Travel guide
Balearic Islands

The 12 keywords Balearic Islands

1. #Ad-Lib

This fashion was born in the 1970s in Ibiza, promoted by the late Smilja Mihailovitch. A contraction of the Latin expression ad libitum ("take the side you like"), Ad-Lib fashion, a harmonious blend of elegance and sophistication, concentrates casualness and freshness, evoking the brightness and youthfulness of Ibiza.

2. #Avarques

All Spaniards have them on their feet. They look like our espadrilles and are leather-strapped sandals, worn in the past by shepherds, with soles made from old tyres. Originally from Menorca, they are called menorquinas in the rest of Spain. Even the royal family wears them!

3. #Caldereta

Caldereta is a kind of bouillabaisse typical of Menorca, and more precisely of Fornells, a small and charming town in the north of the island. The main difference with the famous French dish is that it includes lobster. The result is therefore much more fragrant... and more expensive. Seafood lovers, you are served!

4. #DJ

Ibiza's clubs make it their biggest advertisement: who will have the best DJ... of the night. For years, the Ibiza DJ Awards have been recognising the best DJ of the year. But in addition to the nightclubs, most of the trendy bars and huts on the most popular beaches have their own resident DJs and their own discographies.

5. #Ensaïmades

The equivalent of our croissants. It's a little bit greasier (made with lard), rolled up like a raisin bread, sprinkled with icing sugar... and it's a real religion! Every tourist goes home with a souvenir box! In the airport departure halls as well as on board the boats, the hexagonal white cardboard boxes are legion.

6. #Hippies

The hippies arrived on the archipelago in the mid-twentieth century and left their mark on the island, including a weekly entertainment on the island of Ibiza: the hippie markets, including those in Es Canar and Las Dalias, where you can find handicrafts, as well as imported products from Asia and India. Formentera also has several markets.

7. #Mills

You will see them on the four Balearic islands. In Mallorca and Ibiza, they are stocky and their wings are short. They are used to collect fresh water from the ground. In Menorca and Formentera, their wings are long (4 or 5 m!) and sophisticated, to capture the wind and make the millstones that crush the wheat grains turn faster.

8. #Pityuses

The Pityuse islands include Ibiza and Formentera, as well as several small islets such as Espalmador and Espardell. The name Pityuse probably comes from pitys, which means pine in ancient Greek. In ancient times, the Pityuses were clearly differentiated from the rest of the Balearic Islands. Mallorca and Menorca formed the Gymesias.

9. #Pomada

A mixture of Menorcan gin and lemonade, Pomada(French for "pomade "), invented in the town of Mahón in 1967, is a typical Menorcan drink. It is consumed mainly in summer, especially during the patron saint's day, as it is a very refreshing drink! It is of course consumed throughout the archipelago.

10. #HisSalines

Ibiza's salt, renowned for its purity, comes from this natural reserve stretching from Ibiza to Fomentera. Classified as a World Heritage Site in 1999 by UNESCO for its exceptional beauty, the salt flats are also a special protection area for birds, serving as a migration stage for herons and flamingos in particular.

11. #Sobrassada

An essential Mallorcan product, sobrassada is made from pork. Its red colour comes from paprika, mixed with salt, pepper and minced meat. Although it looks like a big sausage, sobrassada has the consistency of pâté, so it is spread on bread to eat. Menorca also produces its own version.

12. #Talayot

Between 1,000 and 300 B.C. the Talayotic era was born. Numerous remains from this period can be found in the Balearic Islands, especially on the island of Menorca. They are characterised by taules: imposing T-shaped megaliths that can be up to 3.7 metres high. Most of the time, they are surrounded by a U-shaped wall.