EL PILAR DE LA MOLA

El Pilar de la Mola is a small town located on the eastern part of the island, about ten kilometers from Sant Ferran. The only inhabited centre of the La Mola area is the village of El Pilar, formed by about thirty houses arranged around the parish church, an ancient eighteenth-century building. The local residents are called “molers” (from la Mola) unlike the other inhabitants of the island called “formenteres” (from Formentera).

La Mola hippy market

Concert at the La Mola market

The hippy movement peacefully invaded these areas between the 1960s and the 1970s. Here gathered young military veterans from the Vietnam War, boys fleeing from a California where, the essence of peace and love, was gradually dismantled by the advent of hallucinogens or by lovers of Eastern philosophies. They were all united by one goal: the search for inner peace in a still virgin place.

At the time, Formentera was wild and unspoiled, so much so that in different parts of the island the electricity came only several years later. Since then, numerous legends tell of celebrities who had chosen this earthly paradise as a “shelter” but, with the exception of some accredited sources, so many stories live only in myth.

Instead, tangible evidence of that period is the hippy market which, in summer, takes place twice a week.
Timetable of La Mola market: Wednesdays and Sundays, from 16.00 onwards.

An unmissable event for every tourist, it will be here that you will be able to see and buy hand-made souvenirs made by local artisans and some hippie veterans. There are about fifty stalls and you will find a wide range of jewels, trinkets, bags, paintings, ceramics, clothing and many products created with natural materials, from wood to stone, from leather to silver!

During your visit to the flea market you will surely be involved by the music and the performance of some local artists: it is in fact tradition that bands play in the small central square. Of note is the floor covering on which the artists sing and dance: a multicolored mosaic composes the image of a dove, symbol of peace. We also point out that La Mola market is much richer than the evening one in Es Pujols.

El Mirador

The beautiful view from El Mirador

Starting from the village of Es Calò, to reach the village of El Pilar de La Mola, you will travel along an evocative winding road immersed in vegetation; near the famous El Mirador restaurant, stop to admire the island from a unique perspective. You are in fact in a point of view that you will hardly forget: El Mirador (where the homonymous restaurant located in the curve takes its name).

To visit just before arriving at the hippie market, this viewpoint will allow you to observe both the beaches to the north (Ses Platgetes) and those located to the south (Playa de Migjorn). To immortalize unique glimpses of our beloved island, we suggest you go into the thick vegetation so that it does not cover the landscape too much.

The La Mola lighthouse

The La Mola lighthouse

Another of the attractions of this place is certainly the lighthouse (one of the 3 on the island). Located on the high cliffs that reach 120 metres high, from here you can enjoy a breathtaking view overlooking the sea. To reach it, you will have to take a long climb and finally leave the village and the fields behind you. The atmosphere you breathe and the emotions you will experience cannot be described in simple words: let yourself be disheveled by the wind, listen to the noises of the seagulls and you will understand why this place contains so much magic.

Beside the lighthouse there is also a commemorative plaque in honor of the writer Jules Verne who set his novel “Off on a Comet“, written in 1877 and which describes this place as “the end of the world”.

After having contemplated so much beauty, we advise you to stop at the Codice Luna bar, located a few meters away, where you can taste cold cuts and cheeses from the area and drink a good frozen mojito.

Being in the easternmost point of Formentera, we suggest to come to this place to admire the sunrise. The incredible spectacle of dawn, which you will be able to observe in this promontory, will certainly not make you regret your lost sleep. The area of La Mola lighthouse is also an important naturalistic and geological zone.

Molí Vell

The ancient Molí Vell and the little house

Continuing beyond the village of El Pilar de la Mola, turning right, you will meet Molí Vell, an ancient windmill, used to grind the wheat that was grown in large quantities on the island. The ancient name of Formentera was in fact Frumentaria which in Latin means “pertaining to wheat”.

Regarding the 7 mills built on the island, this is the one best preserved thanks to the restoration carried out by the Insular Council. Still today it is guarded by a family member who has managed it for many generations.

It was built over two centuries ago, precisely in 1778, a period in which the island began to be repopulated after several years of neglect. This is the only mill on the Pitiuse islands, namely Ibiza and Formentera, which still has the status of working state. It was used until 1956. Legend has it that in 1968 Bob Dylan rented the little house next to the side of the Molí Vell.

In the summer months you can visit this precious mill from Monday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. You can enter and access the upper floor to see the gears and how it works.

Restaurants in El Pilar de la Mola

In this area there are some of the best restaurants on the island. Coming from Es Calò, the first one you will meet is the Caterina restaurant, situated in a very special location: a garden decorated with soft lighting, combined with a meticulous service, make this restaurant a must for those visiting the island. Or, continuing on the road, you will meet S’Eufabi with its authentic Spanish cuisine, followed immediately by the El Mirador restaurant: situated on the curve of the magnificent panoramic point, it is recommended for those who, in addition to the palate, also want to delight the eye. In the heart of El Pilar de la Mola instead we recommend Can Toni that will captivate you with its traditional Spanish tapas.

In conclusion, we can say that La Mola is certainly one of the most peaceful places on the island, given its distance from the main tourist centers and the most popular beaches.

On 24th June in El Pilar de la Mola there is the feast of Sant Joan with the traditional bonfire, while on 12th October there is that of the Nuestra Senora del Pilar.