Region

Balearic Islands

Pick one island for 4–7 nights; Mallorca for a first trip, Menorca for quiet coves, Ibiza for nightlife.

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Key facts · Spain

Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Euro (EUR, €)
Language: Spanish (castellano)
Plugs: C · F · 230 V
Time zone: CET (UTC+1, summer UTC+2)

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 9Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Iberia ↗Plan meals on the Iberian clock: Spanish kitchens serve lunch from about 13:30–14:00 and dinner from 20:30–21:00; Portugal eats an hour or so earlier. Early evenings are for tapas or petiscos, not full meals.
Iberia ↗Inland Spain and Portugal (Seville, Córdoba, Madrid, the Alentejo) pass 40 °C in heatwaves from late June to August: sightsee before 11:00 and after 18:00, and keep July–August for the coasts and the green north.
Iberia ↗Andorra and Gibraltar have their own border and customs rules and are reached only through Spain (or France for Andorra); read their pages before adding them, especially if you hold a limited Schengen visa.
Spain ↗Spain is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
Spain ↗High-speed trains have airport-style baggage screening at the station and boarding gates that close a few minutes before departure: arrive early.
Spain ↗Carry your passport or ID: police may ask for it, and hotels must register every guest's document.
Spain ↗The Alhambra in Granada and the Sagrada Família in Barcelona sell timed tickets that sell out weeks ahead in season; book on the official sites before you fix your dates.

The Balearics are four islands, not one destination. Mallorca is the biggest and easiest: Palma, one mountain railway and coves within an hour. Menorca is flatter and slower. Ibiza splits into a party south and a quiet north. Formentera is a day-trip from Ibiza. Ferries and short flights link them, but island-hopping every two nights burns beach time on transfers.

Where to sleep

5 places in this region

Palma de MallorcaCity guide
Airport, old town on foot, trains and buses to the rest of Mallorca.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
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AlcúdiaCity guide
North Mallorca; long beach, old walls, boat trips.
Best May–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
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Ibiza, cityCity guide
Ferries, Dalt Vila, clubs south of town.
Best May–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
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MaóCity guide
Menorca's airport gateway and harbour town.
Best May–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
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CiutadellaCity guide
West Menorca; closer to the island's best-known coves.
Best May–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
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Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

5 nights: Mallorca 5: Palma 2 + north coast 3
7 nights: Mallorca 4 + Menorca 3, one ferry between them
4 nights: Ibiza 4 with a Formentera day-trip

July–August: book ferries, hire cars and beds weeks ahead; the smallest coves fill by mid-morning.
August heat and crowded trails: start walks before 09:00.August heat and crowded trails: start walks before 9:00 AM.
The tourist tax is added at check-in, not always in the quoted room price.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Sóller	Palma de Mallorca	70 min	check	Wooden train from Plaça d'Espanya through the mountains; book ahead in summer.
Formentera	Ibiza, city	60 min	check	Fast ferry from the port; foot passengers only in practice in high season.
Valldemossa and Deià	Palma de Mallorca	45 min	check	Bus 203 along the west coast; roads are narrow and slow.

Bags between cities

Ferry companies take cars and luggage; on foot, travel light between islands — inter-island flights have normal cabin limits.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Palma de Mallorca	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	×	×	go	go	ok	ok
Alcúdia	×	×	×	ok	go	go	×	×	go	go	×	×
Ibiza, city	×	×	×	×	go	go	×	×	go	go	×	×
Maó	×	×	×	ok	go	go	×	×	go	go	×	×
Ciutadella	ok	ok	ok	ok	go	go	×	×	go	go	ok	ok
Spain (country-wide)	go	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	go	go	go	go

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Balearic Islandsall four islands	cool	cool	ok	best	best	best	hot	hot	best	best	ok	cool

best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, greyhot: short walking windows

Balearic Islands: Mediterranean: mild winters, dry hot summers. Sea swimming is comfortable roughly May–October; August is the hottest and busiest month.

May, June, September and October give warm sea and thinner crowds; July–August are peak price and peak heat.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Barcelona, Valencia or Madrid	Palma, Ibiza or Maó	Direct flight	under 1 h	The fastest way in; several daily flights on each route.
London or Paris	Palma, Ibiza or Maó	Direct flight	under 2 h	Seasonal frequency rises sharply July–September.
Barcelona	Palma	Overnight ferry	~8 h crossing	Takes cars; book a cabin for the night crossing.
mainland Spain	Mallorca	Ferry	check	Roughly 150 weekly ferry movements link Mallorca with other ports; most run to the mainland.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Inter-island ferry

check

Prices and timetables vary by route and season; book the crossing before the hotel if you plan two islands.

Hire car

buy

The practical way to reach coves and villages on Mallorca and Menorca; book early in summer and check parking at your base.

Palma city buses and metro

buy

Cheap for the old town and airport runs; a card or contactless tap covers most rides.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Sobrasada	Mallorca	Red pork pâté spiced with paprika; eaten on bread or in pastries.
Ensaimada	Mallorca	Coiled sweet pastry; plain or with pumpkin jam.
Mallorcan olive oil	Mallorca	From old trees on the island; sold in small shops and markets.
Palo and Hierbas	all islands	Local liquors: Palo from carob fruit, Hierbas herbal and sweet, mixed or dry.
Fish and seafood	coastal towns	Grilled fish and rice dishes; lunch is often the better-value meal.

Go next

Mallorca

planned

Fly or ferry to Palma

The base island: Palma, mountains and coves.

Ibiza

planned

Short flight or ferry

Clubs in the south, quiet north, Formentera day-trips.

Menorca

planned

Short flight or ferry

Slower pace and long sandy coves.

Spain

Fly to the mainland

Pair with Barcelona or Valencia by air.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 5 bases
Day trips: 3, 45 min to 1 h 10
Nights suggested: 4–7 nights
Ways in: 4 listed
Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep, Oct

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

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Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialGovern de les Illes Balears
officialBalearic Islands Tourism
secondaryWikivoyage: Balearic Islands, revision 5245708 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ask about Balearic Islands

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