Religious holidays
Religious festivities punctuate the Catalan calendar, with emblematic events such as the Dia dels Reis, celebrating the arrival of the Three Wise Men, and the Setmana Santa, commemorating Holy Week. Every year, the villages and towns of the Balearic Islands, and Formentera in particular, also vibrate to the rhythm of their patron saint festivals. These are precious moments that bring together young and old in an atmosphere of joy and conviviality.
On July 16, the Mare de Déu del Carme, patron saint of fishermen, is honored in all Balearic ports, including La Savina and Es Pujols, and even at sea! Tradition dictates that at 7pm, a laurel wreath is thrown into the sea as an offering, followed by a bal pagès, a traditional Pityuse dance. On July 25, Sant Francesc pays homage to Sant Jaume, the island's patron saint. On August 5, Mare de Déu de les Neus day, the patron saint of the Pityuse islands, is celebrated on both Ibiza and Formentera. Religious rituals are also organized in Sant Ferran for the eponymous feast day on May 30, while in Sant Francesc, the patron saint's day is celebrated on December 3. Finally, Spain's patron saint, Nuestra Señora del Pilar, is celebrated throughout the country, including at Pilar de la Mola on October 12. In addition to these religious celebrations, there are more ancient pagan festivals, such as Sant Joan, which celebrates summer.
The legend of the Viking King and the treasure of Formentera
Formentera's history is full of episodes linked to the sea, fishermen and pirates. One of these legends, from chronicles dating back to the Viking era (10th century), tells of King Sigurd's adventure in Formentera. The tales of a crew returning from Jerusalem and the sight of their opulent booty are said to have piqued the interest of the newly crowned Sigurd. He decided to set out on a new campaign towards Jerusalem. After sailing along the French coast and past Gibraltar, Sigurd and his Viking fleet finally reached the shores of Formentera. Having heard of a legend according to which pirates were hiding treasure in the hollow of a cliff on the Mola, Sigurd devised a plan to hunt down the pirates and steal their wealth.
As the cave was inaccessible from the sea, the crew managed to raise one of their longships to the top of the cliff and lower it, using a rope system, to the excavation. The suspended Vikings then set fire to the cave entrance, filling it with smoke and forcing its occupants out. And that's exactly what the pirates ended up doing. Showing no compassion for the poor buggers at his mercy, King Sigurd spared none.
Whether the Vikings unearthed the famous treasure, took it with them on the road to Jerusalem or hid it between Ibiza and Formentera, history doesn't say. What has stuck, however, is the name of the cave: the Cova des Fum (Smoke Cave)!
