This year, Formentera is offering a year-round calendar of unmissable cultural and gastronomic events as well as traditional festivals, which can be enjoyed by visitors while staying at seaside boutique hotels.
Enjoy Formentera’s live jazz evenings
While the island is known for its peaceful nature, Formentera also has an array of lively cultural sites and events that reflect its artistic vibe. In addition to multiple craft markets and art workshops, many of Formentera’s towns offer authentic local events with live music throughout the summer.
Formentera Jazz Festival (June 2-5) will see a range of musicians, from emerging acts to well-established artists, performing all kinds of traditional and contemporary jazz across the island against the backdrop of the spectacular Balearic sunsets. The event is free to attend.
Explore the many boho-chic markets
The month of May marks the opening of the island’s several artisan craft and flea markets: La Mola Craft Market, Sant Ferran Art and Craft Market, Es Pujols Market, Sant Francesc Market and La Savina Market. Shoppers will be able to find hidden treasures among the local stalls, and maybe pick up an authentic souvenir to take home.
Sample local produce in the gastronomic markets and wineries
Thanks to the great variety of fresh seafood, organic produce and sustainable agriculture deeply rooted in the island’s traditions, Formentera has long been recognised for its gastronomic credentials. Some of the island’s staple products include dried slated fish (peix sec), locally produced honey (es morer), and a range of fresh goat and sheep cheeses. Homemade herb liqueur takes advantage of the island’s aromatic herbs, and local organic wineries offer tastings and guided tours of their stunning vineyards.
Every year, during the first two weekends of May, Formentera holds Gastronomic Weekends when the island’s best restaurants offer special menus at a set price. In addition to affordable prices, the event provides visitors to Formentera with a unique opportunity to taste traditional dishes with a modern twist.
Discover what Mark Bibby Jackson thought of the Balearic island on his Formentera Holidays.
Celebrate Summer Solstice with a bonfire and live music
One of the world’s most beautiful locations, El Pilar de la Mola, hosts Saint Joan Festivities (Verbena de Sant Joan) every 23rd of June. The midsummer celebrations here will include a traditional bonfire – said to bring luck – and music concerts. The tranquil spot, often nicknamed ‘an island within an island’, is renowned for its spectacular views and lighthouse which is set amongst 120-metre high cliffs.