EAT, SLEEP, CHILL, REPEAT
On the hippy-chic island of Formentera, a clued-in crowd is starting to gather, finds Lucy Halfhead
ELLE’s Travel Director heads to Formentera, Ibiza’s sleepier sister island, for a scenic, under-the-radar escape
AS THE FERRY ROLLS LAZILY ACROSS THE SEA towards Formentera, the tempo change from its party-mad island neighbour Ibiza is obvious. With no airport of its own, this 35-minute boat ride is the only way to reach the island, though most visitors to the Balearics never make the trip. Perhaps that’s not surprising: on the surface, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot to do on this tiny rock, just 22km wide, but I’d heard rumours of incredible beaches that look like they belong in the Caribbean, and a burgeoning foodie scene that I was keen to check out for myself.
TREASURE ISLAND Gecko Hotel & Beach Club
More so than ever, Formentera has begun to draw savvy travellers seeking the ultimate in R&R. The Gecko Hotel & Beach Club is the place to stay, but as regular guests often rebook as they check out, it’s near impossible for newcomers to enjoy its idyllic surrounds. But with uncertainty around travel putting some people off, 2021 might just be the summer to snap up a coveted room. So what is it about Gecko that keeps people coming back? In keeping with
“It really doesn’t feel like a HOTEL, more’like a friend s swish HOLIDAY PAD”
the island’s laid-back atmosphere, it really doesn’t feel like a hotel, more like a friend’s swish holiday pad. And, with little to no formalities, it’s the kind of place that drains the stress right out of your bones. On our first night, for example, there happened to be a rosé tasting evening where all the guests gathered around a makeshift bar in the garden to toast the psychedelic sunset. This was followed by a delicious dinner in the hotel’s restaurant – a destination in itself. Think orbs of oozy burrata with juicy tomatoes and freshly torn basil, and crispy curls of octopus doused in olive oil and spices. Not forgetting a perfectly seared swordfish, which had come straight off the boat on that very same day.
Design is at the heart of Gecko, from its gorgeous swimming pool – around which sun loungers and smart white umbrellas with a navy trim are dotted, set in the shade of palm and juniper trees – to its guestrooms. Ours had marble floor tiles, a black and white zigzag headboard and a spacious outdoor area with a plunge pool, a cloud-like white daybed and wicker chairs. The hotel’s location couldn’t be more perfect – a wooden boardwalk surrounded by wildflowers at the end of the garden leads right down to the creamy white sand and the ridiculously calm and clear water of Platja de Migjorn. This stretch of sand is also where we found the best chiringuitos – essentially little beach shacks – for a sundowner. We loved Flipper and Blue Bar, but our favourite was Kiosko 62, a ramshackle joint within striking distance of the hotel. After a day on the beach, we would walk there with warm skin and salt in our hair, to order potent mojitos in plastic cups, as country music blared out from a single speaker.
TO THE LIGHTHOUSE
Es Cap Barbaria Lighthouse
Commandeering e-bikes from the hotel one morning, we set off to explore the pine-covered countryside with just a paper map to guide us (Formentera’s 4G is fairly hit-andmiss). The roads are wide and there are barely any cars, so it was a total joy to freewheel around. We did take a few wrong turns (with a silver lining that it gave us the chance to gawp at some villas hidden off the beaten track, including
the minimalist one-time home of Philippe Starck), but eventually we made it to Es Cap de Barbaria lighthouse, perched on a 100m-high cliff at the island’s southernmost point. Keep your eyes peeled for the ladder that seems to descend into the rock – and, if you’re brave enough to venture in, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views from a secluded lookout point. After all that cycling, we treated ourselves to a sushi feast at 10 Punto 7. Set on a completely empty stretch of Migjorn beach, it felt like a great find, and we were wowed by super-fresh maki and sashimi from Osaka-born chef Masahito Kanayama. Also make sure to try the pasta – nothing beats spaghetti gambas with a turquoise sea as the backdrop.
TALK OF THE TOWN
Cala Saona
For the last stretch of our trip, we moved to the west of the island where our next hotel, Cala Saona, served up lavish table-side spreads of fresh bread, tropical fruits, meat and cheese while the breakfast buffet was on a Covid-19 hiatus. Another safety regulation in the spa turned out to be a blessing in disguise – you had to book in for a private slot, so for an hour we had the place to ourselves, happily hopping between the whirlpool bath, sauna, steam room and outdoor lap pool. The hotel was a great base from which to get to the island’s main town, Sant Francesc Xavier, where every day is hippy-market day, with stalls selling rainbow-coloured sarongs, straw hats, basket bags and handmade chunky rings and bracelets that wouldn’t look out of place on the wrists of Formentera frequenters Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne. Having parted with more money than you’ll anticipate, for dinner choose between Can Carlos, with its magical al-fresco setting strewn with fairy lights and hanging plants, or A Mi Manera, a flower-filled secret garden where we dined surrounded by the seasonal vegetables and herbs that would end up on our plates.
FEAST FOR THE SENSES
“Roads are wide and there are BARELY any cars, so it was a total joy to FREEWHEEL around”
Platja de ses Illetes
Don’t miss the postcard-worthy Platja de Ses Illetes, known as Formentera’s fashion beach. Here, the beautiful crowds sail up in their yachts to sit with their feet in the sand and taste the legendary tuna tartare, langoustine carpaccio and lobster risotto at Juan y Andrea, brought to the table by barefoot waiters who all look like models. After one of the longest lunches of my life, and some serious peoplewatching, we walked back along the beach as the sun set, right to the end of Illetes, where we were able to wade through the water to the islet of S’Espalmador. From there, we could see the faint outline of Ibiza with its bright lights beckoning in the distance – and I couldn’t help but think about how much happier I was away from it all, completely off-grid on this bohemian island idyll.