Pink Floyd in Formentera: The True Story of the Psychedelic Myth

Pink Floyd in Formentera? We tell you the story behind the legend: a summer of inspiration, music, and legend.

Pink Floyd in Formentera: the reality and the legend

Much has been said about the relationship between Pink Floyd and Formentera. Some present it as a hippie getaway. Others as the place where they found inspiration for their music. The truth is, in the late 1960s, several members of the group spent a summer on the island. And it left its mark.

What was Pink Floyd doing in Formentera?

The story goes that they came looking for peace, sea, and relaxation. At that time, the island was still unspoiled, without mass tourism or infrastructure. An ideal place to disappear for a few months.

They settled in rustic houses, strolled along the beach, went on excursions, and played at informal gatherings. Some locals still remember seeing them at beach bars or in the town square.

The founding members of Pink Floyd with some of their partners in 1967 on Migjorn beach. / L.Cornor

Did the island influence your music?

There's no official recording made in Formentera. But there is a recognizable influence in the sound of the era: more ethereal, more ambient. The island's slow rhythm, its open skies, and absolute calm seem to have permeated the band's more experimental phase.

It is no coincidence that many of the covers, lyrics, and subsequent atmospheres evoked landscapes similar to those one sees at sunset in Cap de Barbaria or walking through the interior of the island.

Cover of the Pink Floyd album from the original soundtrack of "More."

Formentera in the 60s

It was an island with no paved roads. Only dirt tracks, cottages, fishermen, and a few adventurous souls. Getting there was difficult. And that made it the perfect refuge for artists, writers, and musicians looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the world.

Pink Floyd wasn't the only band that found something here. Jazz musicians, painters, and travelers also came, who would later set trends in Europe.

Where were they?

There's no official map, but rumors place them in areas like Migjorn, La Mola, and Es Caló. Quiet places, difficult to access at the time, where they could go unnoticed. Some stories speak of improvised musical evenings and long nights spent gazing at the stars.

Today, many visitors seek that same feeling: to get away, to find silence. Some do so by exploring the island on foot. Others opt for the sea. boat rental in Formentera offers just that: a way to experience the island in calm, at your own pace, as the band perhaps did at the time.

Myth or reality, it doesn't matter

In the end, the important thing isn't so much whether everything that's said is true. What matters is that Formentera remains a place where you can unwind, create, and think. And that's saying something.