Indian summer in Formentera, island of green trails

It is always nice to return to Formentera in autumn. It is not the same island that welcomes tens of thousands of holidaymakers during the summer months. Indeed, its incomparable beauty knows a new dimension, less fashionable and more authentic, less chaotic and (definitely) more liveable. And this dimension can be perceived immediately, upon disembarking at the quay in the port of La Savina, after about 30 minutes by hydrofoil in the company of a few other passengers embarking in Ibiza. Few people around, few places open and no queues at the office of the car and scooter hire company, essential means of getting around the island easily (dirt roads apart) for a stay of just a few days. The sensation is that of having gone back 30 years or more, to the days when Formentera, even in the middle of August, was considered a sort of 'buen retiro' where one could regenerate and recharge one's batteries in the sun and sea, far from the clamour and excesses of the Ibizan nights. In this corner of the Balearic Islands, and this is confirmed by the many Italians who live and work here for 10 months of the year, autumn (if one is lucky enough to avoid the possible first rains) is the absolute best time (with June) to slowly discover the wonders of the island and its picture-postcard panoramas, starting with its white sandy beaches overlooking turquoise waters.

The only unknown factor in spending a day at the beach is the direction of the wind, which can also blow strongly and restrict access to the water in rocky coves. For the rest, it is really difficult to elect the most beautiful beach, also because of the variety of them and the landscape that surrounds them. Ses Illetes, in any case, absolutely cannot be missing among the possible destinations. For many, it is the beach par excellence in Formentera, and it is certainly the most famous: a tongue of sand and rocks that extends for about three kilometres into the sea, offering the possibility of bathing on both sides. It can also be reached by car (as far as the bar-restaurant Es Ministre) and then you are spoilt for choice (in this season at least) for the stretch of sand where you can lie down (sunbeds and umbrellas cost 10 euro for the whole day) and lose yourself in the view of the sea with its incredible transparency and infinite shades of blue. Still wild, the adjacent Levants beach is more exposed to the waves and is also the most popular with naturists and nudists. A walk along its very long shoreline is a true immersion in nature and for those who want to relax with a 'cerveza' and a fish dish, the famous Tanga restaurant, opened 46 years ago directly on the beach, is a pleasant stop to make.

One of the beaches worth visiting is certainly that of Migjorn. It stretches for over six kilometres on the southern coast of the island between stretches of fine sand and small inlets between the rocks and is dotted here and there with kiosks (the famous chiringuitos) and seaside bars (such as the historic Blue Bar) that fill up at sunset for the ritual of an aperitif. Playa de Migjorn is also an obvious example, as is also Ses Illetes, of how intelligent human intervention has enhanced a unique natural heritage thanks to wooden walkways that facilitate walking along the beach (and from the car parks to the seashore) while preserving the sandy shore and its ecosystem. A must-do, albeit a quick trip, is to Caló des Mort, a tiny rocky inlet in which there is a real natural swimming pool with crystal-clear sea. Not easy to find (it is reached via a small, barely visible dirt road that opens up from Carrer Maryland and runs above the famous 'escars', the boathouses where fishermen still moor their boats), it is one of the pearls of Formentera for its wild nature (there are no services), its waters teeming with fish and the panoramic view of the entire coast, with the Cap de Barbaria lighthouse in the distance. Less crowded and much quieter than the others, all the more so at the beginning of October (when it is totally free and sunbeds with umbrellas can be counted on the fingers of one hand), Cala Saona is a nonetheless picturesque beach overlooking a small bay bordered by two rocky cliffs. It is easily reached from Sant Francesc by a few kilometres of dirt road and already from the car park, its view invites one to take a swim in its clean waters.

Formentera can be visited comfortably by bicycle and there are more than 30 well-marked and interconnected green routes that can be done independently, on an e-bike or even on foot. The routes cover a total of more than 100 kilometres (most of them flat) immersed in nature and in a countryside dotted with dry stone walls that punctuate a landscape where old mills emerge here and there among pine forests and small shrubs. A route not to be missed is the one that leads to Cap de Barbaria and the lighthouse of the same name, one of the most iconic places to admire the magic of sunset on Formentera. You get there by pedalling for about 2 km on a narrow asphalt road (or walking the same route for 20 minutes from the car park) through a wild, steppe-like landscape that provides a truly unique atmosphere when the sun slowly sets on the horizon. At the eastern end of the island is the Far de la Mola, a must for a bike ride along a loop route (route 32) that runs through the red earth countryside among dwarf vines and junipers; the more daring can take route 27 that threads its way through the vegetation of the south side of the promontory before climbing up to the lighthouse, where the view is unique from the top of the sheer cliff that rises 118 metres above the sea.

Another great advantage of taking a short holiday in Formentera in October is the ease with which you can find a table in a restaurant (which becomes a feat in July and August). In Sant Ferran de Ses Roques, in the centre of the island, a recommended address is Macondo, a place with outdoor tables where you can enjoy good food (desserts included) and the friendliness of Roberto, an Italian transplanted here for more than 20 years and co-owner of another restaurant serving meat specialities. A few tens of metres from the Macondo is Fonda Pepe, a historic bar and inn (it has been open since 1953) that at this time welcomes guests who are mainly locals (not to be missed is the party to mark the end of the season, which this year falls on Sunday 12 October) and where a stop for a drink or a late-night chupito is a must. In Es Caló, on the northern coast and just a few steps from the sea, two names to look out for, Can Rafalet and Es Caló, for a taste of the best paella on the island. An alternative to consider is the gastronomic festival (on this year's calendar from 14 to 27 October), which allows one to dine or have lunch for 25 euros (excluding drinks) on typical local dishes such as insalata payesa (with dried fish), sofrit pagès (with meat and potatoes) or flaó (fresh cheese cake with mint). Among the places on the list are 190 Pasos, Can Martin and Cafune. If for a healthy breakfast with homemade baked goods and freshly squeezed juices and smoothies a recommended address is Blat Picat, in Sant Ferran, one cannot say goodbye to Formentera without enjoying a cocktail, a beer or a glass of wine in one of its many chiringuitos. At the Briss, in the marina of Es Pujols, once a small fishing village and now the most important tourist centre of Formentera, it is not uncommon to find people who lived the island in the 1970s and 1980s as real freaks, while at the Bocaboca in Cala Saona, run by Italians, you can drink a toast at sunset. On Mitjorn beach, finally, there are five more of the eight eco-friendly chiringuitos, built with ecological materials, photovoltaic panels and certified wood and inaugurated in mid-July, which will remain open at weekends throughout the winter. Waiting for the start of the new season.