
Find your Balearic island idyll by taking our travel-inspired test
Boasting some of the bluest waters in the Mediterranean, Spain’s Balearic islands are bursting with barefoot, bohemian soul where you’ll find a less-is-more approach to luxury. Each island has its own distinct identity, from up-beat Ibiza to chilled-out Formentera, there is something to suit every type of traveller. Simply select an answer from a-d in the questions below, count up the number of each letter and start browsing boutique hotels in the corresponding category. Spanish summer holiday plans, sorted…
1. The first thing you want to do when stepping off the plane is…


a) Drink toes-in-the-sand cocktails at a beachfront bar
b) Take a refreshing dip in the sea
c) Stroll through a market to pick up some local produce
d) Just get lost in nature – think olive groves, farmland, and rolling hills!
2. What recharges your batteries the most?

a) Sipping healthy smoothies on a sunbed
b) A sunrise yoga session listening to the waves
c) A soothing spa treatment like a salt-and-seaweed wrap
d) Sitting down to a picnic surrounded by vineyards
3. Which of these is a must-pack?
a) A stylish swimsuit
b) Skincare essentials
c) A big, basket-style bag
d) Comfortable shoes
4. Where would you most like to wake up?

a) In a king-size bed with sea views
b) On a boat after a nap in the sun
c) On a rooftop lounger overlooking the city
d) To the sound of cicadas in a converted farmhouse
5. Pick your perfect pool…


6. What would feature in most of your holiday pictures?
a) Holiday OOTDs (outfits of the day!)
b) Laid-back beach scenes
c) Food shots and tablescapes
d) Wild landscapes
7. How do you like to see the sights on holiday?

a) By boat
b) On foot
c) By bicycle
d) On horseback
8. What will you miss most when you return home?
a) Dining and drinking alfresco
b) Being barefoot everyday
c) The friendly locals – it’s the people who make a place!
d) The peace and quiet
Mostly A: Ibiza…for wild nights and lazy days

With its well-known party set and charming Old Town, Ibiza paints a pretty picture of whitewashed finca, blooming bougainvillaea, and blue-painted fishermen’s huts. But there’s more to the world’s clubbing capital than meets the eye. Relish just-caught seafood and local recipes in traditional tapas restaurants, climb up and over headlands to find deserted coves, or listen to sundown grooves at a beach bar.


Where to stay: For poolside bento-box nibbling and beach cabana massages, Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay is your best bet. This White Isle icon takes up prime position on Talamanca Bay so you’re only ever just steps away from the sea. Meanwhile, La Torre del Canónigo commands one of the best outlooks on the island from its hilltop perch, with a rooftop terrace and pool that promises marina views.
Mostly B: Formentera…for secluded seaside soul-searching

Think of Formentera as Ibiza’s chilled-out little sister – a desert island dream of wild, rocky coastline and off-grid beaches. As the smallest of the Balearic islands, Formentera is brimming with unplugged, castaway charm, and much of the island’s allure is that there’s very little to see – leaving you free to appreciate its natural beauty. Picture icing sugar sand dunes and whitewashed villages punctuated with green pine forests and impossibly blue waters, with a dash of bleached blonde beaches. Platja de Migjorn on the southern coast is true escapism territory, with little more than a handful of chiringuitos for company.

Where to stay: Unwind at Teranka, a blissful stay where time slips by in a beachfront blur of rosemary-infused massages and zesty cocktails in your poolside cabana. Or spend barefoot days nestled between the fine white-sand beaches of Migjorn and Es Caló at Dunas de Formentera.
Mostly C: Mallorca…for countryside meets coastal relaxation

Fringed by cliffs and heavenly beaches, with long stretches of fragrant countryside peppered with olive trees and citrus groves, Mallorca is the largest of the Balearics and reveals the Mediterranean at its most wildly beautiful. Whether you like your beach with white sand and azure waters, or rocky and rugged, Mallorca has something to suit every taste, while its quaint hilltop villages are overflowing with charm.


Where to stay: Choose between our four fabulous Mallorca hotels here, from a converted farmhouse on a bucolic estate to a clifftop fortress overlooking the Bay of Palma – or hotel hop around the island with our off-the-beaten-track itinerary here.
Mostly D: Menorca…for back-to-nature breaks

While there is plenty to discover inland, Menorca has that desert island spirit – you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve landed in the Caribbean when you escape to the beach in Menorca. The sand is white, the seas are clear, and there are quiet crescents and coves right along the coastline. When you’re not choosing between beaches, the protected area of Parc Natural S’Albufera d’es Grau is an unmissable sight. At the centre of Menorca’s Biosphere Reserve sits a huge, freshwater lagoon where you’ll spy wetland species of every size and colour, as well as migrating birds.

Where to stay: A traditional finca with fuschia flowers covering whitewashed walls, threshing floors, and a stable yard, the 27 rooms and cottages at Torralbenc are decorated in a soothing, creamy palette. Trot along in tranquillity through the 77-hectares of the estate on horseback to make the most of the surrounding agricultural landscape, sprinkled with wild olive forests, fragrant orchards, and Mediterranean underwood.
Share this article
Latest stories

A wellness-boosting itinerary through Portugal: from the Algarve to Alentejo
Beyond the Algarve’s beach umbrellas and Lisbon’s tiled alleys lies a version of Portugal where nature leads and wellbeing follows. These wilder corners offer stillness, slowness and something that’s increasingly sought-after by today’s travellers — a deep and meaningful connection to nature.

Why sailing the Nile by dahabeya is the most timeless way to experience Egypt
Aboard the beautiful Storia the Dahabeya, a four-day journey down the Nile comes to life with a thousand senses, from the snap of linen sails to the scent of sun-warmed papyrus drifting on the wind. We glide past palm-fringed banks and golden temples that continue to glow at dusk. Gentle

In with the new: from vineyard retreats to island hideaways these are the hotels on our radar in April
Spring brings a renewed sense of movement and with it, travel that feels both restorative and enriching. Some stays are steeped in nature, from Finland’s forested stillness to Corsica’s sunlit groves, while others unfold among the vineyards of California, Piedmont and beyond. Elsewhere, island rhythms take hold in Rhodes and

A pocket guide to Roma Norte: Mexico City’s most creative district
Full of characterful, colourful neighbourhoods where culture and cuisine thrive, Mexico City is a magnet for creatives to reside and visit. Condesa remains the go-to for Art Deco architecture and buzzy brunch spots. The bohemian enclave of Coyoacán has long been a refuge for artists. Burgeoning Juárez brings in a

