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Here's an additional report for Formentera which you may find useful. Ross and Sally’s report describes Formentera exactly as we found it on our two recent visits. But there are one or two things we’d like to add.
On a first visit you probably expect to find notices on the beaches saying “Nudist beach/clothing optional” (in Spanish or Catalan), but in fact there aren’t any because the freedom to be naked is the “norm” or “default” on all of the beaches except one. The exception is the town beach of Es Pujols on the NW side of the island but even there seem to be no notices saying so. You are just expected to know. There’s a very slight query over the situation on Cala Sahona (an attractive beach on the west of the island) because the GuiaFormentera’ website implies that it is not nudist, however there has always been a handful of nude sunbathers whenever we have been there. One convention (also unwritten) is to get dressed before visiting any of the beach bars or restaurants, despite the fact that there may be naked sunbathers within only a few yards. One of the very best things about the Formentera beaches is the relaxed atmosphere, simply because being naked or dressed is not an issue.
One good website (http://www.radical.org.uk/formentera/ says “...Do not wander off the beach in the nude...,” but in practice this is maybe a bit over the top. Most people do indeed get dressed, but where villas or apartments are close to the beach some visitors simply don’t bother to dress while going to and fro. An acquaintance of mine told me that he has regularly walked or cycled quite naked over much of the network of “green” lanes and cycle and footpaths because they are so unfrequented, and nobody seems to mind. The reasons for these freedoms are because the local authorities are very tolerant, and also because the Spanish Constitution does not forbid being naked in public. The Spanish Nudist Federation has this to say on this subject (in slightly quaint English): “In Spain Nudism is another of your Rights. At this time there is freedom of nudism in any public area in Spain and no authorization is required. Beaches, rivers, lakes, open fields, tracks, roads, streets, squares, parks, etc. are public areas in Spain. According to the current legislation, nudism cannot be limited, nor sanctioned and even less so forbidden (http://www.ociototal.com/naturismo/indexe.html).
So if you want to extend the boundaries just a little by (say) walking naked off the beach onto the tracks which run along the Formentera cliffs, you can do so in the knowledge that it isn’t illegal.
Unlike Ross and Sally, we made our way to Formentera independently. We booked an apartment over the phone (see http://www.ibiza-hotels.com/formentera/apart.htm and booked our flights on-line to Ibiza. From the airport you simply take a taxi (“Puerto Formentera, por favor”), then half-an-hour or so on the ferry (buy tickets at the kiosk on the quay), and finally another taxi. It could hardly be easier, and it’s cheaper that most of the packages.
Rex and Pam
If you have any comments about this report or wish to add further information
please email them to:
neffupdate @ ada-augusta . demon . co . uk
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