Sant Francesc Xavier is the capital of Formentera, a few kilometres inland from the port of La Savina. The Consell Insular, the island government, sits here opposite the parish church, and the town has the island's widest choice of shops, services and exhibition spaces.
The town
The most important landmark is the parish church, completed in 1738 and designed as a defensive fortress as well as a church, at a time when the memory of piracy was still vivid; its door is covered with iron plates. It stands opposite the Island Council. Nearby is the small chapel of Sa Tanca Vella, covered by a barrel vault and dating from the 13th or 14th century, which became too small after the repopulation of the 18th century and is why the church was built. The chapel has been restored and can be visited from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. After the square and the eastern part of Sa Raval comes the Fossar Vell, the old cemetery restored by the Formentera architect Marià Castelló, a finalist in the FAD architecture awards in 2017.
Via Portossalè leads to the service area with the cinema, library, swimming pool, sports centre and the Es Molí social centre. Just outside the town stand the 19th century windmills of Sa Mirada: Molí d'en Mateu, part of a private house, and Molí d'en Jeroni, easily reached, which stopped working in the 1950s and give a wide view over Estany des Peix, La Savina, Ibiza and the islet of Es Vedrà.
Sant Francesc is the centre of the island's fashion trade, with small boutiques selling clothing, decoration and jewellery. From May to October craft stalls set up in the streets, some selling handmade jewellery and leather goods from Formentera. On Tuesday and Saturday mornings a flea market with second-hand clothes, books and other items takes over the Jardí de ses Eres behind the church. The town also holds most of the island's exhibition halls: the Sala d'Exposicions Ajuntament Vell on Plaça de la Constitució, with openings usually on Mondays at 8 pm and free admission, the Centre Antoni Tur "Gabrielet" for exhibitions and craft workshops, open Monday to Saturday, and the Formentera Ethnographic Collection at Carrer de Santa Maria 16, a permanent exhibition of tools, furniture, clothing and instruments showing life on the island until the mid 20th century.
Getting there
By bus, lines L1 (Port La Savina to Es Pujols), L2 (Port La Savina to El Pilar de la Mola) and L5 (Port La Savina to Cala Saona) all serve Sant Francesc Xavier; from 1 May 2026 a short trip costs 2.25 EUR, a long trip 3.20 EUR and a day pass 15 EUR. By road, the town is on the main road from the port to the rest of the island. By bicycle, Sant Francesc is the starting point for the ride to Platja de Migjorn.
Services
The island council, exhibition halls, cinema, library, swimming pool and sports centre, boutiques, craft stalls in season, the Tuesday and Saturday flea market, and the Consell Insular's tourism department on Plaça de la Constitució.
When to go
Tuesday and Saturday mornings for the flea market, mornings from May to October for the craft stalls (and Monday and Tuesday evenings in July and August), any evening for the shops, Mondays at 8 pm for exhibition openings. The town is a short ride from the port and the natural choice for errands that the beach towns cannot cover.
Nearby
Cala Saona, the sandy cove on the west coast, is 5 km away; its windmills Molí d'en Jeroni and Molí d'en Mateu are 3.1 km from the beach. La Savina and the port lie to the north, Sant Ferran de ses Roques to the east on the main road, and Platja de Migjorn with Es Ca Marí along the south coast.
