Balearic Islands Travel Guide

The Balearic Islands (Los Baleares)—Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza, plus Formentera and other diminutive islands—stand at the crossroads of the western Mediterranean. They are due south of Barcelona, due north of Algiers, and due east of Valencia. Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, and Moors occupied and ruled them before Spain came along. Yet despite a trove of Bronze Age megaliths and some fine Punic artifacts, the invaders who have left the largest imprint are the sun-seeking vacationers who swoop in every summer.

After Jaume I expelled the Moors in 1229, the islands flourished as the kingdom of Mallorca, but declined after being integrated into the kingdom of Castilla in the mid–14th century. The 19th century provided a renaissance, as artists such as George Sand, Frédéric Chopin, and, later, poets Robert Graves and Laura Riding established the islands as a haven for musicians, writers, and visual artists. The artists gradually paved the way for tourists of all stripes.

Few visitors have time to explore all three major islands, so decide early which one is for you. Mallorca, the largest, is the most commercial and touristy, with sprawling hotels and fast-food joints in many parts. Freewheeling Ibiza attracts the international party crowd, as well as seekers of white-sand beaches and sky-blue waters. The smallest of the major islands, Menorca, is the most serene. It is less touristy than Mallorca and Ibiza, and is now experiencing an “anti-tourist” tourism boom. The government of the islands has recently safeguarded 35 percent of the group from further development. Continuing strong demand and a short summer season means unusually high prices for Balearic Island hotels.