Do you know where the name “faro” (lighthouse in spanish) comes from? We will reveal it to you. In the 3rd century BC, on a small Egyptian island, a 134-metre high tower was built, on the top of which a great fire constantly burned and served as a reference point for sailors. The island was named Pharos in honour of this great construction. The building was perhaps the tallest tower ever built by man and has long been considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Rich in symbols and fascinating for their precarious location, on the border between land and sea, lighthouses have always been magical places in the collective imagination. Formentera is home to three of them, so if you want to immerse yourself in their mystical beauty, book your vacation now!  

Let’s take a closer look at the lighthouses of Formentera.

La Mola lighthouse

La Mola lighthouse is located on the easternmost point of the island of Formentera. Beyond its usefulness in the naval field, it is a true symbol of the island. Standing 22 metres high, it rises majestically over the cliffs of the La Mola plateau: some 120 metres above sea level. It could be said that coming to Formentera and not visiting the lighthouse would be like going to Rome and not seeing the Coliseum.

Commissioned in 1847, but inaugurated only in 1861 by the will of Isabella II, Queen of Spain, it is located in the municipality of El Pilar de La Mola, one of the five villages of the island, also famous for hosting Formentera’s largest hippy market.  

The technology behind its luminous operation has seen various techniques over time. At first, the signal was caused by the burning of several wicks burning extra virgin olive oil, then switched to the use of paraffin from Scotland. With the advent of electricity, the lighthouse was electrified in 1971. It currently consists of 12 beams of light which are interrupted every 5 seconds and then resumed.  

The lighthouse, now controlled by a remote computer system, has had several keepers in the past. The last lighthouse keeper was Javier Pérez de Arevalo, who left his post in 2001.

There is also a plaque here in memory of Jules Verne. It was installed in 1971, but not everyone knows the reason that links the name of the great French author to this remote place. This is due to the fact that Jules Verne mentioned this part of the island as “the end of the world” in his novel “Off on a Comet”. The story, written in 1887, tells of a comet that, coming too close to the planet Earth, takes with it, in a two-year journey, some territories including a piece of Formentera with its character Palmirano Roseta. The latter, an astronomy scholar, was on the small island to study celestial distances in depth from Formentera’s highest point, La Mola.  

Since 1 July 2019, a museum with its cultural space has opened at the base of the lighthouse. Strongly desired by Formentera’s councillor for culture, the museum houses a permanent exhibition illustrating the great importance of lighthouses on the islands, as well as the history of Formentera and its close relationship with the sea. It is open every day except Mondays, from 11 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 9 pm. The entrance fee is €4.5.

To reach the La Mola lighthouse, a place of infinite beauty and rich in history, simply follow the long paved road that starts at the port of La Savina and crosses the villages of Sant Francesc, Sant Ferran and Es Caló. Just after the latter, you will begin a winding climb that will take you to a densely wooded area: El Pilar de la Mola, the other side of Formentera. There is no recommended time to visit the lighthouse, as its beauty can be seen at any time of day. But if you want to capture its essence, go at dawn: thanks to its orientation, it is the best place to see the sunrise.  

Finally, if you don’t suffer from vertigo, we suggest you take a look at the high cliffs on which you will find yourself. The spectacle of the sea crashing against the rocks will reveal all its power. Visiting La Mola lighthouse is a real experience: let the wind blow you around and enjoy the moment. Only then will you understand what the last lighthouse keeper meant: living there, in that place that seems to be at the ends of the world, is not always so easy. Joy and sadness, euphoria and melancholy will alternate within you at rhythms never known before.  

Cap De Barbaria lighthouse

Exactly at the other end of the island is the majestic Cap de Barbaria lighthouse. Just over 17 metres high and with a diameter of 3 metres, it was designed in 1924 but inaugurated only in 1972. Located in the southwestern part of Formentera, at a height of 78 metres above sea level, the lighthouse proudly looks out over the coasts of the great mother Africa.

The name Barbaria has a controversial origin: some people associate it with the name of the people who inhabited the African coasts, the Berbers, and others attribute it to the violent depredations by pirates, real “barbarism” to which the island was subjected for many years.

The natural landscape surrounding the lighthouse is a very inhospitable territory: all around you will observe only the rugged and hard rock while the vegetation has long since abandoned any attempt at life. From this angle you can enjoy not only one of the most impressive sunsets of your life, but also a beautiful panoramic view of the coast of Migjorn and the promontory of La Mola. To reach the Cap de Barbaria lighthouse, follow the signs to the beach of Cala Saona and then to the lighthouse.  

Since July 1, 2017, in order to protect the landscape that is home to this monument of great importance from the naval point of view and not only, the Consell Insular de Formentera has decided to put up a barrier, precisely at km 6.5 of the Es Cap road, delimiting the area where the lighthouse is located. While it used to be possible to park your car or motorbike nearby, now it is necessary to walk about 2 km. The parking area is large and can accommodate up to 60 cars and 100 mopeds. For the safety of the vehicles and to manage the traffic at peak times there is a guard.  

The Cap de Barbaria lighthouse owes its notoriety, not only to the panorama and the fantastic sunsets that can be observed there, but also to a film that came out in 2001 called “Sex and Lucia”. The protagonist, a young Paz Vega, plays a woman who comes to Formentera to find herself and the dark sides of her former love story. Famous is the film’s poster featuring Paz Vega in the background of the Cap de Barbaria lighthouse.  

A visit to this lighthouse is practically mandatory during your holiday in Formentera. Considered a place of pilgrimage, on the long walk that will lead you to its presence in this remote place, you will inevitably be seduced by the magic of the island. Formentera will enter your heart forever!

Finally, don’t forget to visit the nearby underground cave, also called “Sa Cova Foradada”. A natural crack in the rock that will make you observe the sea from a unique point of view.  

La Savina lighthouse

La Savina lighthouse is the one we find when we arrive at the port of Formentera. Less well known than the two previous Formentera lighthouses, which on the other hand receive numerous visits from tourists every summer, this lighthouse is very important for maritime navigation.

Located near the island’s heliport, it serves as a light for planes in transit and as a signalling system for boats sailing in Estany des Peix. This natural lake, with an entrance to the sea, houses a small harbour with capacity for many sport and fishing boats.

This concludes our study of the Formentera lighthouses. We suggest you visit at least one of them during your stay on the island. To the question “What to see in Formentera?” we can only answer: the lighthouses!

 

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