Real Spanish Honeymoon Guide - Polka Dot Wedding

Working out where to honeymoon is tricky. ‘Wedmin’ is full on and was basically all I did for the last 9 months (not when I was at work *cough* obviously *cough*). But deciding where to honeymoon was a decision I did not take lightly or want to mess up.

Our (read: my) three criteria were as follows:

1. Beach break(rather than a city break). Neither of us had been on a beach or in the ocean for over 18 months (first world problem I know!) and we both craved the sun, sea and sand between our toes.

2. Somewhere we hadn’t been before. Meeting this criteria was a little harder than it should have been as I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively through Europe from my base in London (not to mention whirlwind trips from my uni days that I absolutely could not afford!) and Phil has lived in Europe his whole life.

3. Somewhere that ideally allowed us to visit two places. Again, this was an odd one, but if we were going for 7 nights I had a dream of being able to do 3 nights somewhere, followed by 4 nights somewhere else. I felt like it would prolong that holiday feeling and make it feel like two moons in one!

Based on the above, I initially thought the Italian lakes would be perfect. I am obsessed with Italy and who doesn’t want to eat pasta, drink Aperol, swim in a lake and stare at beautiful mountains!? But, I have been to Lake Como before and it wasn’t the sea and sand we had hoped for. So after much research and discussion, we decided on the Baleric Iles of Formentera and Ibiza. Aside from the decision to agree to marry my husband, it’s the best decision I have made in years. It was INCREDIBLE.

Formentera

We started our honeymoon in the smaller island of Formentera. It is often referred to as Ibiza’s little sister. It is much quieter and less developed. It is also where the ‘party crowd’ come for a break. It is accessible only by boat (around 30 minutes) and it has the bluest water I have ever ever seen! Who knew water could really look that colour in Europe!

We booked our ferry tickets online before we left (much cheaper) and went with the slightly more expensive but less busy and crowded ‘Balearia’ ferries, which I would recommend.

We stayed at the beautiful Can Tres – affectionately termed “a hippy hideaway”. I had done a lot of research about where to stay and this was highly recommended. There are three small apartments, all beautifully designed and decorated. Breakfast is included everyday by the pool and sun lounges. Carla, the manager of the Villas, was enormously helpful with tips, maps and booking bikes for us to hire, which we did for two of the days. There are only single roads in and around Formentera and cabs can sometimes be difficult, so bikes were the perfect way to explore. This guide was particularly helpful for us: https://www.formentera.es/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/FORMENTERA-GREEN-ROUTES.pdf

Our highlights of Formentera included the following (note: this basically all revolves around food):

Gecko Beach Club: this was a short 10 minute walk from where we were staying. It is beautiful and felt like total bliss diving into the pool after what seemed like a long flight from London. We had lunch which was about €80 for two people for two courses and a glass of wine and then lay by the pool and read our books for the rest of the day. The day beds are €50 per person for the day but because we had booked lunch they didn’t charge us. WIN! Gecko is also set on the lovely Platja Migjorn, one of many gorgeous beaches surrounding Formentera.

AI Minera: this was hands down the nicest restaurant we went to for the whole trip. Every night of our honeymoon we ate in a garden. I am obsessed with gardens and adore the idea of sitting in a garden with flowers, trees and local produce growing around you to eat dinner. The food was incredible and all locally grown and sourced and it was the most romantic meal of the trip. It was slightly pricier but we also completely indulged.

Illetes: this beach is something else. I have never ever seen water like it! Ever! And I grew up in Australia. We rode our bikes there which took around 40 minutes and parked them for the day. The beach itself was busy but we managed to find a perch and enjoyed several swims before our lunch booking at the famous Juan y Andrea. This place is an institution. The story goes that the owner originally opened it as a beachside shack serving the fish he caught off his own boat. It is now a huge success with several terraces and a bar, where people come to to sit with their feet in the sand and eat stunningly fresh food. It is a “must do” but also a must book!

Can Carlos: on our final night in Formentera we went to the famed Can Carlos restaurant. Set in the gardens under twinkling fairy lights it was basically my dream. The food is modern Mediterranean – a mixture between home cooked goodness and michelin magic. It was so delicious! Highly highly recommend.