We thought taking the ferry to Formentera during our autumn holiday in Ibiza would be a fantastic idea. This small island, located south of Ibiza, has a unique atmosphere and beautiful beaches!
Heading to the Harbour on a Whim
Since the weather app on Ibiza wasn’t always accurate, we decided to check the weather over Formentera directly and go for it! We drove to the harbour car park without booking ferry tickets in advance. We had no idea what to expect or whether we could buy tickets on the spot.
At the car park, we saw a few advertisements for ferries and were soon approached by two Trasmapi representatives who gave us some information about the crossing. However, the prices were quite high compared to what we’d seen on the Aquabus billboard. So, what do you do? A quick Google search! In the end, we found the following costs:
Cost of a Day Trip from Ibiza to Formentera for a Family with 2 adults 3 Children
- Trasmapi: €157.50 with a €15 parking discount (£130)
- Aquabus: €119.95 (£100)
At Aquabus, the tickets turned out not to be €9 as advertised, but they were still cheaper than Trasmapi. And luckily, there were plenty of seats available!
While booking online, we encountered issues at checkout because our credit card’s two-step verification wasn’t cooperating. This caused a bit of panic since the ferry was about to depart! Thankfully, our worries were unnecessary, as we could pay onboard instead. We could choose our departure time for the return journey: 17:15 or 19:30.
The crossing with Aquabus was perfectly fine. It’s an older boat, but for a one-hour journey, you don’t need much, do you? The lower price was certainly appreciated, especially considering the total cost of the day out (found at the end of this blog).
What Did We Do on Formentera?
We planned to rent bikes and explore the island with the kids. It took a little searching to find a place with regular bikes among all the rental shops for cars and scooters. Our first stop was Love Bici (Google Maps), but only electric bikes were available. This is a great option for groups without young children but not ideal for us. The staff at Love Bici suggested we walk further along Carrer de s’Almadrava (Google Maps), where there were several more bike rental options.
Soon enough, we found a few choices and decided on a shop next to a car park with the most extensive selection: Moto Rent MITJORN (Google Maps). In hindsight, this shop might not have the best reviews, but the staff were friendly and helpful.
The bikes weren’t in top condition—the tyres were a bit soft, and the chain on the kids’ bike fell off four times—but they were good enough to get us to our first destination, Platja de Ses Illetes.
We paid €75 for five bikes (£ 62,50) plus a €50 deposit. We followed the bike path to Platja de Ses Illetes (Google Maps), a stunning beach! The sea is a beautiful azure blue with its bright sandy colour and shallow waters. It was off-season, so it was nice and quiet, and swimming was still possible in late October!
Stopping for a Drink – Pricey!
Many restaurants had already closed for the season, but El Pirata (Google Maps) was fortunately open for a drink. It’s a lovely spot, but we paid €7 (£5,83) for an apple juice! The place isn’t particularly special, but they likely get away with the prices due to their prime location.
On to the Capital
We decided to cycle 4 miles / 7 kilometres to Sant Francesc Xavier, the island’s capital (the main village). We strolled around, enjoyed some ice cream at LadaCrem (Google Maps), and drank some tapas at Del Centro (Google Maps)—a lively spot with plenty to see on the square!
The return trip to the ferry port is downhill 2.5 miles (4 km). After returning the bikes, we took a short walk around the harbour before boarding the ferry for a night crossing.
What Did We End Up Spending?
Although our day trip to Formentera was pricey, it was a fantastic day out. Those beaches are unforgettable!
- Ferry: €120 / £100
- Parking: €32 / £26,7
- Bike rental: €75 / £62
- Drinks
- Ice creams
- Snacks
- Total cost: To be updated! (Need to gather the last few receipts.)
Are you planning a trip to Ibiza or Formentera? You can take the ferry to Ibiza and find all the information you need about ferries to Formentera here.
Meet Jelle, the creative mind behind FerryGoGo, all the way from the Netherlands. His journey started when he was planning a big trip around the world. But there was a problem – he couldn't easily find information about ferry crossings. So, Jelle decided to take matters into his own hands and create FerryGoGo. Now, he's making it simple for tourists like you to find ferry routes and explore the world's waterways. Join Jelle on his mission to make ferry travel a breeze with FerryGoGo! 🌍
