East of the Spanish mainland, the archipelago of the Balearic Islands is our Mediterranean pearl. It’s made up of four main islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. Each one has its own distinct character, from the blissed-out, party isle of Ibiza to the rustic serenity of Menorca, from the varied and cosmopolitan Mallorca to the simple, hippy-tinged Formentera. Be sure which type of experience you are after to make the right choice, as every island offers something very unique and special.
Mallorca, the largest island, is known for its ravishing beaches, scenic coastline, azure views, remote mountains of Tramuntana. Wherever your journey takes you, Mallorca never fails to seduce. This island is the idyllic paradise for nature lovers, cyclists, hikers, foodies but also wine connoisseurs. It has it all and we are sure you will discover more.
To the east, there’s Menorca, moving to its own mellow beat. Menorca is a true paradise for slow and sustainable tourism. Its twinset of sea-splashed cities, eastern Anglo-Spanish Maó and western maze-like Ciutadella, are delightfully low-key and distinctive, and the white- and golden-sand bays that stud its 216km coastline are among the loveliest in the Mediterranean. Inland, the island remains distinctly rural, with an estimated 70,000km of dry-stone walls criss-crossing fields and rolling hills between whitewashed villages.
In 1993, Unesco declared Menorca a Biosphere Reserve, aiming to preserve environmental areas, such as the S’Albufera des Grau wetlands Natural Park and its liberal sprinkling of mysterious Bronze Age sites. Menorca remains still an unspoiled gem in the Mediterranean waiting to be discovered.
Ibiza, more than just a party island:
Despite its over-the-top party reputation and nightlife, there is more to this sun-kissed, beach-bejewelled, pine-clad island than meets the bleary eye. Step off the beaten track for a spell in a rural hotel, a hidden hamlet, a hushed church or on a secluded north-coast cove to discover Ibiza’s surprisingly peaceful side. Or roam the ramparts of Ibiza Town’s World Heritage–listed Dalt Vila to immerse yourself in the island’s rich history and heritage. With over 200 km of coastline, there is nature and history waiting to be explored around every corner.
A visit to this Mediterranean island will awaken your soul to all the finer things in life, mostly those that involve extreme style, hidden beaches, and heaps of local seafood.
Dangling off the south coast of Ibiza, a mere half-hour away by fast ferry, the tiny island of Formentera is a beautifully pure, get-away-from-it-all escape. Formentera’s pace of life is blissfully languid, designed for lazy days spent lounging on some of Europe’s (dare we say the world’s?) most exquisite beaches.
Nowhere is the lure of the sea more powerful in the Balearics than here, where frost-white slithers of sand are smoothed by water in unbelievable shades of azure, turquoise and lapis lazuli that will have you itching to leap in. Tourism here is tightly tied to environmental ethics, with hotel numbers restricted, construction controlled and most visitors exploring on two wheels. There are few sights and little nightlife, making Formentera perfect for revelling in blissful barefoot living. You come here to simply do nothing but finding yourself…
