Ibiza's sister island, Formentera, has a history that stretches back thousands of years. From its prehistoric megalithic tombs and Roman fortifications to centuries of abandonment, rural repopulation and the dark years of the Franco dictatorship, the island has experienced some remarkably different chapters.
Its transformation into a destination for artists, travellers and, eventually, mass tourism is relatively recent – making today's laid-back Formentera the latest stage in a much longer story.
Megalithic remains provide the earliest evidence of a stable, continuous population on Formentera. The most famous is the tomb at Ca na Costa, between Estany Pudent and Es Pujols, dating from around 2000–1600 BCE.
One of the most important megalithic monuments in the Balearic Islands, it is a collective burial mound with a circular chamber surrounded by concentric stone rings and radial slabs, creating a striking geometric design.
During antiquity, Phoenicians and Punic peoples frequented Formentera's shores, while under Roman rule the island became closely linked to Ebusus – modern Ibiza. The Romans left their mark at Can Blai (near the village of Es Caló), a small fortified castellum dating from the late Roman period and the principal surviving Roman archaeological site on Formentera.
The island was also known as Frumentaria, generally interpreted as "the island of wheat", reflecting its importance as a source of grain.
Formentera subsequently spent centuries under Muslim rule. The long Andalusian presence left a lasting imprint on the island, particularly in its place names, wells and agricultural systems. Water management was crucial on this dry island, and wells, waterwheels and cisterns became an essential part of making the land productive.
In 1235, Formentera and Ibiza were conquered by troops led by Guillem de Montgrí and incorporated into the Crown of Aragon. However, establishing a permanent population on Formentera proved difficult.
From the second half of the 14th century, the effects of the Black Death, poor harvests and, above all, the continuing threat of piracy made life increasingly precarious.
Between the 14th and 17th centuries, the island was largely uninhabited, although it continued to be used by Ibiza for pasture and salt production.
Permanent repopulation finally began to take hold at the end of the 17th century. In 1697, the Crown granted Marc Ferrer the right to repopulate the island, and during the 18th century settlers – mainly arriving from Ibiza – established the communities that formed the basis of modern Formentera.
As the population grew, churches, wells and defensive towers were built, reflecting both the practical challenges of island life and the continuing threat from the sea.
For much of the 19th and first half of the 20th century, life remained hard and largely dependent on agriculture, livestock, fishing and salt. Wheat, figs and vines were among the principal crops, while the salt works at Ses Salines became an important source of income. The difficult economic conditions also encouraged many Formenterans to emigrate.
The Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939) and its aftermath brought one of the darkest episodes in the island's modern history. In 1940, the Francoist regime opened a prison camp at La Savina for people who had already been sentenced by military tribunals. Known as the Penal de Formentera, it held up to 2,000 prisoners during its roughly two years of operation.
Conditions were appalling, with overcrowding, hunger, disease, and poor sanitation contributing to the deaths of at least 58 prisoners between 1940 and 1942.
After the difficult post-war years, Formentera's isolation began to attract a very different kind of visitor. During the 1960s and 1970s, artists, musicians and travellers drawn to the island's beaches, landscape and alternative lifestyle helped establish its enduring bohemian reputation.
Tourism subsequently became the island's main economic driver, transforming Formentera while leaving much of its distinctive landscape and slower pace intact. Today, the island's appeal rests on precisely that combination of natural beauty, relatively low-key development and a strong sense of place.
Read more here about the history of Ibiza and Formentera.
