The Balearic Islands, or Las islas Baleares, are found off the eastern coast of mainland Spain. The three main islands are: Minorca, Mallorca and Ibiza. Taken together, this archipelago of islands is a province of Spain with Palma, Mallorca as its capital. Spanish and Catalan are the two official languages but German and English are widely spoken, as the islands are extremely popular with foreign tourists. With a total land mass just under 500,000 km² the islands have a year-round local population of around 1 million. However, millions of people from throughout Europe visit the islands all year round due to its warm temperate climate and beautiful beaches. Short, direct flights fly in and out of Palma to most European capitals every day and package deals make it a very affordable place to visit.
The main island of Mallorca boasts a long history in which it changed hands many times, at turns being under the control of the Byzantines, Romans, Vandals and Arabs. One can still see the Arabic influence in many of the buildings in the capital city of Palma especially the main downtown cathedral, featured above. With beautiful cobbled streets and an abundance of world-class shopping and restaurants, Palma is a beautiful place to visit. Owing to its varied history, the islands have developed unique dishes. For more information on local cuisine click here.
Ibeza, the southernmost of the large islands is popular with partygoers, especially fans of electronic music. Since 2005, it has been host to the popular music event Ibeza Rocks drawing large numbers of musicians and bands from around the world. Minorca, the northernmost large island of the archipelago, is the most traditional of the islands. Its inhabitants still observe ancient holiday festivals throughout the summer season. A popular treat, the flaon, is found in bakeries throughout the island. These are a circular pastry often sweetened with honey especially popular around Easter time.
