Ibiza’s unique natural environment is also home to other landscapes of great interest. Places like Benimussa Valley and the plain of El Pla de Corona stand out for their rural charm. Apart from their traditional country houses and lush olive groves and vineyards, they are particularly attractive in winter when you can see thousands of almond trees in full bloom, adorning the countryside with delicate white flowers. Another great place to visit is Ses Salines Natural Park. The salt pans and maritime marshes extend across the south of Ibiza and the north of Formentera, and the sea here is home to a large part of the posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. These meadows have earned the island its place on the World Heritage biodiversity list. Ibiza’s cultural World Heritage sites are mainly concentrated around the upper part of Eivissa, Dalt Vila, considered the best preserved coastal fortress in the Mediterranean. The area is perfect for strolling around the small streets and hidden squares. Sa Caleta, the nearby Phoenician settlement, and the necropolis at Puig des Molins also form part of Ibiza’s UNESCO World Heritage assets. If Ibiza is synonymous with the energy of the dance floors then her little sister, Formentera, is the total chill-out zone. A bolthole since the 1960s, the beaches and coves, with their fine white sand and unique turquoise sea, are the perfect place to switch off completely. Let’s be honest, it’s so detached that the urge to go naked seems to occur quite a lot (on the beaches)! Adored by the Italians, there is an island slogan that describes Formentera as “the last paradise of the Mediterranean”. Modern tourism hardly exists - there’s no airport, very few hotels (though no shortage of luxury villas), no designer shops and no American fast-food chains. Instead the coastal landscapes are dotted with little villages, natural harbours, and picturesque lighthouses, such as La Mola or Cap de Barbaria. Inland the scenery is just as enchanting - lakes, salt pans, caves, and woods of junipers and pines. Visitors will also find three historic villages: Sant Francesc Xavier, Sant Ferran de ses Roques, and El Pilar de la Mola. Cala d’Hort and Es Vedrà Dusk falls over the waterfront and Dalt Vila (Ibiza Old Town) Chill out in the countryside around San Gertrudis Formentera is a very small island (18 km long) and quite flat, ideal for cycling. The elevated area of LaMola is the only difficulty (200metres above sea level), otherwise the beaches and villages are easily accessible by bike. If worried about slopes then go for an e-bike. Turquoise waters off the white sands of Ses Illetes. Formentera pedal power 36
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