Es Caló de Sant Agustí is the little fishing harbour at the foot of La Mola, on Formentera's north coast. It's tiny, but it has almost everything you need for a good day: places to eat well, two supermarkets to stock up for the beach, the coves of Ses Platgetes right next door and a pier you can swim from. From our house in El Pilar de la Mola it's about ten minutes' drive down the hill, and it's one of the places where we spend the most time every summer.
What Es Caló is like
Formentera's official tourism website describes it as a small, charming fishing settlement on the Tramuntana (north) coast, between Sant Ferran and the climb up to La Mola. The harbour is natural, surrounded by white boat huts and the traditional wooden slipways used to haul the boats out, the escars, laid out like a fan around the water. The whole ensemble was declared a site of cultural interest in 2002.
This is also where the Camí de Sa Pujada starts, the old cobbled path that climbs up to La Mola.
Breakfast on the Fonda Rafalet terrace
Fonda Rafalet has two parts: the bar with its terrace, down by the pier, and the restaurant. The terrace is our breakfast spot in Es Caló. If we fancy something sweet, an ensaimada (the local spiral pastry); if we feel like savoury, a ham sandwich or toast with tomato. With the sea right in front and the boats a few metres away, there's no better way to start the day before heading to the beach.
Dinner: "pan con cosas" at Fonda Rafalet
For dinner on the Fonda Rafalet terrace we nearly always order the same thing: "pan con cosas" (bread with lots of things on top). It's as simple as it is brilliant, and a great option for group dinners. Kids love the pizza. If you're going in July or August, it's worth booking.
Can Pascual: Formentera cooking with a twist
The other restaurant we recommend in Es Caló is Can Pascual. They've given Formentera's traditional food a twist, in the best sense: sophistication with common sense. It's a good choice for a slightly more special lunch or dinner without leaving the village.
Supermarkets for a beach day
Es Caló has two supermarkets, Rafalet's and Pascual's, and both are ideal for stocking up before a day at the beach: water, fruit, snacks and whatever you forgot at home. We'll tell you more about the big weekly shop in our supermarkets post, once it's published.
Swimming off Es Mollet
Es Mollet is Es Caló's pier, where the boats moor. We've always jumped into the water from there, as children and as grown-ups. On more than one summer night, heading home late, it's been a compulsory stop: there's no better way to get home relaxed.
Just remember it's a working boat pier: always check that no boat is coming in or going out, check the depth before you jump and, with children, always have an adult beside them.
Ses Platgetes, a few steps away
Right next to the harbour are Ses Platgetes, three little beaches of sand and rock with very clear water. You walk there along a wooden boardwalk from the village car park.
A full day out in Es Caló
- Morning: breakfast on the Fonda Rafalet terrace and a stop at the supermarket.
- Midday: a swim at Ses Platgetes or off Es Mollet.
- Afternoon: a stroll among the boat huts and the escars, or a walk up the Camí de Sa Pujada, best when the sun is lower.
- Evening: dinner at Can Pascual or "pan con cosas" at Fonda Rafalet.
When there's a strong tramontana (north wind), the sea on the north coast gets choppy. Our tip: on your way down from La Mola, stop at El Mirador restaurant, halfway down, and look from there which coast has fewer waves. If the north is rough, save Es Caló for dinner and head to Migjorn for your swim.
From our house
Can Javi de Palma is our family home in El Pilar de la Mola, about ten minutes' drive from Es Caló. It has three double bedrooms, a private pool and a garden, for up to six adults (tourist licence ET6047). If you'd like to have Es Caló this close, you can check availability here. And for more ideas around the island, have a look at our guide to Formentera island.
FAQ
What is Es Caló de Sant Agustí?
A small natural fishing harbour on Formentera's north coast, at the foot of La Mola, with boat huts and wooden slipways. It was declared a site of cultural interest in 2002.
Where to eat in Es Caló?
We recommend Fonda Rafalet, for breakfast on its terrace or "pan con cosas" for dinner, and Can Pascual, for more elaborate Formentera cooking. In summer it's worth booking.
Is there a supermarket in Es Caló?
Yes, two: Rafalet's and Pascual's. They're very handy for getting ready for a beach day.
Can you swim in Es Caló?
Yes: at Ses Platgetes, next to the harbour, and off Es Mollet, the pier, keeping an eye out for boats.
