Page 144 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Mallorca, Menorca & Ibiza

142  THE BALEARIC ISLANDS AREA B Y AREA FORMENTER A  143

whitewashed church of Nostra
Senyora del Pilar, built in Formentera’s Beaches
1784. The town is best known
for its craftsmen, whose work- The beaches of Formentera can easily rival those of
shops are open to visitors. Ibiza. The unspoiled natural environment, magnificent
The popular Wednesday and sand and clean waters attract an increasing number
Sunday markets sell jewellery, of visitors. Most have no hotels or clubs nearby and
good-quality leather goods and
excellent local cheese (which only a few feature bars or restaurants, which for many
goes perfectly with a glass of people only adds to their charm. The roads leading
the local dry red wine). to some of the beaches (even the popular ones) can 1 Platja de ses Illetes
be quite rough and, as a consequence, they are never The most popular beach in Form-
Environs as busy as elsewhere on the Balearic Islands. entera. Stretching to the north of
Es Caló is a small fishing village it is the Es Trucadors peninsula.
Popular beach in Es Pujols on the north coast of the island.
Unusually, it has no harbour and
7 Es Pujols the beach and are more easily the boats have to be pulled
accessible by car. The most ashore on special rails. When
7 km (4 miles) northeast of Sant popular of them, the Blue travelling from here towards Key
Francesc. @ _ Virgen del Carmen Major road
(16 Jul). Bar, doubles up as a low- La Mola, it is essential to stop at
key nightclub. the El Mirador bar, which offers Other road
The small resort of Es Pujols is a magnificent panoramic view
the island of Formentera’s main of Formentera. Some 2 km
holiday centre. It is a low-key, (1 mile) north of El Pilar de la Ses
relaxed kind of place with a small Mola rises the 133-m- (436-ft-) Salines
marina at the eastern end of the high Ferrer hill. A little further
town. Some of the island’s best on, to the west, is the Cova
beaches are within easy walking d’es Fum, a large cave where La Savina 2 Platja de Llevant
distance, and the nightlife in the the locals hid their treasures Estany This beach, occupying the eastern side
bars, restaurants and clubs, for during a Viking raid in 1118. Pudent of the peninsula, is much quieter than
otherwise sleepy Formentera Unfortunately for them, the Platja de ses Illetes. Its northern end
at least, is quite lively. Viking pirates discovered is a favourite spot for nudists.
the hiding place and, having
Environs Rocky Platja Migjorn in the vicinity of smoked them out, slaughtered 3 Platja de sa Roqueta
A short way east of Es Pujols, Es Arenals the defenders and made off Sant Francesc Situated next to the only hotel in this
standing on a peninsula, is a with the loot. Sant Ferran area, you can walk along the shore to
17th-century watchtower – Travelling 3 km (2 miles) Es Pujols or Platja de Llevant from here.
Torre de Punta Prima; next to it 9 El Pilar de la Mola east, you arrive at Punta de sa
is one of the best hotels on the 11 km (7 miles) southeast of Ruda – a rocky crag that drops
island – the luxury Punta Prima Sant Ferran. @ steeply towards the crashing
Club. A little further along the sea, over 100 m (320 ft) below.
coast, among the rocks, is Cova Situated at the heart of the La The views of the island from
de ses Fumades Negres. Mola plateau, El Pilar de la Mola here are stunning. The Faro
is a fairly sleepy little place and de la Mola lighthouse, built
makes a good stopping-off in 1861, is situated at the
8 Platja Migjorn point on a trip to Formentera’s edge of the crag and was the
19th- century lighthouse, inspiration for “the lighthouse J
This lovely beach is a 5-km- Faro de la Mola. El Pilar de at the end of the world” El Pilar
(3-mile-) long stretch of fine la Mola’s most interesting in Jules Verne’s Journey de la Mola
sand, with pale turquoise historic building is the Around the Solar System.
waters. It is fringed by pine
forests and is the longest beach
on the island. At its eastern end
is the Torre d’es Català; at its 4 Platja de Tramuntana
western end are the Cova d’es A number of small beaches are
Ram caves. The holiday village tucked among the rocks. This
of Maryland in the east and spot is popular with nudists and
Es Ca Marí in the west have anyone who wants to escape
numerous hotels and apart- the bustling atmosphere of
ments tucked away in the woods. Illetes and Platja Migjorn. 5 Es Caló de Sant Augusti
The central section of the beach 0 kilometres Several beaches are situated to the west of town.
is the most pleasant and sec- 2 They can be reached via the footbridges that cross
luded. A handful of bars and 0 miles 2 the thickets covering the dunes.
restaurants are set back from Nostra Senyora del Pilar in El Pilar de la Mola
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p151 and p163 For keys to symbols see back flap

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.2)
Date 15th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm