9 Best Sights in Ibiza and the Balearic Islands, Spain

A 15-minute boat ride from Mahón harbor is the tiny islet of Illa del Rei, once home to a naval hospital, which is now home to the first Spanish outpost of internationally lauded art gallery Hauser & Wirth. Exhibits come and go with the seasons, but the entire setting is hypnotic: the sensitive restoration of the outbuildings scooped a social responsibility award; the apothecary gardens are perfumed and purple-hued; while the siesta-relaxed outdoor terrace of Cantina restaurant wiggles in seats wherever gaps between tree trunks allow. A sculpture trail reveals big-hitters by Joan Miró, as well as one of Louise Bourgeois's famous spiders, while the naval museum offers fascinating historical context. Sustainability-focused craft workshops (for example, repurposing discarded fishnets into tapestries) and a kitsch-free gift shop complete an offering that will delight anyone seeking creative stimulation or disconnection.   

Along Carrer Colom is the 17th-century ajuntament (town hall). Stop in to see the collection of gigantes, the huge painted and costumed mannequins paraded through the streets during festivals, which are on display in the lobby. The olive tree on the right side of the square is one of Mallorca's so-called olivos milenarios—purported to be more than 1,000 years old. The adjacent building is the Palau del Consell, the headquarters of the island's government, a late-19th-century building on the site of a medieval prison. The palau (palace) has its own collection of gigantes and an impressive stained-glass window over the ornate stone staircase; visits inside can be arranged by appointment ( [email protected]).

The Baluard (bastion) de San Bernat is one of the oldest bastions in the Balearic Islands, harkening back to when inhabitants feared attacks from pirates. From here, a promenade with stunning sea views runs west to the bastions of Sant Jordi and Sant Jaume, past the Castell—a fortress formerly used as an army barracks. In 2007, work began to transform the fortress into a luxury parador, but archaeological discoveries under the worksite delayed the reconstruction indefinitely. There are many points from which to pick up the promenade, but a thorough route begins from the main drawbridge in Portal de ses Taules: head towards the Baluard de Santa Llúcia, then Sant Joan, Sant Pere, and so on. 

This massive cave is the most spectacular on Menorca, with eerie rock formations rising up to a 77-foot-high ceiling. When planning your visit, bear in mind that it's a 30-minute walk each way from the nearest parking place.

Just inside the old city portal arch, this museum houses a collection of paintings, sculpture, and photography from 1959 to the present. The scope of the collection is international, but the emphasis is on artists who were born or lived in Ibiza during their careers. There isn't much explanatory material in English, however. There is also an underground archaeological site in the basement, some of which dates back as far as the 6th century BC.

A few steps from the north archway of the Plaça Major is the Museu Fundación Juan March. This fine little museum was established to display what had been a private collection of modern Spanish art. The building itself was a sumptuous private home built in the 18th century. The second and third floors were redesigned to accommodate a series of small galleries, with one or two works at most—by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Juan Gris, Salvador Dalí, Antoni Tàpies, and Miquel Barceló, among others—on each wall.

The roof of this 17th-century church is an irregular arrangement of tile domes. It is worth visiting for the fresco paintings on the main nave, created by the Mallorcan painter Matas in 1884, and for the chapels. The nearby ajuntament (town hall) is housed in the former monastery of the church.

Carrer de la Cadena leads to this imposing Gothic church, where, in 1435, 200 Jews were forced to convert to Christianity after their rabbis were threatened with being burned at the stake.

Maintained by the Fundació Tren de l'Art, these galleries have two small but remarkable collections—one of engravings by Miró, whose grandfather was born in Sóller, the other of ceramics by Picasso.