Formentera is the smallest and quietest of the main Balearic Islands, just a short ferry ride south of Ibiza. It lacks the club scene and the crowds, and that is precisely the point — Formentera is about beaches, bicycles, and doing very little. The island's beaches are among the best in the Mediterranean: Platja de Ses Illetes and Platja de Migjorn have white sand and water so clear it looks Caribbean.
The island is flat and small enough to explore by bicycle in a day. La Savina is the main port, where ferries from Ibiza dock alongside fishing boats and yachts. San Francesc (Sant Francesc Xavier), the tiny capital, has a fortified church, a morning craft market, and a handful of restaurants. Els Pujols is the main tourist centre, with most of the island's restaurants and bars.
Formentera was a favourite of hippies in the 1960s and 1970s, and something of that laid-back spirit persists. It is more expensive than you might expect for such a small island — the proximity to Ibiza and the limited accommodation push prices up in high season. Visit in June or September for better weather and fewer people.