On our autumn holiday in Ibiza we took the ferry to Formentera for the day. It is the small island just south of Ibiza, with a different pace and some of the best beaches in the Mediterranean, and we went with two adults and three children. This is what the day looked like and what it cost.
Deciding on the morning
The weather app for Ibiza had been unreliable all week, so we checked the forecast for Formentera itself and went. We drove to the harbour car park in Ibiza Town without tickets, not knowing whether we could buy them on the spot.
At the car park there were adverts for the ferries, and two Trasmapi representatives came over with information. Their prices were a lot higher than the ones on the Aquabus billboard next to them, so we did what everyone does and searched on the phone. These were the fares for the five of us:
What a day trip from Ibiza to Formentera costs for two adults and three children
- Trasmapi: €157.50 with a €15 parking discount (about £130)
- Aquabus: €119.95 (about £100)
Aquabus was not the €9 the billboard suggested, but it was still cheaper than Trasmapi, and there were plenty of seats. Booking online at the quayside went wrong at checkout, because the two-step verification on our credit card would not cooperate while the ferry was about to leave. It did not matter: we paid on board. We could also choose the return sailing, 17:15 or 19:30.
The crossing with Aquabus was fine. It is an older boat, but for an hour on the water you do not need more, and the lower fare mattered once we added up the whole day (the total is at the end).
What we did on Formentera
The plan was to hire bikes and ride round the island with the children. Finding ordinary bikes took some looking among all the car and scooter rentals at the port. Our first stop, Love Bici (Google Maps), only had electric bikes, which is good for a group of adults but not for us. The staff sent us further along Carrer de s’Almadrava (Google Maps), where there are several more rental shops.
We settled on the one with the biggest choice, next to a car park: Moto Rent Mitjorn (Google Maps). The reviews, we saw afterwards, are not the best, but the staff were friendly and helpful. The bikes were not in top condition, with soft tyres and a chain on the children’s bike that came off four times, but they got us to Platja de Ses Illetes.
We paid €75 for five bikes (about £62.50) plus a €50 deposit, and followed the cycle path to Platja de Ses Illetes (Google Maps). It is a remarkable beach: pale sand, shallow water and that colour of blue you do not quite believe. Off-season it was quiet, and in late October you can still swim.
A drink, at a price
Most restaurants had closed for the season, but El Pirata (Google Maps) was open. A lovely spot on the sand, and €7 (about £5.83) for an apple juice; the location does the work there, not the drink.
On to the capital
From the beach we cycled 4 miles (7 km) to Sant Francesc Xavier, the island’s main village. We walked around, had ice cream at LadaCrem (Google Maps) and tapas and drinks at Del Centro (Google Maps), a lively place on the square with plenty to watch.
The ride back to the port is 2.5 miles (4 km), downhill. We returned the bikes, walked round the harbour and boarded the evening ferry back to Ibiza in the dark.
What we spent
Not a cheap day out, but a very good one; the beaches alone are worth the fare.
- Ferry: €120 / £100
- Parking: €32 / £26.70
- Bike rental: €75 / £62
- Drinks: €22 / £18
- Ice creams: €22 / £10
Planning a trip to Ibiza or Formentera? Our guides to the ferry to Ibiza and the ferries to Formentera have the routes, companies and the parking tips from this trip.
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