Are you curious about the Balearic Islands? The incredibly popular Spanish Mediterranean islands continue to attract visitors and expats. In this week’s blog post, we get to know the islands a little closer and hope, as always, that you will get inspired and to finally go on and buy that long-awaited home in the sun!
Menorca
With its turquoise paradise-like beaches and cliffs, Menorca is one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean. In 2019, Menorca had 96,620 permanent residents, making the island the third most inhabited among the Balearic Islands. During the summer season, the number more than doubles as the island is very popular among tourists.
As in many other places in Spain and the world, you sometimes have to take longer and more crooked roads to get to the very best beaches – the same is true for Mallorca.
Menorca is kind of divided into two areas. The north coast barely has any vegetation, is rocky and almost uninhabited. The south coast, on the other hand, is greener and you’ll see a lot more people here. What often happens in Menorca is that if it’s windy in the northern part, it’s most likely less windy, or not at all, in the southern part, or vice versa. Therefore, it’s a good idea to check the wind forecast online before you go visit the beach.
In addition to beautiful beaches, Menorca also has a lot of archaeological history. Sometimes the island is also called an open-air museum. There are more than 1500 inventoried archeological sites here, which is very impressive considering the relatively small area.
On the island you can visit sunken sea ships, old quarries and many prehistoric remains. La Naveta des Tudons on Mallorca is the oldest preserved building in all of Europe!
Mallorca
Mallorca has been popular among tourists from the north of Europe for several decades since charter became popular. A lot has happened since then and now many people from all over Europe and the world choose to live here for longer periods or permanently. The island is over five times the size of Menorca and has almost one million inhabitants. Apart from Spaniards, it is very common to meet Britts and Germans on the island.
About 6,000 years ago, the first humans came to Mallorca and the island has since been invaded and plundered by pirates, as well as being conquered several times by various, usually nearby, empires. Today, all of the Balearic Islands belong to Catalonia, nothern state of Spain, and the official language is Catalan, however, the accents vary depending on which island or part of the mainland you are from.
The island is mountainous, green and full of lovely beaches. The largest city is Palma de Mallorca, located in the southwest part of the island. If you don’t want to fly here, you can take one of the ferries from Valencia, Barcelona or Dénia on the mainland. Taking the ferry is optimal if you’re moving here or want to take the car with you, for example.
Ibiza
As many may already probably know, Ibiza is the place for the whole world’s party people! The biggest artists come here and the whole summer is one big party around the clock. Here is something for everyone who wants to have fun and enjoy and celebrate their holiday.
In addition to being a party island, Ibiza also offers tranquility if you go outside town. To find the better beaches you have to get there by car or moped, which is definitely worth it if you want to see a little more than the typical tourist route.
Here are many different types of beaches, ranging from rocky cliffs to chalk-white sandy beaches. Cala d’Hort is a mixed beach with rocks and sand, and is very popular thanks to Es Vedrà – a cliff almost 400 meters tall that rises a short boat ride from the beach. The rock is said to have mysterious and magical properties that accumulate energy.
With just under 150,000 inhabitants, the island earns its living mainly from tourism. In addition, a lot of olives and southern fruits are exported (such as avocados, peaches, grapes, lemons, etc.).
Formentera
If you want to quickly visit a Caribbean-like beach, you can easily take the ferry from Ibiza to Formentera, located less than an hour south of Ibiza. Formentera is a very special place with fairytale-like nature where the atmosphere is much calmer than on Ibiza. A perfect excursion for those who need to take a little break from the party life.
No matter which Balearic island you choose to visit or move to, you can be sure to find wonderful nature, beaches and a freer lifestyle that you can enjoy all year round!