The island
with memory

The oldest vestiges of human presence in Formentera date back to the Bronze Age, around 2000–800 BC. The archaeological sites of Cap de Barbaria I, II and III, located at the southern tip of the island, show cyclopean dry stone structures and ceramic materials that evidence stable and continuous occupation for centuries.

These early Formentera residents were herders and farmers who practiced collective funerary rituals in caves and natural crevices. During the Phoenician and Punic era (8th–3rd centuries BC), Formentera was part of the Mediterranean commercial network centered in Ebusus (Ibiza), although without evidence of permanent Phoenician settlement on the island itself.

In the year 902, the Caliph of Córdoba definitively conquered the Balearics. Under Arab rule, Formentera was known as Yabisa al-Saghira (Little Ibiza) and was part of the flourishing Islamic Mediterranean trade. The salt of Formentera was especially appreciated and exported to North Africa.

The Arab geographer al-Idrisi described the islands in the 12th century as fertile and well-governed territories, with salt flats whose production "never ended." The Arab era was one of the periods of greatest relative prosperity for the Pityusic Islands, connected to the trade routes between Al-Andalus and the eastern Mediterranean.

Many place names in the Balearics have Arabic origins. This cultural heritage coexisted for centuries alongside subsequent Christian colonization.

In 1235, Guillem de Montgrí—sent by King James I the Conqueror—took Ibiza and Formentera for the Crown of Aragon. Arab resistance was limited and the islands fell into Christian hands relatively quickly. The salt flats were immediately distributed among the nobles participating in the campaign.

The island became part of the newly created Kingdom of Mallorca. In 1336, the Romanesque chapel of Sa Tanca Vella was built in Sant Francesc Xavier, one of the most eloquent testimonies of the medieval period. However, the tranquility would not last long: the 14th century would bring the Black Death (1348) and the start of pirate attacks that would condition Formentera’s history for four centuries.

The four centuries following the reconquest were marked by the terror of the Barbary pirates from North Africa. These attackers not only looted goods: they captured people to enslave them and sell them in Islamic Mediterranean markets. The threat was so constant that Formentera was practically depopulated on several occasions.

The Black Death of 1348 decimated the already sparse population. Attempts to repopulate the island failed repeatedly: a small group would barely settle when a new raid forced them to abandon it. The coastal watchtowers that can still be seen on the island are direct witnesses to this era: they served to warn of the arrival of pirates and give time to flee.

During much of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, Formentera was de facto depopulated, inhabited only by seasonal fishermen and smugglers.

The coup d'état of July 18, 1936 plunged Spain into a civil war. The Balearics quickly fell under Francoist control. Formentera, subordinate to Ibiza, came under the regime from the first days of the uprising. The repression was brutal: republicans, unionists, and people considered "disaffected" were arrested, judged by summary military tribunals, and sent to prison.

During the nearly forty years of dictatorship (1939–1975), life in Formentera was marked by economic autarky, the prohibition of Catalan in public spaces, and the dominant role of the Catholic Church. The economy continued to be based on agriculture and salt flats, with widespread poverty. However, the tourist opening in the 60s—paradoxically promoted by the regime itself to obtain foreign currency—would change the island forever.

In the mid-60s, hundreds of young people from all over the world arrived in Formentera looking for what the island had in abundance: pristine nature, absolute tranquility, and freedom. In the midst of the Vietnam War, many Americans who rejected military service crossed the Atlantic and found their Mediterranean utopia in Formentera.

The main hippie community formed in Es Molí, in La Mola. The headquarters was the Fonda Pepe in Sant Ferran, where artists, musicians, and adventurers from all over the world gathered to debate, create, and live. That legendary tavern is still open today and is a mandatory stop for any traveler wanting to connect with the island’s spirit.

The Franco regime reacted with repression: between 1968 and 1970 there were raids and expulsions of hippies accused of "public scandal" and drug use. Many returned season after season. Over time, the introduction of hard drugs and the democratic transition marked the decline of the movement. Its legacy persists in the La Mola craft market and the Flower Power summer parties.

The connection between Formentera and the music of the 60s and 70s is so deep that the island literally has its own soundtracks composed by some of the most important rock bands in history.

Other artists linked to the island include James Taylor, Taj Mahal, Dexter Gordon, and Gilberto Gil. According to legend—without definitive documentary proof—Bob Dylan also spent several seasons in Formentera.

«More» (Barbet Schroeder, 1969) is the first major film linked to Formentera. Shot partly at the Molí d'en Teuet in Sant Ferran and set to a Pink Floyd soundtrack, it tells the story of a hippie's descent into hard drugs. It was heavily censored in several countries and became a cult classic.

«Sex and Lucia» (Julio Medem, 2001) features probably the most famous scene of Spanish cinema shot on the island: Paz Vega pedaling along the road to the Cap de Barbaria lighthouse with the wind rumpling her red dress. The film turned Formentera into a cinematic icon and the lighthouse into a pilgrimage destination. Cala Saona and the Blue Bar also appear in this story of love and desire that Medem filmed with a narrative freedom that perfectly matched the island's spirit.

«Formentera Lady» (Pau Durà, 2018), starring José Sacristán, looks back at the hippies of the 70s and is a piece of sentimental memory about an unrepeatable era. The RTVE documentary «Formentera, between heaven and earth» (2022) offers a breathtaking aerial journey from the salt flats to the cliffs of La Mola.