Formentera, Spain Weather and Climate

Geographical location

Formentera is the smallest and southernmost island of the Spanish Balearic Islands with 82 square kilometers. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea, 75 kilometers east of the Iberian Peninsula and around 9 kilometers south of Ibiza.

The coast of Formentera is characterized by large cliffs that rise above long beaches of fine sand. The island is about 20 kilometers long and at its smallest dimension only 2 kilometers wide. The highest point of the generally flat Balearic island is 19 meters above the ground on the tip of La Mola.

Only around 12,000 people live permanently on Fuerteventura, the number of people growing slightly to over 20,000 during the main tourist season. The official languages ​​are Spanish and Catalan, with the local dialect “formenteres”.

Salt was Formentera’s main product until the 1980s, but production ceased in 1985 due to falling demand. Since then tourism has been the main source of income, and there are still a few farms with minimally functioning agriculture and livestock.

The vegetation on the entire island is typically Mediterranean, especially pine forests are predominant. The largest settlement on Formentera is Sant Francesc de Formentera with around 1100 inhabitants in the center.

Climate in Formentera

The climate is mild in winter and hot in summer. During the day, the values ​​between July and mid- September often reach 30 degrees, in the winter months an average of 17 degrees is reached during the day. There is very little and irregular rainfall averaging around 380mm per year. The north of the island is even much drier.

Most of the rain falls in the autumn and spring months. The wettest months are October and November. Even then, there are only a few showers. The winters are usually windy, the total number of wind frequency days is in the order of 94.5 percent. Therefore, the temperatures in midsummer are rarely perceived as uncomfortably hot.

When is the best time to visit Formentera?

The high season in Formentera is mainly during the European school holidays between July and August. During these two months the prices are very high, the island is full of tourists, the traffic is enormous and the beaches are sometimes overcrowded. On the other hand, there are of course ideal conditions for an unforgettable beach holiday.

We recommend the end of May to mid-October as the best travel time to Formentera. If you don’t depend on the school holidays, the marginal months of June and September should be perfect for you. The weather conditions are now also fantastic, but the beaches are by no means as crowded as in the high season.

Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine

Temperatures

The annual average temperature is 17.9 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is August (25.9 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 11.5 ° C. The maximum water temperature is 26 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. The months of May, June, July, August, September, October and November have a water temperature of at least 17 ° C. Bathing is then possible to a limited extent. The months of June, July, August, September and October have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.

Precipitation

The annual precipitation is 380 mm on 43 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. Snowfall is generally not expected in any month.

Sunshine

As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 10.7 hours of sunshine per day. The average annual sun shines 7.6 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.

Sights & attractions

Beyond the white beaches and pristine waters, the cultural influence of the residents of Formentera Island and its geographic features have resulted in the construction of many historic sites. Most of them still stand today and give a glimpse into the island’s colorful past. In the center of the capital of the island of Formentera is the church of Sant Francesc Xavier. It was built in 1726 and was the first church on the island to be used as a refuge by its residents until 1749.

Lighthouses determine the coastal landscape of Formentera. The oldest and most important is at the easternmost point of Formentera in La Mola. It was built in 1859 and 1861. It is the tallest of the island’s three lighthouses, which were built on a 120 meter high rock wall. The second is located in the port of La Savina and was built between 1862 and 1863.

The megalithic settlement of Cana Costa is an archaeological site on the island. Anthropologists determined that the island was already inhabited 4,000 years ago, with the Cap de Barberia still proving such a theory. The Cana Costa Megalithic Settlement actually consists of three sites in which a burial chamber, an access passage and an outer structure of concentric fortifications have been built. Pottery, bones and a piece of bronze were also found.

Formentera weather in March, April and May

Average daily temperatures between 17 ° C and 22 ° C can be expected over the next three months. In Formentera it gets warmest in May, while March is a little cooler.

Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 15-19 ° C.

In March, at about days 4 to be expected precipitation in April at about 3 days in May at about three days.

In the period from March to May , the sun shines an average of 7 to 9 hours a day. The sunniest weather in Formentera is in May, but with less sun you will have to get by in March.