Carl

Hi,

Does anyone have any information on the Balearic islands - Ibiza, Mallorca, etc ? We are planning a trip to Barcelona this November, and were wondering if its worth a daytrip to these islands ?

Whats the best way to get there and what are the must see sites there ? We only have 1 day and would prefer to avoid an overnight stay if possible.

Comments suggestions ?
Thanks in advance,
Carl

Alec

November is low season and a lot of tourist facilities are closed. The Balearics aren't a year-long destination in the same league as Costa del Sol, as the weather is less good. You'll find the main city of Palma de Mallorca lively enough and some of the bigger resorts will have mainly elderly visitors from Northern Europe on a cheap, stay-put holiday. Both Ibiza and Menorca will be pretty dead (none of the famous Ibiza clubs will be open). There are nothing that are really worth making a special journey for, though the mountains in Northern Majorca are pleasant, esp the train ride to Soller and Valldemousa monastery (of Chopin and George Sand fame).
There are ferries and catamarans to the islands from Barcelona Port, but take 3 to 7 hours and return fare is around 70-110 euro. You can also fly.
If you only have a day, there are a number of worthwhile trips nearby, like Montserrat monastery, Cistercian abbeys at Poblet and Santa Creus, Penedes and cava vineyards, or Costa Brava and Girona.

Krystyna

Alec

I saw your reply to Carl's question and was wondering if you had any suggestions for that area (IBIZA specifically) during the end of Aug and beg of Sept. I'm planning a honeymoon in Spain and would like to travel through Spain 1 week and stay in Ibiza the second week. Any feedback greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

Alec

Ibiza at the end-August/beginning-September will be very lively and full of 'beautiful people' with looks and money, and their wannabes. San Antonio is the club capital of Europe in the summer, but be warned, it gets very full, very loud, and rowdy. Also the famous clubs are real rip-offs, with admission with one drink starting around US$30 and subsequent drink from $7 each.
But San Antonio and Ibiza Town are only a small part of the island and there are some wonderful places in the hills. Perhaps the best way to appreciate the island is to rent a villa for a week. Look for a starter: http://www.ibizavillas.com/

Carl

Thanks Alec for your comments.

Could you please suggest some activies in Costa Brava and Girona, how to get there etc ?

Also what are Cistercian abbeys at Poblet and Santa Creus, Penedes and cava vineyards ? Pardon my ignorance, but I dont recollect reading about these in the guides and cant seem to find any information on this.

FYI,we are a newly married couple in our late 20s.

Thanks again for your time,
Carl

SiD

Ibiza is an amazing place to go during the summer!! Check out this site for ALL Ibiza info:

www.ibizaspotlight.com

Alexandra

Hi,

If you go to Ibiza, I would recommend taking a day trip or staying for a couple of days in Formentera.
I was there a couple of weeks ago, and we loved it!

The beaches in Formentera had beautiful turquiose warm water and white sandy beaches.

Ibiza was also nive. We liked the old city of Ibiza a lot.

I was also in Menorca (Mao) it was very quiet, but I liked that it is not very developed.

Alexandra