Martin, House sparrow, Kentish Plover, Kingfisher, Linnet, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Meadow Pipit, Nightjar, Ortolan Bunting, Peregrine, Pied Avocet, Puffin, Razorbill, Redshank, Reed Warbler, Rock Sparrow, Ruff, Sardinian Warbler, Short-toed Lark, Skylark, Sparrow-hawk, Spectacled Warbler, Spotted Crake, Spotted Redshank, Stone Curlew, Storm Petrel, Thekla’s Lark, Turnstone, Turtle Dove, Western Subalpine Warbler, Whinchat, White Wagtail, Woodchat Shrike, Yellow Wagtail

Some specific areas for ornithologists to visit are:

The rocks and rosemary bushes are a breeding ground for the red-legged partridge, Thekla lark and rock thrush
Peregrine falcons, Balearic shearwaters, and Audouin’s gull are native to Formentera and can be spotted out on the island’s many headlands
The island of Espardell just off the northern tip has a colony of cormorants
The adventurous bird watcher will move off land into Es Freus to look for storm petrel, the Balearic shearwater, fisher eagles, cormorants, yellow-legged gull, and Audouin’s gull
Out at Far de la Mola peregrine falcons nest in the cliffs, and the rock sparrows also take to the barren terrain.
Over in Far de Barbaria you can find shearwaters, peregrine falcons, and gulls

Shopping on Formentera

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:34:11 +0000

Shop opening times are generally from 9am to 2pm and from 5pm to 8pm. Some of the best shopping items on Formentera are made by contemporary artists living on the island. There are hippy markets, such as the one in Sant Francesc on Saturday mornings, and there is the art and crafts fair in Pilar de la Mola which runs on Wednesdays and Sundays from May to September.

Getting Around on Formentera

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:27:22 +0000

The best way to see the island is by bicycle as you get to cycle through dunes, along the coast, and across farmland. However, all modes of transport are available for hire, even quad bikes and electric cars.

The circuit bus travels from Far de la Mola to El Pilar, Mirador, and Sant Ferran. From Sant Ferran it loops around Estany Pudent via Es Pujols, Illetes, Port de la Savina and Sant Francesc. The route is divided into a short circuit for €6 which covers Port de la Savina, Illetes and Es Pujols, and the long circuit for €10 which covers all the stops. Between May and October the bus runs the loop between La Savina, Es Pujols, Sant Ferran and Sant Francesc every two hours.

Car Rental
Avis: La Savina
tel. +34 971 32 10 13

Autos Es Caló: Es Caló
tel. +34 971 32 70 42

Autos Ca Marí: playa Migjorn
tel. +34 971 32 88 55

Autos Formentera: S.Francesc
tel. +34 971 32 28 17

Autos Isla Blanca Formentera: La Savina
tel. +34 971 32 25 59

Autos la Laguna: Es Pujols
tel. +34 971 328 492

Autos San Fernando: LaSavina
tel. +34 971 322 695

Betacar: La Savina
tel. +34 971 328 67

Formentera Autos: La Savina
tel. +34 971 321 049

Proauto: La Savina
tel. +34 971 323 226

Mopeds and Bikes
Formotor Rent: La Savina
tel. + 34 971 32 29 29

Moto Rent Mitjorn: La Savina
tel. +34 971 32 86 11

Moto Rent Pujols: Es Pujols
tel. +34 971 32 80 20

Moto Rent Reyes: Almadrava
tel. +34 971 32 33 37

Moto La Mola: Es Calo
tel. +34 971 32 70 22

La Savina Motos: La Savina
tel. +34 971 322 745

Moto Rent Mirada: Es Pujols
tel + 34 971 328888

Electrical Vehicle
Elektracar: La Savina
tel. +34 971 32 28 75

Emergency Services

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:19:44 +0000

Emergency services on Formentera are reached by dialling 112, and help is available in English, Spanish, Catalan and German.

Municipality: 971 32 10 87
Local Police: 092/ 971 32 20 87
Civil Guard: 971 32 20 22
Fireman: 092/112
Hospital: 971 32 12 12
Pharmacy, Sant Francesc: 971 32 24 19
Pharmacy, Es Pujols: 971 32 86 63
Pharmacy, Sant Ferran: 971 32 80 04
Taxis: 971 32 23 42