Touring the north and south of Formentera by bicycle requires very little effort and is a feast for the eyes. Why? Because the roads are completely flat, the distance is no more than twelve kilometres and there are stretches of countryside that seem to belong to another world. The excursion sets off from es Pujols in the direction of sa Savina. The road can be taken to es Brolls which encircles Estany Pudent ("rank-smelling pond"), thus called due to its outflows in former times. The best moments are at dawn and at sunset when a truly breathtaking spectacle can be seen. If preferred, the main road can be followed from es Pujols, two kilometres along which is a side road to the Llevant beaches and a little further along, Illetes beach. This is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Its waters are turquoise and it speaks the language of rock and sand. Taking up the asphalt road again, one arrives at the pleasant port of sa Savina, with its line of bars, shops and other businesses. Here is where the tourist information office can be found.
Sant Francesc and the southern beaches
The next point of this tour is Sant Francesc Xavier, the capital of the island of Formentera. Before arriving, a small hill has to be negotiated but it is the only such incline in the entire island. A fortress-church from 1726 with a curious font inside presides over the square. It also has an interesting artisan morning market held during the summer months. Continuing in a southerly direction, a side road leads to Saona bay, another of the most beautiful of the sandy beaches of the island and quite peaceful. Back on the road again, a further six kilometres away, one reaches es Cap de Barbaria, the most southern extreme of the Balearic Islands and the closest to the African coast. This area has been declared a Natural Area of Special Interest. It is composed of arid stony terrain with cliffs that reach some hundred metres high. The road ends in the Barbaria lighthouse, which Jules Verne described as the "lighthouse at the end of the world". Since then no better definition of this fascinating spot has been found.
The excursion covers 23 kilometres, there and back. The roads are completely flat except for a little hill before getting to Sant Francesc Xavier. |
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