The Balearic Islands: Ibiza & Formentera

Ibiza and Formentera are also called Pityusen, which means "pine island" derived from the Greek. Ibiza, the larger of the two, is still covered with dense pine forests. Until the sixties, the islands were considered poor and backward, then the hippies discovered their beauty. Ibiza has since become a world-famous party hotspot, with hip clubs and DJs who have developed their own style of music, the "Balearic Sound". DJ Pippi has helped shape the Ibiza style since the eighties. In his studio and at the turntables of the beach bars, he shows what the "Balearic Sound" is all about: the relaxed mix of dancehall and flamenco music, the soundtrack to Ibiza's sunsets. The island is considered a meeting place for high society: in the marinas, the luxury yachts lie close together. Frédéric Sciamma has a remedy for the boredom of the rich. The Frenchman sells crazy water sports equipment like the "Flyboard," which lets his customers fly over the sea like Superman. The locals don't let the party hustle and bustle get them down. Like his father and grandfather, Vincent Palermet layers Ibiza's typical dry stone walls stone by stone in the scorching heat. The archaic terraced structures manage without mortar. They create a fertile microclimate on the barren soils. Formentera is the smallest inhabited Balearic island - seen from above it has the shape of a bone. Since there is no airport, the vacation crowds on the Caribbean-like beaches have so far failed to materialize. The secret of the deep blue waters is called Posidonia Oceanica. This huge aquatic plant spreads over the seabed in a square-kilometer-sized area and filters the water. The spirit of the sixties still wafts over Formentera, even in Ecki Hoffmann's guitar workshop. In just three weeks, he teaches rock fans how to build an electric guitar. Director Christian Schidlowski and his team go on an orchid hunt with botanist Barbara Klahr. And find out from vespa lender Carmen Rosello why Formentera is becoming more and more Italian.